Navigation closed at Oxford

boatone

boatone

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Just a few cables from Boulters Lock
www.tmba.org.uk
A narrowboat has sunk above Botley Road bridge at Oxford and the navigation is closed until further notice.
Following received this morning from the EA:
"Yesterday, Monday 1 February, two unoccupied boats broke free of their moorings above Botley Road Bridge in Oxford. One lodged against the overspill adjacent to the bridge, took on water and sank in a position blocking the navigation. We have had two officers at Botley Bridge overnight to ensure the two boats stayed secure. River levels are not affected by the boats at the present time. We are currently working with the owner and our partners to determine the best way to have the boats removed. Until then boat passage through the Botley Road Bridge is impossible. Please inform your members. We will keep you updated."

Further info from Oxford Mail:
http://www.oxfordmail.co.uk/news/14..._as_two_canal_boats_crash_into_Botley_bridge/
 
latest email now calls it Osney :)

Good Morning

Please find attached an emergency river closure Harbourmaster’s notice.


River closures:

When: Tuesday 2 February 2016 until further notice
Where: Botley Road Bridge, (Osney Bridge) immediately upstream of Osney Lock
What’s happening: Sunken narrowboat blocking river channel.
Boat passage through the Botley Road Bridge is impossible and the river is therefore closed at this point. Please see the attached Harbourmaster’s notice for further details.


Many thanks

Waterways Operations Team
 
There's a group of them moored against the tow path (EA or the council spent a lot of money reinforcing the bank with posts and coir baskets in the hope that plants would eventually stabilise the bank - the moorers have effectively destroyed that...).

I've a photo of one of them with a self pumpout hose kit attached and ready for action..... so I don't think they have any regard for rules.

Still that doesn't affect the sadness of the event - but points the risks of -
mooring in a narrow channel and with high flows
mooring against soft banks
disregarding bank protection provisions
 
Message from EA - we've recovered your boat - now come and pick it up...

Factual, but not very helpful to the owner who is said to be penniless??
 
According to the Oxford Mail the EA are arranging for the boat to be transported to a nearby boatyard from where the owner can collect it in due course. It's the EA who are arranging this, not the owner, who is staying with friends and has had sometime gift him £25k to help him get back on his feet. What more would you have the EA do??!!
 
Last edited:
Margot said:
According to the Oxford Mail the EA are arranging for the boat to be transported to a nearby boatyard from where the owner can collect it in due course. It's the EA who are arranging this, not the owner, who is staying with friends and has had sometime gift him £25k to help him get back on his feet. What more would you have the EA do??!!
Click to expand...

Without knowing the real situation - but looking at the videos and photos - the situation looked stable in the short term until 'whoever' tried to pull the boat clear with too short a line so that the boat 'broached to' across the cut, rather than swung across the navigation as might have happened if the line had been placed further upstream (there was space in front of other moored boats) IF there was somebody around who understood River flows.


That, however, is my opinion as a boater and I accept that the photos may have given a false impression.


once the boat sank there was not a lot left to do.


My personal feeling is that if EA Thames Region had been cut to the bone, there might have been EA staff available to advise and action. To me it seemed that only Fire & rescue staff were in attendance who did the best they could.

BUT I wasn't there....
 
To be honest, I don't think having any EA staff there to advise would have made one jot of difference. The fact that emergency services got there so quickly and managed to stop a 20 ton narrowboat that was being carried along by a fast flowing river is a minor miracle in itself. Imagine the carnage it would have caused if it had carried on downstream smacking into other boats and eventually crashing into Osney lock's gates or the weir. Frankly, I think everyone involved in managing this incident deserves nothing but praise.
 
TrueBlue said:
Without knowing the real situation - but looking at the videos and photos - the situation looked stable in the short term until 'whoever' tried to pull the boat clear with too short a line so that the boat 'broached to' across the cut, rather than swung across the navigation as might have happened if the line had been placed further upstream (there was space in front of other moored boats) IF there was somebody around who understood River flows.


That, however, is my opinion as a boater and I accept that the photos may have given a false impression.


once the boat sank there was not a lot left to do.


My personal feeling is that if EA Thames Region had been cut to the bone, there might have been EA staff available to advise and action. To me it seemed that only Fire & rescue staff were in attendance who did the best they could.

BUT I wasn't there....
Click to expand...
A 999 call to do with the Thames will bring Fire & Rescue, who are trained to deal with boats and understand what needs to be done.
 
I suspect that this will become an ever more common sight as elderly and often poorly maintained boats succumb to the elements. An added cost of the river being used as a cheap source of housing. Saves the council having to house them!
I know it is tough on those affected .......................
 
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