Big Bob W

There were 2 of them last Wednesday- one looked like it was about to blow over to the M1!

Too right I did!

The next water-point, a few hundred yards down, was surrounded by sewage from the adjacent blocked Elsan disposal when we went by earlier today. Towpath walkers having to wade through cr*p.

A lot can change between now and the summer @nealeST. If you compare the latest reservoir levels with this time last year, you'll see that last January, in our area (Oxford & GU) we had more water than we do now. We were virtually full last January, It all depends on what comes out of the sky over the spring/summer to replenish those reserves.

You could try Boating Leisure Services at Heyford Fields Marina on the GU near Bugbrooke.

Gayton’s replacement Electric Day Boat passed us this afternoon. So they have not been put off by this experience.

There’s a CRT yard adjacent to the busted top lock at Buckby!

Levels are not bad here now. Probably only 3 inches or so down. It was not on the bottom.

Well, a month after the Big Bang and its not been moved.

In 1976, there were widespread domestic water restrictions. Hosepipe bans, standpipes in the streets, even a Minister of Drought created. But this year, the domestic supply has faired well so far. Not even a hosepipe ban here in the Anglian Water region. Yet the canal system is entering a lockdown, which I suspect will remain in place for the rest of the year. The problem is water wastage through a poorly maintained infrastructure due to lack of funding and poor management. I hope CRT take the opportunity of this extended winter stoppage to rectify many of these issues, otherwise this is just going to repeat in future years.

Hopefully we still have (a quiet) Weedon pound to play in

But looking at the boat layout Electric Day Hire – ABC Day Boat Hire I don't think they have LPG onboard. Induction hob specified.

So are the water levels OK between 9am and 1pm?

Not sure how restricting operating times for Harecastle Tunnel conserves water. 🤔 Navigation Restriction Harecastle Tunnel Details Type: Navigation Restriction Waterway(s): Trent & Mersey Canal From: 11 August 2025, 9am To: On-going Region: West Midlands Reason: Low Water Levels Subject to review on: 29 August 2025 Location Closest waterway: Trent & Mersey Canal Starts at: Harecastle Tunnel Ends at: Harecastle Tunnel Description Original 31 July 2025, 4:46pm Following one of the driest springs on record, water availability across the region remains significantly below average. To help conserve increasingly limited water resources, protect canal infrastructure and ecology, and prolong navigation elsewhere on the network, we will be implementing the following change: From Monday 11 August 2025, Harecastle Tunnel will operate on restricted hours, with passages available between 9:00am and 1:00pm only. All passages must be pre-booked via our online booking system.

We got held up at Calcutt for an hour or so in May whilst they had a diver down inspecting the pump below the bottom lock.