Alan de Enfield

"(d) a new obligation imposed on the Board to deal with all waterways not in the category either of Commercial or Cruising waterways, i.e. the remainder (termed for the sake of convenience the ‘Remainder waterways”) in the most economical manner e.g. either retention, elimination or disposal, as most appropriate. (e) local and certain other statutory and charitable authorities were given powers to enter into agreements with the Board for maintaining or taking over any Remainder waterways or parts thereof and to assume full responsibility or (in the case of local authorities) for making financial contributions towards the cost of maintenance in inland waterways". "3.6.3. On the other hand the Board has certainly acquired or assumed obligations in the course of years from which it would now be extremely difficult, if not impracticable, to get free. Before deciding — in the case of a Remainder waterway, for example — that it could be closed or eliminated, consideration needs to be given in each case to the nature and extent of the obligations involved. These questions are reviewed in Chapter 15." Section 15 of the Fraenkel Report (20 pages) Reviews the staus of the remainder waterways, costs of maintaing them vs costs of closing them etc etc etc and is a 'good read'. The first of the 1974 reports was limited to 234 navigable kilometres and strongly recommenced that they be upgraded to the Cruising category, For the first group maintenance agreements bad already bean concluced:- Ashton and lower Peak Forest Canal (22.5 km, agreement pending), eyewash Canal (17 km), Grand Union Canal, Slough Arm (9 km), Monmouthshire & Brecon Canal (52 Km), Caldon Canal (28 km). The second group lacked agreamendt: - Birmingham Canal Navigations (82 km), being priorities 1, 2, 3.1 and 3.2 of the 1970 Working Party report, see paragraph 15.5.3), Grand Union Canal, Welford Arm (3km), Kennet & Avon Canal (9 km), Hamstead Locj to Hungerferd), The Board was unable to support the Council's recommendations for the second group “owing to thelr limited liabitity”. The summary shows a table of the costs. No miracles involved , just an outsider looking in with an open mind and identifying alternative sources of income from existing resources.

Have you realised that the 'management' under discussion is the Government ? (Following MtBs post 14 hours ago, and subsequent posts)

But, would it matter who the 'management' is, they only have so much income and too much needed to do with it. Result = rationing ! Maybe they should increase their income to match the required expenditure ? (I wonder how that'd go down with the public)

If they are paying their £25 per night, giving the owner a 100% occupancy rate, I bet he's not worried if they never move out.

I agree, I also am seeing information about the grant system, but I am not seeing any facts. How long was the term for the Rochdale ? What was the agreed payback for early termination ? Who was the grant paid to ? Did C&RT amend the staus of the canal ? etc etc

That is interesting background to the grant system but doesn't really move us forward as you have not actually indicated the conditions of grant for the 4 canals you name. If you were responsible for ensuring that the grant terms were met, you would presumably be aware of the grant terms. Did this include the purchase of land, or simply restoration of the old canal route ? What was the 'term' of each grant, how many years remaining ? Who was the grant with ? (the restoration group or C&RT) Did C&RT accept the grant terms when it was handed over to them ? Did C&RT officially change the status from Remainder to Cruising. Appreciate your input. I'm not seeing any 'facts' I'm seeing a general outline of how grants work.

Yes (ish) C&RT are obliged to keep Cruising waterways open and navigable. But all those remainder waterways that have been re-opened because of volunteers 'taking on the canal' etc can still be closed UNLESS they have officially been given cruising status. and are logged by C&RT as such. Or, if it has a condition in the grant, from (say) the Lottery, and then who has agreed to the condition C&RT or the Restorers ? Obviously all of the current 'rest' of the remainder canals can just be left to be abandoned, if C&RT so wish. Any canal which is not on the list of 'Commercial canals' or 'Cruising canals' is classified as a remainder canal - there is no specific list of remainder canals.

Yes. C&RT are obliged to keep open for navigation all canals listed as Cruising Canals. I have never seen any document stating how they can be 'delisted', and nothing that actually states an AoP is needed. The 1968 Act graded the Board's waterways into three categories:— ‘Commercial waterways’ to be maintained in navigable condition for use by commercial freight carrying vessels, ‘Cruising waterways’ to be maintained in navigable condition for use by powered pleasure craft, and ‘Remainder waterways’ to be dealt with in the most economical manner possible whether by retaining, developing, eliminating or disposing of them.

It is written in an act of parliament that if C&RT cannot justify keeping a canal open (there are some restrictions and qualifications) then they can close it, sell it or give it a way. The folks saying they cannot do it are guessing that when a canal has been funded by (say) the lottery that there will be conditions as to what can be done with it. No one has yet produced evidence to substantiate that perception. C&RT are under no obligation to 'take on' any canal that has been 'bought back to life' by volunteers etc, but they have done in the past.

You are so predictable. But, in the greater scheme of things it matters not what you think.

No - the real culprit is not the lack of Government funding (why should the Government pay to keep our playground open) it is simply a lack of funding. C&RT need to both manage their resources better and find alternative sources of income. If a company wants my advice, they can pay for it, they always have and I'm not changing that now. I retired in 2005 and happy to just be an onlooker. My Son is in the same business - he advises big international companies on M&A and market opportunities - he invoices his time out at US$1000 per hour. If they want to grow income, they are going to have to invest in some proper business advice.

Well. I wouldn't invest in a volatile property market - the runaway increase in values were shown to be be built on very rocky foundations in 2007-8. C&RT have 71 reservoirs, they are supposed to know a bit about water management, and I can think of several relatively low-cost improvements/opportunities that would give them a good steady income - certainly a good additional income source, maybe not £50 million per annum, but potentially certainly in the £10s of millions after an initial period. Yes - another good example of self-destructive management decisions. Selling off the family silver to get a chunk of capital to invest in building developments. Then, having a huge loan, where the interest repayments are greater than the income the loan money is producing.

If C&RT is going to survive (and it would be nice if the could actually thrive) then they are going to need more 'business development' and Marketing minded people (not printing nice posters and blue signs - proper 'Marketing & placement' of the company) at the top, and a whole different ethos throughout the company. People with a background in the marine industry, rather than a Director of a Railway, or, 'working with' a US based 'anti-slavery' charity to raise money bring little to the table. At the end of the day, they are not a 'charity' under the normal 'man on the omnibus' interpretation, they are a commercial enterprise that has responsibility for keeping a 200 year old 'themepark' running after 40 (ish) years of underspend. When C&RT were handed the 'poison chalice' in 2012 it came with a backlog over over £100 million of repairs, They never stood a chance.

If they own a historic boat then they are probably 'ex' well off owners.

Maybe that is the answer. Very different to a 'few' amps at 12v

Take a longer term view (for example the pub chain and the Shopping centres they bought) they have a history of poor management, or was it decison making ! C&RT & BW previously have obviously never received much (any ?) training about business expansion. Even the simple Ansoff Matrix explains why you should keep one foot in what you know Develop new products for your existing market, or Develop new markets for your existing product. NEVER try and move into a new market and new products, (Known as unrelated diversification) it will (almost always) lead to failure. But, done well and with a lot of luck and good management it can reap big rewards. Just because the boss of an Inland Waterways Navigation Authority likes the odd pint, does not mean they are competent to run a chain of pubs. Just to save you looking - they had to sell up their investments in both the Pub chain and the Shopping centres for a humungous loss.

Global warming - its expanding with the heat !

From the Guardian : Signs and wonders. Portents and omens. A walk along an old canalway can stretch the imagination just as effectively as it can the hamstrings. I find myself reading the land like you might read a palm or tea leaves, looking for signs of what’s to come. It’s been more than 150 years since this section of the West Deane Way was part of the Grand Western Canal, but today, after all the recent rain, it feels like the ghost of the canal is rising up again. Shifting seasons, record-breaking wetness, unseasonal warmth – weather is no longer a simple fact but a series of symptoms, clues to the cause, signposts to the future. Trudging along in the mud and drizzle, I’m finding it hard to shake the gloom, but my heart lifts at the sight of the canal bank appliquéd with primroses, pale pink lady’s smock, and a sprinkling of greater stitchwort – each of its five petals so deeply lobed that they look like pairs of white embroidery stitches side by side. The name is linked to the plant’s ability to ease the “stitch” you get in the side when you’ve been running too hard, a pain thought to be caused by the devil pricking you with a needle. The hills here are mostly arable and pasture, luscious green in the spring rain, with square frames of hedging. The air zizzes with the overhead pylons, but down at my level it’s full of birds. Tits and finches frantically dash about with that crazed single-mindedness they seem to have at this time of year, and I can’t shake off a petulant chiffchaff, just going on and on about the same thing. I am stopped in my tracks by something lying by the path. Dark emerald sheen, as still as a stone. It’s a lapwing. Freshly dead and perfect, its crest curled up like a single brushstroke of ink. I look up, stupidly, as though the sky still held its falling path. I’ve never seen a lapwing in these parts. A common bird of my childhood, its numbers have halved in the past 25 years. It’s so beautiful close up that it seems almost mythic – a visitor from another realm. I pick it up, its body not yet rigid, and lay it carefully in the hedgerow, in among the stitchwort, on the side of the gods.

Horse carriages (well the ones we use - maybe the Kings 'big' carriages are different) are all built to be 4' 6 1/2" (55 1/2") standard to ensure an 'even playing field' when driving competitions. British Track Gauge & Loading Gauge (igg.org.uk) Today the gauge is set at four foot eight and three eighths inches (1.432m) and is maintained to an accuracy of better than a tenth of an inch (2.5mm) to allow high speed running.

Then the 'twirlers' complain to an MP that parents are being discriminated against, so, 'long story short', MP tells C&RT to change the guidelines, C&RT change the 'rules' for movement of boaters with school age children. Now, boaters without children are being disciminated against. Then change the law ! (as above)

I'm very sorry if I use words beyond your comprehension level, maybe you could ask an adult to assist you ?

So you only have steps on the 'outside', must make it difficult to exit !

Did you read what I suggested ? If attempt to remove it was made it would be destroyed - a bit like the security seals, and if it was destroyed then ............

Don't some car insurers offer a discount if you have a tracker fitted ? C&RT could do the same : Boat licence £5000, fit a tracker and get a monthly rebate.