Calder & Hebble - what's new? When to open?

[Midnight]

 

Can you reveal your source, or will they have to kill you?

 

Probably not it was a local CRT manager

[Ian Mac]

The Landslip. My new current understanding.

First thing the ownership of the land has been established. It does belong to the old frail lady how lives in the bungalow above the landslip. As it is her land which has fallen into the canal it is being investigated if she has insurance cover for this damage. Solicitors are now involved. Nothing in life is easy!

C&RT need to ensure the interests of the landowner are protected, so require permission to enter the land. Legal discussions will be ongoing, no doubt, but the Trust will progress with repairs necessary to reopen the canal as soon as they can. It takes time to mobilise site investigations.

I sure you can all imagine the TV and Press coverage if frail old ladys property moves, TV presenter saying "her house will be next". This is due to the big bad C&RT forcing access onto her land. It would not be good.

The Engineers believe that more of the hillside is at risk. There are signs of movement beyond the current slip, in someone else's land. The access to this other land is through the slip area. Initially access is required to discover what the geology of the underlying land is, so a solution can be engineered.

Other engineering solutions are being considered which would not require access to the slipped land. But until the Ground investigation is undertaken the best solution is still to be confirmed. Again the chance of further movement can not be predicted till they understand the under lying geology of the slipping land.

Solution - wait till the solicitors and insurance companies declare their hand. Then move with a plan to discover the ground state, pick suitable solution and implement it.

Having personally been on the other side of the fence, in my case against Transco, I know all the trick I employed. These things take time and a cheque book. However this is quicker than going for the CPO or statutory rights approach, and an awful lot cheaper.

--

cheers Ian Mac

[David Mack]

Thanks for the update Ian. Did they say anything about the breach a bit further up?

[Emerald Fox]

Was 'frail old lady' trying to pull a fast one?

I bet if I had set my tent up on that land for a night of wild camping she would have been out of her den like a shot and told me to clear off!

[Ian Mac]

We will never know if she was attempting a fast one, however it was her husband who originally did everything and he is either very poorly or has pass away, I am not sure which, I just know there is a problem there. I for one am inclined to feel very sorry for her and the predicament she now finds herself in, because of a natural disaster. One does wonder how much support she is getting from her family and friends.
As I said before having been on the other end of a similar process, it a huge stress generator having something like a statutory authority turning up on your doorstep with its engineers, lawyers and land agents and saying you have to make a decision - NOW! My wife being a farmer we knew the rudiments of getting your land agent on the case, but that all takes time, and more stress. I would suggest most of the general public would not have the first clue of how to start sorting out this sort of mess, and I would know that most solicitors aren't much better. The best advice I could give her is stop and ask for further advice, from someone who really does know what they are doing, there's a really good firm of land agents based at Skipton Cattle auction. However if she does that it really will slow the process down.

--

cheers Ian Mac

[Midnight]

Odd one this. 'Act of God' i.e. rain causes canal to flow which in turn causes a landslip. Is it the lady's land? If so is lady responsible? Is the EA responsible for their management of flood defences or CRT for allowing their canal to flow and cause a landslip or maybe not maintaining the navigation. Throw in a few insurance companies and maybe a local authority who allowed building on flood plains - Lawyer's dream I suspect all of which would take an age to resolve. Let's hope some common sense prevails.

Edited March 10, 2016 by Midnight

[NilesMI]

Posted on another thread http://www.canalworld.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=83171&p=1779338 is a press release from CRT suggesting that the Rochdale will re-open by Easter, dependent only on the dredging to clear flood debris.

 

So now I'm puzzled.

 

Is the press release ignoring the repairs in connection with the landslip (and the possibility of that being dragged out becaue of legal issues) or, could the canal be re-opened around the area of the landslip, before permanent repairs and stabilisation of the adjoining land are carried out?

[David Mack]

Odd one this. 'Act of God' i.e. rain causes canal to flow which in turn causes a landslip. Is it the lady's land? If so is lady responsible? Is the EA responsible for their management of flood defences or CRT for allowing their canal to flow and cause a landslip or maybe not maintaining the navigation. Throw in a few insurance companies and maybe a local authority who allowed building on flood plains - Lawyer's dream I suspect all of which would take an age to resolve. Let's hope some common sense prevails.

 

I suspect the landslip owes more to the bank above the canal becoming saturated because of the amount of rain which had occurred, and any increased flow along the canal is incidental. So the cause cannot be attributed to any neglect by CRT or EA.

 

The lady's bungalow is built at some height above both the canal and the river and is not in the flood plain. Although the canal itself is. So blame the 19th century authorities for that bit of planning!

[David Mack]

Posted on another thread http://www.canalworld.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=83171&p=1779338 is a press release from CRT suggesting that the Rochdale will re-open by Easter, dependent only on the dredging to clear flood debris.

 

So now I'm puzzled.

 

Is the press release ignoring the repairs in connection with the landslip (and the possibility of that being dragged out becaue of legal issues) or, could the canal be re-opened around the area of the landslip, before permanent repairs and stabilisation of the adjoining land are carried out?

 

The Press Release refers to reopening the section between Sowerby Bridge and Bridge 22 at Todmorden, which is where the landslip is. So it doesn't include the landslip itself, nor the breach a little further up.

 

As Emerald Fox says, the section being 'reopened' is already passable after a fashion. This work is to remove debris washed into the canal and increase the navigable depth.

[Mac of Cygnet]

Tuel Lane normally acquires a lock keeper round about now, but I haven't seen any notices about it. Anyone any info?

[8 Hairy Feet]

Is Billy not there anymore?

[Emerald Fox]

So blame the 19th century authorities for that bit of planning!

We'll have to dig their skellingtons out of their graves and hang them - just like wot they dun to poor old Ollie Cromwell!

This work is to remove debris washed into the canal and increase the navigable depth.

Who will be plucking the womens' knickers out of the trees?

[NilesMI]

 

The Press Release refers to reopening the section between Sowerby Bridge and Bridge 22 at Todmorden, which is where the landslip is. So it doesn't include the landslip itself, nor the breach a little further up.

 

Thanks for that clarification.

 

So, the picture I have at the moment is that the Rochdale is likely to be open between Hebden Bridge and Sowerby Bridge by Easter and that the route from there to Wakefield via the C&H is likely to be open by June. Opening the Rochdale in the other direction - from Hebden Bridge to the summit - is anyone's guess.

 

Is that roughly the picture?

 

 

BTW, if anyone finds links to info about volunteering in the clear-up, could they be posted here? I would be interested in helping in whatever way to get both the canal and towpath opened up.

[David Mack]

Who will be plucking the womens' knickers out of the trees?

The Big Calder Spring Cleanup

http://hebdenbridge.co.uk/news/2016/069.html

[Mac of Cygnet]

Is Billy not there anymore?

 

Booking is required all week during Nov - early March. Billy is AFAIK still employed by CRT, but only acts as Tuel Lane lock keeper Fri-Mon March to Nov.

[Midnight]

Posted on another thread http://www.canalworld.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=83171&p=1779338 is a press release from CRT suggesting that the Rochdale will re-open by Easter, dependent only on the dredging to clear flood debris.

 

So now I'm puzzled.

 

 

I was told by CRT this week that the landslip would be cleared by June. The section from Hebden to Sowerby by Easter - but some on the spot boaters say it's open now.

 

You have the right to be puzzled :-)

 

 

 

So blame the 19th century authorities for that bit of planning!

 

OK I'm sure someone will try to sue the a*se of them!

Edited March 10, 2016 by Midnight

[Emerald Fox]

The Fox on the spot tells it like it is!

In soaraway Sowerby Bridge, today, the scaffolding sticks have been removed from the 2nd bridge east - Walker Lane.

So, it looks like canal navigable Sowerby Bridge to Halifax.

 

Lock 12 (west of Hebden Bridge) to Sowerby Bridge: we done it after the floods no problem - we have 1'11" draught.

I met a boat today what has just come down from Mytholmroyd and they said (insert rude words) to navigable, their draught is more, and they have been scraping the bottom all the way, and have put a curse upon me for saying it was navigable!!!

 

Get yourselves smaller, lighter boats!

 

By the way, logs available at Ryburn building supplies, up the main road past The Long Chimney pub, £4.50 a net.

Edited March 12, 2016 by Emerald Fox

[Lampyrichard]

The Fox on the spot tells it like it is!

In soaraway Sowerby Bridge, today, the scaffolding sticks have been removed from the 2nd bridge east - Walker Lane.

So, it looks like canal navigable Sowerby Bridge to Halifax.

 

Lock 12 (west of Hebden Bridge) to Sowerby Bridge: we done it after the floods mo problem - we have 1'11" draught.

I met a boat today what has just come down from Mytholmroyd and they said (insert rude words) to navigable, their draught is more, and they have been scraping the bottom all the way, and have put a curse upon me for saying it was navigable!!!

 

Get yourselves smaller, lighter boats!

 

By the way, logs available at Ryburn building supplies, up the main road past The Long Chimney pub, £4.50 a net.

 

That's good to hear - I've (finally) got Myark's rebuilt starter motor back, so we're hoping to come down some time next week.

 

BTW, 12kg nets of hardwood logs for £4.25 at Ace Energy over in Greetland...

 

We tend to use their excellent Realflame smokeless - so good, we bought a 1T pallet at Summer prices & got it shipped up to the Glasgow boat. Still cheaper than the local monopoly for Taybrite & much less ash.

[Mac of Cygnet]

Just got this e-mail this morning, although I don't think it tells us anything new:

 

 

Elland Bridge and Crowther Bridge need to be completely rebuilt after the Boxing Day floods as both have been badly damaged. In each case our engineers are planning the rebuild so that the canal can be reopened to boats once the new bridge foundations and a concrete arch are in place – expected to be at the end of June.

This will mean that boaters can then use the canal while the remaining works to rebuild the bridge take place, reinstating an important link from Hebden Bridge to Wakefield and beyond and to the Huddersfield Broad Canal.

You can view this notice and its map online here:

https://canalrivertrust.org.uk/notice/7015/elland-bridge-and-crowther-bridge

Edited March 21, 2016 by Mac of Cygnet

[TheBiscuits]

Does anyone know if you can get from Huddersfield to Leeds at the moment?

 

I know Knostrop Lock stretch is closed, but is the C&H open from the Huddersfield at Cooper Bridge to Castleford Junction?

 

I remember seeing stoppage notices at Fall Ing, but they are not showing currently.

[Emerald Fox]

2 weeks ago scaffolding poles were removed from the second bridge east of Sowerby Bridge (Walker Bridge) so it seems you can get to Salterhebble. I was told the first 2 locks downhill at Salterhebble are in use but the third guillotine lock is closed. You can also turn into the Halifax branch at Salterhebble and enjoy 2 minutes of unadulterated boating as far as the Premier Inn hotel.

 

Last I heard is that the canal east to the Figure-of-Three Locks would be open after Easter.

 

What would be nice would be for someone to walk along this stretch and take photos (to post here) and to make notes (to post here). It's all Rumour and Black Magic at the moment.

[TheBiscuits]

I'm rather hoping that CRT are working so hard to open it for Easter that they don't have time to update the stoppages system

 

A friend has asked us to bring their boat back to Lancashire from Huddersfield, and all routes are shut at the moment.

[DaveP]

There was an email last week from CRT stating that Figure of Three should be reopened by Easter, allowing passage from Wakefield to Cooper Bridge....

[Midnight]

CRT email today stating Brighouse to Wakefield on the C&H will be open on 24th

[Mac of Cygnet]

Although all the boats here in Sowerby Bridge are at present confined to a ten-mile stretch of canal, some have escaped. A couple more Shire Cruisers and a private boat were taken out by road today. The owners of the private boat are making for Bristol for a family wedding, and reckon the saving on hotel bills will offset the cost, although I don't know whether the boat is going all the way by road.

 

 

A Shire boat making an unusual exit.