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Standedge Tunnel


rgreg

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1 hour ago, Midnight said:

Hmmm the guidelines don't mention steam powered boats, but I suspect the CO2 would be a problem. From memory, in 'normal conditions with a diesel powered boat the chaperone's CO2 monitor hovers just above the alarm setting and gets very close if a steam train goes through the adjacent railway tunnel.

On one trip with the renowned Fred Carter chaperoning we about 2 minutes from the point where you can see the line. Fred looked at his watch an gleefully explained whilst he had seen the occasional passing train he had never seen a passing steam train and one was due in the next 2 minutes. As we approached, the tunnel filled with steam and we just caught a glimpse of the light on the rear carriage as it disappeared into the dark. I reckon we missed it by about 20 seconds. The CO2 monitor momentarily dropped to the alarm zone.

Although it may seem to be nit-picking, I think it is important yet again to stress that the monitors measure CO, carbon monoxide, not CO2, carbon dioxide.  The former is poisonous in much smaller quantities than the latter, although CO2 fatalities have been recorded in grain stores, etc.

i've only once seen a train, also when Fred was piloting, and was once in the tunnel when a steam train went through.  A train can cause a sudden decrease in visibility as a mist forms due to the change in pressure.

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43 minutes ago, Mac of Cygnet said:

Although it may seem to be nit-picking, I think it is important yet again to stress that the monitors measure CO, carbon monoxide, not CO2, carbon dioxide.  The former is poisonous in much smaller quantities than the latter, although CO2 fatalities have been recorded in grain stores, etc.

i've only once seen a train, also when Fred was piloting, and was once in the tunnel when a steam train went through.  A train can cause a sudden decrease in visibility as a mist forms due to the change in pressure.

Nit-pick away Mac you know more about these things than I. Whatever it was Fred said we would have to stop if the monitor didn't pick-up - probably caused by the smoke rather than the steam would you say?

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Your right, it's the flue gas from the fire that is the issue, not the steam as such which at worst gets in the way of seeing. Most steam engines engines will be burning a reasonably clean burning fuel so smoke particules will be low, just all the CO/CO2 maybe some sulfur dioxide.

Like most boats, but unlike most trains, we condense the exhausted steam back into water to pump back into the boiler. However is the safety valve lifts in a tunnel you cans see a lot!

 

Daniel

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The staff also have large battery powered yellow work lights for the front and/or rear of your boat to assist. We always use a plant light, Durite type, at the rear in addition to our headlamp to illuminate the boat roof in relation to the tunnel roof and walls.

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17 hours ago, Peter-Bullfinch said:

The staff also have large battery powered yellow work lights for the front and/or rear of your boat to assist. We always use a plant light, Durite type, at the rear in addition to our headlamp to illuminate the boat roof in relation to the tunnel roof and walls.

Yes, they just started doing that last year, I think in response to some boats' inadequate lights.  I saw far more of the tunnel than I have ever seen before, last time I went through.

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On 7/18/2017 at 12:00, Midnight said:

FAO rgreg

Did you see the planned stoppage notice issued today for lock 11E Friday 4th August? It may affect your decision. It certainly got me buzzing, as I am booked through Standedge on the 9th.

I phoned Tracy Jackson the manager of those parts who assured me it's only a one-day stoppage but I expect it all depends on what they find.

https://canalrivertrust.org.uk/notice/11191/huddersfield-canal-lock-11e

Oh dear, I hope it really is finished by then because we'll be passing there on the way to Slaithwaite early on the afternoon of the 5th -- we're booked for Standedge on the 7th...

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20 hours ago, IanD said:

Oh dear, I hope it really is finished by then because we'll be passing there on the way to Slaithwaite early on the afternoon of the 5th -- we're booked for Standedge on the 7th...

This section has been low for awhile. You will probably find many of the pounds are. If you've done the 'narrow' before you know what to expect. I intend to go through lock 11e on the 11th but am always a bit wary of failures anywhere on this canal. 

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44 minutes ago, Midnight said:

This section has been low for awhile. You will probably find many of the pounds are. If you've done the 'narrow' before you know what to expect. I intend to go through lock 11e on the 11th but am always a bit wary of failures anywhere on this canal. 

I have done the HNC before and am expecting low pounds -- there certainly were last time! -- but a closure makes things a bit more difficult...

Edited by IanD
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2 minutes ago, IanD said:

I have done the HNC before and am expecting low pounds -- there certainly were last time! -- but a closure makes things a bit more difficult...

Tell me about it. I have used the 'narrow' about 6 times to get back to base and have encountered just about everything from major closure to empty pounds. Which is why I'm nervous right now especially so with restrictions already on the Rochdale summit.

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46 minutes ago, Midnight said:

Tell me about it. I have used the 'narrow' about 6 times to get back to base and have encountered just about everything from major closure to empty pounds. Which is why I'm nervous right now especially so with restrictions already on the Rochdale summit.

 

Thanks for the warning -- oh poo, nice of CART to publicise this and make it easy to find...

https://canalrivertrust.org.uk/notice/11198/rochdale-canal

So Rochdale Summit is closed Mondays and Fridays, which is fantastic since we were going to be there on Friday evening -- which means on Friday we can't get past lock 44... :-(

Edited by IanD
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2 hours ago, IanD said:

 

Thanks for the warning -- oh poo, nice of CART to publicise this and make it easy to find...

https://canalrivertrust.org.uk/notice/11198/rochdale-canal

So Rochdale Summit is closed Mondays and Fridays, which is fantastic since we were going to be there on Friday evening -- which means on Friday we can't get past lock 44... :-(

I signed up for CaRT's email notices for the canals I have used /will be using on this trip. Doesn't help much if there is a closure but at least it makes you aware of what's going on so you can re-schedule, re-route or just resign yourself to a hold-up.

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18 minutes ago, Midnight said:

I signed up for CaRT's email notices for the canals I have used /will be using on this trip. Doesn't help much if there is a closure but at least it makes you aware of what's going on so you can re-schedule, re-route or just resign yourself to a hold-up.

I've done the same -- not that it helps much now -- 10 day hire from Shire Cruises means dates are fixed, was OK with just Standedge time constraint and Library Lock closure (assuming it's open again Saturday lunchtime) but now the Summit closure has thrown a spanner in the works... :-(

Now looking at doing the Rochdale/HNC anticlockwise from Sowerby Bridge instead of clockwise, but might not help much. Clockwise (original plan) gives us 2 full days to get over the summit from Littleborough (or lock 44) and back to base at the end of the holiday, anticlockwise gives us 2 days plus maybe 6 hours on the first day to do the reverse, but whether this helps depends on what time CART close locks 34 and 44 -- in other words, the latest time we can enter the summit stretch from the north. I've emailed CART to ask them...

Edited by IanD
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That's a very tight schedule in 10 days but assuming you are starting on 4th you would pass over the summit on a Sunday 6th and be doing Standedge on Friday 11th according to my previous cruise diary. Don't forget to change your tunnel booking.

This would be my schedule
Sowerby to Hebden Bridge > Warland > Littleborough > Chadderton > Manchester > Stalybridge > Uppermill > Marsden > Huddersfield > Sowerby Bridge

Edited by Midnight
speeling
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Just now, Midnight said:

That's a very tight schedule in 10 days but assuming you are starting on 4th you would pass over the summit on a Sunday 6th and be doing Standedge on Friday 11th according to my previous cruise diary. Don't forget to change your tunnel booking.

This would be my schedule
Sowerby to Hebden Bridge > Warland > Littleborough > Chatterton > Manchester > Stalybridge > Uppermill > Marsden > Huddersfield > Sowerby Bridge

I spoke to Susan at Shire Cruisers and she recommended keeping my existing plan and having a long day over the summit -- this gives:

Sowerby Bridge > Cooper Bridge > Slaithwaite > Marsden > Uppermill > Stalybridge > Manchester > Chadderton > Littleborough > Todmorden > Sowerby Bridge

This keeps Standedge on Monday 7th, we have 2 long days (over 9 hours) with 30 locks on each (Cooper Bridge > Slaithwaite and Littleborough > Todmorden) but I'm not too worried, we've done more locks and more distance in shorter days with a smaller crew before now -- and in both cases if we hit any problems we have the following day to make time back up. Good job we hate long boring lock-free stretches of canal ;-)

I'd much rather do Standedge early on since this is the immovable object -- if we miss the Monday 7th passage for any reason going clockwise there's time to replan, if we miss the Friday 11th passage going anticlockwise (should anything goes wrong) there's no way to get the boat back to base on Monday morning...

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14 minutes ago, IanD said:

I spoke to Susan at Shire Cruisers and she recommended keeping my existing plan and having a long day over the summit -- this gives:

Sowerby Bridge > Cooper Bridge > Slaithwaite > Marsden > Uppermill > Stalybridge > Manchester > Chadderton > Littleborough > Todmorden > Sowerby Bridge

This keeps Standedge on Monday 7th, we have 2 long days (over 9 hours) with 30 locks on each (Cooper Bridge > Slaithwaite and Littleborough > Todmorden) but I'm not too worried, we've done more locks and more distance in shorter days with a smaller crew before now -- and in both cases if we hit any problems we have the following day to make time back up. Good job we hate long boring lock-free stretches of canal ;-)

I'd much rather do Standedge early on since this is the immovable object -- if we miss the Monday 7th passage for any reason going clockwise there's time to replan, if we miss the Friday 11th passage going anticlockwise (should anything goes wrong) there's no way to get the boat back to base on Monday morning...

Yes that's a good doable plan if there's no surprises. I'll probably see you in Uppermill on the7th

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22 minutes ago, Midnight said:

Yes that's a good doable plan if there's no surprises. I'll probably see you in Uppermill on the7th

We'll be on Shire Cruisers "Buckingham", and very likely at the Waggon Inn in the evening -- or maybe at the Navigation in Dobcross, though last time we tried to get in there they were not only fully booked for food but didn't even have any space in the bar we could sit at for a beer and a few games of crib, which to my mind makes them a restaurant, not a pub...

Edited by IanD
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