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Post by Mr Stabby on Feb 27, 2018 18:50:20 GMT
Ah the good old days when canals were properly maintained, before those incompetent scurrilous sharks at BW and then CRT got their noses into the trough. I mean, look at this lovely picture of how Gas St Basin used to look in the 1960s. You can almost picture the roses round the door... Gas Street Basin - the view from Broad Street Tunnel (1968)
 To anyone stupid enough to assess the condition of a canal solely by the presence of a patch of floating rubbish, I'm sure that today's view of Gas St basin from under Broad St bridge would be infinitely preferable to that shown in this 1968 photo. It is, of course, equally understandable that such a dedicated exponent of the superficial and phoney would feel compelled to buy a boat adorned with fake rivets. Well, that's TellyMackus well and truly told. |
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Post by Deleted on Feb 27, 2018 19:24:08 GMT
I know Tony has quite blunt presentation but I think he has put his finger on a very important point here.
What would people prefer -
1. An effectively operating canal system with some floating rubbish, firewood etc about.
2. A canal system which is in poor condition with nackered cills and broken paddles (a problem invisible to large proportion of non water based visitors in fact it might make it more interesting for them as they have a longer time to watch the boats slowly ascend or descend the locks) and with no floating rubbish so it all looks tidy.
I realise both can be achieved in theory but if one concentrates on the tidiness too much then one may take ones eye off the ball with regard to maintaining an operating system.
Unless there is a bottomless pit of money of course.
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Post by Telemachus on Feb 27, 2018 19:26:51 GMT
Ah so no actual argument or point then! No wonder "jenlyn likes this!" The point is that patches of floating rubbish have no bearing whatsoever on the condition, and therefore the maintenance standards, of any canal or other waterway. The fact that you, and no doubt every other like-minded poseur, believe that it does serves to emphasize that in C&RT you've got precisely the sort of navigation authority you all deserve. Did I mention floating rubbish? No, only you mentioned floating rubbish. Therefore you have rather stupidly incriminated yourself! The floating rubbish looks like a single crate or the like and is not relevant beyond the fact that it hints at little traffic. The photo shows the generally grim and unkempt outlook, few boats and an air of gloom, nasty stuff in towpath etc. Compared to now when it’s all spick and span and bustling with activity. Of course I’m sure you would prefer it like it was, dirty and unloved. Probably reminds you of yourself. |
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Post by Telemachus on Feb 27, 2018 19:31:28 GMT
I know Tony has quite blunt presentation but I think he has put his finger on a very important point here. What would people prefer - 1. An effectively operating canal system with some floating rubbish, firewood etc about. 2. A canal system which is in poor condition with nackered cills and broken paddles (a problem invisible to large proportion of non water based visitors in fact it might make it more interesting for them as they have a longer time to watch the boats slowly ascend or descend the locks) and with no floating rubbish so it all looks tidy. I realise both can be achieved in theory but if one concentrates on the tidiness too much then one may take ones eye off the ball with regard to maintaining an operating system. Unless there is a bottomless pit of money of course. But the point is that anyone who thinks the canal system was “effectively operating” in those days, has false memory syndrome. Every trip around the BCN was a major adventure. Infrastructure is MUCH better than it was then. You have been taken in by Tony’s rose tinted bullshit. |
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Post by Telemachus on Feb 27, 2018 19:32:19 GMT
To anyone stupid enough to assess the condition of a canal solely by the presence of a patch of floating rubbish, I'm sure that today's view of Gas St basin from under Broad St bridge would be infinitely preferable to that shown in this 1968 photo. It is, of course, equally understandable that such a dedicated exponent of the superficial and phoney would feel compelled to buy a boat adorned with fake rivets. Well, that's TellyMackus well and truly told. No, it is Tony looking well and truly owngoalified. |
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Post by Mr Stabby on Feb 27, 2018 19:38:02 GMT
The point is that patches of floating rubbish have no bearing whatsoever on the condition, and therefore the maintenance standards, of any canal or other waterway. The fact that you, and no doubt every other like-minded poseur, believe that it does serves to emphasize that in C&RT you've got precisely the sort of navigation authority you all deserve. The photo shows the generally grim and unkempt outlook, few boats and an air of gloom You're right, it was all black and white in your photo, it was in colour when I was there. Looks much better now. |
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Post by Deleted on Feb 27, 2018 19:46:01 GMT
The point is that patches of floating rubbish have no bearing whatsoever on the condition, and therefore the maintenance standards, of any canal or other waterway. The fact that you, and no doubt every other like-minded poseur, believe that it does serves to emphasize that in C&RT you've got precisely the sort of navigation authority you all deserve. Did I mention floating rubbish? No, only you mentioned floating rubbish. Therefore you have rather stupidly incriminated yourself! The floating rubbish looks like a single crate or the like and is not relevant beyond the fact that it hints at little traffic. The photo shows the generally grim and unkempt outlook, few boats and an air of gloom, nasty stuff in towpath etc. Compared to now when it’s all spick and span and bustling with activity. Of course I’m sure you would prefer it like it was, dirty and unloved. Probably reminds you of yourself. A picture paints a thousand words and the picture you linked to was a picture of a canal bridge with floating rubbish under it. Not much else there unless I have some sort of resolution problem on my phone. So you may not have mentioned "floating rubbish" but anyone seeing that picture is liable to assume this is what you are referring to. There is no detail I can see which indicated the condition of the waterway. Maybe I need glasses. |
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Post by Deleted on Feb 27, 2018 19:52:19 GMT
The photo shows the generally grim and unkempt outlook, few boats and an air of gloom You're right, it was all black and white in your photo, it was in colour when I was there. Looks much better now. Mostly red ? I'm guessing. |
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Post by naughtyfox on Feb 27, 2018 20:50:03 GMT
Salterhebble Middle Lock - one paddle (handspike version) fucked. CRT have managed to put some tape around it. Well done.
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Post by Andyberg on Feb 27, 2018 21:04:09 GMT
Salterhebble Middle Lock - one paddle (handspike version) fucked. CRT have managed to put some tape around it. Well done. Time to 'practice what you preach' Dude... Bombard CRT head office with letters of complaint, stand outside Parrys office with a placard / sandwich board stating ' Parry...use your £2m pay to fix locks' or simply break into his office and shit on his desk! 🙄🙄 please keep keep us informed which line you're going take and of the outcome! 👍 |
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Post by TonyDunkley on Feb 28, 2018 18:33:43 GMT
I know Tony has quite blunt presentation but I think he has put his finger on a very important point here. What would people prefer - 1. An effectively operating canal system with some floating rubbish, firewood etc about. 2. A canal system which is in poor condition with nackered cills and broken paddles (a problem invisible to large proportion of non water based visitors in fact it might make it more interesting for them as they have a longer time to watch the boats slowly ascend or descend the locks) and with no floating rubbish so it all looks tidy. I realise both can be achieved in theory but if one concentrates on the tidiness too much then one may take ones eye off the ball with regard to maintaining an operating system. Unless there is a bottomless pit of money of course. But the point is that anyone who thinks the canal system was “effectively operating” in those days, has false memory syndrome. Every trip around the BCN was a major adventure. Infrastructure is MUCH better than it was then. You have been taken in by Tony’s rose tinted bullshit.By "those days" here we're talking about the 1960's when the surviving commercial traffic was outnumbering the pleasure craft. Until 1961 British Waterways were supplying Cadburys at Bournville (Worcester Cut) with chocolate crumb from Knighton (Shroppie's Cut), Thomas Clayton's traffics to various destinations around Brum/Oldbury area lasted until 1966, T & S Element had the (Brades Hall) phosphorus waste traffic, Willow Wren's (former BW) Northern fleet, and other operators, were loading coal at Cannock, Stevens and Keay were operating an industrial waste removal service with two tugs ('Judith Ann' and 'Caggy') and Joeys left tied outside various factories serving as skips, Willow Wren's Southern fleet were bringing timber ex-Brentford to Great Bridge (Tipton), spices to HP Sauce at Aston, and taking away cocoa residue from Bournville, via the North Stratford. On every one of these traffics the motors, or the tugs, were down to at least 3' 6'' draught, . . so, if anyone's indulging in "rose tinted bullshit'' it's you with your tripe about today's "infastructure'' being so "MUCH better" than back then. The fact that you regarded every (pleasure boat) trip around the BCN as being a ''major adventure" in the 1960's is simply a reflection of the lack of (canal) boating know-how of whoever was in charge of the boat you happened to be on at the time. |
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Post by thebfg on Feb 28, 2018 18:42:32 GMT
When we went through Birmingham October 2016 the rubbish in the canal was unbelievable.
However around broad street there was not a drop of litter in or arpund the canal.
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Post by Deleted on Feb 28, 2018 18:58:58 GMT
Salterhebble Middle Lock - one paddle (handspike version) fucked. CRT have managed to put some tape around it. Well done. This is something I have noticed on the Regents canal in London. Faulty ground and gate paddles on some locks (gate paddles are the ones on the bottom gates - the gate paddles if fitted to top gates are correctly called "centre paddles" these are not technically required in order for the lock to function they simply speed up filling). The point is that if there are no centre paddles then a faulty gate or ground paddle left out of order means you only have one paddle to empty or fill the lock and if that one fails you have no lock. The idea of having two paddles at each end is redundancy - you can get away with failure - for a bit while the faulty paddle is fixed. Basic good design but rendered pointless if paddles are simply taped up and notices put up saying "Caution - happiness levels will be increased if you just look at the ducks, relax, think of England and hope the other paddle works" |
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Post by Saltysplash on Feb 28, 2018 19:34:14 GMT
Ah the good old days when canals were properly maintained, before those incompetent scurrilous sharks at BW and then CRT got their noses into the trough. I mean, look at this lovely picture of how Gas St Basin used to look in the 1960s. You can almost picture the roses round the door...  Oh the nostalgia of it all, makes me want to sob quietly in a corner. Here, have a tissue! You are a bit confused, in the 60's, when the pic was taken, it was BW. So it was already not being maintained by BW. I recall, just, being aged 12 or so, firtling around Rochdale Canal basin arm, since filled in and retail units planted. Came across a room in a mill off the towpath chocca with old butchers bikes. I wish my tin cans and string had had the capacity to take pics. My Dad threw a wobbler when they declared they were going to lower Fir Grove canal bridge and culvert the cut. He never did see the canal restored  |
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Post by naughtyfox on Feb 28, 2018 20:03:09 GMT
Salterhebble Middle Lock - one paddle (handspike version) fucked. CRT have managed to put some tape around it. Well done. Basic good design but rendered pointless if paddles are simply taped up and notices put up saying "Caution - happiness levels will be increased if you just look at the ducks, relax, think of England and hope the other paddle works" At Salterhebble Middle Lock top gates there are just the 2 'handspike' paddles. So only one is working now. It simply is not good enough to leave the other in such a derelict, abandoned, forlorn state. Poor show. |
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