Boats jammed in bridge hole

[MartinClark]

I'm not completely sure, but I think it was here on CWF that someone posted photos of two boats jammed in a bridge on the Grand Union (a hire boat and a hotel boat).

 

I have looked and looked but cannot find the thread anywhere. Maybe I was imagining it or I saw the photos somewhere else.

 

Can anyone help me out here? Where did I see the photos?

[Chris J W]

Is this the one you're thinking of

 

 

From NBW http://www.narrowboatworld.com/S1_brian.html

 

(as of 25/09/08)

[churchward]

I saw a similar incident on the North Oxford a fortnight ago. Two hire boats had jammed together at bridge 55 I think ( a viaduct) going through Rugby. It took a whiole and several people pushing, pulling and rocking to free them.

[MartinClark]

Is this the one you're thinking of

 

Thank you, Chris. That's the one! I just couldn't remember where I'd seen it.

 

I thought there was also another photo there, taken from the other side of the bridge?

Edited September 25, 2008 by MartinClark

[PeterF]

Many years ago on the Trent and Mersey downstream from Burton we spent many hours while two boats were removed from a bridge hole at the bottom of one of the locks. SOmeone said that the locks were wide enough for 2 x narrowboats but the bridge holes were slightly narrower than the lock and the boats have to leave one at a time. Not sure if this was true or not, but they were old boats that had spread.

[Chris J W]

Thank you, Chris. That's the one! I just couldn't remember where I'd seen it.

 

I thought there was also another photo there, taken from the other side of the bridge?

 

The "other side" photo does ring a bell, and I think it's on NBW somewhere, too.

 

As much as I loathe their site, I do wish they'd make it easier to index and search for things.

[twocvbloke]

Is this the one you're thinking of

 

 

From NBW http://www.narrowboatworld.com/S1_brian.html

 

(as of 25/09/08)

 

I wonder who claimed responsibility?

[carlt]

And where's Duchess??

[Liam]

The website states...

 

Each boat must have been going at a bit of a lick to become so tightly wedged. And the hotel boat must have had a kick up the stern from the following butty.

 

So I'm guessing it was pulled back out of the way and moored up whilst they had the fun and games freeing themselves!

 

Now, who's in the wrong? The hire boat for not giving way to a pair of boats, one towing the other, or the Hotel boats for not giving way to somebody on the offside?

 

Discuss

[alan_fincher]

Now, who's in the wrong? The hire boat for not giving way to a pair of boats, one towing the other, or the Hotel boats for not giving way to somebody on the offside?

 

Discuss

Well the (fairly long) hotel boat is most of the way through the bridge, whereas the Wyvern boat is barely under it.

 

But then the hotel boat should have had an experienced steerer, and the hire boat maybe not.

 

As it's clearly the cabin of the hire boat that's jammed, rather than the hull, they obviously didn't judge the shape of the arch before going for such a challenge. I wonder what Wyvern made of the resulting damage.

[carlt]

I was at our mooring, one day when Ivor Batchelor was going through the bridgehole, while a hireboat waited patiently.

 

Once Mountbatten was through the hire boat gunned the motor and set off, seemingly oblivious to Ivor's butty, Jellicoe, that was only halfway through.

 

The ensuing chaos was most entertaining, as Ivor's face turned unfesibly purple, with rage, while the boats were unwedged.

Edited September 26, 2008 by carlt

[AMModels]

I was at our mooring, one day when Ivor Batchelor was going through the bridgehole, while a hireboat waited patiently.

 

Once Mountbatten was through the hire boat gunned the motor and set off, seemingly oblivious to Ivor's butty, Jellicoe, that was only halfway through.

 

The ensuing chaos was most entertaining, as Ivor's face turned unfesibly purple, with rage, while the boats were unwedged.

Knowing Ivor there is no such thing as unfeasibly purple when raging lol.

[kiki]

We were sitting at the Crossed Keys pub at Penkridge last saturday, waiting for our friends to catch us up, and watched with interest as a hotel boat (double) approached a bridge. A 40' boat which certainly had some way to go simply refused to give way. The poor hotel boat had to reverse, tie up and allow this silly pair (well she was wearing a very silly hat and an even sillier expression) calmly sat there, waited for them to tie up and then majestically cruised through.

It was a bit like a yacht thinking that power always gives way to steam so that 450,000 ton oil tanker is going to change course for him. Bit stuiped really, don't care what the rules are, common sense should always rule.

Edited September 26, 2008 by kiki

[tony collins]

Knowing Ivor there is no such thing as unfeasibly purple when raging lol.

 

Yes with his beard you'd be hard pushed to see the colour of his face anyway!

 

Tony

[carlt]

Yes with his beard you'd be hard pushed to see the colour of his face anyway!

 

Tony

It was glowing, under the beard and the hair was beginning to singe.

Edited September 26, 2008 by carlt

[Dominic M]

It was glowing, under the beard and the hair was beginning to singe.

Are you talking about the quiet, mild mannered, unassuming, ascetic Ivor B? I barely recognise him from your descriptions

[DHutch]

Once Mountbatten was through the hire boat gunned the motor and set off, seemingly oblivious to Ivor's butty, Jellicoe, that was only halfway through.

Yeah.

- I get plenty of storys from the Fullers about the number of boats failing to get to grips with the concept of Ilford being a number of feet behind Azalea, crucially, with a line between them. Apprently there was a good one on the way back from Shackerstone at the narrows at Rugeley.

 

 

Daniel

[tidal]

Without wishing to upset the traditionalists here, might I point out that at sea, there are a number of clear daylight markers which indicate that a vessel is engaged in towing activities.

 

Would it not be possible for a simplistic version of such an arrangement to be displayed on the bows of the motor and on the stern of the butty?

 

Or do such things already exist?

 

I know you shouldn't have to but with minimal outlay and a little publicity it might help prevent some of the incidents and help educate those who may not have ever seen a pair.

 

*awaits cyber keelhauling from pair boat owners *

[twocvbloke]

Without wishing to upset the traditionalists here, might I point out that at sea, there are a number of clear daylight markers which indicate that a vessel is engaged in towing activities.

 

Would it not be possible for a simplistic version of such an arrangement to be displayed on the bows of the motor and on the stern of the butty?

 

Or do such things already exist?

 

I know you shouldn't have to but with minimal outlay and a little publicity it might help prevent some of the incidents and help educate those who may not have ever seen a pair.

 

*awaits cyber keelhauling from pair boat owners *

 

How about a "Butty on Tow" sign?

[saltysplash]

Without wishing to upset the traditionalists here, might I point out that at sea, there are a number of clear daylight markers which indicate that a vessel is engaged in towing activities.

 

Would it not be possible for a simplistic version of such an arrangement to be displayed on the bows of the motor and on the stern of the butty?

 

Or do such things already exist?

 

I know you shouldn't have to but with minimal outlay and a little publicity it might help prevent some of the incidents and help educate those who may not have ever seen a pair.

 

*awaits cyber keelhauling from pair boat owners *

 

 

Yaah shipmate, but as well we know, when crossing the channel we is listening to CH16 for the coast guard shipping warnings and a tug and tow can have a tow of nearly quarter of a mile....whereas, on yon still waters...if i see a Motor coming towards me.....either unconverted or converted....it dont take much to see a line going from her stern to the butty.

 

It still all comes down to 'raise your vision' and look for the expected and unexpected

[MartinClark]

How about a "Butty on Tow" sign?

 

After the ensuing collision:

Working boat steerer: "Didn't you see my sign saying Butty on Tow?"

Hire boat steerer: "Well, I did, but I thought it meant you'd dropped yer sandwich!"

 

[Hairy-Neil]

Without wishing to upset the traditionalists here, might I point out that at sea, there are a number of clear daylight markers which indicate that a vessel is engaged in towing activities.

 

I've seen fishing boats crossing the Caledonian Canal, carrying the clear daylight markers indicating they were trawling at the time.....

[carlt]

How about a "Butty on Tow" sign?

I used to display a "Towing, please give way" sign in front of the cratch board but once I got the "We don't have to effing give way to effing work boats anymore." tirade (I always gave way, where possible, to quicker boats but bridgeholes are tricky, with a tow) I put the sign on the burner.

[ditchcrawler]

I used to display a "Towing, please give way" sign in front of the cratch board but once I got the "We don't have to effing give way to effing work boats anymore." tirade (I always gave way, where possible, to quicker boats but bridgeholes are tricky, with a tow) I put the sign on the burner.

I noticed that some of the commercial boats when towing use an amber flashing light.

I usually give way to every one the same as when I drive round the lanes around here. Its quicker in the long run.

 

It still all comes down to 'raise your vision' and look for the expected and unexpected

But people don't look, Thats why locks get turned in your face. on bends people don't ever look across the apex etc.