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Help with book research on Canal journey.


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Hi.
I'm doing some research for a book, a thriller. The plot involves a family traveling from Llangollen to Sharpness near Bristol via the canals and finally a small section of the River Severn to the Gloucester and Sharpness Canal to Sharpness .
They are doing it in a 30 foot river boat type (birchwood 33 gt)
Can anyone confirm that this rout would have been possible in the late 1990's between 1995 and 2000.


The rout they want to take is:


Llangollen to Hurleston Locks
Shropshire Union Canal to Autherly Junction stop Lock
Staffordshire and Worcestershire Canal to Stourport-on-Severn
River Severn to Gloucester
Gloucester and Sharpness Canal to Sharpness

The places I am concerned about are through Worcester and Gloucester.

 

It seems to be possible now from what I can see here:

 

(https://canalrivertrust.org.uk/enjoy-the-waterways/canal-and-river-network)

 

But would it have been possible in 1995?

 

Any help would be appreciated.

Thank you
 

 

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I believe that the Staffs & Worcs is a narrowbeam canal, so if such a wide craft (the Birchwood is well over seven feet wide, says the internet) attempted to navigate it, it would indeed be a rout. However I have not gone along that stretch myself, so I may be mistaken.

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Yes the route would have been available in 1995. But not for a Birchwood 33gt.

According to this ad that boat is 12 ft beam and draws 4ft. Your route between Llangollen and Stourport is limited to boats of 7ft beam and about 3 ft draft - 3 ft 6 at a pinch. The air draft of the Birchwood also looks far too high to get under many canal bridges.

 

It would be OK between Stourport and Sharpness.

Edited by David Mack
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I wasn't sure about the bit between Stourport and Sharpness.
The lock system at Gloucester looks quite 
industrial, I wasn't sure if narrowboats were allowed through there, or if they would be powerful enough to do it.
And at some points the rout uses the River Severn, I wasn't sure how a narrowboat would cope on a river.
Thanks for all the advice.

Edited by David Carling
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1 hour ago, David Carling said:

I wasn't sure about the bit between Stourport and Sharpness.
The lock system at Gloucester looks quite 
industrial, I wasn't sure if narrowboats were allowed through there, or if they would be powerful enough to do it.
And at some points the rout uses the River Severn, I wasn't sure how a narrowboat would cope on a river.
Thanks for all the advice.

Passing the Coal House Inn at Apperley, while on the way from Gloucester to Tewkesbury, c. 1990.

File1977-1.jpg

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Having resolved the issue of too wide, too deep and too much air draught, can we assume that apart from these important issues you are otherwise familiar with boating on the canal network? I only mention this because if you write a book based on the waterway network which is ful of basic errors it will not go down well with some reviewers!:cheers:

 

Howard

Edited by howardang
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Thank you all for all your responses. I'm OK on the canals, being born in there Black Country (More canals than Venice, they say), and I've done the Llangolen Canal a number of times on a 45 foot narrowboat, I love Llangollen, it's a beautiful walk from the marina to the beginning of the canal.
Also I used to live on a narrowboat (albeit nearly 40 years ago).

However, I have never done that rout, or that far, and I think it's important to get the facts right.

It was a very silly mistake not to check the size of the boat, and that's what research is for.

Thank you all for your help, my MC will now make it without annoying any of you knowledgeable people in the process.

 

Does anyone know, what a second hand 55 foot narrowboat would have cost in the mid 1990's, basic boat, mechanically sound, no inside or layout needs be considered as it would be a customised layout.

 

Thanks again

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25 minutes ago, David Carling said:

Does anyone know if there is a registry of boat names, so I can find one that's not already taken, I wouldn't want to offend anyone.

Ravi Cladding

…. it's an anagram

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3 hours ago, David Carling said:

Does anyone know if there is a registry of boat names, so I can find one that's not already taken, I wouldn't want to offend anyone.

Alternatively, pick a boat name that is so common that no one will think it refers to theirs.

According to https://canalplan.eu/boats/boats.php

Kingfisher, or with Kingfisher in the name, 341,

Willow, or with willow in the name, 225.

Summer, or with summer in the name, 234.

Meander, or with Meander in the name, 51.

Narrow Escape 45

 

You can't have Iron Snail as a name though. ?

The canalplan index relies on data from the various inland navigation authorities and this can often be years out of date. There is a risk that your carefully chosen and checked name is in use by someone.

Good luck with the book.

Edited by Jen-in-Wellies
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