New Imrays guides for the Fens

[Scholar Gypsy]

The Fenland waterways are of course horrible.

 

But for those of us who disagree, Imrays website says that the new edition of their Nene guide is now available - link 1 below. I have done my bit to boost consumer spending. And you can also subscribe for an alert when the imminent updates for Middle Level and Great Ouse are available. Links 2 and 3 below I hope.

https://www.imray.com/Publications/Imray+Pilots/Imray+Inland+Waterways+Maps+%26+Guides/British+Isles/IB0170-3/

 

https://www.imray.com/Publications/Imray+Pilots/Imray+Inland+Waterways+Maps+%26+Guides/British+Isles/IB0195-6/

https://www.imray.com/Publications/Imray+Pilots/Imray+Inland+Waterways+Maps+%26+Guides/British+Isles/IB0212-2/

 

 

[ditchcrawler]

I used my very old Nicholson when I was there

[PaulJ]

45 minutes ago, ditchcrawler said:

I used my very old Nicholson when I was there

I still use my 1983 Imray map for the Middle Levels. You can still read the £1.30 price sticker on it.Nothing like getting your moneys worth ?

[Up-Side-Down]

I believe Stanfords are in the process of preparing a new Fens guide. I've spent years trying to persuade Collins to update and re-publish the Nicholson Fens guide but without success.

[David Mack]

The first time I steerd Fulbourne on the fens I thought I would take a trip up Reach and Burwell Lodes. The Imray guide we had at the time helpfully provided the width, depth and headroom, but failed to point out the length of the lock at Upware.  So it wasn't until we entered the lock, we found that when the bow was here:

 

the stern was here!

Edited August 4, 2020 by David Mack

[Scholar Gypsy]

22 hours ago, David Mack said:

The first time I steerd Fulbourne on the fens I thought I would take a trip up Reach and Burwell Lodes. The Imray guide we had at the time helpfully provided the width, depth and headroom, but failed to point out the length of the lock at Upware.  So it wasn't until we entered the lock, we found that when the bow was here:

 

the stern was here!

The annoying thing about that lock is that normally the drop is only an inch or two, so it would be workable to lift the guillotines at both ends and motor through. But the electronics on the gates don't allow that. Equally annoying is that the lock is not operable if the pump alongside is running (which can happen when the river is above the Lode).

[Keeping Up]

On 04/08/2020 at 23:15, David Mack said:

The first time I steerd Fulbourne on the fens I thought I would take a trip up Reach and Burwell Lodes. The Imray guide we had at the time helpfully provided the width, depth and headroom, but failed to point out the length of the lock at Upware.  So it wasn't until we entered the lock, we found that when the bow was here:

 

the stern was here!

Exactly the same happened to us, for the same reason. Then there was panic after about 10 minutes when we saw the sign that said the lower guillotine would descend automatically after 15 minutes.

[David Mack]

11 hours ago, Scholar Gypsy said:

The annoying thing about that lock is that normally the drop is only an inch or two, so it would be workable to lift the guillotines at both ends and motor through. But the electronics on the gates don't allow that.

When we took Fulbourne up to the 2007 National Rally at St Ives, we came up the New Bedford River on the rising tide and arrived at Brownshill Staunch where the level was the same both sides. Still had to work through as a conventional lock, and as there were a number of boats all heading the same way we were all needlessly delayed.

[MoominPapa]

36 minutes ago, David Mack said:

When we took Fulbourne up to the 2007 National Rally at St Ives, we came up the New Bedford River on the rising tide and arrived at Brownshill Staunch where the level was the same both sides. Still had to work through as a conventional lock, and as there were a number of boats all heading the same way we were all needlessly delayed.

Once, approaching Brownshill Staunch from  the upstream side, I noticed that all the sluices were wide open. I steeled myself for a massive draw as we approached the lock landing, but there was nothing. Looking below the lock, the tide level had exceeded the normal upstream level and raised the river level on the upstream side, hence the sluices in full flood-discharge mode, but no flow as the level through the sluices didn't change. The water level was over the top of both lock guilotines, but like you we had to wait whilst it went through the whole interlocked dance.

 

MP.

 

 

[Dave123]

I wish Nicholson's would cover the Fens. I was hopeful when they brought out the Broads book but still no Fens guide. I never got on with Imray...prefer the overlay of the OS map that Nicholson's do as you can see what to explore around the water and it gives much better detail. They can pad out existing books with partially restored canals and disconnected bits but can't cover a huge part of the existing connected waterways??‍♂️? 

[MoominPapa]

They used to publish a Nicholsons for the Broads and Fens. Mine (bought second hand) is dated 1986, but not much if waterways importance has changed.

 

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Ordnance-Survey-Guide-Broads-Fens/dp/0905522974

 

MP.

[Athy]

2 hours ago, MoominPapa said:

They used to publish a Nicholsons for the Broads and Fens. Mine (bought second hand) is dated 1986, but not much if waterways importance has changed.

 

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Ordnance-Survey-Guide-Broads-Fens/dp/0905522974

 

MP.

Except, perhaps, that longer boats can get there from the main canal system. I think that at that time Ashline, and probably Marmont Priory, locks were still 49 feet long (hence Fox's hire boats came only in 41' and 48' lengths). Were they extended in the early 1990s?

[MoominPapa]

21 minutes ago, Athy said:

I think that at that time Ashline, and probably Marmont Priory, locks were still 49 feet long

Indeed. Stanground too.

 

MP.

[magpie patrick]

On 04/08/2020 at 23:15, David Mack said:

 

 

 

 

Sometimes I feel like moving to the Fens just so I could moor Juno in a place like that...