Two more examples of BW incompetence have become apparent over the last couple of days. The first was yesterday when we moored up on the visitor moorings at Willington. We then discovered that from Oct to Mar they were ‘Permit only’. Plenty of space, so we thought we’d just do the right thing and ring BW and ask permission to stay over the weekend. I was given a mobile number to call, and a message said that the ‘Moorings Manager was unable to take the call, but to leave a message and she would get back to me asap’. Have we had a call back – have we hell??? Anyway, we have decided to stay here for the weekend unless someone asks us to move. Well, at least we tried!!
Example number two – the stoppage at Sawley Flood Lock. The original stoppage list said 16th – 27th October. So we planned accordingly. A month later we had an amendment email – the dates were now 9th-20th Oct. Hooray, we thought, a week early, not so long to hang around. Rog started getting suspicious yesterday when we started seeing Canaltime boats heading back towards Sawley (the other side of the stoppage!). We managed to ask one today where they were leaving the boat, and discovered that the dates they were given for the stoppage were 16-27th Oct. We checked the Waterscape website – 9th-20th, also Canal Boat magazine had 9th – 20th. A million and one phone calls to BW then ensued, being passed from pillar to post, nobody seeming to know. Eventually someone got hold of the Project Manager who confirmed that the dates were definitely 16th – 27th!!! AGHHHHH!!!! Why then was an amendment sent out, and if it was amended back again, why wasn’t another one sent??? That’s another two weeks we have to hang around a few short miles of canal.
Now, I know we aren’t supposed to get in a lather about these things, as we aren’t really in a hurry, but the sheer bloody incompetence really gets me down! The chap I spoke to at BW was going to get on to Waterscape and ask them to send out an amendment, (bit bloody late, a week after the stoppage was supposed to start!) but I bet the blithering idiot who cocked it up won’t even get a slap on the wrist.
And to top it all, it’s Friday 13th, my laptop had gremlins today and it took a while to sort it out, and now our T Mobile dongle has stopped working as has been deemed knackered by ‘the boss’! We shall have to share the ‘3’ one now, which is bound to entail many arguments, until we can get it replaced!
Anyway, rant over – we will put up with the noise of the trains over the weekend and have a slow bimble towards Shardlow next week, where we will have some visitors, then probably retrace our steps till mid week, and return to Shardlow to await (hopefully) the re-opening of Sawley flood Lock on or before 27th.
I saw the word 'rant' and thought this had to be the first blog to read tonight!
ReplyDeleteMore we say, more..
Lesley
Pip, It sure doesnt help when we cant get hold of BW, or they dont call us back. As far as their notification is concerned, they have to be told that it is very importent to let us boaters know when stoppages are changed.
ReplyDeleteIt has badly affected your movement. Maybe they don't know what is going on with their contractors!
On another note, I wonder what sort of dongle you have? Is it one of those oval white ones? Try taking out the sim and replacing.. also re install if you have had problems with your computer.. I know how to unlock those if you need to know.
Sue
It's like they dont