How Wide are Hurleston Locks?
Chris Hunt
Can anyone help, please?
We are in the process of buying a second-hand NB. Everything is fine,
except for a slight concern about her beam, which in the survey is given
as six feet, eleven and a half inches. I know that the Hurleston flight
is narrow, and one chamber in particular is *very* narrow; would she be
able to get through? I would be very grateful if anyone has any first=hand
or anecdotal evidence either way.
I have tried all the guide books I can lay my hands on, but they each seem
to tell a slightly different story.
I should hate to be excluded from one of the most attractive parts of the
system, especially as I have just watched the Two Fat Ladies being ferried
over the unpronounceable aqueduct - it looks even more spectacular from
the air.
Thanks in advance.
Chris
* I wish I had a lower IQ so I could enjoy your company.
--
----------------------+---------------------------+---------------------
Chris & Gillian Hunt | chris...@argonet.co.uk | BRISCA F1 Stockcars,
Talaton, Devon | | Acorns & Narrowboats
----------------------+---------------------------+---------------------
Chris Deuchar
> We are in the process of buying a second-hand NB. Everything is fine,
> except for a slight concern about her beam, which in the survey is given
> as six feet, eleven and a half inches. I know that the Hurleston flight
> is narrow, and one chamber in particular is *very* narrow; would she be
> able to get through? I would be very grateful if anyone has any first=hand
> or anecdotal evidence either way.
>
> I have tried all the guide books I can lay my hands on, but they each seem
> to tell a slightly different story.
I have a recent photograph here of NB Buckden crossing Chirk aqeduct.
Buckden is an ex GUCCC "large woolwich" - a breed built to a beam of
some 7' 1/2". I believe Bath (of the same ilk) has also doen the
trip in recent years.
Chris D
chris....@nottingham.ac.uk tel 0115 951 6264 fax 0115 951 6267
Recently published: "A Boaters Guide to BOATING" 3-75GBP + 0-75 GBP
p&p. A mixture of old and new waterway techniques. ISBN 0 9531512 0 4
Details at: http://www.blacksheep.org/canals/books.htm
Martin Ludgate
<chris...@argonet.co.uk> writes
>
>Can anyone help, please?
>
>We are in the process of buying a second-hand NB. Everything is fine,
>except for a slight concern about her beam, which in the survey is given
>as six feet, eleven and a half inches. I know that the Hurleston flight
>is narrow, and one chamber in particular is *very* narrow; would she be
>able to get through? I would be very grateful if anyone has any first=hand
>or anecdotal evidence either way.
nb Fulbourne (1937 GU Town Class big Woolwich motor) passed
through in 1995. Slight squeeze, but nothing serious. Fulbourne
was built 7ft 0.5in wide (according to the plans), is still this width
across the engine room front bulkhead, and has chains stretched
across the hold to keep the rest of the boat to approximately the
same width.
Anecdota experience:
I think nb Ben (1930s BCN Motor) passed through Hurleston with
a bit of a struggle around the same time. (I'll ask the owner next
time I see him) Ben is only 7ft 0in wide, but being a BCN boat is
square sided right down to the bottom, whereas GU boats taper in
by an inch or so each side from about 3ft 6in below gunwales to
the bottom.
So it appears that the tight lock is tightest some distance below
the waterline. So you shouldn't have any trouble with a 6ft 11.5in
beam boat, provided the boat is not both square sided and very
deep draft (both the above boats are approx 2ft 9in draft)
>
>I have tried all the guide books I can lay my hands on, but they each seem
>to tell a slightly different story.
They always do! In 10 years experience of taking a I have found
that a good principle to adopt when dealing with maximum craft
dimensions is "Don't believe anything you hear, and only half of
what you see". But then, if you follow this, you won't believe me!
We have also taken Fulbourne through the Southern Stratford and
Southern Oxford Canals, both of which have locks which are
reputed to be very tight. We didn't have any trouble, except once at
Marston Doles when the level was a bit low - this appears to be
another lock that comes in tight a couple of feet below the
waterline.
One of the newly restored locks above Worksop on the
Chesterfield has unfortunately been rebuilt to very tight
dimensions that it is said will exclude most ex-working boats (we
haven't tried it in Fulbourne yet), but it appears that the problem
has been slightly exaggerated, so I think you should have no
trouble.
Apart from that, I think we have taken Fulbourne through pretty
near every narrow lock on the system, (apart from the Caldon,
which I've navigated in a boat that had spread to about 7ft 1in) and
none of them have been too narrow.
--
Martin Ludgate
Richard Fairhurst
> We are in the process of buying a second-hand NB. Everything is fine,
> except for a slight concern about her beam, which in the survey is given
> as six feet, eleven and a half inches. I know that the Hurleston flight
> is narrow, and one chamber in particular is *very* narrow; would she be
> able to get through? I would be very grateful if anyone has any first=hand
> or anecdotal evidence either way.
Hurleston is arguably the most famous "pinch point" on the system, but
which particular chamber is doing the pinching seems open to debate! The
last estimate I heard was that lock 1 was 6ft 11.5in - and yet last time
I was on a vaguely porky boat, it was lock 3 we got wedged in. Anecdotal
evidence suggests we're not alone, but as those with much more practical
experience than me point out, many "full-beam" craft have passed through
without problems.
BW quoted 6ft 10in as the "limiting dimension" in their recent
submission to the Secretary of State, but this (naturally) erred on the
cautious throughout.
The "batter" of any particular lock (i.e. the gradient of the lock
walls) means that it's difficult to quote one simple beam figure. The
shape of the boat under the waterline may be just as important, and the
way we were freed from lock 3 tends to back that up. (The Hurleston
lock-keeper, at least, is a friendly sort with plenty of experience of
this!)
I suspect the only real way to tell is to actually try it.
But remind me in a month's time, and I might be in a position to post
some more substantial info.
--
| Richard Fairhurst
| assistant editor, Canal Boat & Inland Waterways
Chris Hunt
neurotic when contemplating spending UKPxxxxx (where xxxxx=a lot):-)
In answer to my own question, it seems that the official answer is '6
feet, 11 and three-quarter inches', at least according to the NW Regional
office of BW, but, as Richard points out, that really does not help very
much.
What the hell, let's go for it...but, if the worst comes to the worst,
does anyone have any tips for freeing a NB wedged in a lock, apart from
the obvious "a large jar of Vaseline"?????
Cheers
Chris
* The dog's kennel is not the place to keep a sausage.--
Ray Dunford
----------
> From: Chris Hunt <chris...@argonet.co.uk>
> To: can...@blacksheep.org
> Subject: Re: How Wide are Hurleston Locks?
> Date: 10 October 1998 00:08
>
> Snip
> What the hell, let's go for it...but, if the worst comes to the worst,
> does anyone have any tips for freeing a NB wedged in a lock, apart from
> the obvious "a large jar of Vaseline"?????
>
> Cheers
>
> Chris
>
> * The dog's kennel is not the place to keep a sausage.--
> ----------------------+---------------------------+---------------------
> Chris & Gillian Hunt | chris...@argonet.co.uk | BRISCA F1 Stockcars,
> Talaton, Devon | | Acorns & Narrowboats
> ----------------------+---------------------------+---------------------
>
>
Hi Chris,
FWIW the only time that I was seriously 'wedged' was on the Northampton
flight, on the way to the National in 1971. This was on 'The Regents' a
brand new wooden Hire Boat built by John Wooley at Iver. The boat was
undoubtedly on the wide side. A good flush of water, from both top paddles
fully open, and with the bottom gates open, soon got us clear. Another
factor in your favour, is that most of the 'tight' locks seem to be in a
flight, and consequently it is often possible to raise the level to the
maximum. Most locksides do have a tendency to taper inwards at the bottom,
and one can get wedged if the level is down. I trust this makes sense.
Another possible helpful point, have you asked the 'seller' where he/she
has taken the boat, and do they have any photographic proof. In other words
if the boat is in London, but there is proof that it has been to
Llangollen, or Northampton, etc., then you should not have a problem.
Cheers,
Ray Dunford.
Preston Brook, Cheshire. Tel : 01928 715369
Big John
Chris Hunt wrote in message <48928c954a...@argonet.co.uk>...
snip
>What the hell, let's go for it...but, if the worst comes to the worst,
>does anyone have any tips for freeing a NB wedged in a lock, apart from
>the obvious "a large jar of Vaseline"?????
<de-lurk>
Well, I don't have a tip as such, but.......
I was once on a hire boat which got stuck going up in a lock due to the carelessness of the crew.
The details are a bit vague now as this was in 1971, but I believe the lock was on the Staffs & Worc near Acton Trussel and I particularly remember the M6 being close by on our right going south. The boat was a centre cockpit job from Simolda at Nantwich (are they still going?).
The problem was that the lock wall on one side was not flat vertically. About half way up there was a significant bulge so that the brickwork stepped out a couple of inches along a mortar line. As the boat rose in the chamber, one side caught under the protruding brickwork. No one noticed that the boat began to tilt until too late.
Where the bottom of the boat was joined to the sides there was a quite a wide lip - presumably where it was welded. I know nothing of steel boat construction so I have no idea if this is/was normal (Simolda "Queen" boats were, with hindsight, weird!). The projecting lip wedged firmly in a mortar line on the other wall, so the boat was held tight! We did not realise this until we had emptied the lock again in the expectation that the boat would fall with the water level, but it did not. It remained suspended two feet above the water in the empty lock!
As this was in the days before mobile phones, we went to a farm next to the lock to phone BWB, as they were then. The farmer told us that this was a common problem and that he had often freed boats using his tractor and volunteered to do the same for us.
Back at the lock, queues of boats were forming both above and below, so there were plenty of volunteers to help. However, the tractor failed to dislodge the boat. Various ideas were then tried (including everyone available jumping on the roof at the same time!) until eventually someone suggested using the gang plank to force the lip out of the mortar line. Novel use for a gang plank and mooring mallets! I had my doubts, but it actually worked and the boat was freed. Unfortunately, we failed to partially refill the lock first, so when the boat came free it dropped two feet into the water! Quite a few of the onlookers got wet, but we were surprised to find only one broken cup and a couple of smashed glasses! Oh, and there was also the fall-out from the desperately full chemical loo............
John Hartill
<lurk>
Malcolm Nixon
<john_h...@msn.com> wrote:
>.
>.I was once on a hire boat which got stuck going up in a lock
>due to the carelessness of the crew.
>.
>.The details are a bit vague now as this was in 1971,
>but I believe the lock was on the Staffs & Worc near Acton
>Trussel and I particularly remember the M6 being close by on our
>right going south.
I had the same problem with a Countrywide cruiser about 1985 at
the same place, but managed to flush my way out.
> The boat was a centre cockpit job from
>Simolda at Nantwich (are they still going?).
Yes they are - the long boats still cause an obstruction (:-(
--
Malcolm,
-spam goes in the bin
-remove the bin to email
brian holt
> I was once on a hire boat which got stuck going up in a lock due to
> carelessness of the crew.
>
> lock was on the Staffs & Worc near Acton Trussel and I particularly =
> remember the M6 being close by on our right going south. The boat
was a =
> centre cockpit job from Simolda at Nantwich (are they still going?).
>
> About half way up there was a significant bulge so that the
> stepped out a couple of inches along a mortar line. As the boat
> the chamber, one side caught under the protruding brickwork. No one =
> noticed that the boat began to tilt until too late.
>
> Where the bottom of the boat was joined to the sides there was a
> wide lip - presumably where it was welded.
We got wedged in a lock on our last trip out. It was the bottom lock
on the Rushall flight and we were going down. It was the first lock
that was set right for us in the whole flight.
Di emptied the lock while I stayed on the boat, the only thing I was
aware of was the boat going unusual still as the lock emptied and I
suspected we were stuck.
Di opened the gates and I couldn't do anywhere. Looking behind the
boat I could see a round steal post sticking out of the water.
We refilled the lock, took the boat out backwards and then emptied the
lock. I could now see four poles sticking up in the lock leaning
against the side. Luckily I could see a hole in the side of one of the
poles near the end which I managed to hook with the boat hook and a
couple of passes by helped me to pull it out. The obstruction turned
out to be two steal football goal posts that had been dropped into the
lock cross beam first to leave the uprights sticking upwards. If the
lock had been empty like the rest of the flight we would have seen
them. Perhaps thats why it was full?
==
Brian from sunny Suffolk by the River Hundred
For E Mail replies please use:-
brian...@bigfoot.com
_________________________________________________________
DO YOU YAHOO!?
Get your free @yahoo.com address at http://mail.yahoo.com
Ray Dunford
From: Big John <john_h...@msn.com>
To: can...@blacksheep.org
Subject: Re: NB wedged in a lock (Was: How Wide are Hurleston Locks?)
Date: 10 October 1998 16:28
Chris Hunt wrote in message <48928c954a...@argonet.co.uk>...
snip
>What the hell, let's go for it...but, if the worst comes to the worst,
>does anyone have any tips for freeing a NB wedged in a lock, apart from
>the obvious "a large jar of Vaseline"?????
<de-lurk>
Well, I don't have a tip as such, but.......
I was once on a hire boat which got stuck going up in a lock due to the
carelessness of the crew.
The details are a bit vague now as this was in 1971, but I believe the lock
was on the Staffs & Worc near Acton Trussel and I particularly remember the
M6 being close by on our right going south. The boat was a centre cockpit
job from Simolda at Nantwich (are they still going?).
Yes.
The problem was that the lock wall on one side was not flat vertically.
About half way up there was a significant bulge so that the brickwork
stepped out a couple of inches along a mortar line. As the boat rose in
the chamber, one side caught under the protruding brickwork. No one
noticed that the boat began to tilt until too late.
Where the bottom of the boat was joined to the sides there was a quite a
John Hartill
<lurk>
----------
An enjoyable, if somewhat hair raising tale. Have you any more interesting
accounts like this. If so please delurk.
Ros Calverley
with the L&L top gate crossbeam, but the last time out...
(much snippage)
brian holt wrote:
> We got wedged in a lock on our last trip out.
> Di opened the gates and I couldn't do anywhere. Looking behind the
> boat I could see a round steal post sticking out of the water.
> We refilled the lock, took the boat out backwards and then emptied the
> lock. I could now see four poles sticking up in the lock leaning
> against the side. Luckily I could see a hole in the side of one of the
> poles near the end which I managed to hook with the boat hook and a
> couple of passes by helped me to pull it out. The obstruction turned
> out to be two steal football goal posts that had been dropped into the
> lock cross beam first to leave the uprights sticking upwards.
Just this September, on the Oxford canal, we got wedged in Somerton Deep
Lock. Everything seemed perfectly normal until I tried to leave the
lock, at which point I realised I wasn't going anywhere, even at full
throttle. I withdrew into the chamber (mighty relieved to find that
reverse still worked!) and Chris was then able to see that the
obstruction was a _huge_ clump of weed. This had become wedged between
the side of the boat and the side of the lock, preventing any further
progress. A little manipulation with a boat-hook moved the obstacle and
we were able to proceed.
The clump was far too large and heavy to lift out of the canal, so we
were relieved to observe it floating to the side of the cut as we pulled
away. I only hope no-one else had a problem with it.
Ros
David Long
<john_h...@msn.com> writes
><de-lurk>
Your story was well worth losing your cherry for! Ta.
--
David Long
Visit the Sankey Canal Restoration Society's Website at:
http://www.scars.demon.co.uk/scars/
Updated: 28/7/98
Mike Stevens
previous boat (the original "Felis Catus") was a conversion from
half a wooden joey, and to say she had spread was an
understatement. What's more the internal layout militated against
putting chains it to get her back to a proper width. And for that
matter the hull was so soft the chains would probably have broken
it rather than pulling it in!
So we got to know the foibles of quite a lot of narrow locks. At
most of the locks on the Staffs & Worcs we had to use a flush of
water as described by Ray Dunford. At Foxton we *just* fitted,
scraping the slime of the lock-walls on both sides as we rose.
Twice we were defeated, both in 1978. Once was on the Southern
Stratford, somewhere in the Wilmcote flight. The lengsthman, Pete
Chamberlain (a good chap, and still there last we were through),
came to help us. He said he could get a couple of tirfor winches
and get us through, but wouldn't guarantee how many pieces the
boat would be it at the end of it. So we thought perhaps not, and
he pulled us out backwards with his Land Rover.
The other time was at Camp Hill Top lock, where a steel rubbing
band round the lock-shoulder had sprung a bit, and jammed us
solid. A couple of BW chaps came out in responce to an emergency
call (quite late in the evening). They'd obviously come across
the problem before, as they unlocked a shed and produced two long
scaffold poles with the ends beaten flat os use as crowbars.
There was no way we were going to get through the "pinch", so
again we came out of the lock backwards.
But the most amusing incident was in a broad lock. We'd come up
the three locks at Soul bury with a hire-boat, and set off out of
the top lock side-by-side. Unfortunately the bridge immediately
above the lock had recently been rebuilt, and the contractors had
accidentally ended up with a bridge-hole just a shade narrower
than the lock. Am couple of BW lengthsmen were soon there (one of
them is still living at the lock cottage at Leighton lock,
although he's been retired for some years). They set to
enthusiastically chipping away at the brand new concrete of the
bridgehole go get us a little more space. Unfortunately as fast
as the widened the hole, our poor compressed boat just expanded to
fill the space available, so we stayed stuck fast. Then there cam
along another hire-boat from the same fleet. The older of the two
BW chaps commandeered it, took a good run at the bridgehol, and
rammed the boat we were jammed with really hard, bow-fender to
bow-fender. There was an ominous creek, our "partner" boat popped
back, and we were free. About two hours all told form the moment
we had stuck.
--
Mike Stevens, nb Felis Catus II
Please don't copy this story elsewhere, as I may want to use it in
a book one day.
Any off-list replies, please, to michael...@which.net
Brett Laniosh
<URL:mailto:rainbow...@dial.pipex.com> wrote:
> Just this September, on the Oxford canal, we got wedged in Somerton Deep
> Lock. Everything seemed perfectly normal until I tried to leave the
> lock, at which point I realised I wasn't going anywhere, even at full
> throttle. I withdrew into the chamber (mighty relieved to find that
> reverse still worked!) and Chris was then able to see that the
> obstruction was a _huge_ clump of weed. This had become wedged between
> the side of the boat and the side of the lock, preventing any further
> progress. A little manipulation with a boat-hook moved the obstacle and
> we were able to proceed.
>
> The clump was far too large and heavy to lift out of the canal, so we
> were relieved to observe it floating to the side of the cut as we pulled
> away. I only hope no-one else had a problem with it.
>
>
The boat in front of us this summer got stuck in King's Sutton lock
again on the Oxford. The culprit was the same clumps of weed you
described. I don't know why it is so common around this part of the
canal system. I dragged as much of the weed out of the lock as I could
but it was really heavy and smelly.
(Replace nospam with g4nzk to reply to this message)
--
Brett Laniosh Redditch & Bromsgrove CAMRA <http://www.g4nzk.demon.co.uk/>
I spilled spot remover on my dog. He's gone now.
Ros Calverley
> The boat in front of us this summer got stuck in King's Sutton lock
> again on the Oxford. The culprit was the same clumps of weed you
> described. I don't know why it is so common around this part of the
> canal system. I dragged as much of the weed out of the lock as I could
> but it was really heavy and smelly.
When was this? You've got me wondering if I blamed the wrong lock
(wetware RAM bug strikes again). Was it an Alvechurch hire boat? If so,
it was me!
However, given just _how_ much there is of this nasty weed on the
Oxford, it's entirely likely you're talking about a separate incident.
The clump we wedged on was so large we couldn't lift it at all, and had
to be content with pushing it into the bank.
R.
Mark Wickett
> answer is '6 feet, 11 and three-quarter inches', at least
> according to the NW Regional office of BW, but, as Richard
> points out, that really does not help very much.
Someone I know couldn't get his 1935 GUCCC boat (Denebola) up there so
if you know how wide that is, that might help!
> What the hell, let's go for it...but, if the worst comes to
> the worst, does anyone have any tips for freeing a NB wedged in a
> lock, apart from the obvious "a large jar of Vaseline"?????
He said they had to use block and tackle to get it *out* again once
they'd admitted defeat on the upward bit.
However, he did tell us the story enhanced with a glass or two of
whisky. (I'd say 10yr Macallan but it might be construed as
off-topic).
Regards,
Mark
Mike Stevens
>
> Someone I know couldn't get his 1935 GUCCC boat (Denebola) up there so
> if you know how wide that is, that might help!
Fascinating. Denelbola is a Star Class boat, so, I thought,
slightly *smaller* than the Town Class, which includes Fulbourne,
which did get through (as per Martin Ludgate's recent posting).
Perhaps it goes to show that old boats aren't necessarily the size
they were originally built.
--
Mike Stevens, nb Felis Catus II
The vloi be on the turmut, an it all be oi for we ter troi to
keet'n off the turmut.
Martin Ludgate
<mike...@which.net> writes
>Mark Wickett wrote:
>>
>> Someone I know couldn't get his 1935 GUCCC boat (Denebola) up
>there so
>> if you know how wide that is, that might help!
>
>Fascinating. Denelbola is a Star Class boat, so, I thought,
>slightly *smaller* than the Town Class, which includes Fulbourne,
>which did get through (as per Martin Ludgate's recent posting).
class respectively) mainly differed in the height of the hull sides.
In fact as the other ex GUCCCo boat the I have heard of getting
stuck in Hurleston was (I think) Phobos, is it possible that the
'small' boats might even have been a tad wider than the 'large'
ones?
>Perhaps it goes to show that old boats aren't necessarily the size
>they were originally built.
Or even that they weren't necessarily all built the same size, even
if the plans show them the same size?
--
Martin Ludgate
Tim Leech
>In message <3621F811...@which.net>, Mike Stevens
><mike...@which.net> writes
>>Mark Wickett wrote:
>>>
>>> Someone I know couldn't get his 1935 GUCCC boat (Denebola) up
>>there so
>>> if you know how wide that is, that might help!
>>
>>Fascinating. Denelbola is a Star Class boat, so, I thought,
>>slightly *smaller* than the Town Class, which includes Fulbourne,
>>which did get through (as per Martin Ludgate's recent posting).
>I think the 'large' / 'small' Woolwich boats (Town class and Star
>class respectively) mainly differed in the height of the hull sides.
>In fact as the other ex GUCCCo boat the I have heard of getting
>stuck in Hurleston was (I think) Phobos, is it possible that the
>'small' boats might even have been a tad wider than the 'large'
>ones?
small Woolwich motor) up Hurleston bottom lock and one or two other locks
on the Welsh.
The main sticking point was the back of the foredeck, where there is a
steel bulkhead and zero flexibility. Lots of grease, a Tirfor and much
flushing were needed, along with a lock-keeper who had the sense to keep
well away!
The problems further up arose because the Themis' wide point was fairly
high (the fore end not being heavily ballasted) and thus above the level at
which brickwork in the lock tails had been worn away.
>>Perhaps it goes to show that old boats aren't necessarily the size
>>they were originally built.
>Or even that they weren't necessarily all built the same size, even
>if the plans show them the same size?
I think both are probably true.
>--
>Martin Ludgate
>
I believe the 'Royalty' class 'William' - a seriously big narrow boat -
went up the Welsh last year without too much trouble. Can't remember just
how far they went, though.
Cheers
-------------------------------------------------
Tim Leech
timl...@dutondok.u-net.com
Traditional & Modern canal craft repairs
-------------------------------------------------
Ray Dunford
----------
> From: Tim Leech <timl...@dutondok.u-net.com>> Date: 12 October 1998 21:09
>
> Lots snipped re Star, Town, and Royalty class Narrowboats.
Another factor which has not been taken in to consideration is the
possibility of the boat having had a serious 'Stemming up'. An incident
occurred back in the mid 1960's when the 'Jason' met the ex Leeds and
Liverpool boat 'Fair Lady', underneath Ballot Box Bridge at Perivale. Both
boats travelling at maximum speed just prior to the head on collision. To
be honest both steerers were equally at fault, and it was decided then
'that the least said the soonest mended'.
The result was that the steel bulkhead at the front of 'Jason' sprang,
leaving a good 1 inch gap on both sides. Thus the 'width' of the boat had
increased by 2 inches. Fortunately no one was injured, British Waterways on
'Fair Lady' had a couple of bottles of Whiskey smashed, and John James had
to make a speedy visit to the dock to have 'Jason' repaired.
Cheers,
Ray Dunford.
Preston Brook, Cheshire. Tel : 01928 715369
>
>
> -------------------------------------------------
>
Adrian Stott
adr...@tenable.telinco.com
Tel. +44-956-299966
Martin Ludgate <edi...@navvies.demon.co.uk> wrote in article
<+lcq+rA7...@navvies.demon.co.uk>...
> In message <489187cea0...@argonet.co.uk>, Chris Hunt
> <chris...@argonet.co.uk> writes
> >
> >Can anyone help, please?
> >
> >We are in the process of buying a second-hand NB. Everything is fine,
> >except for a slight concern about her beam, which in the survey is given
> >as six feet, eleven and a half inches. I know that the Hurleston flight
> >is narrow, and one chamber in particular is *very* narrow; would she be
> >able to get through? I would be very grateful if anyone has any
first=hand
> >or anecdotal evidence either way.
> First-hand experience:
>
I tried to take the small Woolwich Phobos into Hurleston bottom lock a few
years ago. It wouldn't go. It stuck as the front bulkhead was entering
the chamber.
So the fact that Fulbourn fits does not mean that every narrow boat will.
Phobos also could not get through lock 44 on the Stratford canal, which is
reputed to be somewhat banana shaped. It entered the lock ok, and
descended ok, but would not come out no matter what we did.
I guess some narrow boats just aren't so narrow. Phobos was properly
pulled in, so I think it had not spread.
Adrian
Mike Stevens
>
> British Waterways on 'Fair Lady'
I suspect you mean eithe British Waterways on "Lady Rose of
Regents" or Paddy Walker on "Fair Lady". As you mention it being
a ex-L&L shortboat, I suspect the latter.
BTW did you know Paddy died just before last Christmas? I'm sure
you did : the towpath telegrpah runs pretty well between London &
Preston Brook.
Brett Laniosh
<URL:mailto:rainbow...@dial.pipex.com> wrote:
> Brett Laniosh wrote:
>
> > The boat in front of us this summer got stuck in King's Sutton lock
> > again on the Oxford. The culprit was the same clumps of weed you
> > described. I don't know why it is so common around this part of the
> > canal system. I dragged as much of the weed out of the lock as I could
> > but it was really heavy and smelly.
>
> When was this? You've got me wondering if I blamed the wrong lock
> (wetware RAM bug strikes again). Was it an Alvechurch hire boat? If so,
> it was me!
I don't think so but my memory might be playing tricks. We were there
in mid/late August
>
> However, given just _how_ much there is of this nasty weed on the
> Oxford, it's entirely likely you're talking about a separate incident.
> The clump we wedged on was so large we couldn't lift it at all, and had
> to be content with pushing it into the bank.
>
I was helping the the boat in front through the lock and I got the
offending clump out. I reckon this must have happened to lots of folk
Ros.
(Replace nospam with g4nzk to reply to this message)
--
Brett Laniosh Redditch & Bromsgrove CAMRA <http://www.g4nzk.demon.co.uk/>
I got a new shadow. I had to get rid of the other one...it wasn't
doing what I was doing.
Paul Higson
>I believe the 'Royalty' class 'William' - a seriously big narrow boat -
>went up the Welsh last year without too much trouble. Can't remember just
>how far they went, though.
>Cheers
>-------------------------------------------------
Though all the locks Tim, we passed them bouncing through Chirk cutting!
Paul Higson
Glen Peckett
Dunford) wrote:
>Hi Chris,
>FWIW the only time that I was seriously 'wedged' was on the Northampton
>flight, on the way to the National in 1971.
I wonder whether the lock walls had bowed at the time and have
subsequently been rebuilt. I say this because we never had any
problems with Arcturus even with the fenders down, when she won't go
through Foxton or several locks on the Southern Oxford without lifting
the fenders.
Ros Calverley
> > given just _how_ much there is of this nasty weed on the
> > Oxford, it's entirely likely you're talking about a separate incident.
> > The clump we wedged on was so large we couldn't lift it at all, and had
> > to be content with pushing it into the bank.
> >
>
> I was helping the the boat in front through the lock and I got the
> offending clump out. I reckon this must have happened to lots of folk
> Ros.
>
I'm sure you're right. We were there in September, and we got out of the
lock on our own (eventually).
Ah, nostalgia...
R.
Ros Calverley
Martin Ludgate
Peckett <can...@glenp.demon.co.uk> writes
I reckon it's Adrian's lot sneaking out at night and surreptitiously
widening the Northampton locks by a couple of inches each time
so nobody notices... in 20 years time we'll suddenly realise the
locks have reached 14ft wide, and the whole of the arm is
crawling with Dutch Barges on their way from the Norfolk Broads
to the Arun....
--
Martin Ludgate
brian holt
> >On 10 Oct 1998 15:12:30 -0000, ray.d...@btinternet.com (Ray
> >Dunford) wrote:
> >
> >>Hi Chris,
> >>FWIW the only time that I was seriously 'wedged' was on the
> >Northampton
> >>flight, on the way to the National in 1971.
> >
> >I wonder whether the lock walls had bowed at the time and have
> >subsequently been rebuilt. I
> I reckon it's Adrian's lot sneaking out at night and surreptitiously
> widening the Northampton locks by a couple of inches each time
> so nobody notices... in 20 years time we'll suddenly realise the
> locks have reached 14ft wide, and the whole of the arm is
> crawling with Dutch Barges on their way from the Norfolk Broads
> to the Arun....
> Martin Ludgate
By then we will be nipping up the Waveney through Thetford and Brandon
up the little Ouse
>
> ------------------------------
Niall
<edi...@navvies.demon.co.uk> wrote:
>
>I reckon it's Adrian's lot sneaking out at night and surreptitiously
>widening the Northampton locks by a couple of inches each time
>so nobody notices... in 20 years time we'll suddenly realise the
>locks have reached 14ft wide, and the whole of the arm is
>crawling with Dutch Barges on their way from the Norfolk Broads
>to the Arun....
Amazing what you can do with some Tren-Shore jacks; the gates tend to
leak a bit though...
The Glasgow and South Western Railway used to lengthen rural sidings
using a similar method- shunting wagons hard pushing the bufferstops
back, then laying extra rails when noone was looking.
--
Niall
Drascombe Coaster - Tangram
http://www.btinternet.com/~niallcw/sailing
"Take oot the chart and score oot Port Ellen," said the Captain a little later; "that's another place we daurna enter in the Western Isles!"
(Neil Munro, "Para Handy Tales")
Adrian Stott
Martin Ludgate <edi...@navvies.demon.co.uk> wrote in article
<tLnOFFBt...@navvies.demon.co.uk>...
> I reckon it's Adrian's lot sneaking out at night and surreptitiously
> widening the Northampton locks by a couple of inches each time
> so nobody notices... in 20 years time we'll suddenly realise the
> locks have reached 14ft wide, and the whole of the arm is
> crawling with Dutch Barges on their way from the Norfolk Broads
> to the Arun....
Now why didn't I think of that? Martin, you *must* get a barge soon, so we
can benefit directly from your devious thinking about how the barges got
from Norwich to Peterborough.
Adrian
Tony Clayton
If you got through that you got through the rest all the way to Llangollen.
I think it is better that way than finding there is a tight one at the top of the
flight....
There are a couple on the Basingstoke that are tight if you have two narrow boats
alongside each other. Garston on the K&A had this problem as well, but it may have
been corrected.
--
Tony Clayton
'Linton', Godalming Wharf
Home Page http://www.tclayton.demon.co.uk
... I call my computer Hole in the Desk
nguyent...@gmail.com
>
> We are in the process of buying a second-hand NB. Everything is fine,
> is narrow, and one chamber in particular is *very* narrow; would she be
> able to get through? I would be very grateful if anyone has any first=hand
> or anecdotal evidence either way.
>
> to tell a slightly different story.
>
> I should hate to be excluded from one of the most attractive parts of the
> system, especially as I have just watched the Two Fat Ladies being ferried
> over the unpronounceable aqueduct - it looks even more spectacular from
> the air.
>
> Thanks in advance.
>
> Chris
>
> * I wish I had a lower IQ so I could enjoy your company.
> --
> ----------------------+---------------------------+---------------------
> Chris & Gillian Hunt | chris...@argonet.co.uk | BRISCA F1 Stockcars,
> Talaton, Devon | | Acorns & Narrowboats
> ----------------------+---------------------------+---------------------