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Post by tecka on Mar 1, 2017 13:44:58 GMT
I had a completely wasted and frustrating day yesterday cruising in the rain up the Walsall 8. Not having any internet data left I couldn't check for stoppages on the website and so phoned the customer service number and was told that there were no stoppages currently on my journey. I happened to bump into the bank staff when I was half way up the flight and they asked where I was heading to as the curly wyrley had stoppages in both directions! I phoned the customer service line again to be told no stoppages again! When I queried this as different to what the guys on the ground were telling me I was put through to the west midlands team who confirmed that Pinfold bridge is still shut. I pointed out that the winter stoppage notice which I had downloaded before running out of data didn't mention this and had been updated on the 24/2/2017 for Pratts mill so why didn't it show Pinfold as still shut, I was told it was a different stoppage and not the one on the notice (BS surely). Fair play to the girl on the phone, she took my anger very well and went a long way to calming me down, I also realise that its not her fault.
I bumped into the same bank staff this morning and they tell me that the supports for the new Pinfold Bridge are still on the floor and work doesn't appear to have even started yet. He also confirmed that it's the original stoppage as well. Having now got data I've found the closure on the website and it starts from the 9/12/17, just happens to be the date the winter stoppage ended.
Anyway I spent the evening thoroughly pissed off and will spend tomorrow taking the long way round to the Wolverhampton 21. Properly crap customer service from CaRT though. I realise I could / should have found out by other methods but honestly thought that CaRT would actually give me the right fucking info on the phone.
First day cruising in three months as I basically dumped my boat on a winter mooring in Walsall basin due to a family emergency. Oh yeah, I also realised I've killed my fucking batteries over this period by leaving them low with solar unable to replenish due to the fucking big buildings surrounding the basin. Fuck, fuck, fuckity fuck.
Rant over and breathe....
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Post by naughtyfox on Mar 1, 2017 14:46:03 GMT
No need to say 'rant over' and no need to apologise - overpoliteness will be the death of us all.
Worth keeping in mind a proper computer, in a library perhaps, may be better than just a mobile phone?
We find the UK to be somewhat a third-world country with its mobile phone & data/internet signals.
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Post by tecka on Mar 1, 2017 14:58:07 GMT
Yeah I know I could've checked elsewhere but didn't expect CaRT to not know where their own fucking stoppages were.
We live and learn, doesn't matter a jot now anyway. Taking me folks to Llangollen on the boat now that my moms got the all clear, off on holiday where non of this shit matters.
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Post by Deleted on Mar 1, 2017 15:05:47 GMT
Frustrating. We feel your anger.
Rog
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Post by canaldweller on Mar 1, 2017 16:49:09 GMT
I had a completely wasted and frustrating day yesterday cruising in the rain up the Walsall 8. Not having any internet data left I couldn't check for stoppages on the website and so phoned the customer service number and was told that there were no stoppages currently on my journey. I happened to bump into the bank staff when I was half way up the flight and they asked where I was heading to as the curly wyrley had stoppages in both directions! I phoned the customer service line again to be told no stoppages again! When I queried this as different to what the guys on the ground were telling me I was put through to the west midlands team who confirmed that Pinfold bridge is still shut. I pointed out that the winter stoppage notice which I had downloaded before running out of data didn't mention this and had been updated on the 24/2/2017 for Pratts mill so why didn't it show Pinfold as still shut, I was told it was a different stoppage and not the one on the notice (BS surely). Fair play to the girl on the phone, she took my anger very well and went a long way to calming me down, I also realise that its not her fault. I bumped into the same bank staff this morning and they tell me that the supports for the new Pinfold Bridge are still on the floor and work doesn't appear to have even started yet. He also confirmed that it's the original stoppage as well. Having now got data I've found the closure on the website and it starts from the 9/12/17, just happens to be the date the winter stoppage ended. Anyway I spent the evening thoroughly pissed off and will spend tomorrow taking the long way round to the Wolverhampton 21. Properly crap customer service from CaRT though. I realise I could / should have found out by other methods but honestly thought that CaRT would actually give me the right fucking info on the phone. First day cruising in three months as I basically dumped my boat on a winter mooring in Walsall basin due to a family emergency. Oh yeah, I also realised I've killed my fucking batteries over this period by leaving them low with solar unable to replenish due to the fucking big buildings surrounding the basin. Fuck, fuck, fuckity fuck. Rant over and breathe.... We've just come down that flight. Did you notice scraping underneath and things underwater trying to tip the boat over? That's the Walsall canal for you. Never mind, the llangollen is a lovely canal. Although, there is the flow to contend with. thunderboat.boards.net/post/40814/thread |
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Post by tecka on Mar 1, 2017 17:06:54 GMT
We've just come down that flight. Did you notice scraping underneath and things underwater trying to tip the boat over? That's the Walsall canal for you. Never mind, the llangollen is a lovely canal. Although, there is the flow to contend with. thunderboat.boards.net/post/40814/threadtbh it wasn't too bad on the scraping front, I've certainly seen it worse! Something stuck behind the bottom gate of lock 2, but again, had it much worse. Cheers for the link to the thread. I'd heard that the flow was interesting. |
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Post by pearley on Mar 1, 2017 17:07:53 GMT
Being moored at Sneyd, we keep ourselves up to date with these two stoppages. It looks very likely that Pinfold Bridge will seriously over run, the contractors on site are talking mid-May but that might be the road rather than canal.
Saw your boat moored at Walsall several times over the past months. Almost spoke to you last week but you disappeared inside before I got to you.
I would email Ian Lane at West Midlands regional office and ask for an explanation why all the staff in the office don't have up to date information. The email extending the stoppage, and cancelling the weekend openings, was dated 22 February.
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Post by Deleted on Mar 1, 2017 17:19:48 GMT
I suppose one good thing is that the blokes working at the coalface knew what was going on  Hope you have a nice time and its not too windy. I hate cold windy boating. |
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Post by tecka on Mar 1, 2017 17:24:35 GMT
Shame you missed me really, always like chatting. I wasn't planning on staying for as long as I did, wasn't planning on staying longer than two weeks at all but got the dreaded phone call that my mom was ill.
Pure luck really, I was born and bred in Wednesbury and my folks never left so I happened to be at the closest point I could be to help out.
Both parents have wanted to do the Llangollen (well the ponty really) with me since I bought the boat in 2015, this scare has pushed us into it now the all clear has come through.
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Post by naughtyfox on Mar 1, 2017 17:55:24 GMT
We've just come down the Llangollen, ask us for this-&-that if u like.
Photos of Llangollen Canal on Thunderboat, from our trips in October & Christmas.
Stove off in tunnels going up!
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Post by patty on Mar 1, 2017 19:33:23 GMT
I hope you have a lovely trip and spring sunshine warms your way...
enjoy...glad your mums got the all clear...
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Post by phil70 on Mar 1, 2017 23:09:53 GMT
We've just come down that flight. Did you notice scraping underneath and things underwater trying to tip the boat over? That's the Walsall canal for you. Never mind, the llangollen is a lovely canal. Although, there is the flow to contend with. thunderboat.boards.net/post/40814/threadtbh it wasn't too bad on the scraping front, I've certainly seen it worse! Something stuck behind the bottom gate of lock 2, but again, had it much worse. Cheers for the link to the thread. I'd heard that the flow was interesting. How many knots is the flow, just curious Phil |
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Post by Telemachus on Mar 1, 2017 23:45:04 GMT
tbh it wasn't too bad on the scraping front, I've certainly seen it worse! Something stuck behind the bottom gate of lock 2, but again, had it much worse. Cheers for the link to the thread. I'd heard that the flow was interesting. How many knots is the flow, just curious Phil Depends. Not much when the canal is normal width, barely if at all noticeable. But when you get into a tunnel or bridge hole, that same volumetric flow is squished into a much narrower space and the speed becomes significant, maybe 1 mph or more, depending on your draft. |
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Post by Jim on Mar 2, 2017 7:38:11 GMT
I've been relying on the stoppage email notices, silly me! Boat is stuck about 2 miles from home cos they sneaked some works in. The stoppage is necessary, it's not a problem for us, but it shows the system doesn't always work. I'd had several emails about other stoppages but not this one, though it is listed on the web page.
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Post by naughtyfox on Mar 2, 2017 7:45:21 GMT
tbh it wasn't too bad on the scraping front, I've certainly seen it worse! Something stuck behind the bottom gate of lock 2, but again, had it much worse. Cheers for the link to the thread. I'd heard that the flow was interesting. How many knots is the flow, just curious Phil Going uphill within Chirk tunnel we were doing about 40 feet/minute and starting to regret we still had the stove going! A jet engine at the back would have paid for itself. |
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