Why a better Pilot Pick up is required!

[Warp]

I would imagine that the issue with moving the pickup further away is that the pilot ends up a plod-a-lot and the throughput goes down at busy times.

[C.Ricko]

I think the best place for the pilot is as close to the bridge as possible otherwise there would be a bigger problem down river due to the pilot having to walk to the next boat...

[Viking23]

What Potter Heigham and Wroxham bridge need are...

parallel beams, that adjust to suit the beam of the boat, and you are kept exactly in the middle, a height bar at each end, if you get past that you will get through without any steering action by the crew.

A bit like the inflatable bumpers for the kids at 10 pin bowling alleys lol...

[BuffaloBill]

On the down stream side of the bridge, under the footbridge, hang chains which if you hit any of them, you hit the bridge!

No such help on the other side though 

[marshman]

Alan - stern mooring requires BA consent, The webcam does give you a fore shortened view and the stern mooring is I believe at the cafe where there is an inset - it is not outside the Hotel Wroxham I am sure.

 

Of course it gets busy at Wroxham - you would expect that particularly as water levels are up a bit at the moment. Yesterday the Pilot was not taking all boats through because of the height so that compounds the problem but its not one that cannot be coped with - whilst I get Bills point why should NBD give up their mooring at the front which they have used for dayboats for what seems like ever?

 

The Bridge Pilot is I guess, nothing other than a service for the Hire Boat Federation and they are not going to make much money out of it except at peak holiday periods - for a lot of the year it is certainly not a full time job. With the exception of at very peak periods.the system works so why does it require fixing? You do not build a bypass everytime you get an occasional traffic queue - you just let them get on with it!!!

[ranworthbreeze]

Hello Marshman,

The Hotel Wroxham has always in the past had mooring for 2 large or 3 smaller boats with side on mooring.

I have never seen stern mooring there before and agree that stern mooring has been allowed next door but this as been limmited to smaller craft only, I looked again on the webcam yesterday and the craft moored there must have been 30ft plus.

This effects mooring at the hotel and causes craft coming through the bridge to alter course yet again, most do alter course just to get through the bridge.

I could happily sit in the hotel watching the bridge, its a pity the webcam at the hotel was removed.

Regards

Alan

[marshman]

The cafe have their quay heading set well back from the line of the river and if you recall they used to operate day boats from there too - these were well tucked away.

 

I am sure the BA know of the situation and will be monitoring it, but why not speak to the local Ranger - he will know what the exact position is  Ring the BA or River Control and asked to be put through.

 

I know they keep an eye on these things -  as you may recall that last year The Ferry Inn were granted a limited stern on licence but this was withdrawn when it was abused.

[Springsong]

There is certainly no stern on mooring at the Hotel, the staging is nowhere near strong enough. It used to be a mud and grass bank I think only altered when the Southern Comfort was run from there, if anyone remembers that. See link below.

 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/NORFOLK-SHIPPING-SOUTHERN-COMFORT-at-WROXHAM-NORFOLK-BROADS-Postcard-/291514053099

[SwanR]

This is one of the reasons we haven't been through Wroxham bridge in recent years. And Wroxham itself just seems to be a place best avoided summer weekends. I'm sure we all watch the webcam and exclaim at the chaos and near misses that take place. However does anyone know where you wait to pick up the pilot on the other side to come back? And does that cause any problems?

 

When we hire from Stalham for the first time next year we might actually get to Wroxham as a destination rather than just the place where we start and finish. And that should mean we can put Coltishall on the list of places to go.

[kfurbank]

Jean, Coming back through the other way is easier for the pilot pick up. People tend to wait at the stern on moorings for the pilot, or side on if there's space at The Kings Head mooring. Often if side on at that mooring the pilot will bring a boat through and then hop of onto your boat ready for the return journey.

[Labrador]

Like Potter, the bridge is protected.In Wroxhams case the only way to make it viable for modern day traffic was to put a structure over the existing bridge. With Potter Heigham Mr Beeching solved the problem by closing the railway, allowing the bypass and new road bridge to be built.

If the Wroxham bypass had not been blocked with court proceedings by certain people from the Avenues, by the time it eventually got the go ahead, the government money had gone elsewhere.

I believe it was planned that when the bypass had gone through, the bridge would have been restored to original, similar but slightly wider than Potter, traffic light controlled. I am led to believe that they still have the original bricks and cappings stored somewhere from when they were removed to put over the original Bailey bridge.

[Warp]

Like Potter, the bridge is protected.In Wroxhams case the only way to make it viable for modern day traffic was to put a structure over the existing bridge. With Potter Heigham Mr Beeching solved the problem by closing the railway, allowing the bypass and new road bridge to be built.

If the Wroxham bypass had not been blocked with court proceedings by certain people from the Avenues, by the time it eventually got the go ahead, the government money had gone elsewhere.

I believe it was planned that when the bypass had gone through, the bridge would have been restored to original, similar but slightly wider than Potter, traffic light controlled. I am led to believe that they still have the original bricks and cappings stored somewhere from when they were removed to put over the original Bailey bridge.

That would look so much nicer.

[BroadScot]

This is one of the reasons we haven't been through Wroxham bridge in recent years. And Wroxham itself just seems to be a place best avoided summer weekends. I'm sure we all watch the webcam and exclaim at the chaos and near misses that take place. However does anyone know where you wait to pick up the pilot on the other side to come back? And does that cause any problems?

 

When we hire from Stalham for the first time next year we might actually get to Wroxham as a destination rather than just the place where we start and finish. And that should mean we can put Coltishall on the list of places to go.

Jean,

 

Put Coltishall on your list for the next trip, its a very pleasent cruise above the bridge to Coltishall. and Belaugh. Good for Kingfisher spotting. Just wait as near to the bridge as you can, unless of course the Pilot spot is vacant.

 

 

Iain.

[Chelsea14Ian]

I love Wroxham,but often visit with fingers crossed, in the summer its like London in the rush hour.Some skippers not knowing where they are going or what they are doing.it is fun seating in the hotel watching.

 

I am sure when we hired (going back ten years)we were told to use the pilot,I have gone through myself.the bridge is slightly lower from the Kingshead side.Whatever the problems it is also worth going to Wroxham. Saddly we can't under with Sweet kingfisher.

 

Ian