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Tunnel Capers


john4647

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Arrived back home yesterday in Worsley after bringing the boat back from Brentford. Very pleasant uneventful 3 week trip until we reached Preston Brook tunnel on the T&M. We had progressed through the timed Saltersford tunnel and knowing it was not easy to make the 'On The Hour, until Ten Past' time slot for the Preston Brook tunnel, we cruised slowly to the South Portal entrance. Waited for 20 minutes or so until 11.00 am then began our progress through. After about 5 minutes I noticed what appeared to be light coming towards us. "Don't be silly, can't be", I was told. Another minute confirmed it was actually a boat. I thought that it was possibly a BW or Bridgewater inspection team. It wasn't and approx halfway through we met another Narrow Boat head on, both stopped by this time. No words were exchanged as the other boat attempted to reverse out. I have been boating for quite a number of years and still find it difficult to reverse in a straight line, however this other guy was much worse and 'crabbed' his boat at something approaching max revs with his stern on one wall and his bow roof making sparks on the brickwork of the other wall. After a few minutes the tunnel was full of burning rubber from his front and rear fenders but he did make it out of the tunnel after 15 minutes or so. On exiting the tunnel (backwards) he managed to find a very reedy bank to settle in. A group of other interested boaters had gathered at the tunnel exit to monitor our progress and as we came out, one commented " bet you never experienced that before". Too true. The boat in the reeds was in a sorry state, the front top handrail was crushed, there were bricks on the roof and his rubber fenders were both shredded. Bet he has a difficult time in explaining that to Black Prince.

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The same thing happened to me but before there was any organised priorities, I feel a bit stupid admitting to it now but it is surprisingly easy to do, the tunnel not only winds around a fair amount but it also varies in width so a boat can easily become hidden from another approaching boat.. I my case though I met the other boat dead in the middle of the tunnel, as the other chap was not at all confident about reversing out I offered to do the 'right' thing, I scratched my cabin quite badly and 200 years of soot settled everywhere.

 

Only when I was out into the daylight did I realise that it was a hire boat, I was a bit miffed about that.

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The same thing happened to me but before there was any organised priorities, I feel a bit stupid admitting to it now but it is surprisingly easy to do, the tunnel not only winds around a fair amount but it also varies in width so a boat can easily become hidden from another approaching boat.. I my case though I met the other boat dead in the middle of the tunnel, as the other chap was not at all confident about reversing out I offered to do the 'right' thing, I scratched my cabin quite badly and 200 years of soot settled everywhere.

 

Only when I was out into the daylight did I realise that it was a hire boat, I was a bit miffed about that.

I can only ask why? Ok it was a hire boat, with a crew not confident in reversing but it may well have been a private boat similar situation.

 

Would you rather a person, maybe out for the first time on a hirer boat, try reversing do major damage to the hirer boat, be put off boating for ever and never to return to the beauty of the canals?

 

Reversing a narrow boat is difficult for a novice practically impossible as no doubt the Black Prince boat can verify!! :lol:

Julie

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Hi,

He obviously new he was in the wrong so he reversed.

 

Did you exchange any words ????????

 

 

Patrick.

 

Not really, He did say sorry, so he knew he was in the wrong. I think the humiliation of having several other boaters in attendance was enough punishment.

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The traffic lights at Brewery gut at Reading work very well. Oh why don't BW install this system on tunnels?

Sue

 

Preston Brook tunnel had traffic lights installed after the tugs were withdrawn some time after WWII - as did Saltersford & probably Barnton. They had gone by the time I first came here in 1965, though some of the wooden fendering for the operating arms was still in place.

 

Tim

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I can only ask why? Ok it was a hire boat, with a crew not confident in reversing but it may well have been a private boat similar situation.

 

Would you rather a person, maybe out for the first time on a hirer boat, try reversing do major damage to the hirer boat, be put off boating for ever and never to return to the beauty of the canals?

 

Reversing a narrow boat is difficult for a novice practically impossible as no doubt the Black Prince boat can verify!! :lol:

Julie

 

 

Hi Julie.

 

If it was a private boat I would have been quite happy for a toss of coin to decide, hire boat company's are to some extent set up and anticipate a bit of minor damage.. It is unlikely that that chap would be put off "returning to the beauty of the canals" in fact he probably quite enjoyed his little adventure in a tunnel, and no doubt talks about it to this day as I do.

 

Reversing in a narrow tunnel is very different to doing the same manoeuvre elsewhere, you simply engage reverse and guide the boat out by 'walking' along the walls with your hands, it's only that 200 years of soot that gets in your way, it was a case of 'straight into the shower' and wash the boat when time allowed.

 

Oh yes, it was actually a small Chas Hardern boat.

Edited by John Orentas
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