Tonic required. Send in your photos of what is nice on the waterways now.

[Chris Lowe]

Yesterday Padstow Harbour 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[DandV]

7 minutes ago, buccaneer66 said:

Yesterday Padstow Harbour 

 

I see "Staff" are even barred from receiving virtual gifts, so no greenies for you, but just a thanks for some lovely photos.

[PeterScott]

On this day in 1996

 

Edstone Aqueduct Southern Stratford. Compare #2352 (2001)

[PeterScott]

On this day in 2019

River Thames. It was my birthday that year.

[frahkn]

21 minutes ago, PeterScott said:

On this day in 2019

River Thames. It was my birthday that year.

Most years, presumably.

[Mike Todd]

1 hour ago, DandV said:

I see "Staff" are even barred from receiving virtual gifts, so no greenies for you, but just a thanks for some lovely photos.

I cannot see from the photos how busy it was but six miles upstream it was heaving.

[Dav and Pen]

Today 2013 leaving Rogny les sept Ecluses. The staircase opened in 1642 and was in use until near the end of the 19th century when it was replaced by 6 locks of standard size. On the last Saturday in July this small village puts on what they claim is the third biggest firework display in France. The village is shut off and visitors pay to come in and watch. The display and lighting centers round the staircase.

[George and Dragon]

1 hour ago, PeterScott said:

On this day in 2019

River Thames. It was my birthday that year.

Happy Birthday 

[Pluto]

2 hours ago, Dav and Pen said:

Today 2013 leaving Rogny les sept Ecluses. The staircase opened in 1642 and was in use until near the end of the 19th century when it was replaced by 6 locks of standard size. On the last Saturday in July this small village puts on what they claim is the third biggest firework display in France. The village is shut off and visitors pay to come in and watch. The display and lighting centers round the staircase.

What I find really interesting is that these locks were lengthened, and by the time they got to the bottom lock the bottom gate had to be moved half the length of the chamber. You can see the original gate recess halfway along the chamber, with sadly deceased French canal historian Jaques de la Garde looking down. You can find his European canal encyclopedia at http://www.voiesdeaudeurope.eu/lecture/tome-6/partie-1/ but unfortunately for some here, in French. The second photo shows an extended cill and culvert for the side paddles in the middle of the flight.

[John Liley]

4 hours ago, Pluto said:

What I find really interesting is that these locks were lengthened, and by the time they got to the bottom lock the bottom gate had to be moved half the length of the chamber. You can see the original gate recess halfway along the chamber, with sadly deceased French canal historian Jaques de la Garde looking down. You can find his European canal encyclopedia at http://www.voiesdeaudeurope.eu/lecture/tome-6/partie-1/ but unfortunately for some here, in French. The second photo shows an extended cill and culvert for the side paddles in the middle of the flight.

Since work on the Canal de Briare began 130-odd years before the Duke of Bridgewater was even born, and since it is said to be  the first summit levelc anal in Europe with chamber locks, I have often wondered what size those were. The lengthening of this staircase presumably follows the Becquey Plan of the 1820s when the entire waterway system of France was reviewed, and a lock length of 30.40 metres was established, with a width of 5.20 metres. But were the original locks of this width? It sounds mighty ambitious.

[PeterScott]

On this day in 2006

 

Salford Quays Manchester and some comparative views from an interpretation board

 

 

Edited July 31, 2020 by PeterScott

[Chris Lowe]

10 hours ago, DandV said:

I see "Staff" are even barred from receiving virtual gifts, so no greenies for you, but just a thanks for some lovely photos.

Thanks I'll try and post some more i have Newquay Harbour on the phone somewhere 

[Dav and Pen]

43 minutes ago, John Liley said:

Since work on the Canal de Briare began 130-odd years before the Duke of Bridgewater was even born, and since it is said to be  the first summit levelc anal in Europe with chamber locks, I have often wondered what size those were. The lengthening of this staircase presumably follows the Becquey Plan of the 1820s when the entire waterway system of France was reviewed, and a lock length of 30.40 metres was established, with a width of 5.20 metres. But were the original locks of this width? It sounds mighty ambitious.

I believe the original were 27 x 4.3 and it would have been very difficult to widen the staircase although they were extended. It must have been a major hold up when the canal was busy.

[PeterScott]

On this day in 2013

 

Lemonroyd Lock weir stream A+C. An experiment in electricity generation, which was discontinued. Canoeists disliked it.

 

 

 

[PeterScott]

On this day in 2015

 

A short (flood-?)lock. Shortest on the connected system?

 

 

at Burton Waters Marina Fossdyke Canal

 

From Geograph © Richard Croft

 

and from Burton Waters Marina's website:

 

 

[Jon57]

Today Walsden on the Rochdale. 

[PeterScott]

On this day in 2015

 

High Bridge Lincoln Fossdyke Canal  and looking the other way:

 

[PeterScott]

On this day in 2011

Burton-on-Trent T&M IWA National Festival Compare #779

 

Edited July 31, 2020 by PeterScott
unmerge a merge

[PeterScott]

On this day 2013

By Fishpond Lock A+C 

And So To Bed

[PeterScott]

On this day in 2018

 

Ouseburn Barrage River Ouseburn Newcastle

 

 

From the inland side: an open barrage has the river in its pre-barrage tidal stste

 

 

Plan from an interpretation board

[Pluto]

14 hours ago, John Liley said:

Since work on the Canal de Briare began 130-odd years before the Duke of Bridgewater was even born, and since it is said to be  the first summit levelc anal in Europe with chamber locks, I have often wondered what size those were. The lengthening of this staircase presumably follows the Becquey Plan of the 1820s when the entire waterway system of France was reviewed, and a lock length of 30.40 metres was established, with a width of 5.20 metres. But were the original locks of this width? It sounds mighty ambitious.

According to Charles Berg's website, http://projetbabel.org/fluvial/index.htm, the original locks were 27m by 4.4m, and enlarged by Becquey to 32.4m by 5.2m, and then replaced by Freycinet with locks 39m by 5.2m. However, although the c1830 rebuilding made the locks some 0.8m wider, I think they must have kept the original chamber wall on one side as you can still see original gate recesses and ground paddle culverts.

 

Re the first summit level canal with chamber locks, there is also the Stecknitzfahrt, from the Elbe to Lübeck. The attached figure from the paper on the waterway, 2009 DWhG Vol 13. Wellbrock, suggests that at least two of the original flash locks had been converted to chamber locks before 1480, so only shortly after chamber locks had first been used on the Canal de Bereguardo circa 1450.

[Dav and Pen]

8.30 August 1st 2013 Briare canal summit. Our S African friends in their Piper heading off in the opposite direction to us after a very pleasant evening together quite by chance but that’s the beauty of boating.

[PeterScott]

On this day in 2005

Saltaire L+L Compare #2187 (2016)

Edited August 1, 2020 by PeterScott
link not working

[PeterScott]

On this day in 2007 (... from #2422 16July and compare  #2588 26July)

A tug has arrived to accompany us down the locks and through the shallows to Rotherham. With our 21" draft compared with the tug's 36" (?), this was wholly unnecessary. ...

 

... as indeed was most of our sojourn at Ickles Lock since the floods on 24/25June. We had to harass BW for any information at all, and there was no priority whatever for any boats stranded by the floods. Even this movement happened because of a parallel bank slippage by Braunston Tunnel, which had been sorted out for navigation within a couple of days. Boaters trapped in Sheffield basin and wanting their summer holidays embarassed the national BW into some action.

 

Having told this story to all-levels of BW/C&RT over all-the-years-since, I detect a change of attitude when similar disasters occur, with (at least) intervention by Customer Services people who try to smooth over the rough edges for navigators who have become cut-off.

One hazard in the river section which needed cutting back to make navigation easier

[PeterScott]

On this day in 2012

 

Edstone Aqueduct Southern Stratford  Compare #2653