Northampton Flight closed

[PaulJ]

Just been stopped on my way up by a IWA volunteer who pedalled after me to tell me the flight is now closed due to an oil spill at Gayton. Presumed someones nicking the oil again!

[Scholar Gypsy]

52 minutes ago, PaulJ said:

Just been stopped on my way up by a IWA volunteer who pedalled after me to tell me the flight is now closed due to an oil spill at Gayton. Presumed someones nicking the oil again!

Yes, afraid so. CRT notice follows:

Notice Alert

Northampton Arm (Grand Union Canal)
Location: Northampton Arm, Grand Union Canal

Sunday 2 April 2017 11:15 until further notice

Type: Navigation Closure
Reason: Inspection

---

Original message:

Due to the investigation and management of a pollution incident on the Northampton Arm, it will be closed until further notice.

The closure starts from the junction connecting to the Grand Union mainline and ends at Lock 17, Northampton Arm. Locks 1, 17 and the junction have been locked.

This notice will be updated once further information is available.

You can view this notice and its map online here:
https://canalrivertrust.org.uk/notice/10370/northampton-arm-grand-union-canal

You can find all notices at the url below:
https://canalrivertrust.org.uk/notices

---

Please do not reply to the email. It has been automatically generated.

To unsubscribe from this service please go to: https://canalrivertrust.org.uk/my-trust/notices and uncheck the relevant box.

 

[PaulJ]

Thanks SG. Has jogged my memory to sign up to email alerts. 

[Scholar Gypsy]

Facebook says this stoppage has now cleared

https://www.facebook.com/groups/narrowboatusers/permalink/10158619558280352/

[PaulJ]

Flight is still locked at the bottom though-at least until the morning. Just spoke to a boater sat there 5 minutes ago who was told CRT are not running water down until then.

[matty40s]

The Weedon pound is as full as I've seen it since the early 2016 rainstorm so they have lots of water available.

[PaulJ]

35 minutes ago, matty40s said:

The Weedon pound is as full as I've seen it since the early 2016 rainstorm so they have lots of water available.

Way I heard it was that it is a precaution so as not to run any oil/ kerosene down the flight and cause any further contamination. 

[PaulJ]

Flight  reopened now

[ditchcrawler]

But another stoppage is planned 

 

Notice Alert

Northampton Arm (Grand Union Canal)
Location: Northampton Arm, Grand Union Canal

Sunday 2 April 2017 11:15 until further notice

Type: Navigation Restriction
Reason: Inspection

---

 

Update on 04/04/2017:

 

Please be advised that a test to the pipeline repairs will be carried out on Wednesday 5 April 2017 between the hours of 12 Midday and 6pm.

During this time, booms will be in place and the navigation will be closed

 

Update on 04/04/2017:

 

The Northampton Arm has been opened.

Please be advised, further interruption to the navigation will take place this week, dates to be confirmed.

The restriction is expected to take less than four hours.

This notice will be updated once dates have been confirmed and more information is available.

 

Update on 04/04/2017:

The Northampton Arm has been opened. Please be advised, further interruption to the navigation will take place this week, dates to be confirmed. The restriction is expected to take less than four hours. This notice will be updated once dates have been confirmed and more information is available.

[Scholar Gypsy]

The reference to "Northamptonshire" in this article from the Times today caught my eye.  I wonder if it is the same gang - though this refers back to 2014 of course. They deny all charges and the trial continues.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Thieves set up an impromptu refinery in farmland in the grounds of the Chevening estate — which houses the country residence used by Boris Johnson, David Davis and Liam Fox — as part of a scam in which more than £1 million of hydrocarbon fuel was siphoned from a network of underground pipelines, a court has been told.

A fenced compound was set up at Oveney Green Farm, part of the 3,000 acres of the Chevening estate in Kent. When police raided it in August 2014 they found a lorry trailer and two shipping containers.

There were also 21 thousand-litre empty plastic containers and a hose running from a fuel pipeline along the perimeter of the field into the compound for a distance of 250 metres.

The end of the hose surfaced through a concrete base and directly underneath a small hole in the bottom of the trailer.

The shipping containers had been used as a makeshift workshop where the fuel being siphoned from the multi-commodity high-pressure pipeline could be identified and tested. On this occasion the fuel was red diesel, mostly used in the agricultural industry, Maidstone crown court was told yesterday.

Dale Sullivan, for the prosecution, told the court that on August 6, 2014, Esso petroleum officers were searching for a potential breach of the pipeline and identified an incursion at the farm. Police were told and they found the equipment.

Mr Sullivan said that the pipeline compromised on this occasion supplied a range of fuels but predominantly carrying red diesel.

At the time of the alleged fuel theft Chevening House was used as a country residence by Nick Clegg, the deputy prime minister.

Millions of litres of fuel was stolen from various “incursion sites” between June 2013 and November 2014, the court was told. The overall value coupled with the cost of repair and clean-up operations was said to run into several million pounds.

The fuel in various forms including petrol, diesel and aviation fuel, was stolen from the pipeline network in Essex, Hampshire, Northamptonshire and Cheshire. A storage unit was also set up in Essex.

The pipes, which pump 350,000 litres of fuel per hour, were said to have been “compromised” by the thieves by attaching hydraulic hoses fitted with pressure gauges and taps.

It is alleged that, a Roger Gull, 51, of Rainham, Essex, a bankrupt businessman, was responsible for setting up a number of the incursion sites, as well as arranging storage, processing and distribution of the fuel.

His son, Ryan, 28, also of Rainham, is accused of money laundering; and an employee, Thomas Campbell, 58, of Hurlford, East Ayrshire, is alleged to have been responsible for transporting the fuel to storage and its onward sale.

They deny all charges and the trial continues.

 

Edited June 14, 2017 by Scholar Gypsy

[mark99]

Most fuel lines like that are monitored by helicopter and walking surveys. Plus metered.