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

[Dorlan]

Relaxing on the slipway at Calcutt.

 

They were there most of this afternoon, preening themselves,

[Stroudwater1]

Today, Stourport carnival from the fair 

 

 

Junction with  the Severn and Staffs and Worcs

[PeterScott]

Today

 

 

Fradley Junction - Coventry Canal swingbridge

 

 

 

 

looking towards the junction from the Coventry

 

 

 

 

 

Descending Junction Lock 17 at 2pm- the last time to enter to clear the locks by closing time at 3pm - according to the C&RT sign.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

More water around the bollard above Fradley Middle Lock T&M. 

Compare  25Apr2013  3Nov2013 25Oct2014  14Apr2017   10Sep2017  28Sep2017  22Mar2019  4Oct2019  12Oct2019  29Aug2020  10Sep2020 5May2021  24Oct2021  20May2022  16Mar2023  17Sep2023  29Sep2023  3Oct2023  25May2024  30May2024  3Feb2025  16Apr2025  9Jun2025 14Jul2025  20Aug2025

 

 

 

... and yes, the swingbridge can be opened as usual despite the red sign. Water is ten inches lower than usual but six inches (?) higher than when the closure notice was issued on 2Sep2025

[PeterScott]

This morning

 

 

Site of the 2007 IWA National Rally ...

 

 

 

 

 

 

... and earlier ...

 

 

 

 

St Ives  River Great Ouse 

Compare  23Jun1979  28Jun1979  20Aug2007  23Aug2007 (#2) 25Aug2007  26Aug2007  6Jul2015(5,6)   8Jul2015(4) 18Aug2018   19Aug2018  5Sep2018  7Jan2024

 

From an interpretation board: 

Another odd feature of the bridge is the different shapes of the arches. Two arches have round tops because they are later rebuildings, unlike the original pointed-topped arches: they were pulled down by Oliver Cromwell's Roundheads in 1645 during the Civil War, and replaced by a drawbridge in case the Royalists attacked. They were rebuilt to the different design in 1716. The extra storeys above the chapel were added in 1736 and removed in 1930.

[PeterScott]

This afternoon

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sign on the bottom gates of the lock: "Keep boat forward of walkway". Useful advice for ascending boats - on the bottom gates, to draw attention to the walkway attached to the inside of the gates, the hazard being fouling the boat's stern as the water rises. Sadly, on entering the lock, only the back of the sign would be visible to the steerer (as the gates are open), and once the gates have been closed, it is still high above and behind. On the other hand, it is clear to a descending boat, but offers poor (and impossible) advice. Hmmmm.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Useful advice on pedestrian bridge over weirstream

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Newark  RTrent,

Compare 16Apr1978 (#2)  9Sep1978   3Jun1991 1Sep2009  8Sep2009  16Apr2010  (#2)   16Apr2010/16Apr1978 17Apr2010 10Nov2010 14Jun2013 7May2015   26Jul2015  2Aug2015  18Jul2016  16Apr2017  27Jun2021  31Jul2022  1Jun2025

[DandV]

Nice to see you back Peter.

[PeterScott]

This morning

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Woolsthorpe Locks Grantham Canal   

Compare  26May2007 9Oct2021

 

 

and another wavy-BW-logo hereabouts

[Naughty Cal]

This flashed up on my Facebook memories today. 10 years ago!

 

Naughty-Cal and Python on the Trent. 

 

[DandV]

9 hours ago, Naughty Cal said:

This flashed up on my Facebook memories today. 10 years ago!

 

Naughty-Cal and Python on the Trent. 

 

And with functioning cooling towers in the background.

Cooling towers then, and for decades before,  very prominant features in many English landscapes.

Hard to think in such a short period they have now very largely disappeared.

 Their sheer size, and simple curved form gave them an undeniable presence. Even elegance. 

Especially when the lighting and atmospheric conditions interplayed with their water vapour emissions. 

 

 

[Jen-in-Wellies]

On 18/10/2025 at 06:28, DandV said:

And with functioning cooling towers in the background.

Cooling towers then, and for decades before,  very prominant features in many English landscapes.

Hard to think in such a short period they have now very largely disappeared.

 Their sheer size, and simple curved form gave them an undeniable presence. Even elegance. 

Especially when the lighting and atmospheric conditions interplayed with their water vapour emissions. 

 

 

Now the cloud factories have closed,  we have to import all our clouds. Rubbish foreign clouds. Not a patch on proper British made ones. 

[Momac]

On 18/10/2025 at 06:28, DandV said:

And with functioning cooling towers in the background.

Cooling towers then, and for decades before,  very prominant features in many English landscapes.

Hard to think in such a short period they have now very largely disappeared.

 Their sheer size, and simple curved form gave them an undeniable presence. Even elegance. 

Especially when the lighting and atmospheric conditions interplayed with their water vapour emissions. 

 

 

 

[PeterScott]

Sunday evening 18Oct2025

 

River Mersey and Eastham Locks MSC    Compare 15Apr2022  (#2)  (#3)  (#4)  (#5)  

[PeterScott]

This afternoon

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

off West Kirby, Wirral and a bird hereabouts

 

Edited October 21, 2025 by PeterScott
extra pic

[PeterScott]

This afternoon

 

Flint Castle, banks of the Dee Estuary and public art

 

[PeterScott]

This afternoon

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Lock paddle with logo

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ellesmere Port Boat Museum  

 

Compare: #Jun1976  1May1980  10Sep1983   21Jun1984  22Jun1984  27Nov1994 (#2) (#3) (#4)  23Aug1998  31Oct2007 (#2)  28Nov2007 (#2)  (#3)  (#4)  (#5) (#6)  8Mar2008  (#2) 28Oct2014  (#2)  29Oct2014   4Apr2017  (#2)  (#3)  5Apr2017  (#2)   15Apr2022

 

 

 

 

Edited October 22, 2025 by PeterScott
links

[PeterScott]

This afternoon

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

River Dee   Chester Weir  and the weir gate, with which the boom has become entwined

Compare  1May1980  13Apr2008  4Nov2015 (#2)  3Apr2017   31Mar2018  5Dec2019 (#2)  5Jun2023  

[PeterScott]

This afternoon

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

River Dee Chester: bird on the weir, canal entrance, boats above the weir

[PeterScott]

This afternoon

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dee Branch SU -  Compare  1May1980 29Oct2014  3Apr2017  and the drydock by the top lock

[PeterScott]

Yesterday afternoon

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Northgate Staircase Chester SU   

 

Compare  #1970s 1May1980  #1984/2004  28Oct2014   #2019??  5May2025

[TID Tug Tony]

George Dyson near Altofts on the A&CN, with a full load of sand on Wednesday afternoon. I walked alongside him for a while just enjoying the lovely rhythmic beat of the Gardner engine. Now that's what I call music!

[Tam & Di]

A beautiful sight (and with a Gardner, beautiful sound too, as you say). It's interesting that they have handrails down just one side of the boat.

[TID Tug Tony]

16 hours ago, Tam & Di said:

A beautiful sight (and with a Gardner, beautiful sound too, as you say). It's interesting that they have handrails down just one side of the boat.

Thank you. Yes, I was wondering about the handrail too - is there a requirement to have one down at least one side of a boat when working on tidal rivers? (and, being in Yorkshire, they only fitted the minimum? 😄)

[DandV]

On 31/10/2025 at 15:12, TID Tug Tony said:

George Dyson near Altofts on the A&CN, with a full load of sand on Wednesday afternoon. I walked alongside him for a while just enjoying the lovely rhythmic beat of the Gardner engine. Now that's what I call music!

Really lovely to see working boats ......... actually WORKING.

May there be many more of them.

And an appreciation of those fuel boat operators who have kept that tradition going over some pretty lean decades now.

[Tam & Di]

9 hours ago, TID Tug Tony said:

Thank you. Yes, I was wondering about the handrail too - is there a requirement to have one down at least one side of a boat when working on tidal rivers? (and, being in Yorkshire, they only fitted the minimum? 😄)

 

Not that I know of - there certainly didn't use to be when we were running barges and small ships on the Thames. Even if there is no regulation as such firms do have to carry out 'risk assessments' now, and it could be down to insurance liability. They're not mandatory in France, as seen in Pax Mea on the Sâone, but you do need waterproof footwear to get to the fore end  😀

 

Edited November 1, 2025 by Tam & Di

[PeterScott]

Yesterday morning

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sheffield Basin (Victoria Quays) S&SYN 

 

Compare  11Nov1990  11Nov1990/11Nov2023    31May1991  6May1995  9May1995  11Jun2006  (#2)  1Jul2007  27Mar2009  12Apr2010  (#2) 13Nov2012 22Jun2014  11Oct2016  12Oct2016   10Aug2017 (#2)  (#3)  22Feb2019 (#2)  8Jul2019  21Sep2019  (#2)  (#3)  30Dec2019  (#2)  (#3)  10Jan2020  17Jul2020 (#2) (#3) 12Dec2020  (#2) (#3) (#4) (#5)  (#6) 1Feb2021 (#2)   25Apr2021 (#2) (#3) 18Sep2021  20Sep2021   20Nov2021  (#2)  12Dec2021  ##2021   22Dec2021  (#2) (#3) 23Dec2021  7Jan2022 (#2) 10Feb2022  9Apr2022  24Jun2022 (#2) 24Jun2022/24Jun2023 17Sep2022  (#2)  5Jan2023  6Apr2023  9Apr2023  16Jul2023 11Nov2023 25Jan2024  15Jan2025  29Apr2025