Aynho Weir Lock - and back(wards) in a morning
Paul Scott
to the winding hole at Nell Bridge lock from Aynho Wharf on Wednesday
morning. The weather was fine, and there had been movement on the canal
Tuesday pm, however as Aynho Weir lock came into view I could see water
coming over the bottom gates. Nothing unusual I thought, I've seen this
elsewhere before. As I drew nearer however it became clear that the River
Cherwell was actually flowing directly over the lock and down the canal
towards me! (It was also coming over the towpath a couple of hundred yards
below the lock from the fields!) So much for the comment in one of my guides
that the lock is placed to protect the canal in times of flood. I opened the
bottom paddles (mainly for interest value) and after about 20 minutes the
lock was half empty, ie about 9 inches down, with the overflowing top gates
exactly compensating for the lower paddles
Anyway, having expected the only challenge to be crossing the Cherwell's
current whilst leaving the lock, I was now faced with reversing back to
Aynho, unfortunately single handed. As with most narrowboats, Discovery
cannot reverse in a straight line for more than about 10 feet, so it was a
case of using forward and reverse gear to 'aim' the boat down the canal, and
then at little more than idling speed and using the 12 ft shaft to pole
sideways, I reached Aynho Wharf in about 2 hours. The boat rarely covered
40 or 50 yards without requiring correction using forward power, and for a
few minutes I hauled the boat on the centre rope, correcting using the stern
rope, from the towpath. It was nearly as quick. I was able to warn another
couple heading towards Banbury from Aynho just in time.
Discussion in the 'Great Western' Wednesday night revealed various tricks
for reversing, such as trailing ropes, buckets, anchor chains etc from the
bow, and the useful insight that the upper Cherwell valley can be controlled
and/or kept flooded by Thames Water in order to protect the lower reaches of
the River Thames.
I suppose in an ideal world there would be some means of warning, but then
again that would spoil the fun wouldn't it!
Paul Scott
nb Discovery
Aynho Wharf
Paul Jerome
"Paul Scott" <Paul.M...@btinternet.com> wrote in message
news:935f6s$c4j$1...@uranium.btinternet.com...
> For a change from my usual trip down to Somerton, I thought I would motor
up
> to the winding hole at Nell Bridge lock from Aynho Wharf on Wednesday
> morning. The weather was fine, and there had been movement on the canal
> Tuesday pm, however as Aynho Weir lock came into view I could see water
> coming over the bottom gates. Nothing unusual I thought, I've seen this
> elsewhere before. As I drew nearer however it became clear that the River
> Cherwell was actually flowing directly over the lock and down the canal
> towards me! (It was also coming over the towpath a couple of hundred yards
> below the lock from the fields!) So much for the comment in one of my
guides
> that the lock is placed to protect the canal in times of flood. I opened
the
> bottom paddles (mainly for interest value) and after about 20 minutes the
> lock was half empty, ie about 9 inches down, with the overflowing top
gates
> exactly compensating for the lower paddles
<cut>
> I suppose in an ideal world there would be some means of warning, but then
> again that would spoil the fun wouldn't it!
>
> Paul Scott
> nb Discovery
> Aynho Wharf
>
All good experience Paul. As is trees falling down, and lift bridges being
blown over.
Are you trying to build up your reputation to get in the roughty toughty
boaters club :-)
We thoroughly enjoyed the last trip, despite the weather. Crew available
when needed ;-)
Paul Jerome