Braunston tunnel

[the grinch]

tunnels are great big ones, small ones, slim ones, wide ones love them all! done so many trips i've lost count. taken pairs through Blisworth and Braunston as well as up the llangollen through chirk and ellesmere never had a problem even passed someone going the other way in the kink of braunston with a single motor! harecastle is my favourite, blisworth is boring and takes me about 25 mins to go through normally. only been through newbold at night (hardly a big tunnel) saddington at full chat with a woolwich is great for chasing bats!! only tunnel i haven't been through is gosty hill (just never got there)

 

wish i had a boat to go through them with now!!

Edited January 15, 2012 by hamsterfan

[I love narrow boats]

What was the name of the one between hatton and lapworth short enough but leaked like a sieve, good for the planters on the roof though.

[Pentargon]

Reading this takes me back,I use to live in Yardley Gobion and spent all my summers watching the working boats, I would occasionally blag a lift, we would also exchange banter with the Phipps boats (Barleycorn and Barleymow) as they made their way to stoke, on the way back they would throw us a soda I couldnt wait to have my first narrow experience, I hired from Weltonfield, by far the nicest hir boats in the early eighties. We set off with Hugh on our trial run, he took us through the tunnel which was really good, however just after entering the tunnel following a competent hirerer of another weltonfield lost the run of themselves prompting Hugh to race through the inside of our boat (to the amasement of my family) and board the other boat to take control of affairs (seriously inflating my ego). I have since owned a boat and have tackled the said Braunstone a few times, must say I loved that stretch as I love the system full stop, really miss the whole nine yards. Case of you really dont know what you have got till its gone...

 

Amazing co-incidence that this thread should be re-awakened just I am due to shoot Braunston from South to North (in the next ten days on my maiden voyage) and within 5miles of departure port. Probably mid-week and on local advice in late afternoon, (praying for sunshine to light up the exit from afar). ALL donations gratefully received as to how a total novice should proceed. I've already cut'n'pasted all the previous posts to this thread so I know what has been already said. Try to concentrate if possible on: THE WATERFALL 1/3 way in. Is that only after rain or all the time? The last thing I want in there is a sudden and unexpected cold shower. so should I wear an umbrella, a dry suit or just a wide grin on my silly chops?

[koukouvagia]

What was the name of the one between hatton and lapworth short enough but leaked like a sieve, good for the planters on the roof though.

 

Shrewley

[I love narrow boats]

I would advise a water proof jacket keep a good eye on the view forward and just dodge quickly to the opposite side of the boat, do you have a trad.

have you negotiated any other tunnels before, btw close any sky lights.

 

Shrewley

 

Shrewly, now that really brings back memories of a right soaking, anyone else suffered, ok ish in summer.

[Pentargon]

I would advise a water proof jacket keep a good eye on the view forward and just dodge quickly to the opposite side of the boat, do you have a trad. have you negotiated any other tunnels before, btw close any sky lights. Shrewly, now that really brings back memories of a right soaking, anyone else suffered, ok ish in summer.

 

Míle maith agat for the comments I Love Narrow Boats. Pentargon is a 36' Springer, basic as a Morris Minor, large cruiser stern. You can see her at www.pentargon.webs.com

[I love narrow boats]

Míle maith agat for the comments I Love Narrow Boats. Pentargon is a 36' Springer, basic as a Morris Minor, large cruiser stern. You can see her at www.pentargon.webs.com

[the grinch]

What was the name of the one between hatton and lapworth short enough but leaked like a sieve, good for the planters on the roof though.

 

no that's shrewley with its seperate horse tunnel, Newbold is similar length but on the north oxford just up from rugby.

[I love narrow boats]

Thank you very much too. A cruiser gives more room for tap dancing away from the drips, I loved the trad, no matter how cold the day the heat from my Russell Newbury was like being slowly toasted

Have fun and dont forget no matter how bad the day, its always fun compared to dry land( you will miss its when it no longer there)...

Edited January 15, 2012 by I love narrow boats

[the grinch]

I would advise a water proof jacket keep a good eye on the view forward and just dodge quickly to the opposite side of the boat, do you have a trad.

 

some of the tunnels you get wet no matter where you stand!!

[I love narrow boats]

some of the tunnels you get wet no matter where you stand!!

 

very true but as mentioned a small price to pay, rarely do you see a boater with a frown...

Edited January 15, 2012 by I love narrow boats

[The Pipe]

I've done it! Caught a boat about a 1/3 of the way into Wast Hills, it was on tickover and I kept having to drop into neutral to go slow enough. After about 10 minutes of this he was tight to the right so pass him I did, he must have been in there for hours.

 

Edited to add: Never had a problem with Braunston tunnel, it gets a bit busy, but that's boating. Braunston is always busy as are a number of other places. I think its something you'll get used to as you gain experience.

I must have met the same one there going towards Brum there is a fairly long straight before the tunnel and no boat in sight but caught him up about the same place so just went past him. Not possible at Haircastle and I would have ripped mine out if it was long enougth to get hold of it, one and threequarter hours behind a bleeding brick counter. I can remember when that tunnel had a tow path.

Edited January 15, 2012 by Jim Evans

[ditchcrawler]

Somewhere there was a picture of the tunnel in the early morning clearly showing that you could see from end to end.

 

That kink can't be very big if you can see right through.

I have taken photos showing the light all the way through

 

Photo looking back at Braunston tunnel from the southern end http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vIDvc7OecpQ/ThF4ekZ60RI/AAAAAAAAApo/zNkG2N34oZk/s1600/IMG_0981.JPG

Cath

That is the same end I took mine from, but mine was from the back of the boat so the light is not central.

[Keeping Up]

Deleted because I'm an idiot.

Edited January 15, 2012 by Keeping Up

[alan_fincher]

A cruiser gives more room for tap dancing away from the drips, I loved the trad, no matter how cold the day the heat from my Russell Newbury was like being slowly toasted

The combination of my poor eyesight and a splodge on my computer screen initally caused me to read that as lap dancing. Now the imagery that that gives of it going on in a Grand Union canal tunnel.....

 

I have never found Shrewly wet, but we tend only to do it in the summer. Braunston I generally don't find much water either. There always seems to be far more water falling in Blisworth when I pass it, the only one I put serious rain-wear on for.

 

Last time I did Saddington I didn't see a single bat, I'll admit, but many years ago did it when there were dozens and dozens. Someone told me "don't worry, however close they get, their 'radar' always ensures they will never hit you in the face". Take if from me, perhaps I encountered "blind bats", but they did somewhat alarmingly keep flying in to me.

[DJR]

Firstly, it's got kinks in it. If you try to slide along the wall when meeting an oncoming boat, you can be pushed out into its path.

Secondly, at crowed times it can take for ages and if the tunnel is smoke-filled, it's not always obvious how close you're getting to the boat in front.

Thirdly, if you have a noisy engine, oncoming boats panic and go so slowly that they lose steerage and swing out to meet you.

Fourthly boats will insist on having floodlights aimed directly at your face.

Fifthly only one wall has got the wooden guard

 

Don't let these things put you off. If you time it right – say early morning, you can belt through. I love doing that. I won't say what my personal best is 'cos that'll only get the anti speed brigade all worked up.

Dare I suggest your voyage thruogh the tunnel would be fine if you slowed down and steered using the arch of the roof?

[Proper Job]

Dare I suggest your voyage thruogh the tunnel would be fine if you slowed down and steered using the arch of the roof?

I generally find steering with the tiller more useful

[ditchcrawler]

When a friend of mine takes his boat through a tunnel his wife looks out at the bow and blows a whistle when approaching a waterfall so he can move to which ever side of the boat is best.

[Bob18]

While she gets a cold shower...

[ditchcrawler]

While she gets a cold shower...

No she stands inside the front cabin doors

[system 4-50]

No she stands inside the front cabin doors

Damn. All my fantasies destroyed.

This must be remedied.

I offer a prize of £50 for the fastest transition through Braunston Tunnel in 2012, where all the crew (minimum 2) are in the all-together (ie starkers) for the whole of the trip.

Each attempt must be published here on CWF immediately afterwards with the self-certified time.

No photographs required, and no, I don't want to see the attempt.

No liability for frostbite entertained.

[Tam & Di]

We used to come loaded through Braunston/Blisworth on a short snatcher, but we once met a little boat coming the other way who panicked and slowed right down which meant he was sucked across behind me into the bow of the butty. I always used a 90' line after that, which gave people time to get back onto their own side.

 

In Frenchland there are a couple of tunnels you are towed through. Riqueval is on the St. Quentin canal about 100 miles south of Calais. It's 6km long and the tug does 2 trips a day in each direction. The tug picks up electricity from overhead cables and pulls itself along with turns round its winch of a chain on the bottom of the canal. Loaded boats are put first in line, then empties, then anything like our 24m barge, and finally any yachts - crudely in order of weight. You hand one end of your 30m line to the boat ahead of you, and take the end of the line from the boat behind. It's about a 2 hour trip. As I steer from inside a nice warm shed the drips don't bother me, but Di does have the habit of boiling kettles or stock pots which puts condensation on the windows. There are lights and a towpath, and it is possible to get off and walk beside the boat, or behave like a vandal if you want to leave a lasting record of your passage.

 

 

 

 

Edited January 19, 2012 by Tam & Di

[mykaskin]

We used to come loaded through Braunston/Blisworth on a short snatcher, but we once met a little boat coming the other way who panicked and slowed right down which meant he was sucked across behind me into the bow of the butty. I always used a 90' line after that, which gave people time to get back onto their own side.

 

 

I have heard, and tried without any problems so far, of cutting the power and drifting past the fore-end of the other boat, but putting the power on as you pass their stern. This pulls their backend out a little forcing the bow towards the other wall giving free passage for the butty.

 

Anyone else had experience of this working or not working?

 

Oh, and great pictures of the tunnel Tam - that John Lilley gets everywhere don't he!

 

Cheers,

 

Mike

Edited January 19, 2012 by mykaskin

[Tam & Di]

I have heard, and tried without any problems so far, of cutting the power and drifting past the fore-end of the other boat, but putting the power on as you pass their stern. This pulls their backend out a little forcing the bow towards the other wall giving free passage for the butty.

 

I think it would risk the line coming slack and getting round the blades of one or the other of the two motors, especially if the stern of the oncoming one does get dragged over.

 

On which, coming through Riqueval a couple of years ago there was a great kerfuffle of horns in the middle and everyone started engines and came to a halt. We were about 6th or 7th in line and had no idea why, nor had the vide (empty) in front of us. After a while we all continued, but there was a lot of noise when we reached the far end. Normally the tug give a short blast on its horn and everyone starts engines and recovers their line from the boat ahead. It transpired that when the tug came to a halt in the middle (its overhead electricity pick-up came off) the first boat in the tow saw it and started his engine. The second boat did not, so the first one got 30m of heavy line round its blades. Neither marinier was best pleased.

 

Out of the tunnel and the first boatman had pumped out his water ballast (he was empty) and was cutting the line away. He had a slogan painted all along the coamings saying that a barge had 100 times less accidents than a lorry. I called him as we went by and commented that he'd have to change it to 99 now - I think (hope) he found it amusing. He sort of smiled ruefully anyway.

Edited January 19, 2012 by Tam & Di