Bridge and tunnel height clearance

[Auntie B]

What is the lowest bridge or tunnel on the network?  
 

And how often are there tunnels or bridges with extreme height restrictions?

 

I am planning to build fixed storage boxes under my solar panels Like I’ve seen many others do, but do not want to find myself unable to travel some parts of the network.  

So if anyone knows the height restrictions and dimensions of what can be expected on the network when it comes to tunnels and bridges. please let me know.
 

However, if there are really only a few “restricted” areas like this, and if they are generally at the end/beginning of the waterway.. then it would probably not be that limiting.

 

but please let me know what everyone knows before I go building something to just get myself stuck somewhere further down the line.

[Tony Brooks]

Wide beam or narrowboat. the reason this info is relevant is a  narrowboat and it's boxes can be far narrower than on a wide beam so fit under the centre of an arch bridge that is nominally lower.

 

Also be aware that on some river navigations like the Stort any published clearance may be higher than it really is when water flow is high.

 

Any CaRT derived dimensions are likely to be somewhat inaccurate although I get the impression they tend to be quoted a bit lower than really are. CaRT publish nominal dimensions of their website under the individual waterways.

[Tracy D'arth]

There are bridges on the Caldon that are flat girders, very low, 6'6" I think

Then there is Harecastle tunnel, Standedge tunnel. and the impossible Leek and Titford Pools tunnels. Dudley of course but better in a canoe!

 

Depends where you want to cruise.

 

TD'

[Tony Brooks]

There's a low railway girder ridge on the South Stratford. I had to take my radio aerial down so I would think a roof box would have to come off.

[colmac]

If you ever venture on to the Droitwich you will need a maximum of  2m air draught or less to get under the M5. Any higher and you will stuck with nowhere to turn round.

[Guest]

1 hour ago, Auntie B said:

What is the lowest bridge or tunnel on the network?  
 

And how often are there tunnels or bridges with extreme height restrictions?

 

I am planning to build fixed storage boxes under my solar panels Like I’ve seen many others do, but do not want to find myself unable to travel some parts of the network.  

So if anyone knows the height restrictions and dimensions of what can be expected on the network when it comes to tunnels and bridges. please let me know.
 

However, if there are really only a few “restricted” areas like this, and if they are generally at the end/beginning of the waterway.. then it would probably not be that limiting.

 

but please let me know what everyone knows before I go building something to just get myself stuck somewhere further down the line.

Coming off the River Avon at Stratford upon Avon is very tight height wise around 6ft and a few/couple of inches.

[GUMPY]

Lowest bridges are in the middle of Basingstoke Canal  5'10" /1.78metres clearance  from memory. 

Fleet Road bridge can't remember the other one.

Broadford Bridge on the River Wey is 6'4"/1.93metres at normal levels.

 

 

 

Edited July 12, 2020 by Loddon

[PhilR]

4 hours ago, Tracy D'arth said:

There are bridges on the Caldon that are flat girders, very low, 6'6" I think

Then there is Harecastle tunnel, Standedge tunnel. and the impossible Leek and Titford Pools tunnels. Dudley of course but better in a canoe!

 

Depends where you want to cruise.

 

TD'

Are you confusing Leek and Froghall tunnels? Leek is much higher than Froghall.

[captain birdseye]

Lumb Lane and the bridge below lock 4 on the Ashton are very low 

Edited July 12, 2020 by captain birdseye

[TheBiscuits]

Just now, PhilR said:

Are you confusing Leek and Froghall tunnels? Leek is much higher than Froghall.

Leek used to be lower, but it collapsed and when they fixed it the low bits became relined high bits.

 

The sign at the tunnel still said it was very low years after it wasn't.  There's plenty height in there now.

 

I just fit through Froghall, but the tiller pin and the solar panel need to be removed first!

[Tracy D'arth]

8 minutes ago, TheBiscuits said:

Leek used to be lower, but it collapsed and when they fixed it the low bits became relined high bits.

 

The sign at the tunnel still said it was very low years after it wasn't.  There's plenty height in there now.

 

I just fit through Froghall, but the tiller pin and the solar panel need to be removed first!

I find Leek tight with a 70' boat, yes its higher now but seems tight at roof level widthways.

Froghall is low but passable, what a crazy place to put the systems least used services.

There is a low one on the T&M on the way to the potteries I remember, but not which one. The ones with horizontal girders are the worst, unless you can limbo under them.

TD'

[TheBiscuits]

5 minutes ago, Tracy D'arth said:

I find Leek tight with a 70' boat, yes its higher now but seems tight at roof level widthways.

Froghall is low but passable, what a crazy place to put the systems least used services.

There is a low one on the T&M on the way to the potteries I remember, but not which one. The ones with horizontal girders are the worst, unless you can limbo under them.

TD'

Bridge 9 on the Caldon is very low, shortly after Hanley Park.  Fortunately I stopped in time to take the bike off the roof!

[Tracy D'arth]

2 minutes ago, TheBiscuits said:

Bridge 9 on the Caldon is very low, shortly after Hanley Park.  Fortunately I stopped in time to take the bike off the roof!

The guy who sneaked into Harecastle with a bike on the roof years ago [ against Bill's advice ] found out it would not fit when it joined him, mangled, on the back deck. plonker!

TD'

[Guest]

Last time we went through Harecastle the boat behind us I remember had two wonden top boxes on the roof (not the car type).

 

I rember asking the skipper if he was confident it would fit through. He was as he had done it before. The tunnel keepers had no issue with them and sure enough he emerged with them intact. They must have been very very close though.

[Guest]

One of the bridges on the Twenty Foot River on the Middle Level has been the only one so far I haven't made it through, but that might have been due to a few extra inches of water in the channel. My front cratch board was an inch or two too high to go under and wasn't worth the faff of working out how to take it down as I'd never done it before, so I turned round and went back the long way. Official headroom there is 5'1" I believe. 

 

[john6767]

There are low bridges and tunnels in a number of places, most have been mentioned, Droitwich, South Stratford, Gosty Hill tunnel, and a number of places on the Middle Levels. The Middle Level Commisoners have a very useful map showing the bridge clearances here https://middlelevel.gov.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/NavBridges2013.pdf, these are flat decked bridges, so you don't get more height in the centre like with many traditional canal bridges.