Self drive Standedge experiences

[PeterF]

I have booked tunnel passage in the summer and mentioned this to someone where I moor and immediately had 2 boats tell of bad damage, front roof corner being bent on one and tiller coming off on another. I know boater's tales can be like fisherman's at time. As we have just repainted I was told I should avoid it.

 

I have searched the forum and recognise that there are mixed experiences of being towed, some people report no damage others report some scrapes.

 

I was wondering if anyone who took their boats through in the self drive tests have any experiences to relate and if the self drive is more or less likely to cause damage. btw our boat is 55ft fairly standard modern cruiser stern nb but it does have flatter oof and less tumblehone than some but is OK vs the table of BWB dimensions.

 

 

Cheers,

 

Peter.

[The Wanderer]

Hi Pete,

 

I was talking to a chap in Uppermill who has a narrowboat last week about passage through the tunnel. He said its better driving through yourself as when they towed boats through they were lose so recieved some damage. He also said that BW have carried out work inside the tunnel during the winter chipping off the the sides of the tunnel causing the damage.

 

Apparently the chap who runs the trip boat in Uppermill was the first self piloted boat through and has been through a few times since. may be worth speaking to him if you're coming through from that side. BW staff come with you but you pilot your own boat.

 

The entrance looks small from the towpath.

 

Good luck

[PeterScott]

I was wondering if anyone who took their boats through in the self drive tests have any experiences to relate and if the self drive is more or less likely to cause damage.

 

Here we are emerging from Marsden portal in Oct 2008

Can see we scraped the red handrail a bit - but then that's easy to do in any tunnel: also see the BW-provoded wide-beam light - which is the only light you can usefully see in some of the lower bits; and the BW-provided sheeting to protect the front corners. Steerer and 'chaperone' wearing hard hats - also much needed in low bits. We are very close to the max quoted profile, so one of the more difficult boats to go through.

 

We did three trips last year and have at least one planned in 2009. Sitting on the front *without* the tug in front is a magical experience: much to be recommended - even if the paintbrush is need afterwards.

 

Speaking with BW on Friday evening, after the first day of operations under the new 2009 guidelines: all went well they thought, so I recommend giving it a go!

[PeterF]

Peter, Thanks.

[Mac of Cygnet]

Cygnet was driven through last September by Fred, who normally drove the electric tug. Apart from one rather bad bump on what looked like a lump of metal sticking out of the wall, which I at the front door could see but Fred obviously didn't, there were few problems, apart from having to stop at all the adits, and then wait for the convoy behind to catch up. I would hope that individual boats, driven by the people who are used to the boat, wouldn't need to take so long.

 

I was given much less protective covering than the previous year, and had to sign an extra discalaimer regarding possible damage. I did take the precaution of extra padding on my top front corners, but in the event this area wasn't touched.

 

At the moment, it's a toss-up whether I go south via the Huddersfield Narrow or the Trent this year. Did BW give any indication whether advance bookings were filling - I normally leave it until just a few days before.

 

Mac

[PeterScott]

Did BW give any indication whether advance bookings were filling - I normally leave it until just a few days before.

 

Yes we're intending to do the same. Might be worth ringing a coupe of weeks ahead of setting off to ask how the vacancies are filling.

[AlanH]

I have booked tunnel passage in the summer and mentioned this to someone where I moor and immediately had 2 boats tell of bad damage, front roof corner being bent on one and tiller coming off on another. I know boater's tales can be like fisherman's at time. As we have just repainted I was told I should avoid it.

 

I have searched the forum and recognise that there are mixed experiences of being towed, some people report no damage others report some scrapes.

 

I was wondering if anyone who took their boats through in the self drive tests have any experiences to relate and if the self drive is more or less likely to cause damage. btw our boat is 55ft fairly standard modern cruiser stern nb but it does have flatter oof and less tumblehone than some but is OK vs the table of BWB dimensions.

 

 

Cheers,

 

Peter.

The tunnel is very tight in places and very long. Having been towed through it I think I would find it very difficult to maintain enough concentration to avoid the hazards for an hour and three quarters. I have enough trouble going through Harecastle which is much wider and shorter. There is little doubt that you will incur some damage.

[Mac of Cygnet]

Just to add an up to date note to this topic. I drove Cygnet through Standedge Tunnel this morning, and despite saying a couple of years ago that I wouldn't like to drive through myself, found it not nearly so stressful as expected, not least because of Fred Carter's expert guidance. He is really quite a smooth operator. (I had already been towed through twice, and driven through by Fred last year).

 

There is now no protection given to boats, and I used my own tunnel light, which was quite adequate. It took an hour and a half, with no more scrapes than one would aquire in any other long tunnel or indeed on a long lock flight. A 'shadow' drove along the parallel tunnel, meeting at the emergency adits, but we didn't stop at any point.

 

The plan is to install a communications wire along the tunnel (like an induction loop in concert halls?), and allow boaters to navigate the tunnel themselves, without a chaperone or shadow, but I must say that Fred's guidance probably minimised any contact made, and gave me the confidence to drive at the speed I did.

 

Mac

 

BTW, a horseboat is to be legged through the tunnel this Saturday - I must say I don't envy them, given the extremely uneven nature of the unlined sections.