marshman

Still waiting for the storm - is it imminent?

Sums up Norwich City Council and its attitude to its river in a nutshell, or indeed a page!! If they spent one tenth of the budget spent on cycle lanes, the river in Norwich would be a better place!

For what its worth,I doubt this is the only reason not to dual the Acle Straight!! There is nothing much wrong with the Acle Straight, merely the drivers - working average speed cameras with a 50mph limit would help matters. I do not have to think too hard to think of greater priorities - the rest of the A47 westwards and parts of the A17 come to mind, both carrying a lot more traffic and more important from an infrastructure point of view!!!! My betting is the snails are just a good excuse and having moved them they might then begin think about it - open before 2030?? Possibly!!

Not ideal to do it at all but not sure how you can really do anything about it. You can tell people on handover and write it in the books, but all that will stop nothing at all. You would not expect the BA to realistically prosecute - if you do are you prepared to pay the costs of so doing possibly in excess of £1000 or more just for a fine of what to be imposed, £100? I would hazard most magistrates would consider it a non event and possibly even do a lesser fine! It has the POTENTIAL to be dangerous but how many cases a year actually result in real damage? There is little or no concrete evidence to suggest it is a major issue and I think his response evidenced that. It is a concern, but is something that has always happened and to be honest I do not believe it is any more prevalent now than before and I see it as a bit of an irritation but not a lot else! However no doubt someone will prove me wrong....!!

Well spotted MM - I had already spotted what you have said but did not dare say it! Or else he would accuse me of taking sides! You do not think that PW was going to miss any opportunity for a "dig" do you?? I agree no one wants to pay more but for some years there has been a campaign afoot by even some subscribers to this Forum, to suggest that the small boat owners are being charged too much. Ok so as a result I guess this new scheme will redress this to some extent but surely it was obvious long ago that if this was redressed, any shortfall was going to be made up elsewhere?? Did anyone expect them to agree to a reduction in total tolls when new responsibilities like rubbish collection are being forced on them by the by Councils not fulfilling their legal responsibilities? I thought the NP funding was not being cut? But what will dry up, and is, will be European project money - that is a real concern that some funding could well disappear. I very much doubt whether our own Govt will fill in that gap!

Hi Lori - it depends upon the time of year but in both cases I asked if I could go above Wroxham bridge and they said no because of the potential weed hazard. I still went (accidentally! )

If you had asked the yard for more detail, my guess is it is nothing to do with the height of the bridge but more to do with the weed above both bridges. They just do not wish to attend a blocked water inlet - any excuse. In the past both ther old Geo Smith and Fineway had imposed those conditions because of weed - stupid really when there is little above Potter and above Wroxham only some when they have just cut it!!!

Not sure about Southern Comfort but I do know for a fact that Broads Tours boats if out in an evening, made sure they did not meet outside the pub by talking to each other by radio - not seen as an issue in those circumstances but alright for some!!!

Hi Jonzo - the issue , IMHO and for what its worth, is that visibility is so much more limited and going upstream you have only a short period in which to see whats happening and if necessary take action. It is difficult in motor boats but I am sure those who operate larger sailing boats, like wherries, just do not have enough time to stop. It also happens to be on a difficult bend from a wind point of view and some sailing vessels have struggled to tack through. Now thats fine if you can start your engine but I have seen a number of Hunters boats struggle given the reduced room. Now the lack of boats on the Woodbastwick side has improved matters, but at the same time the landlord now wants to stern moor throughout his whole frontage! Cannot think why he wants to do that!! The New Inn is less of an issue as you have much much better visibility and can plan ahead more easily - the problem at Ferry is that it is on quite a sharp bend with limited visibility.

Just to correct one little point - i believe the landlord at the Ferry has only taken on the lease of the land opposite the Ferry and the stern only mooring "trial" has now ended and its back to normal until its considered again by the BA at the next Nav Comm meeting - perhaps, until that is resolved he will reopen the other side?? More likely, he will continue to be obstructive and decide to force every boat over to the Ferry side so he can either take mooring fees or you to eat his "food" - what else would you expect? This story not yet over and the more people who write to Lucy Burchnall at the BA to complain the less chance of that dangerous trial being extended next year - to be honest not found a single person who approves what is going on but if you don't complain now, it will be too late to have any effect!

As this is a thread now about airshows, you are still talking about mainly non events! The real enthusiasts travel to Fairford which puts on the largest MILITARY air show in Europe!

If you go back to the original thread you will see some like it!! The pictures you have shown are not like elevation for like so it is not really comparable - at least the original cottage remains ( which was the objective!! ) and as a bonus the mill was tarted up and the boathouse rebuilt. Surprisingly ran this past my kids and they all prefer the new so its like many things, some like it, others don't!!! But given that original thread was nearly as long as Thorpe Island, lets not restart that!!!!!

To be honest I think that spot where they have squeezed in the pods at WRC is horrible - it will mellow and blend in in time I guess but I associate a pod being in a remote site not immediately adjacent to a busy spot!! I just had my "nice" hat on!!!!

But one thing is certain, LF would not buy rubbish old boats! He would not waste time and money patching up old boats which would still be old boats at the end of it! Jm - I agree with you about the pods at Waveney but you should recall, and so should others without first your usual sniping, that the WRC is already a well established grown up caravan park well shielded and because of its position, neither the "chalets" nor the positioning of the pods, obtrusive or indeed visually unattractive, and with all the facilities to support them. Acle has none of this, and to be honest, my guess is that that may well be part of the problem. In any case the pods sited there would have virtually nothing to attract people, and if I would ever consider siting pods anywhere in Norfolk, that piece of marsh alongside the river would probably not be one of the first I would choose!! These things have a habit of "growing" and if you do allow them to start up a new operation, you have to ensure that they do not have a significant visual impact. As often, I do see their point of view at this stage - perhaps I just see things differently!

Alan - you ask what Ferry actually has and to my simple mind, it probably has the best location of any marina on the Broads. I guess others may disagree but almost anywhere on the Northern Broads is a mere 2hr motor away, except above Barton which is a bit longer. Facilities ok and as far as pontoon moorings are concerned it would be a total waste of money - I never not been able to get on or off my boat whatever the tide and apart from the road which is not theirs, but an Anglian Water issue which i understand is still current, it is pretty good. Chandlery isn't a bad idea, but that failed to save the one at Brooms, so this is probably a non starter too To me any new facility would probably add very little, as it is just a matter of location, location, location!!

I dont think I disagree with a lot of what has been said - but one thing you have failed to mention is that you have not considered it from the customers point of view! Of course its about making money in part and getting an award is certainly not as easy as Robin would suggest, ( methinks he has not delved far enough into the process! ) but customers do actually look for such an award! It may not make any difference to cynical old gits like you or me, but for example have two identical properties side by side one with a Green Award and one without, and I think I can probably guarantee which one would get most bookings!! Like it or not it has built up quite a "brand" name and if it helps your bookings, I know I would embrace it if I could! Does it really mean anything in reality? No I don't think it does but convince the punters of that! And Robin, it is a very thorough examination to get these awards - it is not just a question of paying up!! And having got say a Bronze one , it is quite difficult to move up to the next one! But does it make a real difference? Marginal but some punters appear to appreciate that you are trying to do your bit - but I think you are right to remain a tad cynical overall!!!!!!!

Ah the perennial wish to reopen old waterways, staithes,broads etc etc.....! You can also add footpaths and long long ago abandoned rights of way whilst you are at it! Better open up a crowdfunding page as you will need loads a' money - methinks "they" have deeper pockets than the peasants amongst us which of course is the very reason they keep it as theirs and not share it with us oiks!!

There is no reason at all why those profiled banks cannot be used for mooring and indeed in places that is already happening. Go down the top end of Fleet Dyke with a brush cutter and cut down the vegetation and within a few weeks, that would be well used.The vegetation has now grown out on the profiling and I have had no issues with the couple of spots opened up The trouble is when there was 3k hire boats around, they HAD to make these so called wild moorings as they were insufficient other moorings, and they did by pushing in and trampling the grass etc. In the 60's I remember many muddy bank moorings but despite the comments of an earlier poster, I do think the earlier part of the year was pretty quiet - I never had had a problem of finding moorings generally.However I know you mostly disagree but thats because lots now look for the more formal mooring. I think September has been busier but I do think the weather had something to do with that with hire yards seemingly, having a pretty good month

Going back to the original post (!) these concerns may arise from another direction so to speak!! From memory the piling is in pretty poor condition in places, and following the changes and if the flood bank has actually been moved further back, the EA may well have plans to pull the original piling and reprofile the bank - sadly!! If someone wants to search through the planning permissions for that particular compartment they will probably find the details, which may give a clue to the future. Thurne moorings may well come back - do not right them off yet but the BA's position is not helped when the landowner uses them as a bargaining factor (allegedly! ) I am really not sure how this is all going to pan out but you can only offer the 24hr moorings if you can organise a lease and if you cannot then you hands are "constricted " so to speak! I agree some extra pontoon moorings would help a little but one would wonder how long Robins extension would last given some helms! In any case I wonder who actually owns the Broad or claims to - could you just stick a pile in to anchor it I wonder without some prospective landowner making a claim? Someone immediately springs to mind......!!!

That last post is on the nail - the policy to keep it mainly confined to one area works well and even I would still not hesitate to walk down POWs Road - I might demur a bit if asked to do it after 3 a.m. but the complaints about Norwich generally derive from those who have never been there, or perhaps visited it 50 yrs ago and expect it to be the same!! Now I know its Norfolk, but thats a bit too much to ask. I am often out in the City quite late and cannot remember when I even saw trouble...! Although I could be talking it up!!

Quite interesting articles there and yes that Jenny is certainly a more modern picture - glad everyone likes the look of his avatar!! Nice articles too about Albion - mostly pretty much correct even if I say so myself !

Timbo - not sure I like it too much!!! Cannot quite see the leeks but they were replaced a couple or so years ago and you can probably just see them - do you think I can claim copyright to the use of that as HIS?

Unless anyone knows different I believe they still use the water intake on the river, which is part of the network which supplies the Yarmouth area.

And I bet, you wish you had never even asked, or better still just chucked that castoff you were given!! And there was me thinking a Broads cruiser needed none of that squit which reminds me of a modern destroyer!! How boys love to fiddle!!

Not sure this is "new" news - I think this has been going on for a few years now. Good to see the practice being revived but i guess it masy be volunteer led!