Road transport for narrowboat - Cheshire > Cambridgeshire

[wizemoves]

We're purchasing a boat from near Macclesfield, and would like to get it moved (by road) to the Ely / Cambridge area. Does anyone on here have any recommendations for companies they've used for this, and a rough idea of price? I'm hoping that the boat will already be out of the water at this point as the survey is being done but we may need to factor this into the cost. 

 

The nb is 67ft if that helps! 

Edited November 20, 2025 by wizemoves

[Alan de Enfield]

1 hour ago, wizemoves said:

I'm hoping that the boat will already be out of the water at this point as the survey is being done but we may need to factor this into the cost.

 

Even if it is out of the water. you will still need a crane or mobile hoist to lift it off the ground and up to a height where a truck can reverse under it.

 

I'd budget for between £500 and £1000 to do this, and of course you'll need a crane at the ther end.

 

We had our boat moved 210 miles (it was a 36 foot length widebeam tho) and it was £2500 + crane/hoist at each end.

 

 

[Lady M]

Can I suggest you check out the practicalities of CC-ing in the Ely/Cambridge area before moving (or even buying) the boat.  

[PaulJ]

Ray Bowern for road transport (www.bargemovers.com)

Westview Marina for crane in (01487 840089)

Give them a ring in the morning- they will give you a price straight away- used them both many times.
 

 

Edited November 19, 2025 by PaulJ

[MtB]

25 minutes ago, Alan de Enfield said:

 

Even if it is out of the water. you will still need a crane or mobile hoist to lift it off the ground and up to a height where a truck can reverse under it.

 

I'd budget for between £500 and £1000 to do this, and of course you'll need a crane at the ther end.

 

We had our boat moved 210 miles (it was a 36 foot length widebeam tho) and it was £2500 + crane/hoist at each end.

 

 

 

About 12 years ago I had my (68ft) boat moved by Barry Tuckey. It cost £1800 including his crane and one end but not the other.

 

He said it was the same price regardless of the distance as it still tied up the lorry for a day. 

 

 

 

 

[ditchcrawler]

This may be useful for putting it back in, as for CCing it EA waters Crane Services - Westview Marina & Leisure Park

[Lady M]

I hope the OP understands that CC-ing is not an arrangement offered on EA waters.  

[Tony Brooks]

2 minutes ago, Lady M said:

I hope the OP understands that CC-ing is not an arrangement offered on EA waters.  

 

Indeed, I have no idea about the Cambridgeshire waterways, but the Thames only allows cost free 24 hour mooring on EA sites, and everything above that needs paying for or moving on. Also, mooring to other land is in the gift of the landowner and there is usually a fee levied, this was      between about £5 and £20 a night. The moorings where the landowner does not collect fees or ban mooring outright seem to be full of continuous moorers these days.

 

Then we have the River Wey where you either have a short term licence or have to have a home mooring, so CCing as on canals is not an option.

 

If the EA regulations for the Fens is anything like those for the EA Thames, then CCing may be very difficult or impossible. There will still be riparian landowners either banning mooring or making a charge for it. I think the OP needs to do, or have done, some diligent research into the local situation.

[pearley]

20 minutes ago, Lady M said:

I hope the OP understands that CC-ing is not an arrangement offered on EA waters.  

 

7 minutes ago, Tony Brooks said:

 

If the EA regulations for the Fens is anything like those for the EA Thames, then CCing may be very difficult or impossible. There will still be riparian landowners either banning mooring or making a charge for it. I think the OP needs to do, or have done, some diligent research into the local situation.

There are a number of boaters CCing on the Great Ouse, mainly on the Ely section. Both the EA and GOBA moorings and the Council ones at Ely are 48 hours. There is some overstaying but it's never impacted us when we've cruised down river.

CCing above Hermitage is more difficult due to flooding but there are still some that managed it. The Waits at St Ives is particularly popular as there is plenty of wall for a boat to rise up and down with the levels, easy shopping and a water tap.

[GUMPY]

CC on a river in winter 😂😂😂😂

[PaulJ]

1 hour ago, pearley said:

 

There are a number of boaters CCing on the Great Ouse, mainly on the Ely section. Both the EA and GOBA moorings and the Council ones at Ely are 48 hours. There is some overstaying but it's never impacted us when we've cruised down river.

 

Its a big empty River- especially wintertime. Loads of space.

It wouldnt suit me to try to CC but if you never really leave the boat and use a bit of common sense, are respectful and dont take the p etc then no one really notices or cares.

Downham Market being a great example of how Not to..

35 minutes ago, GUMPY said:

CC on a river in winter 😂😂😂😂

If Rivers were rated like Films then the Ely Ouse would possibly be the only River in the country as suitable for Toddlers in winter 😀

[wizemoves]

Thanks for the helpful advice, some of you! We will look into those suggested. 

 

For information, we are not planning on CCing over winter, or in the area really. We have a mooring there that we are bringing the boat to. Our plan is to begin CCing closer to the summer, heading towards Northampton. 

[ditchcrawler]

15 minutes ago, wizemoves said:

Thanks for the helpful advice, some of you! We will look into those suggested. 

 

For information, we are not planning on CCing over winter, or in the area really. We have a mooring there that we are bringing the boat to. Our plan is to begin CCing closer to the summer, heading towards Northampton. 

Can your mooring do the lift in for you 

[GUMPY]

2 hours ago, PaulJ said:

If Rivers were rated like Films then the Ely Ouse would possibly be the only River in the country as suitable for Toddlers in winter 😀

Even that has been known to rise and fall.....

Although to be fair it's usually fall and rise as the EA used to dump water seaward to allow for the water coming down.

And the Nene and Grt Ouse  would be X rated.

Do they still turn the locks on the Gt Ouse as they do on the Nene? 

 

Ringstead lock after a short period of rain in 2023😱

 

 

Edited November 20, 2025 by GUMPY
Added 2nd vid

[PaulJ]

11 minutes ago, GUMPY said:

Even that has been known to rise and fall.....

Although to be fair it's usually fall and rise as the EA used to dump water seaward to allow for the water coming down.

And the Nene and Grt Ouse  would be X rated.

Do they still turn the locks on the Gt Ouse as they do on the Nene? 

 

Ringstead lock after a short period of rain in 2023😱

 

 

Yep- certainly do,  although personally I would rate the Nene as a XXX- Ive been caught and stuck in floods on many Rivers but the Nene remains my No 1 for both frequency and speed of it happening!

 

 

[pearley]

21 minutes ago, GUMPY said:

Even that has been known to rise and fall.....

Although to be fair it's usually fall and rise as the EA used to dump water seaward to allow for the water coming down.

And the Nene and Grt Ouse  would be X rated.

Do they still turn the locks on the Gt Ouse as they do on the Nene? 

To be fair Paul J did say the Ely Ouse is suited for Toddlers. And so it is for most of the year. The Bedford Ouse is a different matter. I've been caught away from base a few times and even in Caution/Amber it is a tricky river.

 

And yes, they do still turn the locks. Caused a lot of problems last spring from the amount of silt deposited in the channel below the locks.

[GUMPY]

It's always puzzled me as to why it's still called the Ely Ouse rather than the River Cam

Along with the Old West it was the original course of the river however the majority of the water from the Gt Ouse (Bedford) doesn't flow down to Ely and hasn't done for the best part of 400 years.

 

 

[pearley]

3 hours ago, GUMPY said:

It's always puzzled me as to why it's still called the Ely Ouse rather than the River Cam

Along with the Old West it was the original course of the river however the majority of the water from the Gt Ouse (Bedford) doesn't flow down to Ely and hasn't done for the best part of 400 years.

 

 

I have read there is a group looking to rename it as the Cam.

 

Although whilst the Cam has all the characteristics of a river, the Ely Ouse looks like a wide drainage channel. Very few bends of any consequence except in Ely.

Edited November 20, 2025 by pearley

[GUMPY]

Anything north of Ely or Earith is exactly that, a drainage channel.

What fascinates me is that 400 years ago they planned all that lot, built most of it*  and it all works just as it was supposed to. 

 

*  Cut-off Channel and the Relief Channel were only built in the 1950-60s but to pretty much the original design.

Edited November 20, 2025 by GUMPY

[Scholar Gypsy]

On 20/11/2025 at 14:24, pearley said:

I have read there is a group looking to rename it as the Cam.

 

Although whilst the Cam has all the characteristics of a river, the Ely Ouse looks like a wide drainage channel. Very few bends of any consequence except in Ely.

And even the route of the river through Ely is manmade - it was diverted to enable delivery of the stone to build the cathedral ...

Another vote for Tuckeys and Westview.