Leaving the mooring?

[Jen-in-Wellies]

6 hours ago, blackrose said:

Wouldn't I be hanging a left at Keadby if I was coming up from the Wash, R. Witham and then going down the Trent heading north?

River Witham to Lincoln, then Fossdyke to Torksey. Hang a right on to the Trent (tidal), then left turn at Keadby to fat boat world! How long is your boat? If over 60', then there are limitations with Thorne lock. Officially it is 60', but longer boats can get through, depending on how much their width and stern shape allows them to go in diagonally. Alternatively, you could always go round Trent Falls and up the Yorkshire Ouse to bypass Thorne. If you've already crossed the Wash, then this should hold few terrors. Just needs careful planning and the right conditions again.

Jen

[blackrose]

Thanks. Mine is 57ft so I should be ok.

[Jen-in-Wellies]

7 minutes ago, blackrose said:

Thanks. Mine is 57ft so I should be ok.

Excellent. A go anywhere boat in the north!

[Athy]

Why would you need to cross the Wash? You can go down the Old River Nene to Salter's Lode and get on to the Great Ouse there, just below Denver.

[Jen-in-Wellies]

20 minutes ago, Athy said:

Why would you need to cross the Wash? You can go down the Old River Nene to Salter's Lode and get on to the Great Ouse there, just below Denver.

The Wash crossing is for the go north option to Boston and beyond. The go south option doesn't need one as you say.

Jen

[Athy]

5 minutes ago, Jen-in-Wellies said:

The Wash crossing is for the go north option to Boston and beyond. The go south option doesn't need one as you say.

Jen

I've just checked. The minimum lock width quoted by the ML is 3 metres 50. I assume this means that boats of that beam can get through them. There used to be a 12-foot beam boat moored outside the Globe pub in Upwell, though I'm not sure if he approached from the Peterborough or the Great Ouse end.

   I guess that the Briggate bend in Whittlesea might be a problem. Has anyone here taken a wide boat round it? I know that Mr. & Mrs. Fade To Scarlet took their Severner (70 or 71 feet long narrowboat) round it.

   

[john6767]

8 hours ago, blackrose said:

Wouldn't I be hanging a left at Keadby if I was coming up from the Wash, R. Witham and then going down the Trent heading north?

Yes you would, but I did not say which way to turn at Keadby, only to go right when you get to the Trent which would be at Torksey!

 

You could also go left at Torksey and up to Nottingham, and then perhaps on the Soar or ever the T&M to Willington (possibly not popular with everyone for a widebeam!).

[Scholar Gypsy]

10 hours ago, blackrose said:

 

 

Thanks. If you have details please send me a PM

I will send you a DM in a minute or two  I don't think you will get round Briggate.

[pearley]

4 minutes ago, Scholar Gypsy said:

I will send you a DM in a minute or two  I don't think you will get round Briggate.

I guess a 60 X 10 might struggle too.

[Scholar Gypsy]

2 minutes ago, pearley said:

I guess a 60 X 10 might struggle too.

I am sure I have read somewhere that that has been done. 70x10 is not doable. The turn was slightly widened a year or two ago.  ML quote Stanground and Ashline as 11'6" (3.50m), though the other two locks to the east are 12' plus.

[GRLMK38]

10 hours ago, Alan de Enfield said:

 

The North is built for "fatty's"

 

 

 

 

The Leicester Line and Northampton Arm are shown as "Planned Broad Canals".  Really?  Maybe the work will start once the Inclined Plane is fully operational....

[Alan de Enfield]

3 minutes ago, GRLMK38 said:

The Leicester Line and Northampton Arm are shown as "Planned Broad Canals".  Really?  Maybe the work will start once the Inclined Plane is fully operational....

I don't produce the maps, just find them and post them in answer to questions.

[GRLMK38]

6 minutes ago, Alan de Enfield said:

I don't produce the maps, just find them and post them in answer to questions.

 ?   

[GUMPY]

29 minutes ago, GRLMK38 said:

The Leicester Line and Northampton Arm are shown as "Planned Broad Canals".  Really?  Maybe the work will start once the Inclined Plane is fully operational....

Allegedly the Old Union was built wide with the exception of Foxton and Watford Locks. 

[calara]

1 hour ago, Athy said:

I've just checked. The minimum lock width quoted by the ML is 3 metres 50. I assume this means that boats of that beam can get through them. There used to be a 12-foot beam boat moored outside the Globe pub in Upwell, though I'm not sure if he approached from the Peterborough or the Great Ouse end.

   I guess that the Briggate bend in Whittlesea might be a problem. Has anyone here taken a wide boat round it? I know that Mr. & Mrs. Fade To Scarlet took their Severner (70 or 71 feet long narrowboat) round it.

   

We attempted Salters Lode and failed badly at 3.5m. I contacted the ML to enquire as to the width and they said that they didn't actually know, but to try it and see (good old UK Navigation Authority!). We would have fitted into the chamber OK but they have nailed a load of huge lorry tyres to the downstream fender - probably to stop narrowboats crashing into it. These tyres made the angle too tight for us - so we were jammed into the mouth of the lock on a falling tide - excellent stuff. Managed to reverse out after a bit of stress, and then went around The Wash - which IMO is a lot less stressful (as long as the weathers right).

 

I had a look at the corner at Upwell and thought it would be tight but wouldn't cause us a problem - however there are some very low bridges which might have done. Maybe explore the ML from Peterborough by all means - but be prepared for a bit of reversing, and don't attempt Salters Lode unless they've moved those tyres.

[Athy]

Good information - though you may have meant the corner at Whittlesea, as there aren't any sharp bends in Upwell. There's a 90 degree job a mile or so along, at Outwell, but the water is wide there (it's the basin where the old Wisbech Canal branched off).

[calara]

Sorry - yes Outwell was the one I looked at. Won't be attempting it again though if we ever head back that way - but would definitely have a month or two on the Gt Ouse.

[Steilsteven]

3 hours ago, GRLMK38 said:

The Leicester Line and Northampton Arm are shown as "Planned Broad Canals".  Really?  Maybe the work will start once the Inclined Plane is fully operational....

That's probably because they were originally.

 

Keith