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Manchester city centre canal upgraded

Ray T

By Ray T
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Ray T Veteran II

Ray TDonate to Canal World

Posted
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PRESS RELEASE

MANCHESTER CITY CENTRE CANAL IMPROVED FOR BOATERS AND PEDESTRIANS  

The Rochdale Canal in Manchester’s city centre has been improved for both pedestrians and boaters with the installation of new and refurbished lock gates, and a large scale waterway clean up.

 Over the winter, the Canal & River Trust charity, which cares for 2,000 miles of the nation’s waterways, has been able to upgrade a key section of the city centre canal known as the Piccadilly Undercroft, which flows underneath the main A6 Piccadilly road, near the Malmaison Hotel and Ducie Street.

 A worn-out set of oak gates at Lock 84 have been replaced and at Lock 85, the charity has refurbished the chamber walls and existing lock gates. At the same time Canal & River Trust volunteers have given the whole area a lick of paint and staff have removed over 40 tonnes of rubbish from the canal bed.

 Local Canal & River Trust manager David Baldacchino said: “These improvements to the Rochdale Canal mean it is a much nicer place to boat and walk through. It’s a peaceful, traffic-free route through the busy city centre which can be used freely by everyone.  The water quality is now so good that fish like perch and pike are thriving in the canal. The floating garden that we have put in is great, and more and more local people are getting involved in joining us to look after the canal.

 “It’s a great shame that some people still use it as a rubbish dump. During the recent work our staff removed fencing panels, traffic cones, concrete posts, car bumpers, road signs and hundreds of glasses and bottles.  It costs us thousands and stops us doing more for the canal in the area.

 “Keeping the beautiful waterway pristine is always going to be a struggle in a city centre location next to pubs and bars.  It’s a challenge we’re up for though and appeal to everyone to take care of the canal – think twice about how you get rid of your rubbish and use the proper ways – don’t just tip it in the water.  The more people who walk, jog, cycle and boat along the canal, the less opportunity there will be for anti-social activity.”

 This winter the Canal & River Trust has been able to replace or restore more than 160 lock gates across the nation’s canal network, at a cost of over £45million. This is in addition to carrying out vital repairs to aqueducts, reservoirs and tunnels. The hand-crafted lock gates only have a working lifespan of two or three decades and need to be regularly replaced to keep the canal system in good working order. A single lock gate can take up to 20 days to make and in order for it to be watertight, it needs to be built very precisely, fitting tightly to the masonry of the lock walls and any other gate.

 To find out more about the Trust’s restoration work including how to donate or volunteer, go to www.canalrivertrust.org.uk

 For media requests, please contact:

Lynn Pegler, Canal & River Trust press office

Tel 077177 60284. Lynn.pegler@canalrivertrust.org.uk.

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johnmck Rising Star

johnmck

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The most gratifying incident on the towpath I ever witnessed, was a speeding cyclist getting his comeuppance.  We had left Brentford, heading up the GU.  Ali was walking up the towpath towards the next lock, when I spied a lycra lout, at full pelt and with head down heading for her.

I shouted a warning, Ali hugged the hedge and he sped past.

Unfortunately,  after a wet and windy night, a large bough had blown down across the towpath. He hit it, Hard!  Sprawled over the path, then directed expletives towards said bough. His bike was a write off.

We smiled, a bit. Then laughed out loud as he staggered off carrying the debris that had been his Bike! 

Poetic justice.

 

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Neil2 Veteran

Neil2

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16 hours ago, GoodGurl said:

this was newton heath on the rochdale 2 days ago, the boater an ex member here had a full mattress around his prop.

 

17629713_760713927427134_631010308045168

Gosh they certainly have done it up haven't they.

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Jim Riley Experienced

Jim Riley

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He spent 2 worrying nights there, he's now near Littleborough Summit, since he did survive. Rcr sent a useless chocolate teapot but have credited the boater with another call out. For the full tale you'll have to go join thunderboat.boards.net

Moderator edit:  The full sage can also be found on this forum, here:  

 

 

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GoodGurl Experienced

GoodGurl

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Posted (edited)
2 hours ago, tree monkey said:

Well as he is posting again all seems lovely again doesn't it 

he's not posted since he was banned last year so get your facts right.

2 hours ago, matty40s said:

You really don't do yourself,,or anyone else, any favours do you.:unsure:

what's that mean?

Edited by GoodGurl
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GoodGurl Experienced

GoodGurl

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4 hours ago, Mac of Cygnet said:

I had no idea FirstRateFirstMate had been banned.  I was just following his saga the other day.  What did he do?

who said it was FirstRateFirstMate ? it isn't

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WotEver Veteran II

WotEverDonate to Canal World

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34 minutes ago, GoodGurl said:

he's not posted since he was banned last year

 

28 minutes ago, GoodGurl said:

who said it was FirstRateFirstMate ? it isn't

You sure? The story was identical. 

 

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Jim Riley Experienced

Jim Riley

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7 hours ago, Mac of Cygnet said:

So two forum members have been stuck at Newton Heath with a full mattress round their prop a couple of days ago?  That seems a bit unlikely, doesn't it?

No, a member of another forum, banned from here, was stuck for 2 nights in the middle of Newton Heath, with his son. It's a seriously dodgy place to be stuck. I met him yesterday. Why did goodgurl recieve a veiled threat for presenting the fact. It was under discussion. She wasn't stirring it at all. 

The issue here, Shirley, should be the state of the canal through Newton Heath. On Friday I met another boater in Todmorden, while coming up from Manchester a few days before he had picked up the same steel sprung mattress, although he did cut it free he was unable to move/lift it out. His hands were cut etc, from his efforts. 

CRT should clear it, send a workboat down regularly. 

 

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tree monkey Veteran II

tree monkey

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19 minutes ago, Jim Riley said:

No, a member of another forum, banned from here, was stuck for 2 nights in the middle of Newton Heath, with his son. It's a seriously dodgy place to be stuck. I met him yesterday. Why did goodgurl recieve a veiled threat for presenting the fact. It was under discussion. She wasn't stirring it at all. 

The issue here, Shirley, should be the state of the canal through Newton Heath. On Friday I met another boater in Todmorden, while coming up from Manchester a few days before he had picked up the same steel sprung mattress, although he did cut it free he was unable to move/lift it out. His hands were cut etc, from his efforts. 

CRT should clear it, send a workboat down regularly. 

 

The story has been posted on here by firstratefirstmate, so unless there are 2 boats stuck in the same place with the same problems its reasonable to assume its the same person or at least someone on the same boat and your right it was an unpleasant place to be stuck and yes your right the RCR bloke was useless and CRT should dredge more often. 

Personally if I was close I would have offered to help, if he would have accepted, because being stuck where he was caused him and his guest some concern.

There was a strange and pointless irony by GG in effect outing a previously banned members new forum name and I saw no veiled threat just a suggestion that some bread or cake making would be nice.

I am glad he is now safe and on his way

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