One Way Of Doing It!

[Vaughan]

If I hadn't seen this with my own eyes, I wouldn't have believed it! This is on the Canal du Midi at Puicheric, and it is a self propelled dredger.

 

 

The two sections are probably watertight but obviously not buoyant, as it simply walks along the bottom of the canal doing dredging or bank work, attended by a barge to take the spoil away.

 

 

When they have finished, they just drive it up onto the bank, on caterpillar tracks. I imagine the whole thing comes apart in two halves, and can then be transported on low loaders. Maybe I shall find out in the next few days!

The bottom of the canal is all firm ground at exactly the same depth, so perfect for an idea like this.  I am not sure it would be much use on Barton Broad, though!

[FairTmiddlin]

No Vaughan. They do float. Enough displacement in these hulls.

The two black bullet shapes on the back are hydraulic motored propellers.

[Chelsea14Ian]

They could  do with a few of them in Egypt!

[Smoggy]

1 hour ago, Chelsea14Ian said:

They could  do with a few of them in Egypt!

If they built the container ships like they could just go around the blockage, Mmmm a PH bridge cure....

[HEM]

The contraption looks as if it was built by cutting an old German Panzer in half!

[marshman]

They have had similar bits of kit here - except they float. Every now and again I know the BA have hired one for very inaccessible spots - years ago they had one working for a time on Reedham Water and a little more recently on Hickling.

To be fair not seen it around for several years although equally, I am too old now to be bumming around in the middle of a marsh and on thin hover!!!

[TheQ]

The one I've seen on the broads had a tree cutter head fitted to the arm, It cleared the area opposite Horning Church and on the left going up above Horning..