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Posted: Sat Nov 21, 2009 12:24 pm
by Tony McC
Spare a though for Brew Cabin Irregular Nigel Walker this weekend. Based in Cockermouth, he's been badly hit by the weather over the past couple of days. He tells me his bird's house is completely flooded and he can't even get into his yard/office until the water levels drop.
340mm of rain in a day! If ever there was an incentive for us to promote the wider use of permeable paving, this must be it. Obviously, PP wouldn't and couldn't prevent what has happened this week, but it would and could minimise the impact of smaller downpours elsewhere in the country.
Posted: Sat Nov 21, 2009 1:07 pm
by mickg
Sorry to here about Nigel and his problem and I hope he and the rest of Cumbria can get back to normal as soon as possible
Posted: Sat Nov 21, 2009 1:58 pm
by lutonlagerlout
sorry to hear that nigel,its surreal I am watching and reading about the worst floods ever and we have had barely a drop in luton,in fact we have done 6 days this week without any rain delays
??
all the best
LLL
Posted: Sat Nov 21, 2009 2:43 pm
by Nigel Walker
Hi everyone
At least now everyone knows where Cockermouth is !! Its been horrendous up here.
Thursday morning raining very heavy. No sign of what to come. I was at my fiancees house at 1pm and there was a small pool of water further down the road - this is usual in bad weather. Never thought it would end up like it did. By 3pm we were not allowed over the bridge to her house and by 5pm there was 5 foot of water raging down the road like the Colorado Rapids ! Unbelievable. My office and unit are on the same side of the river - again no access on thursday afternoon.
Thursday night was completley mad - 3 number RAF rescue helicopters winching people to saftey all through the night and all of Friday. RNLI, Mountain Rescue, Fire, Police, RSPCA, Cave Rescuers - you name it, they were there. People I know being rescued by boats - there were at least 15 boats on Main Street in about 6-8 feet of water. Crazy doesnt even come close to describing it. There must have been 50-60 emercency vehicles in Cockermouth - Satelite Vans, SKY News, reporters.
Well its Saturday afternoon. Managed to get over Gote Bridge to my Fiancees house - we were not allowed to but sneaked over - Her house has had 4 and half foot of water in it. Mud everywhere, furniture ruined kitchen cabinets off walls, fridge upside down in kitchen. The smell was awful.
Walked over to my office - thankfully not as bad. The water levels outside my office were around 3 feet, but inside only been 4" of water. All computer hard drives have gone and various other office equipment ruined. In the store only damaged stock and machinery to about 4" high - so hopefully not too much damaged. Will need to remove everything out so can clean up - I would say about 2-3 days of work for me and all my employees. But Jacquis house will take around 6 months at least to become habitable again
We were not allowed to return over the bridge by the police so effectively we were stranded - so we made a run for it over the bridge with policemen shouting at us to get back ! We got a bollocking but at least we now back at my house in the dry !!!
So Christmas for Cockermouth is now officially not happening. There are hundreds of people without their homes, hundreds more out of work because of shops, banks, pubs, restraunts, etc etc being flooded. The local factory which employs 2-300 is flooded.
But at least everyone is ok and we got a lot of fighting spirit up here in Cumbria. So we will bounce back from this.
Thanks for everyone for their concerns
Nigel
Posted: Sat Nov 21, 2009 3:00 pm
by Tommy
The groundsmen at Brunton Park worked miracles to get the Carlisle game on today.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1....976.stm
Posted: Sat Nov 21, 2009 4:18 pm
by rab1
sorry to hear that mate.
Posted: Sun Nov 22, 2009 1:54 am
by ken
Sorry to hear of what’s happened
Posted: Sun Nov 22, 2009 8:42 am
by seanandruby
sounds horrendous mate. but spare a thought for my wife and daughter in law down sarf, there hug boots got ruined and they are devestated ???
Posted: Sun Nov 22, 2009 2:09 pm
by Nigel Walker
The aftermath of the floods is now becoming evident. Most bridges around the area are closed. Another bridge at Workington is about to collapse. Its making travelling very difficult. A lot of people are currently stranded as they cannot cross any bridges to return home.
The army are going to have to build bridges soon
Shops are running out of supplies and with the transport infrastructure in chaos its gonna be dificult for deliveries to get in
Utilitiy companies are now out in mass trying to make safe all underground services and also isolating shops and homes.
I will be unable to get to my office or fiancees house for at least a few of days as the only way is by bridge !!
We are currently working on 3 jobs. Two are inaccessable so hopefully we can get to the other one and at least get some normallity back into the work side of things.
Currently pissing down and very windy. Forecast for more rain next 2-3 days - yippee !
I would just like to mention all the rescue services who have been brilliant. Most of them volunteers. They have been working non-stop for 3 days now.
Nigel
Posted: Sun Nov 22, 2009 2:39 pm
by Tony McC
At time like this, the one sight that would really buck up your spirits and make you fell that everything was going to be all right.....
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Posted: Sun Nov 22, 2009 5:04 pm
by Bob_A
I've got one of those! 
My one is chipped and scratched and one of the legs broke off after my sister trod on it( I've never forgiven her for that even after 40 years 
)
Sorry to bore you with that but I got all excited after seeing that pic 
Anyway back on subject as already mentionedv all we've had done sarf is a few showers so I'm sorry to hear about what's happening in places like Cumbria.
Hope it gets sorted asap and long term solution put in place to help minimise it happening again.
Posted: Mon Nov 23, 2009 7:17 pm
by Tommy
I know it pales into relative insignificance, but during the downpours we had over the weekend and during today, caused the Sports pitches to become waterlogged, and drain towards the lowest point (next to our yard)
We go back out after dinner, and we notice a series of grassed lumps across the whole field.
Turns out the water has completely lifted the turf, and swelled into a sort of bubble. only had two games of football on them this academic year.
Posted: Mon Nov 23, 2009 8:20 pm
by rab1
drove to Leeds on sunday over the hill onto the m1, couldn't believe the number of flooded fields and swollen rivers. ???
Posted: Mon Nov 23, 2009 8:58 pm
by flowjoe
Had a call today regarding some culvert work in the Lakes, might go and have a look at the end of the week.
Nigel, get yourself on e-bay and buy a second hand jetting unit, you could make a fortune between now and the new year.
Posted: Mon Nov 23, 2009 10:51 pm
by Dave_L
Jeez, just seen the bridges that have been washed away on the news! Shocking stuff.
