Scholar Gypsy

I am sure I remember reading an article in the Evening Standard yesterday about the redevelopment (and reopening to navigation) of this canal as part of a housing development. I couldn't find this on the ES website, but I did find this

Or an alternative would be to use a double pole switch at A, with one pole connected to the relay and one to the bulb,

Thanks. That is I think another argument for letting boats go through the lock, rather than trying to wind by the lock - or reversing out to the main channel, which is what I did on Saturday ....

I suspect not many will wish to read this posting ... I was hoping to go to Wicken Fen (a few miles south of Ely) at the weekend, but was defeated by the lock at Upware (from the River Cam to Reach Lode). I think what happens there is: Normally the level in the lode is a few inches above the river level So the lock (which has electrically powered guillotines at both ends) is normally set to let the water run out from the lode. It does this by having both gates open (a bit). In those circs the lock is available for use, if you have the right key. So you shut one gate fully, and then open the other one ... ... and it resets itself 15 mins after someone uses the lock (with appropriate sirens and flashing lights to warn you against entering the lock!) But if the river is above the lode then the lock is not available for use, it automatically puts itself into locked mode. The control panels are disabled for boater use .. ... and the pumping station alongside the lock operates from time to time, pumping water from the Lode up into the River Cam, from whence it finds its way to Denver Sluice and the sea So what I find perplexing is why the lock is not available for use at these times. I can't believe the flow from the pumps is that exciting - certainly compared to normal flows from paddles/slackers etc on locks with a decent fall. And the inlet and outlets are well protected from boats wandering off course. I would be interested to know if anyone has investigated this setup with the Environment Agency in the past, to see if there is scope for a less restrictive operating procedure. (At least I didn't get trapped in the Lode - there are 20-30 boats on permanent moorings inside). PS I can see that if the level in the Cam got a couple of feet above normal then the headroom in the lock (which like many in the Fens has a road bridge across the middle) could get rather tight, but in those circs it would probably be unwise to go boating on the river anyway.

Holme Fen. about a mile north of the turning point. see photos & other links here http://nbsg.wordpress.com/2011/10/16/upware-to-braunston-august-2011/. and here I'm off to Wicken Fen again at the weekend.

I agree 1:25,000 OS maps are useful, in addition to the MLC map showing (nominal) bridge heights. I also found this TNC posting very helpful eg being confident about where the turning point at Holme is (New Dyke). Well worth a visit, not least so you can walk to the lowest point in Britain (some websites claim this is the bottom of Lake Windemere, but I think that is cheating!).

This is a good idea - I use one, with "hot" water going to the sink in the galley, and "warm" water to the washbasin and shower.

.. or if you can access the back of the panel hot wiring would work for a couple of days, providing you remember to put everything back as it was when you stop at night.

The boat we moor next to in Ely is named Eridanus (it's a constellation). The instructions to moor are to start turning to the left when you can see the last four letters on their side panel. I am not making this up.

Again, without wanting to scaremonger: depending on the shape of your bows you may find that you take on more water when the boat is moving tomorrow. I say this because when our boat was first built it had a wooden foredeck and was allegedly self-draining. However at certain speeds the drain holes were below the water line. We solved the problem temporarily by sticking 2p pieces over the holes, and then more permanently by installing a steel foredeck and proper cill to the front doors...

Good idea - my preference is to have a floodlight at the back, which enables you to see bumps on the walls etc and make sure you don't hit them. More useful than a searchlight illuminating the tunnel 200 feet in front of you ....

I always enjoy the park next to Winson Green prison, on the loop with the same name...

I'm still keen to see the film .... A quick search on youtube did produce some rather odd results https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=elsan+disposal

[i imagine other browsers have similar?] Chrome does - I have just discovered. I am frankly rather surprised that you can get it to display your saved passwords.

Did you get stuck going down, or when you tried to exit the lock?

Very fine (speaking as someone else who uses the "move the plug" approach. Does the water maker help when you come across an empty pound??

.. and a good fish and chip shop nearby, I recall...

On a first reading I thought C&RT are proposing to film people using the Elsan point ... ________________________ Notice Alert Grand Union Canal Location: Long Buckby Elsan, Grand Union Canal Monday 30 June 2014 until further notice Type: Advice Reason: Information ________________________________________ Original message: This facility is currently closed due to the elsan becoming repeatedly blocked. We will be carrying out a camera survey to establish the cause of the problem. This notice will be updated once we have more information. Braunston and Watford are alternative customer service facilities for the area. You can view this notice and its map online here: http://canalrivertrust.org.uk/notice/1277/long-buckby-elsan-grand-union-canal You can find all notices at the url below: http://canalrivertrust.org.uk/notices ________________________________________

... just as long as you are not tempted to stay at home and do the whole trip via Google. In addition to the Fox, other local attractions include a steam museum, Kew Gardens, and Syon House.

It's easy to turn just above Brentford Gauging lock (lock 100 - see photo here) and then moor on the visitor moorings, towards the top left of that photo (on the west side). You can then walk alongside the River Brent down to Thames lock (the last one down to the tidal Thames - centre right on the photo) and explore. [NB there is no continuous towpath but you can get through on paths by or near the river]. I have turned just above Thames lock (56 foot) but it was not particularly easy, and I would not recommend it. NB the section between the 2 locks is semi-tidal so if you do go down that bit check the height gauge on the Brentford High St road bridge!

My only thought is whether it is worth moving the railing back from the edge, and also creating a pavement between the railing and the road space - that could mean losing quite a bit of road space of course. The advantage of this is that you could open the gate, go through the gate, stand on the wall, shut the gate, climb down the ladder. If the railing is left where it is, then depending on the locking technology used, I would not really fancy standing on the top of the ladder, holding on with one hand, holding my shopping in the other hand, and using the third to lock or unlock the gate.

This google view might help? Coming down from the canal: you enter this photo bottom left corner, after going under the road bridge (off picture). After going under the footbridge, you keep right (don't go down the lock cut - you can clearly see the lock on the photo) there is then a smallish sluice/weir on the left, and then next left is the entrance into the marina (big lake with two islands on this photo, taken before the marina was built) NB you can see the boom stretched across the weir stream bottom right - keep away! Others will offer advice on the safety of the moorings at Wellingborough, but the ones near the water point have a good bank but are very noisy (flour mill opposite, runs 24 hours a day I think).

Ok, so you need two spanners of the right size (ideally with ring spanner on one end and an open end). I think mine are 17mm. Then: put first spanner on the inner nut (to the left in the photo) on bolt A and hold in position put second spanner on the outer nut on bolt A,and undo by a couple of turns. Apply WD40 if necessary (unlikely with all that grease!) repeat 1 and 2 on bolt B tighten up the two inner nuts, by the same amount (so that the flange thing remains square to the prop shaft). I would do three flats on each (half a turn), but don't overtighten. The prop shaft should turn by hand put one spanner on the inner nut on bolt A, and hold in position put second spanner on the outer nut on bolt A, and do it up so that it is tight against the inner nut - locking the two together repeat 5 and 6 with bolt B. See if that stops the excess leakage. If not then repeat 1 to 7, or think about repacking the gland with some new packing.

I agree!