Crinan Canal Future?

[Whaup367]

Hi,
With the third year of winter works programme getting underway I have had a look at what I can find online about future plans and not found much. There's a corporate plan that lists growing transit numbers as a goal, which is positive, I guess.

I wonder if anyone has heard what plans are being considered for the next few years, my main curiosity being around two questions:

Can anyone shed any light on whether there are plans for further major works next winter? Follow-on question; will we see winter transits again, even if only mid-week?

Has anyone any insight into whether summer opening hours might allow later sea-lock entry on Sunday evenings (which would make Bellanoch a more attractive base)?

I know there have been some information sessions but don't know how informative they've been... nor whether the powers that be at SC have let anything slip about their aspirations for the waterway?

Thanks,
W.

 

[ctva]

...
I know there have been some information sessions but don't know how informative they've been... nor whether the powers that be at SC have let anything slip about their aspirations for the waterway?
...

They have been very informative, both the local community ones and the boating one. The lastest ones were just held last week.

 

[Whaup367]

That's good to know, thanks. Did they shed any light on the questions asked in the OP, please?

 

[wully1]

Why don’t you phone the canal office in Ardrishaig and ask your questions there? You might get the answers you seek instead of the usual forum responses.
My guess is they will tell you that they are awaiting budget confirmation before confirming planned work..

 

[RunAgroundHard]

They are planning to fill it in, open a heritage centre about mackerel fishing and cutting the peats, and will encourage caravans and camper vans to stop over and experience the facilities including free wifi.

The current repairs and refurbishment are a ruse in collaboration with the Caravan Club and have nothing to do with extending the life if the canal.

 

[Whaup367]

Why don’t you phone the canal office in Ardrishaig and ask your questions there? You might get the answers you seek instead of the usual forum responses.

Because the canal office staff are not the decision makers and are often out of the loop on future plans.
I was hoping that a boater that had attended the information sessions and/or was involved in the users group (can't remember what it's official title is) might have a little insight on what SCs intentions might be

My guess is they will tell you that they are awaiting budget confirmation before confirming planned work..

Agreed.

 

[dunedin]

Because the canal office staff are not the decision makers and are often out of the loop on future plans.
I was hoping that a boater that had attended the information sessions and/or was involved in the users group (can't remember what it's official title is) might have a little insight on what SCs intentions might be

Agreed.

I agree phoning the office staff is unlikely to get you very far. But I was going to suggest you should email the Scottish Canals CEO John Paterson. Would be interesting to hear his response.

 

[penfold]

They are planning to fill it in, open a heritage centre about mackerel fishing and cutting the peats, and will encourage caravans and camper vans to stop over and experience the facilities including free wifi.

The current repairs and refurbishment are a ruse in collaboration with the Caravan Club and have nothing to do with extending the life if the canal.

In order to manage the water shortage vessels will be lifted out by hoist and placed on a horizontal paternoster; sailing vessels are advised to lower their masts before reaching Cairnbaan.

Embargoed until 01/04/24

 

[AntarcticPilot]

I'm sure @Quandary will know the answers!

 

[ctva]

I’m not sure why there is the misinformation going round as gossip, above posts being examples.

SC have been very open at all the meetings that I have attended. All the planned works for last year and this coming winter have been well communicated and if you want it chapter and verse, it’s all here, Crinan Canal planned winter works 2023/24

As indicated at the bottom of that page you have the opportunity to receive regular email updates.

 

[dunedin]

I’m not sure why there is the misinformation going round as gossip, above posts being examples.

SC have been very open at all the meetings that I have attended. All the planned works for last year and this coming winter have been well communicated and if you want it chapter and verse, it’s all here, Crinan Canal planned winter works 2023/24

As indicated at the bottom of that page you have the opportunity to receive regular email updates.

Yes but their original winter closure had an unprecedented period of 7 months closed. Open less than half the year. And not reopen till mid May.
Recently improved slightly and now hoping to reopen mid April, which is better - though still a 6 month closure, something which wasn’t the norm in the past.
The thing that I noted in a survey they did 6 months or so back they asked respondees about things they were interested in regarding the canal - and use as a canal by boat was last in a list of about 12 or more potential items.

 

[Sneaky Pete]

I believe three pairs of lock gates are being replaced at Crinan end some balance beams infrastructure and more automation. The automation at Badenoch bridge didn't go too well this year with a great deal of very angry customers. Almost every day had small to major disruption. The last boat rule seems to be staying, no movement after 5.00pm. If your fortunate you may get to berth in the basins, otherwise your outside.

 

[ylop]

The automation at Badenoch bridge didn't go too well this year with a great deal of very angry customers. Almost every day had small to major disruption.

The what bridge? Badenoch is nowhere near Crinan!

Cairnbaan bridge had a lot of issues this year - it wasn’t just canal users who were unhappy about that - sometimes it was stuck open and road users were stuck!

 

[ctva]

Curious, how many are on the Crinan Winter Works emailing list or have attended any of the meetings to get the answers straight from the senior manager of the Crinan and Cally canals?

I am and I have and whilst there is some truth in some of what is said above, on the whole the information from them that has been given to SWfA and RYAS along with the local meetings were good. Remember a lot of the issues stem from Historic Scotland insisting that the Canal as a historic thingy, must be preserved and trying to marry that with modern infrastructure to allow a functioning canal with modern H&S is not easy.

Given the amount of new infrastructure being installed, and that prior to the last two winters, the Crinan had been ignored by SC for anything other than a ‘fix when it breaks’ maintenance schedule, I think we can live with the winter closures, this year being the last hopefully.

Water management is the biggest issue that we will be facing as boaters which the new lock gates will help.

 

[penfold]

Bellanoch maybe?

The what bridge? Badenoch is nowhere near Crinan!

Cairnbaan bridge had a lot of issues this year - it wasn’t just canal users who were unhappy about that - sometimes it was stuck open and road users were stuck!

 

[RunAgroundHard]

Curious, how many are on the Crinan Winter Works emailing list or have attended any of the meetings to get the answers straight from the senior manager of the Crinan and Cally canals?

I am and I have and whilst there is some truth in some of what is said above, on the whole the information from them that has been given to SWfA and RYAS along with the local meetings were good. Remember a lot of the issues stem from Historic Scotland insisting that the Canal as a historic thingy, must be preserved and trying to marry that with modern infrastructure to allow a functioning canal with modern H&S is not easy.

Given the amount of new infrastructure being installed, and that prior to the last two winters, the Crinan had been ignored by SC for anything other than a ‘fix when it breaks’ maintenance schedule, I think we can live with the winter closures, this year being the last hopefully.

Water management is the biggest issue that we will be facing as boaters which the new lock gates will help.

The canal is not listed as historically significant and does not have to be preserved as is. This fact was clearly stated by Scottish Canals when the new, modern design gates were installed.

There is another classification for it, to do with its heritage and commercial status to the area which is why it has not been filled in, because it certainly operates at a loss, requiring various grants to support it.

If it was not for the current modernisation and upgrade works, I would have doubted that it had a future.

Blame the engineers who designed the upgrades and modifications if there needs to be blame apportioned.

 

[dunedin]

Curious, how many are on the Crinan Winter Works emailing list or have attended any of the meetings to get the answers straight from the senior manager of the Crinan and Cally canals?.

Do the mailing lists give any more information than they put on the website and Facebook ? eg the recent update here Crinan Canal Planned Winter Works 2023/24.

 

[Whaup367]

Curious, how many are on the Crinan Winter Works emailing list or have attended any of the meetings to get the answers straight from the senior manager of the Crinan and Cally canals?

I would like to have attended the meetings but it's a long drive from where I live.

I am and I have and whilst there is some truth in some of what is said above, on the whole the information from them that has been given to SWfA and RYAS along with the local meetings were good.

This is what I was hoping for. Not so much on the Winter Works programme but on what they are realistically aspiring for afterwards.

Remember a lot of the issues stem from Historic Scotland insisting that the Canal as a historic thingy, must be preserved and trying to marry that with modern infrastructure to allow a functioning canal with modern H&S is not easy.

Given the amount of new infrastructure being installed, and that prior to the last two winters, the Crinan had been ignored by SC for anything other than a ‘fix when it breaks’ maintenance schedule, I think we can live with the winter closures, this year being the last hopefully.

..and this is helpful, suggesting that there hasn't been any intimation that it's expected to be an ongoing thing. I'm also hoping that this winter is the last of the seasonal closures. I was concerned that SC might be moving to a model where they routinely shut down over winter for maintenance (the BW winter maintenance programme seemed to isolate parts of the network for big chunks of the winter when I was boating there some years back).

Water management is the biggest issue that we will be facing as boaters which the new lock gates will help.

Yes, indeed. I get the impression there's a tricky trade-off between staff availability (& cost) to help conserve water by using the locks efficiently and allowing yachties (who may have very limited canal experience) to operate them themselves.

 

[dunedin]

Crinan Canal reopening date for spring 2024 delayed (again) to an estimated 30th April 2024 - Crinan Canal Planned Winter Works 2023/24

 

[Cardinal]

Thanks for posting this which represents unwelcome news for some.