quickest way to Rugby/Coventry

[matty40s]

I took the brave(mad/sensible/stress free/lunatic etc) decision to terminate my contract yesterday and am looking for work/interviewing in the East Midlands area as this is where my daughter is based. I have several interviews arranged already so need to be within car fetching distance.

I am currently in North-East London , approx 2 hours from Limehouse and in short, moving the boat back oop North, which is quickest for a (mostly)single hander. Long days no issue. End of days moorings need

 

Lea-Ducketts-Regent-Limehouse-Thames-Brentford-GU

" "" "" -Thames -Oxford-Oxford Canal

Lea -Ducketts-Regent-GU

 

If there's nowt between it, I fancy the Oxford route.

 

(rushes on E-bay to look at VHF radios just in case,before the nanny's join in)

[Tony Brooks]

I took the brave(mad/sensible/stress free/lunatic etc) decision to terminate my contract yesterday and am looking for work/interviewing in the East Midlands area as this is where my daughter is based. I have several interviews arranged already so need to be within car fetching distance.

I am currently in North-East London , approx 2 hours from Limehouse and in short, moving the boat back oop North, which is quickest for a (mostly)single hander. Long days no issue. End of days moorings need

 

Lea-Ducketts-Regent-Limehouse-Thames-Brentford-GU

" "" "" -Thames -Oxford-Oxford Canal

Lea -Ducketts-Regent-GU

 

If there's nowt between it, I fancy the Oxford route.

 

(rushes on E-bay to look at VHF radios just in case,before the nanny's join in)

 

 

Personally I find the GU hard work so would choose the Oxford route, especially of single handing. At least you should have many of the Thames locks manned for you but you would need to factor in the cost of a Thames License. I also find narrow locks far easier when single handing.

 

Thats my thoughts.

[alan_fincher]

I usually find CanalPlanAC pretty spot on, provided you tune it to your own needs.

 

If it says one route is two days quicker than an alternative, it usually is.

 

You do need to tune it with your own numbers, because as a single hander, I guess you typical times may differ from ours.

 

Only problem I have found with CanalPlanAC relates to totally screwed up distances in it's database for the UPPER Thames. It grossly over-estimates some mileages above Oxford, and predicts far to long for the Lechlade trip than it actually is.

 

But over the bits you are talking about, I have never found it to go wrong.

 

Your boat, I suspect, may make much heavier going of bits of the Oxford than the GU. The vintage engine types on the Oxford do seem to spend a lot of time re-arranging the canal bed!

 

Of course if you didn't have a Gold licence, (do you?), going via Oxford would cost a fair bit for the Thames license. About a ton for a 50 foot boat, so clearly more for yours. You'll need to buy a fortnight one, even if only on there for 5 days or so.

 

Personally I find the GU hard work so would choose the Oxford route, especially of single handing. At least you should have many of the Thames locks manned for you but you would need to factor in the cost of a Thames License. I also find narrow locks far easier when single handing.

 

Thats my thoughts.

Willing lock wheelers are sometimes available on the GU for no more than the cost of a few beers!.....

[Tim]

Personally I find the GU hard work so would choose the Oxford route, especially of single handing. At least you should have many of the Thames locks manned for you but you would need to factor in the cost of a Thames License. I also find narrow locks far easier when single handing.

 

Thats my thoughts.

 

Agree.

[Chalky]

Several of the lift bridges now require a BW key to operate so you'll need to factor this in if you're working single. They're all south of Banbury.

[Tim]

Several of the lift bridges now require a BW key to operate so you'll need to factor this in if you're working single. They're all south of Banbury.

 

Yes, but this modification has made them much easier to 'single hand' as they're now balanced to be 'up' and locked down.

[carlt]

If your boat is deep draughted and it stays this dry, I'd go the GU route.

[mrsmelly]

Yes, but this modification has made them much easier to 'single hand' as they're now balanced to be 'up' and locked down.

 

Just pray the recently electrified piece of S--t at Thrupp doesnt hold you up for a couple of hours !!!

[Tim]

Just pray the recently electrified piece of S--t at Thrupp doesnt hold you up for a couple of hours !!!

 

Indeed, my comment only covered the 'manual' lift bridges.

[alan_fincher]

Yes, but this modification has made them much easier to 'single hand' as they're now balanced to be 'up' and locked down.

If you can get the ba**ards unlocked in the first place.

 

My crew really struggled with this at a couple so treated.

 

Maybe there's a knack, and they simply didn't learn it based on such a small sample, but they seemed fairly ill thought out to me, (from the getting them unlocked viewpoint only - otherwise good that they are now weighted open.......)

[Tim]

If you can get the ba**ards unlocked in the first place.

 

My crew really struggled with this at a couple so treated.

 

Maybe there's a knack, and they simply didn't learn it based on such a small sample, but they seemed fairly ill thought out to me, (from the getting them unlocked viewpoint only - otherwise good that they are now weighted open.......)

 

Don't recall any problems with opening, from memory (last summer was a while back!) you have to put some weight on the bridge and give the handle a tug! Had more of a problem getting the Thrupp bridge down from the wrong side of the canal! Does anybody know if the 2 bridges south of dukes lock have been modified? The first one was a real problem! Very heavy I think?

[alan_fincher]

Don't recall any problems with opening, from memory (last summer was a while back!) you have to put some weight on the bridge and give the handle a tug! Had more of a problem getting the Thrupp bridge down from the wrong side of the canal! Does anybody know if the 2 bridges south of dukes lock have been modified? The first one was a real problem! Very heavy I think?

I'm not that familiar with the Oxford, but we did it in two instalments about 3 weeks ago. (Came down from Napton, and left at Dukes cut to go to Lechlade, but a few days later came back in again, and did the final few miles.

 

Because I have problems since smashing my pelvis it's my crew worked all the moving bridges, but there is certainly at least one on that stretch south of Dukes that has been changed to need a BW key.

 

My wife says it was one that was surprisingly busy with vehicles actually wanting to cross it.

 

On all of them you seem to need to wrestle the bridge into something other than the position you find it, before it will unlock, (or so I'm told). I guess it's an acquired knack that locals have, and visitors fail to learn in just a few bridge operations ?

 

The negative things people say about the final few miles into Oxford are much overstated, in my view. Some of it is quite narrow past moored boats, I'll agree, but all the natives were friendly, and definitely none of the hostility or "slow down" shouts others have moaned about. Some very interesting old boats down there.

 

We also found very good moorings close in to Oxford with no difficulty at all, and were very pleasantly surprised by the price charged for diesel at College Cruisers. (Pleasantly surprised compared to other outlets, that is - the overall price now is not "pleasantly surprising" wherever we fill up!....)

[matty40s]

Because I have problems since smashing my pelvis it's my crew worked all the moving bridges, but there is certainly at least one on that stretch south of Dukes that has been changed to need a BW key.

My wife says it was one that was surprisingly busy with vehicles actually wanting to cross it.

On all of them you seem to need to wrestle the bridge into something other than the position you find it, before it will unlock, (or so I'm told). I guess it's an acquired knack that locals have, and visitors fail to learn in just a few bridge operations ?

 

So how many swing bridges in all will I face if going that-a-way....??

[alan_fincher]

So how many swing bridges in all will I face if going that-a-way....??

No swing bridges on Oxford I recall

 

GU you have....

 

Winkwell - key operation towpath side - no issue.

 

Cheddington - manual - need to open from non-towpath side - only tricky one for single hander.

 

Fenny (across lock). Incidentally had a nasty attempt by BW to enforce locking, and a real wrestle, but now removed - not clear if BW did this or frustrated boaters!

[Tim]

Just to clarify, they are lift bridges on the South Oxford.

 

If you go via Dukes Cut (this is from memory!) There's one shortly after Dukes Lock, then the Thrupp wonder bridge, then Lower Heyford (normally people around willing to help with this one), then one after Somerton Deep Lock, I have seen this one left open on occasions, then the one in Banbury which is windlass operated. All others are (usually) left open.

 

I've single handed from Oxford to Napton a number of times, it really isn't difficult especially now they've been modified, if I was ever in any trouble I just waited for a walker or boat to appear and played the single hander card and away we went.

 

Still think this way is easier for a single hander that the GU, unless you get paired up with a boat with some crew.