70 odd narrowboats..

[deborahann]

been to a meeting today, and the plans are over the May bank holiday for road transport of narrowboats to the Thames from the Lancaster Canal Cruising Club.

Mooring idea's please, and where to drop them in, they are not keen on rafting up
due to numerous issues on heath & safety, i.e. insurance is an issue re the small side decks to walk down.

 

[BrendanS]

Oh boy! I can't wait to see the responses to this one! /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif

 

[Force10]

[ QUOTE ]
Oh boy! I can't wait to see the responses to this one! /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif

[/ QUOTE ]

Judging by the response so far, I would say that they think it's a bit of a troll? /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[fluffc]

What are you on about; why would someone want to move so many boats at once???

 

[Force10]

[ QUOTE ]
What are you on about; why would someone want to move so many boats at once???

[/ QUOTE ]

A Rally perhaps? /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[fluffc]

By road???

 

[Force10]

[ QUOTE ]
By road???

[/ QUOTE ] Why not, they want to dump 'em in somewhere, and getting there by road gets all of 'em there very much quicker..............Fuel Protest?? Hey it's all conjecture, until someone posts a bit more info?

 

[byron]

ROFL! If this isn't a Troll then I don't know what is. However, in the spirit of things.
Put two down, then two on top crossways like this # then get some ladders and you have homes for the down and outs.

 

[BrendanS]

and Haydn will probably emerge from behind Debs at some point

 

[Brayman]

There are no Health & Safety issues with rafting narrowboats. If they all line up their sterns, crew can step one to another without going anywhere near the "sidedecks".
There is a Global Warming issue however with all their exhausts pointing in the same direction, no doubt Gordon Brown will be thinking of a way to tax them.

 

[peterandjeanette]

Being based in Birmingham I may be able to help.

Following recent discussions with B1 this morning I am now aware of this issue.

Let me know when the convoy approaches Spaghetti Junction and I will point them in the direction of Stourport and tell them that is the River Thames. When they reach Sharpness I'll tell them that is Sheerness and it's time to turn round and come back.

Failing that we have many metal recycling sites in Birmingham - they used to make things, now they destroy them - and we can turn their boats into useful objects like chains to wrap round politicians before we dump them at sea. (Pollution problems do not apply.)

Such services as this are not chargeable. It's known as a labour of love. (Sorry, Labour and Love should not be in the same sentence.)

Peter - an ex Thames boater - now B1's sea going taxi driver. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[solitaire11]

I will point them in the direction of Stourport and tell them that is the River Thames. When they reach Sharpness come back. clear off!! we got to many of em as it is!!!

 

[hlb]

The good news is. They may all not be narrow boats.

Heres some pics from a previous get togetter.

 

[Forbsie]

Oi!!!

That there 'Arry is an imposter! /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif

 

[apollo]

I wonder what the collective name for a bunch of Freemans is?

A "Sheridan" of Freemans?

 

[chuckaduck]

[ QUOTE ]

Mooring idea's please, and where to drop them in, they are not keen on rafting up


[/ QUOTE ]

Im sure Byron would be the best bet and would bend over backwards to help he has an idael place for this mind you the obengruppebfhurer wont be best pleased

/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[TrueBlue]

Fifteen posts to date and absolutely nothing sensible said.= to date.

So I'll try.

Being mindful of the alleged large number of boats - presumably arriving continuously in order to share cranage? You'll probably need plenty of space to manoeuvre lorries and trailers and ditto waiting to unload. So a small yard or a marina with a travel-lift won't do.

<ul type="square">
[*] EA have (or had if they've sold it off) a large yard above Sunbury lock.
[*] Oceans of room for crane and lorry to stand parallel to the river, so a large crane is not needed.
[*] Plenty of room for lorries to turn and wait
[*] Near to M3 / M25 thus reducing congestion
[/list]

Problem is I don't know who to ask,
or whether the facility is available.
Try -
Andrew Graham
Lower Thames Manager
Waterway office
Lock Island
Ferry Lane
Shepperton
Middlesex
TW17 9LW

Tel: 01276 454900

Helpful chap - he could at least point you in the right direction

 

[byron]

The post is a Troll, the answers are in the same vein, there is no NB rally. It's something Haydn (bless his cotton socks) has put in to ginger people.

 

[hlb]

Thanks for a sencible answer. I'll pass on your advice.

It's come about becase one of the club members, has a large transport fleet based in Garstang. Next to the canal. He's got this contract begining May next year, to bring millitary stuff back from Iraq and Afganistan up to BA Systems and British Arospace for servicing and repair. There all based around the Preston area.

He's got nothing sencible to take down there for the return. So he's offered his club, to take narrow boats down at very reasonable cost. Some of his trucks are specially built and licenced for wide loads, so he can take two narrow boats at a time and being flat bottomed actually much easier to load than Fremans or whatever, as these would take an age to chock up. Hence rates for narrow boats far cheaper.

Theres little cost at this end as the transport yard is right by the canal and the stuff coming back has all to be stored then transhiped to the various specialist repairers.

As it's repaired, the military stuff will be going back a month or three later, so the narrow boats can then start to come back. This is an ongoing contract as far as is known.


Anyway, thanks for the sencible help.

PS Where is EA ?? I need to pass on the contact.

 

[TrueBlue]

Oh poo - and I fell for it; well not really it was worth thinking exactly where long bits of tin could be popped in the water. Keeps the old grey cells working, as it were.

Believe it or not long thin and not so thin bits of tin will become more and more obvious on the Thames and if the price of fuel escalates more and more of them will be used as country cottages. Just look at what they're selling at T&K - unashamed "luxury" accommodation with a piffling engine.

Still, I suppose if they stay fixed in place I don't suppose it will matter a lot....