Lightship Aground

[@peterandhiscat]

Brilliantly made video, thanks for producing it. I see SULA often at Gloucester docks but didn't know exactly what was going on with the tugs and the dredging - now I do know exactly what's happening! I've subscribed and am looking forward to watching some of your other videos.

[@thelatemickb6927]

Much pleasure was had . Excellent video as usual.

[@ChrisWitts]

Thank you

[@FloatingOurBoat]

Great video Chris. And we think that’s us at 01:45 next to the lock. 👍

[@ChrisWitts]

Many thanks, I will have a look.

[@ramseybarber8312]

Hi Fran and Rich I think you are correct about your Boat , Fame At Last!!??

[@johngaskins4700]

Thanks Chris, the River Severn has a great pull on me now I am older and memories of Healings come back to me.

[@ChrisWitts]

I agree John, what will they think of this in 50 years time?

[@chriswalford4161]

Ah, Healings. I can remember watching wheat barges being unloaded there.

[@marnypepper1376]

Thank you Chris A great record of canal life, well produced as usual.

[@ChrisWitts]

It will be great to look back and see how it was today.

[@ramseybarber8312]

Hi Chris Good to see some dredging taking place with all the Rules and regulations you don't see much of it taking place , The tug Bandit she was built by E C Jones at Brentford some 50 years ago as one of the BANTAM group nice to see her still going.

[@ChrisWitts]

First time I have seen the BANDIT, looks so small on the G&S Canal!

[@davidlucas6701]

At that time as a 21 year old I used to deliver to their yard/dock in Brentford. I remember talking to a guy working on a small tug around that time and he told me they had just fitted a Rolls Royce "tank engine" ,it intrigued me as I have always had an interest in boats! Possibly that boat?

[@andrewfoote322]

Great video, Chris! Already looking forward to Part 2.

[@ChrisWitts]

Thanks Andrew, maybe a couple of weeks away.

[@jakedovey7488]

I remember going on sula many years ago, back when she was moored at the Gloucester waterways museum, they also had a bucket dredger and several narrow boats and barges that you could go on and explore, in fact I was photographed on a few of the boats for the publicity leaflet!

[@keithkench9432]

As allways, i enjoyed that, thank you.

[@ChrisWitts]

Thank you Keith

[@marciabaldwin2506]

Great video. I'm glad to see that Sula will receive the attention she needs and have been passed it many times, such as a fascinating history. I bet if it could talk, I would tell so many stories. I used to work in the docks near to the Oliver Cromwell. And if any fans of Bob Mortimer and Paul Whitehouse they stayed on board, Sula, in one of their Gone fishing on TV ❤

[@ChrisWitts]

Many thanks, interesting information about SULA.

[@patrickshaw7983]

Interesting video, looking forward to part 2. What a great job Alan has, not too much stress there.

[@ChrisWitts]

Hi Patrick, it was the first time I met Alan that morning and he couldn't have been more helpful.

[@davemed1870]

Great video Chris. Very informative.

[@ChrisWitts]

Thanks Dave

[@Cornell851]

Brilliant video very interesting 👍

[@davidjenkins6453]

Classy video Chris, well done Sir!

[@ChrisWitts]

Many thanks David

[@nicknewton7189]

Nnice one Chris,love the background music.🫡✌️

[@ChrisWitts]

Thank you Nick

[@hedgerowpete]

brilliant video, very interesting

[@ChrisWitts]

Much appreciated

[@oj3888]

Great video Chris! Not sure I understand why they dig a pit to dump the mud in, while Parkend is closer than Purton, the old way if returning the mud to the Severn (whence it came) seems far more sensible.

[@ChrisWitts]

It was a big mistake cutting up the modern bucket dredger, would have done the job so much quicker.

[@Gfc22]

Not returned to the river to help reduce silting downstream. Every little helps. Also time and distance adds costs.

[@TheByard]

I would have though there would be a lot of goodness in that river silt, maybe it would be some help to farmers, with all the bans on fertilizer. Worked on a tunnel at Dover as part of the clean beach scheme, the dug chalk was taken to farmers fields, later it was spread across them. Maybe the wait was to let the chalk weather a bit??

[@BenJamin-tx7ol]

Surely there would be a market for all that mud once it had dried out, it is after all washed out topsoil, and should have picked a lot of nutrients from it's travels/immersion. ?

[@chriswalford4161]

What came out of the hole they put the mud into? And where did that go? And what will become of the mud?

[@bazra19]

Tons of mud are no problem for two good divers who have an air lift. Dredging is expensive; you could actually do it without divers using airlifts. But. You would have to know what you are doing. I was a Lightsman for many years. I served on LV18, LV12. LV76 was the oldest one, she was wood, and had a ghost of a sailor that hung himself from the forestay. LV 14, was unusual in many ways, I'm certain I served on her, when she was stationed at Spurn Point in 1958/9 as I lived in GY at the time. in fact I served on most of them, due to serving as they were being changed over from being maned to automated. So I would go from one to the other as needed.

[@rolandbevan7088]

There was a day and night in WW2 when the Nore was moved onto the top of a bank at Harwich. The Trinity House Superintendent at The depot suspected that a UBoat was laying-up alongside the LV because that was the only way it would have time to continually lay mines in the harbour. Without a Notice to Mariners. the lightsip was moved to 'on top of the bank'. When the tide went down, the navy was ready to knock on the conning tower, get all the crew out. Take the vessel into custody, and that was the end of those enemy inspired operations at that station.

[@jacksonRoos]

Debussy La Luna

[@ml50486965]

Interesting! But if you turned down the music, I might understand all you said.

[@petersmith4455]

hi that lightship has been heavily modified below the tower, not how i remember them

[@JonathanColes-ib7tq]

Seems a bit strange to dig this pit and fill it with silt. What happened to the earth that was excavated from the pit?

[@ChrisWitts]

Hi Jonathan, in truth I believe it wasn't actually a pit dug out, but because the canal is higher than the land sort of banked up 3 sides to make a pit, if that makes sense.

[@andrewdowns3403]

Now , let me see if I got this right , they dig a hole , and fill it with mud . what do they do with dirt out of the hole ? don"t tell me that they put back in the river to continue the silting process

[@ChrisWitts]

Hi Andrew, to be correct, they didn't actually dig out a hole, as the canal is higher than the land utilised that fact. No, this mud will not end up in the Severn, the river is quite away from this location.

[@stephenfoxall9655]

Wonderful video a commentary but music truly dire. Depressing.