Trotman barge below Hampton court

CLB said:
I think trotman is into a winner here. No need for a licence or BSS.
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He certainly seems to put a lot of thought into his actions.
The EA aren't going to put up with him being moored to their property and the council have recently had their day in court when the by-law was challenged(and they won).
 
Here's a thought: How many of the boat owners who objected vociferously when EA tried to enforce licenses in this bit a few years ago would happily start paying now IF it would help EA to get Trotman off our patch?
 
I've been following this thread even though i've no interest in river boating. I still havent quite worked out what exactly Trotman is doing to upset everyone, he comes across as the neighbour from hell but what, apart from cocking a snook at officialdom, is the basis for everyone hating him?
 
Thanks to him, those of us who use to enjoy a night tied up along Ham Lands, (away from the noise of the weir and where bats buzzed you as you enjoyed a glass of wine)can no longer do so. Us locals also saw our council tax spent on creating the by-law that restricts our enjoyment of the area.
When he moved in, the rest followed. The Thames became their sewer and the riverbank their dumping ground. Junkies, aggressive dogs and piles of dog poo. Boat break ins went up too(I've been robbed three times).
It's been 10 years now.
 
Actionmat has summed it up pretty concisely.

Add to this threats to lock staff , filling up the lock dumpsters with building rubbish ( the cost to empty these comes from the waterways budget , I.e. Your licence money ) , wasted RNLI time and money with calls when they regularly went adrift because they were tied up with string , you name it.

Richmond council are aware and will begin enforcement action on Monday and I saw a couple of EA enforcement guys serving papers on it this morning. PLA have been on site for most of the day. Let's hope they move quickly and decisively this time instead of letting them get established like last time.

A ski boat with a large Outboard on it went upstream earlier and tied alongside the remaining squalor , what's the betting it is used to tow them away either up or downstream.
 
Teddington, a serious question

Would the barge be allowed back through the lock onto non-tidal waters if they wanted to?
 
I think the EA need to get on this quick as they will be allowed to go through Teddington lock if they word things correctly . The lock staff can do nothing about it and again will be totally let down by the people that work in the office .
 
Yep.

They have a right of navigation just like everyone else.

He's crafty though , move the barge at 4.00pm on a Friday , gives him a weekends grace as there are no office staff at the EA or the council over the weekend. That's his MO.

I was actually on duty when the Hampton court slumboat came upstream ( at 1.00am , on a Friday night that was no accident ) , broke my heart to let it up , but I had no choice. The lock staff can't refuse passage , even if the boat is unlicensed and they have no money.
 
teddington_lock said:
Yep.
They have a right of navigation just like everyone else.
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and they are just exercising it again now, hauling the second one through the barge lock.
I must admit that while appreciating the right of navigation bit, I am genuinely surprised that the EA chooses to facilitate his movement on demand. I guess their legal advice is that their position might be weakened by any other stance, but it does seem crazy not to put up a few delaying tactics!

I feel sure the reason he is bringing these boats down now is because he at least believes that if he doesn't he is going to be in real trouble for once, so it it would seem like common sense not to help him escape. I can only hope that he will not be given any respite now, whichever side of the lock he is on.
 
teddington_lock said:
Second slumboat now entering barge lock heading downstream.

PLA on tail lay by. No EA boats present.
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It would be helpful if PLA could move, NOW, to the barge lock tail lay by.......

[edited:] They didn't, they stood off and watched the mooring operation, then headed downriver.

So we now have the barge lock lay by well and truly full of slumboats, causing some obstruction to the approach.
 
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I never thought I'd say this, but......

If only the old skipper of Connaught was still around, to floor it out of the lock:devilish:
 
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teddington_lock said:
Yep.

They have a right of navigation just like everyone else.

He's crafty though , move the barge at 4.00pm on a Friday , gives him a weekends grace as there are no office staff at the EA or the council over the weekend. That's his MO.

I was actually on duty when the Hampton court slumboat came upstream ( at 1.00am , on a Friday night that was no accident ) , broke my heart to let it up , but I had no choice. The lock staff can't refuse passage , even if the boat is unlicensed and they have no money.
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So when I get to do my retirement plan of buying a narrowboat and exploring the whole inland waterway network, I can pass through the Thames without a license and nobody will stop me, refuse passage, fine me or impound my boat then?
 
I think the bit below the barge lock before the PLA marker is a known loophole area but being partly tidal it is more technical to moor a boat than above the lock. Not rocket science but certainly more complicated.

Looks to me like a last ditch attempt to keep the business 'afloat' and probably no fluke that spring is round the corner. Probably looking at another 6 months then abandon the boats and leg it to south of france or whatever.
 
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