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Coventry Canal - beautiful, exciting or tedious?


Philip

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55 minutes ago, Richard T said:

For railway fans you can moor at Alvecote and walk to the Statfold Barn Railway. It has a large collection of narrow gauge - generally 2ft- locos. Check for opening days before going https://statfoldbarnrailway.co.uk/

I've been aware of Statfold for some years. It looks quite a treasure house, and I did not know that it was near the canal. I was also surprised to find, on looking at their web site, that the public can get in; I'm sure I remember reading, some years ago, that entry was restricted to society members and their guests.

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44 minutes ago, frahkn said:

That looks like a fair stroll - in my years at Alvecote I never even walked to the Pretty Pigs, made do with the Barlow. 

 

You didn't miss much. The Pretty Pigs is a "pile it high sell it cheap" eatery.  

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14 minutes ago, Athy said:

I've been aware of Statfold for some years. It looks quite a treasure house, and I did not know that it was near the canal. I was also surprised to find, on looking at their web site, that the public can get in; I'm sure I remember reading, some years ago, that entry was restricted to society members and their guests.

 

Over the last few years they have developed it from a once a year public event to (last year) having at least one event per month over the summer months.

 

Well worth attending.

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33 minutes ago, cuthound said:

 

Over the last few years they have developed it from a once a year public event to (last year) having at least one event per month over the summer months.

 

Well worth attending.

It is certainly well worth going to. I have my ticket for the Enthusiasts Day on 8th August. It will be good to get a steam fix again. Most events are open by pre-bought tickets. It must be the best collection of Narrow gauge locos in Britain. They also have many of them in steam for the events.

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3 hours ago, roland elsdon said:

Atherstone has some lovely buildings in the centre, but we would never leave the boat there in the past, but I think the issues are historic.

I left mine on the moorings between lock 5+6 for over a week and no issue. There were quite a few boats along that stretch when I arrived, so it felt fairly safe. When I got back there was just mine, so perhaps all the rest got pinched. 

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On 24/07/2020 at 13:58, zenataomm said:

........ beautiful, exciting or tedious?

Why stop there?

Historical, picturesque, curvy, relaxing, challenging, varied.  I'd guess all apply to The Coventry or indeed most canals.

 

I've seen Durham from the train and from what I have seen and through looking at the map it looks like an unremarkable sort of city.  Looking down on a sea of tiled rooves from a viaduct all I could make out was chimneys everywhere.  That hardly got my pulse racing.  It's a bit like Nuneaton really without the massive grey slab sided cathedral.  Of course Nuneaton does have the superb man made Mount Judd (also known colloquially as The Nuneaton Nipple).

One person's meat is etc. etc. etc.  When I first boated on a canal in 1966 I was amazed at everything I saw, and even now I'm hardly interested in hurtling through to get to the next fleshpot.

Durham is far nicer than Nuneaton. You should make some time visit rather than simply view it from its railway, which actually in itself is pretty special.

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7 hours ago, cuthound said:

 

Blimey, you are lucky, I've never seen them doing any more than the top two! ?

Then we must be really lucky as there was one at Lock 5 late June.

On 24/07/2020 at 14:50, BEngo said:

.

Some really good deep bits on the Coventry.  Pooley Hall colliery basin to Alvecote is one.  Nice to not be dragging the bottom.

Nice that bit. You can really feel the change in boat performance.

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4 hours ago, Rumsky said:

I left mine on the moorings between lock 5+6 for over a week and no issue. There were quite a few boats along that stretch when I arrived, so it felt fairly safe. When I got back there was just mine, so perhaps all the rest got pinched. 

Perhaps it was that they only moored for the signed 48hrs visitor moorings......

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1 hour ago, rustynewbery said:

Perhaps it was that they only moored for the signed 48hrs visitor moorings......

Mehbeh. Probably didn't realise they could have an extra 12 days cos it was winter. 

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Boated from Fazeley to Hawkesbury on Wednesday whilst doing the Warwickshire ring. I like it, Ok no locks other than Glascote and Atherstone but that was fine as we had already done plenty. I find it full of interest, pleasant scenery. The canal has associations with George Eliot.  Hartshill yard is historic. Atherstone locks do seem to be prone to being shut but CRT did get them reopened after 24 hours this week, we were the last boat through on Wednesday before CRT shut it. They are pretty locks. The Coventry does tend to be shallow between Fazeley and Fradley, particularly the Fradley end. It also tends to be overgrown. Its not an overbusy canal and there are plenty of places to moor. All canals are worth boating on, I can't think why you wouldn't want to try it.  

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13 minutes ago, Mrs Trackman said:

Boated from Fazeley to Hawkesbury on Wednesday whilst doing the Warwickshire ring. I like it, Ok no locks other than Glascote and Atherstone but that was fine as we had already done plenty. I find it full of interest, pleasant scenery. The canal has associations with George Eliot.  Hartshill yard is historic. Atherstone locks do seem to be prone to being shut but CRT did get them reopened after 24 hours this week, we were the last boat through on Wednesday before CRT shut it. They are pretty locks. The Coventry does tend to be shallow between Fazeley and Fradley, particularly the Fradley end. It also tends to be overgrown. Its not an overbusy canal and there are plenty of places to moor. All canals are worth boating on, I can't think why you wouldn't want to try it.  

Even the Slough Arm?  ;)

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5 hours ago, The Happy Nomad said:

Durham is far nicer than Nuneaton. You should make some time visit rather than simply view it from its railway, which actually in itself is pretty special.

Righty ho!  I'll explain it this time.

It's called irony or sarcasm, it matters not.

 

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12 minutes ago, zenataomm said:

Righty ho!  I'll explain it this time.

It's called irony or sarcasm, it matters not.

 

Well you know what they say about sarcasm?

 

Oh and irony is different.

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On 25/07/2020 at 10:23, OldGoat said:

There's more in Coventry that you realise. Yes, the transport museum is good and deserving of mor than a quick walk round. Perhaps it's because I had two makes of cars - Triumph and Alvis - that there was a bit of a focus for me.

The walk throught the shopping centre was pleasant (!) because the footways are wide  and you can ignore the shops...

That leads to the cathedrals The old reminds you what awful things people can do to each other and Basil Spence's new is a bit stark but airy. It has a side chapel with coloured bricks in lieu of windows - a theme which he repeated in a much larger building at the University of Sussex where I have sung for many years - but it's jolly dark thus difficult to read the music...

With a bit of care you can get from the canal basin to the above without walking along any road...

 

Contrary to the words of the terrace chant “We speak with an accent exceedingly rare/If you want a cathedral we’ve got one to spare” technically Coventry only has one cathedral. It’s well worth a visit.

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4 minutes ago, zenataomm said:

In your world, stay out of mine.

It’s a public forum, that’s not really called for.

 

I too took your comment about Durham literally. There’s no indication in the post concerned that it wasn’t intended that way.

 

JP

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On 24/07/2020 at 12:13, Philip said:

What do people think of the Coventry Canal between Fazeley Junction and Coventry? All I have seen of this stretch is from the train, but from what I have seen and through looking at the map it looks like an unremarkable waterway, yet seems like it gets good numbers. The locks look tame and Nuneaton as a place doesn't exactly set the pulses racing. I have done the stretch between Fazeley and Fradley Junction once and to be fair this was very pleasant especially around Hopwas, but technically it's part of the Birmingham and Fazeley Canal.

 

Is it as dull as watching paint dry or a lot better than it appears...and worth visiting for its own appeal rather than a route the Oxford Canal?

So what canals do you find interesting that get your pulse racing @Philip

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20 minutes ago, zenataomm said:

In your world, stay out of mine.

Well I'm afraid that if you post in here, your world infiltrates everybody else's.

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