Will Chapman <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
wrote:
>trainfinder22 wrote:
>> I know weather is slightly warmer so do your canals stay open?
>>
>Sort of. The canals stay full of water but BW schedules maintenance
>during the Winter months (keeping a Window open for around two weeks
>either side of Xmas) so work on some locks prevents full access to
>several parts of the canal system. Check www.waterscape.com for a
>schedule of Winter Stoppages.
>
>Then there are the rivers like the Thames which I suspect will be less
>likely to be closed (newer locks) but I've never checked.
When the UK canals were carrying freight for a living, they were open
for that purpose all year round. Repairs (e.g. new lock gates) were
scheduled for weekends, etc., and done as quickly as possible, as
traffic meant revenue for the canal companies. Ice breakers,
initially horse-drawn, later steam, then diesel, were used when
needed.
Now, BW and others have moved (or tried to move) towards a "stoppage
season" and a "cruising season". Repair stoppages seem to be for much
longer these days. I think that many boaters feel this is not an
advance (note characteristic British understatement there).
However, BW is trying overnight stoppages in summer, to deal with
smaller and more urgent repairs. These seem to be working, and to
inconvenience very few boaters. Better weather in summer means much
more can be achieved in each stoppage hour.
In France, where (especially on the higher routes in the centre) the
weather is much colder than in England, the canals are open all year
round, although I think there is no icebreaking. However, having seen
how enormous the piles of firewood are next to (or overshadowing) the
lock cottages there, I think I'll leave the Canal de Bourgogne for
spring.
Adrian
Adrian Stott
07956-299966
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