Bytheriver

It was left at Cantley as Reedham Swing Bridge failed followed by Haven Bridge & by the time they were both fixed the tugs had been sent away as they are expensive by the day. Just one was used to push it on its final journey down stream Andy is right about the grime and fat running down the river side of the craft in Norwich - it was like that 6 years ago when I last passed by (on one of Andy's cruisers)

OOps Technical failure led to the suspension of meeting till a later date. BA have changed the way papers appear on screen today as well

Many items of interest today https://www.broads-authority.gov.uk/about-us/committees/broads-authority/broads-authority-29-january-2021

Yesterday morning before EDP published the Barrier idea DEFRA chose to re-publish the 2015 River Basin Management Plans for the period 2015-2020 They contain some interesting information https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/river-basin-management-plans-2015?utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=govuk-notifications&utm_source=0612970e-2a71-4d17-bd9c-abc400d30cb6&utm_content=daily#anglian-river-basin-district-rbmp:-2015

Worth remembering back in the days of mostly whole week & even 2 week holidays it was easier to fit in crossing and back but with 3 & 4 being popular especially off peak it can be difficult to schedule a Braydon crossing.

Seen this afternoon waiting for the Spirit of Braydon to arrive & Reedham Swing Bridge to open - Vagabond being pushed towards Yarmouth

It would take some research to get the dates right but remember in the "Boating Boom" years of the late 1970s & 80s the larger yards were acquired by the likes of Coral & Guinness & with booking through Hoseasons & Blakes had it tied up only for them to pull out rapidly when foreign holidays boomed. On- line & direct booking with yards has put a whole new spin on the trade so who knows how it will evolve

Here is the Planning Officers report (It was getting close to decision time anyway) https://secure.broadland.gov.uk/MVM.DMS/Planning Application/762000/762660/20202264 2021_01_20 Delegated report.pdf

Many moons ago when I was a Park Manager in London & we had some areas with huge run off in wet weather ( most of the old streams and ditches were of course of course piped as development occurred in past 150 years), I was told that the EA (or whatever it was called then) had two schools of thought among its top people Firstly those who wanted to get rid of water fast by dredging, piling of banks, removal of obstructions on a regular basis etc and the others who wanted to hold water back in extreme weather. At the time (1980s) the policy was beginning to swing in favour of holding back. This was not denied by EA in Wessex when I was a Flood Warden 2006-2016 when I raised it. This very much came to the fore at the time of the Somerset Levels floods when many referred to the earlier practice of keeping the main rivers deep & clear. Some dredging was then carried out & I am sure there is a report out there as to what has happened since.

Certainly not ideal that its hosted by BA but there needs to be some way of pulling the various Authorities together especially as Norfolk County Council (as lead Authority on Flooding) agreed three additional Officers last week. With the EA, Counties, Districts and Land Drainage Boards as well as Anglian Water all having a part to play it is a way to stop the buck passing

Definitely in Broadland There is an application in early Dec 2020 for demolition with BA as neighbour & Parish Council having no objection. Should it go to Committee it can be viewed on YouTube

My sentiments entirely! (Two shares)

I suspect there are plenty of suitable silenced Euro 5 Generators on the second hand market with the outdoor entertainment industry in turmoil and would be a stopgap which could be re-sold if the mains do arrive in due course

Expensive makeovers have led many pubs to the end of the road - hopefully there will be minimum expenditure to enable it to reopen as soon as possible & hopefully as soon as the holiday season is allowed to get underway,

I think most are with Riverside Holidays Ltd 01692 580496 they may be able to help

For those who would like to see & hear the Ctte in action https://www.broads-authority.gov.uk/about-us/committees/navigation-committee/navigation-committee-14-january-2021

At £31 for 10 single crossings well worth having! https://www.reedhamferry.co.uk/chain-ferry/

Its certainly brought many of the improvements of fairly recent IT progress to the fore & underlines the need for last areas of poor internet access to the notice of the authorities to press (even pay for) the final push

The Ferry has been closed for a couple of hours each side of high tide twice in the past week (not been caught on the wrong side but pre-paid ticket holders get emails)

There is an article on the subject of the "Swing Bridges" provided by Network Rail with the latest information in the January 2021 edition of Harnser (The magazine of the Broads Society) PM for details

EA river levels published later than usual this morning (Sunday 8.45) but only upper reaches, Beccles & Neatishead are higher than on Christmas Eve & Christmas Day Drainage out to sea back to more usual flows

No wonder the Government are still keen to push on with HS2 - or are they?

I remember my Father who was an engineer telling me 60 years ago that many improvements to IC engines in the past had simply been stifled by the engine manufacturers & oil companies at the time in pursuance of their financial interests. They both seen very quiet on the subject right now - the only tiny ripple of concern was last spring when the price of oil crashed.

I watched the original Broadland District Council Licencing Committee Meeting. The licence is for one of the outbuildings not the Pub itself Still on Youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZYHn1boH34A You can jump along if you don't have time to see the whole thing. This failed due to a number of issues including opening hours which were revised on the hoof as the meeting progressed and certainly not from the BA Comments alone but on re-application was granted without need to go back to committee. (very few do go to a formal hearing )

If I remember correctly after some pressure arrangements were made last year to get the Signaller away whilst leaving the bridge open there is a farm crossing 200m back along the track but a long way round to get he or she back to their car if the ferry is closed then the same performance very early on re- opening day. No problem at Somerleyton as the access point is the station