Wholesale logs in north Lancashire

[skyhuck]

Get yourself down to Jonesies show then:001_smile:.

 

Booked a caravan park months ago, for that weekend

[County4x4]

The Lancaster canal is not connected to the other canals, so is not part of the "network".

 

Oh it is now mate! Only in the summer though - so we get lots of visitors from all over the place if they're brave enough to attempt the link, which can be a little hairy if the weather is against you. Also gets dodgy if you make up your own route out of the River Ribble and into the link instead of following the instructions, as quite a few have done this year, and then ended up grounded in the middle of nowhere waiting for the next tide! I've seen several pics in the office at work but probably not allowed to post them! Last one was sitting at an angle of around 45 degrees front to back and had the coastguard with them all night - the owner responded by getting the black paint out and touching up his hull!

 

Here's the link to the link - sorry couldn't resist!

 

Home Page

 

Glad to see all you hard working timber guys have been busy sorting out my ideas for me all day by the way:laugh1:

 

So - given that I think that nets are going to be not so popular with boaters due to price and low volume - should I be asking for loose loads delivered for me to pack into fert. bags or similar, or should I be getting real competitive on the net prices instead? Or finding bigger nets? Would the wholesale prices for loose and netted logs be a fair way apart?

 

@gensetsteve - yeah - bit of a hike to your neck of the woods - I use to drive down there and back to Carnforth every night once upon a time - your stuff sounds like it would be ideal. I'm already looking at coal prices, and I have a message from one of the kindling guys on here, so hopefully got those bases covered. I'm also looking into diesel supplies as it's virtually impossible to get on the canal - nearly all the boatyards have stopped selling it now. Next things to look at are gas and pump outs (lovely job when it's warm!)

 

I work on the canal at the moment but it's technically a seasonal job and is supposed to end after September - there is a slight possibility of something permanent, but nothing guaranteed by any means. I'd love to stay on but if it doesn't happen then I need to be looking for another source of income. Hence all this and I'd like to supply local homeowners as well as boaters - don't mind working hard and not expecting to get rich as a result, but need to make enough to pay the bills etc. Realistically I don't think I'm in a financial position to gear up to go and start felling my own timber, so buying in is the only option really. Ok I might make a bit less, but don't need to shell out thousands on tackle to do it all myself.

 

Thoughts anyone?

 

Cheers,

 

Andy

[Mr Ed]

Fert sacks are a right pain n the arse, asis bagging loose loads of logs. Buy enough in one go, and you'll get them cheap enough. PM me for details.

[County4x4]

Mr Ed - PM'd you a few days back - not sure if you've seen it yet?

 

I've been giving this some more thought and I think I need to be looking at the firewood to narrowboats thing as a specialist sideline rather than a mainstay. Reasons being it's obviously a fairly limited market, and the majority of them, apart from a few dyed in the wool eco-types are hardcore cola burners as they find it easier to keep the small stoves in overnight on coal. I reckon I'll consider offering the smaller logs to them and then just produce them as and when, rather than buying in loads of them and then maybe sitting on them for years.

 

So - while I'm looking at stuff like diesel and coal supplies etc - I'd like to look at supplying firewood to home based customers, so is there anyone who would be interested in supplying processed wood in bulk in north Lancashire?

 

Cheers,

 

Andy

[Buzz]

I thought the Lancaster Canal got cut in half when the M6 was built ? There was a big fuss about it as the IWA were keen on restoring it.

[County4x4]

Hi Buzz,

 

Not quite in half mate - though it's cut several times by the M6 and the A65. The bit we have left is about 42 miles long and runs from Preston up to Tewitfield a couple of miles north of Carnforth. It's also the longest lock free stretch of canal in the country!

 

To the north of Tewitfield it's all still in water (and maintained as a feeder for the main canal) between the culverted road crossings, before it ends at Stainton near the Hincaster tunnel. From there on, some of the canal bed remains though other parts have been landscaped into farmers fields. You find things like this:

 

 

There is a lot of noise about restoration going on to take it back all the way into Kendal where it used to end - they've spent a lot of money on feasibility studies and what have you already, and the general opinion seems to be that it will happen one day - though whether we'll see it is another matter!

 

Cheers,

 

Andy

[Buzz]

Hmm speaking from experience canal restoration can be a nightmare. Trying to get all the landowners to talk and agree.

Thanks for the info mate :-)

[Buzz]

Hmm speaking from experience canal restoration can be a nightmare. Trying to get all the landowners to talk and agree.

Thanks for the info mate :-)

[County4x4]

You're welcome mate - and I know exactly what you mean. There's actually some divided opinion amongst boaters as to whether it should actually be restored at all. The worry is that now the link is operating, the canal could become very popular if boats can travel right up to the foot of the Lake District, and it would end up being like a watery M6! I'm guessing that quite a few of those against it are long term Lancaster Canal folks though who grew used to having this waterway all to themselves when it was isolated from the rest of the system.

 

Having said all that though - there were an awful lot of people who said the Ribble Link wouldn't happen in a million years - and there it is. I think there's a local fella up here who owns an awful lot of land around the northern reaches and he's pretty keen on getting this project moving. Time will tell eh!

 

So - anyone interested in selling me a heap of logs?!

 

Cheers,

 

Andy

[BARNSLEY BOB]

got a heap in barnsley, but if carnforth is too far then you will not want to come over to this side of the hill..

seasoned in the barn and part seasoned out side. about 200t.