Silver Propeller/Sword Adventures. Achievements Experiences & Suggestions for listing or delisting!

[oboat]

Just thinking that a few pic's related to the IWA Silver Sword or Prop could be interesting for potential explorers. 
A particular blogger has reported that the EA have advised that certain locations are not accessible yet they are and have been.

My recent "Where am I" is one such location (unfortunately betwixt sword and prop). Ironically it is also a potential component in what was termed the Fens Waterway link, so its promotion as a navigation has a potential national significance.

 

This location also falls into the EA "yes you can navigate but not today (insert reason)"
The navigation was extremely well used in the past and is surprisingly attractive however it was and still is somewhat compromised by a low headroom bridge.

Edited June 5, 2023 by oboat

[Neil TNC]

The old Four Mile Bar footbridge on the River Welland? I  thought that EA have put in a new single span curvey footbridge of a more navigable height?

[oboat]

On 05/06/2023 at 15:32, oboat said:

Just thinking that a few pic's related to the IWA Silver Sword or Prop could be interesting for potential explorers. 
A particular blogger has reported that the EA have advised that certain locations are not accessible yet they are and have been.

My recent "Where am I" is one such location (unfortunately betwixt sword and prop). Ironically it is also a potential component in what was termed the Fens Waterway link, so its promotion as a navigation has a potential national significance.

 

This location also falls into the EA "yes you can navigate but not today (insert reason)"
The navigation was extremely well used in the past and is surprisingly attractive however it was and still is somewhat compromised by a low headroom bridge.

 

Not the Welland. This is looking back to the entry to the navigation.  

 

 

[howardang]

6 minutes ago, oboat said:

 

Not the Welland. This is looking back to the entry to the navigation.  

 

 

Not the  Welland Canal I know.

 

Howard

[Neil TNC]

Old Bedford Sluice at Salters Lode. I don't remember the bridge being so narrow, should have, as on an explo a few days before I hung over the edge with the long shaft, testing the  water depth. I think Paul still remembers the hairy time we had getting through!

[oboat]

6 hours ago, Neil TNC said:

Old Bedford Sluice at Salters Lode. I don't remember the bridge being so narrow, should have, as on an explo a few days before I hung over the edge with the long shaft, testing the  water depth. I think Paul still remembers the hairy time we had getting through!

 

You may be interested in this blog of our trip.

 

https://www.braggaboutlife.com/uk-waterways/old-bedford-river-cruise-aug-18

[Neil TNC]

Makes sad reading. Do you know how many other boats made it through Welches Dam lock, between our passage in 2001 and when it was stanked off?

[Neil TNC]

The Lancaster Canal has two Silver Propeller points, these are easy to get once there, the difficult place to get to on the Lancaster Canal is Glasson Basin.  2 narrowboats have got down the locks and back this year, with great difficulty, 2 locks are patched up with plastic, take eternity to fill and weed unmanaged. It is now shut, unlikely to reopen this year, or at all. The locals never go down there, it is usually the visiting narrowboats that attempt the passage.

[oboat]

6 hours ago, Neil TNC said:

The Lancaster Canal has two Silver Propeller points, these are easy to get once there, the difficult place to get to on the Lancaster Canal is Glasson Basin.  2 narrowboats have got down the locks and back this year, with great difficulty, 2 locks are patched up with plastic, take eternity to fill and weed unmanaged. It is now shut, unlikely to reopen this year, or at all. The locals never go down there, it is usually the visiting narrowboats that attempt the passage.

 

Went down in Aus 2019 No problems.

Well worth the trip, I was surprised just how much open water is in the basin.

This is or should be a destination for all.

[oboat]

9 hours ago, oboat said:

 

Went down in Aus 2019 No problems.

Well worth the trip, I was surprised just how much open water is in the basin.

This is or should be a destination for all.

 

[oboat]

13 hours ago, oboat said:

 

The area was very popular for local non-boating visitors. It sounds very much the case that the arm needs an annual boating event at the end. 

As I recall it has plenty of open space for both boats and waterside events. 

[The Black Jack]

On 09/06/2023 at 23:26, oboat said:

 

Went down in Aus 2019 No problems.

Well worth the trip, I was surprised just how much open water is in the basin.

This is or should be a destination for all.

 

I have been considering hiring on the Lancaster Canal but a couple of hire companies I checked out make it clear that hirers must not go down the Glasson Branch locks! Why would this be?

[David Mack]

10 minutes ago, Mike A R Powell said:

I have been considering hiring on the Lancaster Canal but a couple of hire companies I checked out make it clear that hirers must not go down the Glasson Branch locks! Why would this be?

A few years ago we joined friends for the day on their Lancaster Canal hire boat. We met them at Glasson Basin and worked up the flight before doing a bit of the main line. I assume they were allowed to use the locks - John wasn't the sort of person to break rules.

[PeterScott]

 

 

Glasson Dock is not for the fainthearted, of course.

Pic 10 August 2023.

 

 

 

 

Glasson Basin is well populated with boats including some narrowboats which have used the locks ...

 

1 hour ago, Mike A R Powell said:

I have been considering hiring on the Lancaster Canal but a couple of hire companies I checked out make it clear that hirers must not go down the Glasson Branch locks! Why would this be?

 

and being the only locks on the Lancaster C, hire companies may not be keen to give their new crews any instruction on use of locks ?? Lancaster Link locks only seem to be be used as part of the transit from the L+L ??

 

[TheBiscuits]

3 minutes ago, PeterScott said:

being the only locks on the Lancaster C, hire companies may not be keen to give their new crews any instruction on use of locks ??

 

There's a cheaper hire boat business licence option that doesn't allow locks to be used.  And 40 miles or so of lock free cruising on the Lancaster Canal ...

 

I suspect this has quite a lot more to do with it than instruction difficulties!

 

 

 

We really like the Glasson Arm, but a CRT bod told me that the top lock gets four times as many cycles as the bottom lock - a lot of boats drop just one or two locks then go back rather than continue down to the basin.

[The Black Jack]

Thanks for this information. I will speak to hire companies to clarify.

[john6767]

We went down to Glasson Basin in the summer of 2019, the locks were a bit rubbish due to the odd paddle gear that is used (the same as some of the Rufford Branch), but they all worked.  
 

The Glasson Branch also seems to suffer a lot from vandalism, draining the pounds.  CRT were there refilling when we came back up.  The issue seems to be as you don’t need a windlass, and there are only locks on the top paddles, it needs the level in the lock to be dropped so the scrotes can not get the top gates open.

 

When we were in the basin a hire boat did come down the locks, had a wiz round the basin and then went back up.

[Tracy D'arth]

Perhaps they don't want their boats out into salt water?

[oboat]

On 09/11/2023 at 09:25, Tracy D'arth said:

Perhaps they don't want their boats out into salt water?

What salt water!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

It's a delightful trip down and back and the locks make an interesting variation to an otherwise boring level.

 

 

On 08/11/2023 at 19:25, Mike A R Powell said:

I have been considering hiring on the Lancaster Canal but a couple of hire companies I checked out make it clear that hirers must not go down the Glasson Branch locks! Why would this be?

You need to ask them why.
Should be no problem, this is one of the more interesting locations on the canal.

24 minutes ago, oboat said:

What salt water!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

It's a delightful trip down and back and the locks make an interesting variation to an otherwise boring level.

 

 

You need to ask them why.
Should be no problem, this is one of the more interesting locations on the canal.

 

24 minutes ago, oboat said:

What salt water!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

It's a delightful trip down and back and the locks make an interesting variation to an otherwise boring level.

 

 

You need to ask them why.
Should be no problem, this is one of the more interesting locations on the canal.

 

24 minutes ago, oboat said:

What salt water!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

It's a delightful trip down and back and the locks make an interesting variation to an otherwise boring level.

 

 

You need to ask them why.
Should be no problem, this is one of the more interesting locations on the canal.

 

25 minutes ago, oboat said:

What salt water!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

It's a delightful trip down and back and the locks make an interesting variation to an otherwise boring level.

 

 

You need to ask them why.
Should be no problem, this is one of the more interesting locations on the canal.

 

On 08/11/2023 at 20:42, PeterScott said:

 

 

Glasson Dock is not for the fainthearted, of course.

Pic 10 August 2023.

 

 

 

 

Glasson Basin is well populated with boats including some narrowboats which have used the locks ...

 

 

and being the only locks on the Lancaster C, hire companies may not be keen to give their new crews any instruction on use of locks ?? Lancaster Link locks only seem to be be used as part of the transit from the L+L ??

 

No need to go through the Sea Lock unless you are intending to go to Liverpool or the Isle of Man. LoL