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Most Locks in a Week


Wishihadaname

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For our second wedding anniversary nearly 40 years ago, my wife and myself managed the four counties ring in a week at Easter.  Hard work, and the boat only had a single catalytic gas heater for space heating, with hot water heated by the engine. At least it didn't snow, unlike some of our Easter boating holidays, and we were able to go straight into the Harecastle tunnel . 

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1 hour ago, Ronaldo47 said:

For our second wedding anniversary nearly 40 years ago, my wife and myself managed the four counties ring in a week at Easter.  Hard work, and the boat only had a single catalytic gas heater for space heating, with hot water heated by the engine. At least it didn't snow, unlike some of our Easter boating holidays, and we were able to go straight into the Harecastle tunnel . 

A little over 40 years ago the university canal society outing took place on the cheapest hire boat we could find, on the first week of the university Easter break, and before the schools broke up. 11 of us on a 12 berth boat, it snowed the afternoon we picked the boat up. The single small catalytic heater couldn't dry one sodden glove, let alone 22. And the stoppages were all supposed to finish the previous Friday, but had overrun, so we ended up turning back and trying a different route more than once. And with a 70 footer that barely steered going forwards let alone astern, we had to drag it backwards on ropes from Armitage Tunnel to the end of the Aqueduct at Rugeley to turn!

Happy (?) Days!!

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On my first ever canal holiday in 1983, on a hire boat out of Brummagen Boats, we went to Kidderminster via Tardebigge and the Severn then back the same way because of a stoppage. After a bit of BCN bashing we still had half a day to spare so we did an out and back to Salford Junction, just the 50 odd locks.

 

Doing 200 locks on my first ever canal holiday should have put me off boating forever but am still going nearly 40 years later!

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23 hours ago, Wishihadaname said:

Looking at hiring a boat with an active crew this March. We have done both the Warwickshire and Leicester ring in a week each already so are up for a lot of locks. Looking at the Avon ring next. Any other suggestions for 100+ locks in a week? 

 

Why? 

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3 hours ago, Idle Days said:

 

Why? 

Because they enjoy the effort of doing locks on holiday and find long lock-free stretches of canal boring?

 

Plenty of other people think the same, me included... 😉

 

(this attitude could well be more common in people who hire boats not liveaboards -- but the OP is a holiday boater...)

Edited by IanD
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On 07/12/2021 at 11:36, Loddon said:

There was a plan by @Neil TNC a couple of years ago to do 100 locks in a day starting below Tardebigge. Unfortunately it got cancelled quite why I can't remember.

Think we are all too old for it now.

That was to be TNC 24 Hour Challenge. Start at bottom W21 at Midnight, then Spon Lane, Smethwick, Farmers Bridge, Aston, Perry Bar, Ryders Green, then out on the W&B. It was planned that way, so that W21 and Tardebigge done in the dark, when no other boats about. The challenge was stopped 24 hours before, due to the demise of W21 Lk20. Yes, the few remaining TNC Members are prob past it now.

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26 minutes ago, David Mack said:

Sometimes on a long lock-free stretch I find it boring and want some locks to do. 

 

I had this experience once on the Llangollen.  I could only put it down to a brain fever induced by heat and a temporary alcohol deficiency.

 

But joking aside, it might be that it depends on context.

Unless I can cadge some innocent bystanders to help, I'm normally single handing through locks. So after about 6 or 7 of the things, I'm starting to get a bit fed up with the rigmarole of tying up the boat, going ahead to set the lock and open the gates, coming back to unite and drive the boat in, followed by the clambering on the roof, and up (or down) the slimy lock ladders, etc etc.  

 

With even a single crew person it would be a very different ball game, I'm sure. 

 

The other thing is weather- doing a dozen locks in August with a full crew in high spirits is a different animal altogether from tackling the same locks singlehanded, when its raining in mid-January, with three inches of mud on the towpath and all around the bollards- and with the rope, my wellies and my hands all getting a liberal spattering of cold mud.  

 

 

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6 minutes ago, Tony1 said:

 

I had this experience once on the Llangollen.  I could only put it down to a brain fever induced by heat and a temporary alcohol deficiency.

 

But joking aside, it might be that it depends on context.

Unless I can cadge some innocent bystanders to help, I'm normally single handing through locks. So after about 6 or 7 of the things, I'm starting to get a bit fed up with the rigmarole of tying up the boat, going ahead to set the lock and open the gates, coming back to unite and drive the boat in, followed by the clambering on the roof, and up (or down) the slimy lock ladders, etc etc.  

 

With even a single crew person it would be a very different ball game, I'm sure. 

 

The other thing is weather- doing a dozen locks in August with a full crew in high spirits is a different animal altogether from tackling the same locks singlehanded, when its raining in mid-January, with three inches of mud on the towpath and all around the bollards- and with the rope, my wellies and my hands all getting a liberal spattering of cold mud.  

 

 

Absolutely -- when I say "we love doing locks" (presumably like the OP) that's with a crew of 4, at least 3 of who like "doing stuff" like locks.

 

2 of us on wide heavy locks like the Soar, much harder work and less enjoyable, especially in the pouring rain.

 

Single-handed in January -- I'd stay inside in the warm, either in boat or pub 😉

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14 minutes ago, Tony1 said:

I'm starting to get a bit fed up with the rigmarole of tying up the boat, going ahead to set the lock and open the gates, coming back to unite and drive the boat in, followed by the clambering on the roof, and up (or down) the slimy lock ladders, etc etc.  

I've done lots of single handing in a full length ex-working boat and I almost never do all that. The climbing on the roof and up and down lock ladders can't be avoided, but on approaching I put the bow into the head/tail of the lock and take a bow rope ashore and tie to a bollard if available or anything else if not, to set the lock. Likewise on leaving, stop just beyond the gate and step off with the stern top - and in many cases going uphill a bit of adept work with the rope through the handhold on the end of the balance beam will see the boat's forward momentum used to close the gate, allowing you to step back on board and keep going.

And going uphill I sometimes find it easier to pull the boat into the lock with the bow rope to save reboarding and then climbing out. Leaving narrow locks going down, stop just beyond the gates and use a short shaft to push on the balance beams to shut the gates.

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21 minutes ago, David Mack said:

I've done lots of single handing in a full length ex-working boat and I almost never do all that. The climbing on the roof and up and down lock ladders can't be avoided, but on approaching I put the bow into the head/tail of the lock and take a bow rope ashore and tie to a bollard if available or anything else if not, to set the lock. Likewise on leaving, stop just beyond the gate and step off with the stern top - and in many cases going uphill a bit of adept work with the rope through the handhold on the end of the balance beam will see the boat's forward momentum used to close the gate, allowing you to step back on board and keep going.

And going uphill I sometimes find it easier to pull the boat into the lock with the bow rope to save reboarding and then climbing out. Leaving narrow locks going down, stop just beyond the gates and use a short shaft to push on the balance beams to shut the gates.

 

Some ideas to try out here, for sure. 

The few times I've tried stopping when the stern is just past the gates, my boat handling skills were not great (and/or maybe it was a bit windy), and the bow ended up swinging slowly out at an angle.

It seemed like the faff of holding onto the boat and simultaneously shutting the gates was akin to the hassle of tying the boat up on the bollards and walking back. 

But I'm sure its worth a bit of practice and a few more goes to perfect these techniques though. 

 

Forgive my ignorance- a year afloat has still not given me enough experience to grasp this.

Can I just check something- if I were to nose the bow into the head/tail of a lock, its going to be at an angle, right?

With the stern touching the bank, and the bow touching the gates or outer walls?

I then have to go forward down the gunnels to get hold of the bow rope. And when I've done that, if memory serves, there aren't usually handy places you can get onto the bank. The bow will have high walls on either side, so where do you get off?

And who knows where the stern will have gotten to in the 10 or 15 seconds its taken me to get up to the bow and grab the bow rope? 

I guess if there's a wind from the canal side, it will hold the boat against the bank and give you at least one point to get off?

 

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31 minutes ago, Tony1 said:

I then have to go forward down the gunnels to get hold of the bow rope. And when I've done that, if memory serves, there aren't usually handy places you can get onto the bank. The bow will have high walls on either side, so where do you get off?

Yes. Along the gunwale, over the cabin top or through the cabin, depending on what works best with your boat's layout. You select a handy place - some more handy than others. If you are lucky there will be a little flight of steps cut into the lock wing walls you can step straight onto, sometimes you have to jump off at the bottom end of a sloping wing wall, so not right up against the gates.  Tie the bow off while you are setting the lock, so you don't lose the boat, but just let the stern go where it will. After setting the lock go back to the stern of the boat the same way, and steer the stern across until it is in line with the lock. It's generally a lot easier than tieing up on the official lock mooring which involves more messing about to get into the side, and then to get out into mid channel, and less walking overall (but more gunwale walking, so you need to be comfortable with that).

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Ring lengths measured by Canalplan: ( on its Main Menu: press "Plan A Journey", then there's a "Cruising Ring" option, giving a list. Press greyed button for a fuller description of each: some of the titles are not widely used imho)

In my order of preference for OP (although Rings were not mandated)

 

Cheshire Ring 97 miles 92 locks

Staffordshire Ring 75 miles 79 locks 

Four Counties Ring 110 miles 94 locks 

Warwickshire Ring 105 miles 120 locks 

Avon Ring 109 miles 130 locks 

South Pennine Ring 74 miles 197 locks 

Pennine Ring 357 miles 191 locks 

Leicester Ring 155 miles 91 locks 

Thames Ring 246 miles 176 locks 
Thames Ring with London 278 miles 177 locks 

Round Birmingham Ring 225 miles 167 locks 
 

Birmingham Ring 45 miles 49 locks 
Droitwich Ring  21 miles 33 locks 
East London Ring 5 miles 8 locks 
Grand Circle 807 miles 451 locks 
London Ring 44 miles 25 locks 
North Stratford Ring 107 miles 90 locks
Olympic Park Inner Ring 2 miles
Oxford Ring 7 miles 5 locks 
Stour Valley Ring 69 miles 113 locks 
Stourport Ring 84 miles 116 locks 
Two Roses Ring 184 miles 214 locks 
 

Our youthful one-week-hires:  

267miles 131 locks: Rugby - Lechlade - Coventry - Rugby (plus Oxford twiddles)

244miles 250 locks: Rugby - Avon Ring (Upper Avon opening)

259miles  38 locks: Eaton Socon  - Great Ouse and Branches (Ouse to Bedford opening)

200miles 136locks: Four Counties Ring, and Llangollen (1972 and again in 2000 to Prove We Still Could)

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19 minutes ago, PeterScott said:

[snip]

Our youthful one-week-hires:  

267miles 131 locks: Rugby - Lechlade - Coventry - Rugby (plus Oxford twiddles)

244miles 250 locks: Rugby - Avon Ring (Upper Avon opening)

259miles  38 locks: Eaton Socon  - Great Ouse and Branches (Ouse to Bedford opening)

200miles 136locks: Four Counties Ring, and Llangollen (1972 and again in 2000 to Prove We Still Could)

Blimey, that's going some in a week!!!

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200miles 136locks: Four Counties Ring, and Llangollen (1972 and again in 2000 to Prove We Still Could)

36 minutes ago, TheBiscuits said:

 

You're nearly due another proof on that one ...

2000:

Day

Destination start moor  time moving boats
Fri 28July Hassall Green 1430 2100  6h30m not counted
Sat 29July WilleyMoor Lock 0600 2145 15h45m 36
Sun 30July Llangollen 0555 2115 15h20m 80
Mon 31July WilleyMoor Lock 0610 1910 13h 52
Tue 1Aug Market Drayton 0610 2045 13h35m 53
Wed 2Aug Penkridge 0600 2015 14h15m 32
Thu 3Aug Trentham Lock 0630 1850 12h20m not counted
Fri 4Aug Etruria 0630 1000  3h30m not counted

 

From the log, starting at Etruria Friday afternoon and back there for the next Friday morning. As we were doing OK, there was a late lie-in on Thursday and Friday. Sadly a miscalculation on fuel had us doing the Stoke locks without an engine on the Friday morning, and we were behindhand by about that extra lie-in time. 🙂

 

On 20April from the 1972 trip as we were passing Oxley Marine waiting on the boatyard to visit to sort out a gearbox failed-into-forward:

 

L00230.jpg.c799c5f1f1c2688fb38c4f6e94df65b2.jpg

Sadly, there are many ways of sinking a boat. Even worse when it's a new boat. Having seen this happen to the unfortunate Aquarius (original colourslide has name in full), I wandered across the road bridge and into the yard for another photo, and they weren't wholly welcoming ...

L00231.jpg.7efce86a2a65409b78ae323f599cc15e.jpg

The straps were very close together and the bows were turned / blown at the last moment and were lowered onto the wharf edge, the back went down and the engineroom filled with water... The current occupants of the site (Oxley Marine between Autherley and Aldersley Junctions, S&W) don't have any memory of the people or boat involved or whether the boat had a successful career in hiring thereafter. Aquarius is a popular name, and it might have been changed on the boat, if it survives. There are seven boats listed as made by "Gregory Cnl Cruisers" eg Hideaway  ...

 

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  • 2 weeks later...

We did a fair few 'extensive' routes in the 1990s at Easter, mostly involving 70' hire boats. We ran one of Middlewich boats out of diesel after having covered the Llangollen, down to Birmingham for a run around the BCN and back and then up to Ellesmere Port (ran out at Chester).

 

The most intensive weekend was probably the one involving the Wolverhampton 84, having hired from Aldersley and the gearbox failing part way up the Wyrley & Essington so having to take the boat back and get a different one. There were a lot more locks involved in that weekend too, including Walsall and Ryder's Green, and possibly Tipton too so we may well have broken the hundred.

 

This summer we had a week's hire (before we bought Oates) and went round the Four Counties with a side trip up the Caldon, which gives you the 100 locks. We were with a second boat that met us at the bottom of Audlem. Four adults and five children (aged 7, 10, 10, 12 and 13) between the two boats; overall trip was:

 

Day 1: picked up at 1.30pm from Norbury and travelled to the top of Audlem.

Day 2: to Booth Lane top lock on the T&M, including a 2hr wait at Hack Green.

Day 3: to Hanley Park on the Caldon - this was a harder day than expected, with the locks being busy and a lot of the paired locks being out of action. It didn't help that we had a booked passage through Harecastle at 4pm which we thought we had an hour in hand for but we only made it with 5mins to spare.

Day 4: to Consall Forge and then back to Hazelhurst. We missed out the Leek branch due to a stoppage at a lift bridge which held us up for an hour.

Day 5: halfway down the Meaford flight (long enough gap for two boats) on the outskirts of Stone. A fairly relaxed run including a late start to go and look at the fantastic elm tree near Hazelhurst and stopping for lunch in Hanley Park.

Day 6: to Shutt Hill Lock on the S&W, including a 2hr stop for a pub lunch with relatives of my wife who live in the area.

Day 7: to Gnosall. The slowest day, with it taking 5hrs to get to from Shutt Hill to Gailey Wharf due to traffic through Penkridge. The two boats got separated due to people pulling out between them; the first boat lock crew ended up working three boats ahead of our first boat, plus our boat, plus two boats behind and then our second boat through the most of the locks - does that count as 6 locks or 42?

Day 8: a gentle run back to Norbury - well it would have been but the engine wouldn't start on the second boat so it was later than planned and towing was required. Still made it back in time though.

 

With a single boat, this would be a very pleasant trip with plenty of locks. I do prefer it when there are leaves on the trees though, so maybe not March.

 

Having done the Avon ring, from experience I suggest going from Wootton Wawen or Worcester, and doing the rivers first. That way, if they end up in flood you are not stuck.

 

Alec

Edited by agg221
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I once did 107 in a weekend (ish) - picked up an Anglo-Welsh hire boat at Wooton Wawen Friday afternoon, up to Kingswood (before the cut through was open so up lock 21 and down lock 20) - Knowle, Camp Hill, Ashted, Aston, Garrison, Ashted again, Farmers Bridge and then down Lapworth back to Wooton Wawen by Monday morning. 

 

ISTR my greatest number of locks single handed in one day is 27, all narrow. I found Ripple, nearly full length, hard work solo in wide locks. Lutine was a breeze on the K&A, where a dozen or more a day was common - I think the shorter length made a difference (45 feet) 

Edited by magpie patrick
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