Jump to content

Restriction Marston Doles & Claydon


alan_fincher

Featured Posts

Restriction: Oxford Canal Marston Doles Lock 15 - Claydon Lock 21

 

19 Mar 2012 until further notice

 

Associated Regional Office: South East Waterways

 

From Monday 19th March Marston Doles Lock 15 - Claydon Lock 21 will be open from 10.00am - 2.00pm daily.

 

Last entry at Marston Doles 1.45pm

Last entry at Claydon 1.00pm

 

Mooring overnight permitted on summit pound only (locks 16-17) not in flights.

 

Padlocks will be in place at locks 15, 16, 17 & 21

 

(Enquiries: 01908 302 500)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

This is a surprising move, presumably intended to conserve water: I boated through the locks from Elkington's, just below Claydon, and down to Banbury at the weekend and noticed that water was pouring over the by-washes at some of them. Water shortage? What water shortage?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

We are going up and coming back down Claydon during the weekend of 23rd March. So we will see how we get on. It wasn't a problem at the latter end of last season.

 

Would like to go 'the other way' but we have a pump out!!!!! and need to visit Fenny Compton.

 

Martyn

Link to comment
Share on other sites

We are going up and coming back down Claydon during the weekend of 23rd March. So we will see how we get on. It wasn't a problem at the latter end of last season.

 

Would like to go 'the other way' but we have a pump out!!!!! and need to visit Fenny Compton.

 

Martyn

 

I think Sovereign Narrowboats in Banbury and Walkers at Aynho have pump out machines. I think the BW services below Banbury lock still have a functioning pump out too.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Water shortage? What water shortage?

You can repeat this all you like, but BW insist that the South East reservoir groups are in may (most ?) cases starting the "season" with only about half the water in them that they had last year.

 

If you go and walk by some of them, it is not hard to see that that bit, at least, is true. Some of the Marsworth reservoirs still look near devastated.

 

Water may be cascading over gates in some places, (and I have witnessed that too), but the bottom line is these restrictions are inevitable and unavoidable.

 

Unless there is a miracle, I can't see passage at a lot of the flights surviving the summer.

Edited by alan_fincher
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I think Sovereign Narrowboats in Banbury and Walkers at Aynho have pump out machines. I think the BW services below Banbury lock still have a functioning pump out too.

Hi.

Sovereign are only open for 'business' Monday to Friday. Aynho too far for us for just a weekend.

 

The pumpout ajacent to Banbury Bus Station and the one at Cropredy. Are these equipped with pipe etc.? I seem to remember that they are just the pump facility.

 

I am more than happy to be corrected as the 'lady' at Fenny comes up a little short on her customer skills and winds Margaret up, which is not good for me, the peacemaker. That's it, I'm now barred.

 

I have said that if she doesn't like her job I would gladly take over for a fee.

 

Martyn

Link to comment
Share on other sites

No, I am not interested in repeating it ad nauseam. I am, however, interested in learning why, in a period of supposed water shortage, water is cascading over the by-washes. Surely this indicates that the water level in that area is at least normal and possibly higher than normal; if not, what's causing it?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

No, I am not interested in repeating it ad nauseam. I am, however, interested in learning why, in a period of supposed water shortage, water is cascading over the by-washes. Surely this indicates that the water level in that area is at least normal and possibly higher than normal; if not, what's causing it?

Someone is letting in too much water at the top?

 

Perhaps the , not sure of terminology, input weir boards are set too low.

 

Martyn

Link to comment
Share on other sites

No, I am not interested in repeating it ad nauseam. I am, however, interested in learning why, in a period of supposed water shortage, water is cascading over the by-washes. Surely this indicates that the water level in that area is at least normal and possibly higher than normal; if not, what's causing it?

 

And more to the point, why are BW not aware of this and stopping it happening?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

how would something be stopped like it though? sand bagging the reservoir outlets to the canal?

 

Its gonna annoy me as i was looking at going though there in about 3 weeks time.

 

can someone advise me as to where the closest winding hole to the locks are for a 50ft'er is on the banbury side of claydon?

 

editted to spell reservoir is a way that its actully understandable lol!

Edited by Mitchell
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I am, however, interested in learning why, in a period of supposed water shortage, water is cascading over the by-washes. Surely this indicates that the water level in that area is at least normal and possibly higher than normal; if not, what's causing it?

Well it indicates the water level in the pounds where it is flowing over, is normal certainly!

 

It obviously depends on case to case, but sometimes water is got to lower pounds that are depleted by the simple expedient of letting it flow around by-washes of higher ones, and I suppose it is possible you could be seeing this.

 

Alternatively where there is rainfall, and water is draining off the land into the lower pounds, again it may cause some to over-flow. Unfortunately, unless a whole canal is back-pumped by large pumps, it doesn't automatically mean it can be got back into the reservoirs that feed the summits.

 

Two of the things most at play are.....

 

1) Simply not enough water in the reservoirs to get through season

2) (Some places at least!) The lowered water table is causing far greater losses from lengths of canal that are not fully lined by design.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

how would something be stopped like it though? sand bagging the reservoir outlets to the canal?

 

Its gonna annoy me as i was looking at going though there in about 3 weeks time.

 

can someone advise me as to where the closest winding hole to the locks are for a 50ft'er is on the banbury side of claydon?

 

editted to spell reservoir is a way that its actully understandable lol!

There's a winding hole about 1/2 a mile prior to arriving at the Claydon Bottom Lock. Just through the next bridge after passing Forge Farm (Clattercote Wharf.

 

Martyn

Link to comment
Share on other sites

There may be some water flowing down the by-washes at the moment, but I think BW have got it right.

 

Impose the restrictions now and it may extend the Summer cruising season. At the moment there's relatively low numbers of boats cruising. The numbers will soon be increasing. Then we'll all be bitching on about why didn't BW impose the restrictions earlier to conserve supplies.

 

They're dammed if they and damned if they don't

Link to comment
Share on other sites

There may be some water flowing down the by-washes at the moment, but I think BW have got it right.

 

Impose the restrictions now and it may extend the Summer cruising season. At the moment there's relatively low numbers of boats cruising. The numbers will soon be increasing. Then we'll all be bitching on about why didn't BW impose the restrictions earlier to conserve supplies.

 

They're dammed if they and damned if they don't

I agree - sooner, rather than later.

 

I guess what may have been holding them back is not having recruited the volunteer staff they may be relying on to oversee it.

 

No point in saying you will lock flights, if you don't have enough staff to actually walk around with the keys!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I agree - sooner, rather than later.

 

I guess what may have been holding them back is not having recruited the volunteer staff they may be relying on to oversee it.

 

No point in saying you will lock flights, if you don't have enough staff to actually walk around with the keys!

 

 

;) A good time to set up a bolt cutter and angle grinder business on the canal? :lol:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

;) A good time to set up a bolt cutter and angle grinder business on the canal? :lol:

May you get into as much trouble as I once did for suggesting what might or might not happen if you contaminated the petrol tank on a generator left running "after hours"!

 

Apparently you should never make remarks like these, unless it encourages someone to actually do it, (or so I was told!.....)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

There's a winding hole about 1/2 a mile prior to arriving at the Claydon Bottom Lock. Just through the next bridge after passing Forge Farm (Clattercote Wharf.

 

Martyn

That's the one, just North of bridge 147, or Anorexics' Bridge as I call it (you'll see why when you get there). It's not immediately recognisable as a winding hole, just a gentle vee on the left bank.

Mitch, you'll see a big, inviting winding hole at Forge Farm just North of Elkington's Lock, but do NOT use it unless you wish to incur the considerable wrath of the landowner: it is private.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

A thought has come to mind.

 

To venture North on the South Oxford from where we moor you have the restrictions at Claydon,Napton,Calcutt and Braunston.Not the best cruising conditions.

 

We did the trip to Oxford last year but hey ho, nowt like a repeat eh? What restrictions are expected further south, if any?

 

Looks like I may have to bite the bullet and fork out for a trip/cruise on the Thames this year.

 

Not too keen on a Summer of maintenance.

 

Start saving then.

 

Martyn

Link to comment
Share on other sites

A thought has come to mind.

 

To venture North on the South Oxford from where we moor you have the restrictions at Claydon,Napton,Calcutt and Braunston.Not the best cruising conditions.

 

We did the trip to Oxford last year but hey ho, nowt like a repeat eh? What restrictions are expected further south, if any?

 

Looks like I may have to bite the bullet and fork out for a trip/cruise on the Thames this year.

 

Not too keen on a Summer of maintenance.

 

Start saving then.

 

Martyn

Initially, I'd think that anywhere South of Banbury shouldn't suffer to badly. The key thing will be the state of the river Cherwell.

 

Obviously water can be let down through Aynho as the river crosses the canal just above the head of the lock. The other one is the canalised section of the river between Bakers and Shipton lock. Water can be let down through Shipton lock to top up the Thrupp pound.

 

The worst thing is when the river level drops to much. I have seen both gates open at Shipton lock.

 

It may happen again this year :(

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Initially, I'd think that anywhere South of Banbury shouldn't suffer to badly. The key thing will be the state of the river Cherwell.

 

Obviously water can be let down through Aynho as the river crosses the canal just above the head of the lock. The other one is the canalised section of the river between Bakers and Shipton lock. Water can be let down through Shipton lock to top up the Thrupp pound.

 

The worst thing is when the river level drops to much. I have seen both gates open at Shipton lock.

 

It may happen again this year :(

Thanks for that.

 

Interesting. I have to optimistic, don't I? that we will have a little rain to keep the Cherwell going.

 

Martyn. Off to see how much for a week on the Thames. I think BW should sponsor me as I'm not using their water going north. Any chances of that happening......?

 

Martyn

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

We have placed cookies on your device to help make this website better. You can adjust your cookie settings, otherwise we'll assume you're okay to continue.