Aylesbury Arm

[DJR]

Aylesbury Arm started on Saturday.Began well and gradually deteriorated thereon, culminating in Aylesbury where the town has turned its back on the canal. A certain haven for fisherfolk who presume the lock bollards are there to rest their rods,poles.tea etc. Decreasing water levels made hard going with 30mins.for half mile.Rickety lock gates leaking like sieves...needs a rally of deep draft boats to rastle things up!!

[alan_fincher]

Aylesbury Arm started on Saturday.Began well and gradually deteriorated thereon, culminating in Aylesbury where the town has turned its back on the canal. A certain haven for fisherfolk who presume the lock bollards are there to rest their rods,poles.tea etc. Decreasing water levels made hard going with 30mins.for half mile.Rickety lock gates leaking like sieves...needs a rally of deep draft boats to rastle things up!!

 

Must have gone very severely downhill then!

 

I must admit we were last down it a year ago, but we didn't find it half bad then.

 

Nor have we ever, really.

 

The fisher-people can sometimes be a pain, I'll agree, but they can be equally a pain on the main line.

 

Often the problem, particularly on the upper end, is too much water, rather than too little.

[Water Rat.]

I am sorry to hear that. I had a wonderful trip down there a month or so ago, although I have to admit turning back before actually reaching Aylesbury. We did get stuck for a while in a shallow (well empty to be honest) pound. But, even that brought it's own excitement as we were going to sling the man off into the mud to go for help, luckily for him a BW bod came and let some water in. I know it can be a pain but it all adds an element of the unexpected.

[dekker]

Sorry to hear about this arm. Our first and only visit was June 2010 and we really enjoyed everthing about it. The society in the basin were really helpful. What's going on with the basin nowadays?

[David Mack]

Sorry to hear about this arm. Our first and only visit was June 2010 and we really enjoyed everthing about it. The society in the basin were really helpful. What's going on with the basin nowadays?

 

Aylesbury Canal Society are moving to a new marina at Circus Fields on the edge of the town. Work was supposed to have started by now, but has been held up by finalising the somewhat complex web of legal and finacial agreements between the Society, BW and the Council. In the meantime the clubhouse is about to be demolished with a temporary replacement provided in some portacabins at the other end of the basin, to allow the basin redevelopment to continue.

 

Once ACS have moved they intend to continue offering moorings for visiting boats at Circus Fields. BW will continue to provide visitor moorings in the basin.

 

David

[cotswoldsman]

I have not cruised down Aylesbury Arm but did walk the stretch close to Wilston while I was moored on Wendover Arm and it did seem very pleasant.

[debbifiggy]

Love the Aylesbury Arm and the Canal Society. You always get a great welcome. The top part of the arm is so pretty and it's only really the last tiny bit into Aylesbury through the suburbs which isn't so picturesque.

 

this time of year and with such dry weather I'm not surprised the water levels are down. In previous years the flight has been closed either for lack of water or blue green algae.

 

It's well worth a visit.

 

The only thing with potential to change the Aylesbury Arm is the proposed Arla Mega Dairy. Google and make your own minds up about impact on the area. There's been plenty of news in the Bucks Herald etc.

 

Finally, ACS is moving out of the basin into a brand new base at Circus Fields and the basin is being redeveloped in case irregular visitors to Aylesbury haven't noticed.

 

D

[alan_fincher]

In previous years the flight has been closed either for lack of water or blue green algae.

Something I have never heard a valid explanation for, because if you do walk or cycle down there when it is closed or restricted, you will generally still find the usual many gallons of water pouring over the gates!

 

Can anyone explain why it is necessary to place restrictions on a canal where it may be hard to get the gates open because of excess water ?

[debbifiggy]

Something I have never heard a valid explanation for, because if you do walk or cycle down there when it is closed or restricted, you will generally still find the usual many gallons of water pouring over the gates!

 

Can anyone explain why it is necessary to place restrictions on a canal where it may be hard to get the gates open because of excess water ?

 

 

To be fair Alan I think the flight was closed to protect water levels on the main line of the canal during periods of low reservoir levels, not lack of water down the Aylesbury arm.

 

I agree that sometimes there seems to be too much water down the arm and it can be difficult to open the gates and yes some of them seem pretty leaky too. Still a lovely place and well worth a visit.

 

D

[solitude2]

We had a great trip down there last year. Agree canal society very helpful and friendly.Only met one angler who was very pleased to see us and requested we 'churned things up ' a bit!

[alan_fincher]

To be fair Alan I think the flight was closed to protect water levels on the main line of the canal during periods of low reservoir levels, not lack of water down the Aylesbury arm.

I don't understand that, I'm afraid.

 

If water is running over all the gates from the top end of the arm downwards, it is hard to see boats using the locks are going to waste any - it's being wasted anyway, with no boat movements.

 

Unless it's somehow being scooped up somewhere way down the arm, and put back either into the summit or the reservoirs......

 

Which I rather doubt it is ?........

[n.b.Goldie]

I hear that the Aylesbury Arm is closed due to a breach. Bit of a bummer as I was hoping to go there next week. Anyone know what's occurring down there?

 

Regards

Ditchdabbler

[matty40s]

I hear that the Aylesbury Arm is closed due to a breach. Bit of a bummer as I was hoping to go there next week. Anyone know what's occurring down there?

 

Regards

Ditchdabbler

glad I managed to do it whan I did after the Ricky festival, doesn't sound too positive.

....and yes, at was hard work, I had to fill a couple of pounds on the way, and the basin was sad!

[BEngo]

I don't understand that, I'm afraid.

 

If water is running over all the gates from the top end of the arm downwards, it is hard to see boats using the locks are going to waste any - it's being wasted anyway, with no boat movements.

 

Unless it's somehow being scooped up somewhere way down the arm, and put back either into the summit or the reservoirs......

 

Which I rather doubt it is ?........

 

I have never seen the two lock staircase at the top of the Aylesbury Arm running over the top. That would mean the Red/White Lion pound (below Lock 39) was over a foot above normal levels and there would be fun and games at Lock 38 as well. Depending on how the staircase is used it is perfectly possible to have a lockful or more running down the arm in front of you though. Usually it will result in water over the gates at locks 3-9. After 9 the longer pounds are able to absorb the water without it running over, unless the feeder at Wilstone is running too.

 

From an operational perspective, the Aylesbury arm turns the Red/White Lion pound into a summit for many boats- up from Pitstone down to Aylesbury or vice versa so when water is short BW don't want it going down the arm unless it has to. This is usually accompanied by restrictions on the main line. We have not seen such water shortages for a while, since Caroline Clark(e) as manager got a good grip of water control, fixing leaks and maintaining the lock gates.

 

In recent years late summer has seen restrictions on the arm because of Blue-green algae in the Tring reservoirs. Ostensibly this is to prevent the BG algae spreading, but since it is usually all the way to Leighton anyway it always seems like a load of round objects to me. It may perhaps be BW being seen to do something to keep the EA quiet by not running water into the Red/White Lion pound through the feeder into the tail of lock 39.

 

The arm is likely to be shallow- but it's a narrow cut, not the main line and the reeds at Red House can be a bit surprising though there is still a deep channel through the middle. The various former working boats ( A Big Woolwich, a Small Woolwich and a BCN icebreaker/tug) which live in the basin successfully get up and down the arm, albeit slowly. Allow 4-5 hours either way when two-handed. I am told BW are planning to dredge the arm from Lock 6 to the basin later this year.

 

I have not heard that the Arm is closed by a breach and I moor in Aylesbury. Anyone thinking of going down could ring the ACS Chairman Bryan Barnes for the latest info. see the website for the number. You will still get the renowned Aylesbury welcome when you get there, albeit the basin is in the middle of a building site at the moment.

 

N

[alan_fincher]

I have not heard that the Arm is closed by a breach and I moor in Aylesbury. Anyone thinking of going down could ring the ACS Chairman Bryan Barnes for the latest info. see the website for the number. You will still get the renowned Aylesbury welcome when you get there, albeit the basin is in the middle of a building site at the moment.

There are padlocks on the paddles at the top of the staircase.

 

Waterscape confirms the arm as shut......

 

Stoppage: Grand Union Canal - Aylesbury Arm Lock 1-15

 

28 Jul 2011 until further notice

 

Associated Regional Office: South East Waterways

 

Navigation on the Aylesbury Arm (Lock 1-15) will be closed until further notice; this is due to a possible breech that has been identified.

 

British Waterways are investigating further and will be carrying out the necessary works ASAP.

 

When the Arm re-opens further information will be posted on Waterscape.

 

Sorry for any inconvenience this may cause.

 

(Enquiries: Ian Final 07717 660 205)

Edited July 31, 2011 by alan_fincher

[n.b.Goldie]

Just returned from a trip down south part of which included the Aylesbury Arm. We ventured down just a couple of days after it reopened. A couple of the pounds were still shallow and at times it was more like ploughing than boating but fun all the same. We loved the reedy section, at first we doubted we could get through but made it without incident. It was quite 'atmospheric'.

 

We were made very welcome in the basin and would recomment the trip. (Also there is an excellent Greek restaurent just outside the basin!)

 

 

 

Regards

Ditchdabbler

[churchward]

Just returned from a trip down south part of which included the Aylesbury Arm. We ventured down just a couple of days after it reopened. A couple of the pounds were still shallow and at times it was more like ploughing than boating but fun all the same. We loved the reedy section, at first we doubted we could get through but made it without incident. It was quite 'atmospheric'.

 

We were made very welcome in the basin and would recomment the trip. (Also there is an excellent Greek restaurent just outside the basin!)

 

 

 

Regards

Ditchdabbler

 

Pic looks very "African Queen" - like!

[sociable_hermit]

Not been down there recently, but when we went about 10 years ago (was it really that long ago?) it was a nice trip.

 

The approach to Aylesbury itself is a bit dingy but the welcome in the basin more than made up for it. Great people, and I'm still not convinced by the redevelopment plans. It'll be nice for everyone except boaters...