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Oxford vs Grand Union


vanboosh

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We've got a 'big' cruise from Droitwich to Surbiton coming up and Canalplan suggests we take the GU, but if I adjust it so it goes down the Oxford, it takes more or less the same amount of time. Any advantage/disadvantage for picking one over the other? 

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Surprised that it wants you to go the GU, I would have thought that the Oxford would be quicker and less locks.  
 

Having just tried Droitwich Spa Marina to Hampton Court moorings, canal plan sends me via the Oxford by default, 189 miles and 182 locks.  To go via the GU it is 158 miles and 215 locks.  So less distance the GU route but more locks.  Obviously the time it predicts will depend on your settings, for me the Oxford is 99.5 hours and the GU is 106 hours.

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Also if this is a one way trip, then pick the one you prefer, for me it would be the Oxford route.  A weeks Thames licence would be enough if it is about speed getting there.  If you will be returning, you you way as well do down one way and back the other.  Going the Oxford means you are down stream on the Thames, which makes the locks easier unless your lassoing skills are excellent.

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9 hours ago, Alway Swilby said:

If you have a standard CRT licence you have to pay extra to go on the Thames. About 70 quid for a week.

 

Correct.

I made the passage last week from Oxford to the K&A via Isis Lock where it states that you have to buy your EA licence from the next manned lock.

For my 56 ft it is £49.50 for the one day licence which expires at mdnight next day so you can get more than 24 hrs out of it. The OP would need a week licence which is indeed £70.

 

As for the 'next manned lock' - we never saw one ?

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49 minutes ago, mrsmelly said:

In a nutshell the Oxford is fabulous and the GU a crap hole.

As always Mr. Smelly is direct and to the point - if mebe a bit overstated.

 

Going downhill on the Thames is like a dose of salts... You'll easily go at 6mph wihout trying. Tle locks are easy and electric - if there's no lockie RTFM (if some scrote hasn't ripped them off the pedestal and the scenery (who looks at the scenery??) is pleasant.

Doing the GU means that you have to back on yourself for a day (half on the GU and half on the Thames)

Hope you've got a mooring is Sunny Surbiton 'cos the bankside is somewhat constipated and official moorings are managed by a rapacious car parking outfit that can't be bothered to mark their moorings properly on what passes for a map....

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How long does it take to go from Oxford to Brentford, single-handed? My plan for the first 'big' trip of the new boat is to go down the Oxford, then across the Thames and back up the Grand Union.

 

I don't think the GU is anything like a crap-hole; very pleasant surroundings for much of the route, and the scenery between Berkhamsted and Stoke Hammond, then from Wolverton through to Braunston is super in many places.

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9 hours ago, OldGoat said:

As always Mr. Smelly is direct and to the point - if mebe a bit overstated.

 

Going downhill on the Thames is like a dose of salts... You'll easily go at 6mph wihout trying. Tle locks are easy and electric - if there's no lockie RTFM (if some scrote hasn't ripped them off the pedestal and the scenery (who looks at the scenery??) is pleasant.

Doing the GU means that you have to back on yourself for a day (half on the GU and half on the Thames)

Hope you've got a mooring is Sunny Surbiton 'cos the bankside is somewhat constipated and official moorings are managed by a rapacious car parking outfit that can't be bothered to mark their moorings properly on what passes for a map....

I think you meant 5 mph, 6 mph would be over the speed limit ?

3 hours ago, Philip said:

How long does it take to go from Oxford to Brentford, single-handed? My plan for the first 'big' trip of the new boat is to go down the Oxford, then across the Thames and back up the Grand Union.

 

I don't think the GU is anything like a crap-hole; very pleasant surroundings for much of the route, and the scenery between Berkhamsted and Stoke Hammond, then from Wolverton through to Braunston is super in many places.

Just use canalplan to get your timings, but bear in mind you could loose a day at Teddington waiting for the tide, which canalplan will not take account of.

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2 minutes ago, Detling said:

GU you will probably be lock sharing most of the time if you move between 8 am and 1pm. Not many swing bridges or lift bridges unlike the Oxford which is famous for them. 

There are no swing bridges on the Oxford.  At the moment I think there are 2 electric lift bridges that you need to operate (if you go Dukes cut to the Thames, and why wouldn’t you), so hardly a deciding factor of which route to go!

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3 hours ago, Detling said:

Not many swing bridges or lift bridges unlike the Oxford which is famous for them. 

 

There's allegedly a document explaining how to do them singlehanded ...

 

I wonder if it got found when the boat in question was cleared out before it was sold?

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1 hour ago, TheBiscuits said:

 

There's allegedly a document explaining how to do them singlehanded ...

 

I wonder if it got found when the boat in question was cleared out before it was sold?

Document.....it was a 138 page Tome, perhaps the new owner of the yoghurt pot will publish it now.

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19 hours ago, TheBiscuits said:

 

There's allegedly a document explaining how to do them singlehanded ...

 

I wonder if it got found when the boat in question was cleared out before it was sold?

 

I wonder if she is working on one that motor-homers can use to operate road bridges? ?

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32 minutes ago, vanboosh said:

So from all the replies (thanks everyone!), it looks like we will be going the Oxford route! 

Very wise choice. Stop at the pig place on your way for an awesome breakfast and or a few beers ?

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5 minutes ago, TheBiscuits said:

 

A few beers usually improve breakfast - ask at any Wetherspoons for details!

Surely they can't sell beer until 10.30 or 11 o'clock, in accordance with local licensing laws> 

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1 minute ago, Athy said:

Surely they can't sell beer until 10.30 or 11 o'clock, in accordance with local licensing laws> 

I don’t know what the rules are in different places, but I think most Wetherspoons start selling alcohol at 9am.  The one at Merry Hill certainly does as we went in for breakfast at 8am when they open, and they were very apologetic as they could not sell alcohol until 9am.  Come 9am when we left it was busy with people drinking.

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The Oxford trip is great - come off at Duke's Cut - rather than going down to the city centre (that trip is a bit dreich) and you'll get a fab view of some of the city as you roar down Port Meadow.

The first Thames lock is 'proper' with balance beams, all the rest are 'lectric with push buttons. Do RTFM if operating them your selves. Be friendly to the Lockies - they don't bite and most know a lot about the River and their locality.

 

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