Tidal Trent tips

[starman]

We're heading off from Newark to Torksey and the Fossdyke in the next day or so. Little old Star is a bit underpowered so I'd welcome a bit of advice on the best technique to get into Torksey - come round and push up against the flow which might be a bit of a struggle for the old girl depending on the flow at the time or power straight in.

Ditto for Keadby if we decide to explore on down there later and want to get into the Yorkshire waterways.

 

Naturally I'll take lockkeepers' advice but a bit of local knowledge would also ease this ditch crawler's anxieties!

Thanks.

[Guest]

We're heading off from Newark to Torksey and the Fossdyke in the next day or so. Little old Star is a bit underpowered so I'd welcome a bit of advice on the best technique to get into Torksey - come round and push up against the flow which might be a bit of a struggle for the old girl depending on the flow at the time or power straight in.

Ditto for Keadby if we decide to explore on down there later and want to get into the Yorkshire waterways.

 

Naturally I'll take lockkeepers' advice but a bit of local knowledge would also ease this ditch crawler's anxieties!

Thanks.

 

If?? what do you mean if?

 

They are a must do!!

 

You may want to consider buying this too -

 

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Narrowboat-Trent-Richlow-Boaters-Companions/dp/0955260930

 

Packed with useful info. about boating on the Trent.

[musicman]

You will never be able to run straight in at West Stockwith because of the bend in the river and the current, far better to turn the bend, turn the boat 180 degrees and then push in to the lock. There is a small landing stage to the left of the date if you need it.

[The Bagdad Boatman (waits)]

The tide strengths and the amount of fresh water coming downstream is what controls your landing. Neap tides are smaller and flow for longer Spring tides (Full and New Moon) are bigger and flow quicker. Torksey is a doodle to enter, Stockwith needs timing for the tide. and at Torksey turn and stem the tide so you are in control otherwise you will be swept into the side of the lock wall and have a rough time.

[Grebe]

Torksey is not a problem. At West Stockwith and Keadby you will need to turn head to flow before making your entry, but the other factor is timing.

 

As Martin (MJG) says John Lower's book is a must.

 

Narrowboat on the Trent

 

John has been up and down the Trent sinceabout 1981, his first narrowboat was the ex Christopher Columbus from the Shropshire Union Cruisers fleet with a Lister SR2 rated at about 13HP he now has a much more modern boat with more power. He covers tides, timings, stop-overs, lock entry techniques from Cromwell to Keadby.

 

I've known John for over 30 years and we bought our ex. hire boats at the same time as John and met him at West Stockwith where we used to moor in the basin whilst he was at Clayworth. We had Geraldine from the Dartline fleet with the same SR2 engine and similar experiences.

[Keeping Up]

Torksey will be no problem, there is a very long lock-cut (at least a couple of hundred yards) so all you need to do is to turn into the cut and act as if you were on a canal. Lack of power will not be an issue; you'll have the tide helping you all the way from Cromwell so you won't need to stress the engine at all.

 

Stockwith is closed at the moment because of damage to the gates. When it is open, I prefer to turn through 180 and then drift slowly across to lay alongside the wall upstream of the lock. The keeper will then take your bow rope, and you let the boat drift slowly back below the entrance. The keeper will then haul on the rope, pulling your bows into the lock, and you can pivot round on the corner of the wall until you are able to drive into the lock.

 

Keadby is a bu**er to get into if you are under-powered because you will have a strong tide behind you and manoevring for the entrance is difficult even when you have turned through 180

[musicman]

Torksey will be no problem, there is a very long lock-cut (at least a couple of hundred yards) so all you need to do is to turn into the cut and act as if you were on a canal. Lack of power will not be an issue; you'll have the tide helping you all the way from Cromwell so you won't need to stress the engine at all.

 

Stockwith is closed at the moment because of damage to the gates. When it is open, I prefer to turn through 180 and then drift slowly across to lay alongside the wall upstream of the lock. The keeper will then take your bow rope, and you let the boat drift slowly back below the entrance. The keeper will then haul on the rope, pulling your bows into the lock, and you can pivot round on the corner of the wall until you are able to drive into the lock.

 

Keadby is a bu**er to get into if you are under-powered because you will have a strong tide behind you and manoevring for the entrance is difficult even when you have turned through 180

 

Not to mention that at Keadby, there is often a moored ship unloading. What a surprise the current is running between the wharf and a ship - just when everything was lined up, your nose gets a kick from the left!!

[mrsmelly]

We're heading off from Newark to Torksey and the Fossdyke in the next day or so. Little old Star is a bit underpowered so I'd welcome a bit of advice on the best technique to get into Torksey - come round and push up against the flow which might be a bit of a struggle for the old girl depending on the flow at the time or power straight in.

Ditto for Keadby if we decide to explore on down there later and want to get into the Yorkshire waterways.

 

Naturally I'll take lockkeepers' advice but a bit of local knowledge would also ease this ditch crawler's anxieties!

Thanks.

 

Hi Starman

 

Whatever advice anyone else gives you just remember to talk to the lockies and ask them about timing. Torksey is an absolute doddle but if you go further up both west stocky and Keadby can be very interesting. What do you call underpowered ? The first time we did the run it was on a 56 foot n/b with a knackered 9 hp 2 pot lister, now thats what I call underpowered Please take a vhf radio, sensible anchor and lifejackets its a great run but check your engine filters, belts and cooling system if its water cooled. The trent boating asociation do good cheap maps/charts of the trent these can be bought direct from them or at chandlers at such as Sawley and Newark.

 

Tim

[Domino_2]

 

 

Stockwith is closed at the moment because of damage to the gates. When it is open, I prefer to turn through 180 and then drift slowly across to lay alongside the wall upstream of the lock. The keeper will then take your bow rope, and you let the boat drift slowly back below the entrance. The keeper will then haul on the rope, pulling your bows into the lock, and you can pivot round on the corner of the wall until you are able to drive into the lock.

 

 

According to the lock keeper at Torksy, BW hope to have the lock gates repaired at Stockwith for Friday - but he did add "Don't hold your breath".

 

This has rather scuppered our plans to do the Chesterfield - so we are heading straight to Keadby tomorrow - where's the best mooring after the lock?

[pearley]

According to the lock keeper at Torksy, BW hope to have the lock gates repaired at Stockwith for Friday - but he did add "Don't hold your breath".

 

This has rather scuppered our plans to do the Chesterfield - so we are heading straight to Keadby tomorrow - where's the best mooring after the lock?

Plenty of visitor moorings on the left hand side when you leave Keadby Lock. After that, a couple of the swing bridges have extra long landings for overnight moorings.

 

Regards

Pete

[Domino_2]

Plenty of visitor moorings on the left hand side when you leave Keadby Lock. After that, a couple of the swing bridges have extra long landings for overnight moorings.

 

Regards

Pete

 

 

Thanks Pete

[Mac of Cygnet]

This has rather scuppered our plans to do the Chesterfield - so we are heading straight to Keadby tomorrow - where's the best mooring after the lock?

 

Since the pubs closed (one died, one burned), Keadby is a dreary dump. I now have a quiet night in at Medge Hall, next to Crook'o'Moor Swing Bridge. There is nothing there but peace and quiet, and you can watch one of the last manual level crossings being operated. Crowle looks possible on the map, and there are moorings, but is a long trudge over the bridge from the towpath side.

[pearley]

I wouldn't disagree with that but as OP is coming from Torksey to Keadby I figure he'll be knackered and want to stop.

 

Regards

Pete

[benfordboy]

I wouldn't disagree with that but as OP is coming from Torksey to Keadby I figure he'll be knackered and want to stop.

 

Regards

Pete

 

Maybe with the Stress of not boating down on the Tidal before ! But , lets say 4 and a half hrs Torksey to Keadby (Remember to ask for 'Kiddby' else they wont understand ! ) Even underpowered 5hrs as they usually let you out early at Torksey.

 

Surely worth that bit of extra time to head towards Thorne ?

[starman]

Thanks for all the tips - we did the tidal Trent from Torksey down to Keadby yesterday. After taking the advice of the lockies at either end we ran down with the tide in (reasonably) decent weather and it all went well. No commercial traffic about - not another boat in fact. The only moments of tension were getting into Keadby where the lock-keeper told us we'd see the lock and then go past, turn and come in. In fact the entrance is pretty much invisible, even though you can see the control tower, and we were nearly past before spotting it so when we turned we had quite a battle back to get up and in.

Took the advice about Keadby too and cruised on for a couple of hours to overnight at Medge Hall where it's delightfully quiet and rural. Now off to Sheffield and hopefully by the time we return from there the weather will have improved and the Aire/Calder/Hebble locks will be open again.

[MoominPapa]

Thanks for all the tips - we did the tidal Trent from Torksey down to Keadby yesterday. After taking the advice of the lockies at either end we ran down with the tide in (reasonably) decent weather and it all went well. No commercial traffic about - not another boat in fact. The only moments of tension were getting into Keadby where the lock-keeper told us we'd see the lock and then go past, turn and come in. In fact the entrance is pretty much invisible, even though you can see the control tower, and we were nearly past before spotting it so when we turned we had quite a battle back to get up and in.

Took the advice about Keadby too and cruised on for a couple of hours to overnight at Medge Hall where it's delightfully quiet and rural. Now off to Sheffield and hopefully by the time we return from there the weather will have improved and the Aire/Calder/Hebble locks will be open again.

From reading your blog, it sounds like Star was right in the squeaky edge for engine power getting into Keadby. That's good calibration for making the judgement about if Melaleuca can do the same trip. What speed will Star maintain through still, deep water (say, the Forty foot drain) flat out, do you know?

 

MP.

[Barry]

I'm puzzled about this struggling to get into Keadby from the Trent. I've never done it by the way but I have had many holidays on the Broads when the principal to avoid having to struggle against the tide, particularly at Yarmouth, is to time your arrival to coincide with slack water. You get 4 opportunities in every 24 hours to do this. What stops you doing this at Keadby?

[Guest]

Thanks for all the tips - we did the tidal Trent from Torksey down to Keadby yesterday. After taking the advice of the lockies at either end we ran down with the tide in (reasonably) decent weather and it all went well. No commercial traffic about - not another boat in fact. The only moments of tension were getting into Keadby where the lock-keeper told us we'd see the lock and then go past, turn and come in. In fact the entrance is pretty much invisible, even though you can see the control tower, and we were nearly past before spotting it so when we turned we had quite a battle back to get up and in.

Took the advice about Keadby too and cruised on for a couple of hours to overnight at Medge Hall where it's delightfully quiet and rural. Now off to Sheffield and hopefully by the time we return from there the weather will have improved and the Aire/Calder/Hebble locks will be open again.

 

Be prepared to boat on some of the best parts of the system - the run down the bit just past Donny is just great...

[mrsmelly]

I'm puzzled about this struggling to get into Keadby from the Trent. I've never done it by the way but I have had many holidays on the Broads when the principal to avoid having to struggle against the tide, particularly at Yarmouth, is to time your arrival to coincide with slack water. You get 4 opportunities in every 24 hours to do this. What stops you doing this at Keadby?

 

Hi Bazza

 

The problem with Keadby is that due to the mud banks and sill it is not possible to use the lock at slack water, this is what makes it at times VERY interesting dependent on state of the tides on the day. To get to it from the usual setting off points the timing can be a tad difficult.

 

Tim

Edited June 18, 2012 by mrsmelly

[Barry]

Hi Bazza

 

The problem with Keadby is that due to the mud banks and sill it is not possible to use the lock at slack water, this is what makes it at times VERY interesting dependent on state of the tides on the day. To get to it from the usual setting off points the timing can be a tad difficult.

 

Tim

 

Thanks Tim

 

I can see it would be a problem at low water but must be fine at high water. Ah I see the problem - there are only two optimum opportunities to get there at slack water in any 24 hours - What about thinking about it from the opposite viewpoint so that you avoid arriving at the lock at 2 hours either side of mid tide, particularly on the ebb, when the current is at its strongest?

Edited June 18, 2012 by Bazza2

[mrsmelly]

Thanks Tim

 

I can see it would be a problem at low water but must be fine at high water. Ah I see the problem - there are only two optimum opportunities to get there at slack water in any 24 hours - What about thinking about it from the opposite viewpoint so that you avoid arriving at the lock at 2 hours either side of mid tide, particularly on the ebb, when the current is at its strongest?

 

Hi Bazza

 

It is on ocasion possible to arrive when the water isnt going like stink, such as on some of the neap tides. I watched a n/b come in on such a tide a few years ago and noticed how slow the water was moving as they entered the lock. It never seems to work for me though and I have always had to push it a little after rounding up to get in. The last time I went in on my 70 foot n/b was last summer with young PJ stood at the pointy end grinning whilst I was CONCENTRATING at the blunt end !!

 

Tim

[Naughty Cal]

I'm puzzled about this struggling to get into Keadby from the Trent. I've never done it by the way but I have had many holidays on the Broads when the principal to avoid having to struggle against the tide, particularly at Yarmouth, is to time your arrival to coincide with slack water. You get 4 opportunities in every 24 hours to do this. What stops you doing this at Keadby?

 

You dont have to struggle against the tide for long. You run up or down the river (depending which way you are travelling) with the tide and then turn into the flow to aid getting into the lock which can be interesting especially if there is a big tide.

 

Nowhere near as bad as West Stockwith though.

[Proper Job]

Hi Bazza

 

It is on ocasion possible to arrive when the water isnt going like stink, such as on some of the neap tides. I watched a n/b come in on such a tide a few years ago and noticed how slow the water was moving as they entered the lock. It never seems to work for me though and I have always had to push it a little after rounding up to get in. The last time I went in on my 70 foot n/b was last summer with young PJ stood at the pointy end grinning whilst I was CONCENTRATING at the blunt end !!

 

Tim

White water narrowboating.......... you can't beat it

[Naughty Cal]

White water narrowboating.......... you can't beat it

 

<cough>

 

It is only the Trent.

[Proper Job]

<cough>

 

It is only the Trent.

Fair point....... but threading a 70' NB in to Keadby whilst going sideways down the river takes a bit of doing. Especially when you don't have the power or manoeuvrability as a sports cruiser.

 

Fair play to the old boy....... he did good.

 

My grinning was more about the expression on Timmy's face. The tongue out, furrowed brow and steely eyes was hilarious