Leeds & Liverpool

[DaveR]

Morning,

 

For many reasons I may be forced into coming back along the L&L single handed.

 

The majority of the swing bridges are done from the non-tow path side.

 

Is the a special way of doing them - or do i need a wet suit ?

[Paul Evans]

Because I've never run a boat single handed you can take these suggestions with a pinch a salt - unless a more experienced member of the forum approves them:

 

1. Follow another boat (preferably one with spare crew) and persuade them to do all the work;

2. Give your hancuff key and windlass to children, who have satisfied you they will not run off, and get them to do the work (the condition will NEVER be satisfied);

3. Some of the bridges have landing stages on the off-side. You will have no trouble with these;

4. Tie the bow to the bridge (by a longish rope), open the bridge, pull the boat through, tie the stern to the bridge, close the bridge and off you go (but untie first - you're not allowed to take the bridge with you).

 

Enjoy the trip!

Edited July 16, 2006 by Paul Evans

[Bones]

Because I've never run a boat single handed you can take these suggestions with a pinch a salt - unless a more experienced member of the forum approves them:

 

1. Follow another boat (preferably one with spare crew) and persuade them to do all the work;

2. Give your hancuff key and windlass to children, who have satisfied you they will not run off, and get them to do the work (the condition will NEVER be satisfied);

3. Some of the bridges have landing stages on the off-side. You will have no trouble with these;

4. Tie the bow to the bridge (by a longish rope), open the bridge, pull the boat through, tie the stern to the bridge, close the bridge and off you go (but untie first - you're not allowed to take the bridge with you).

 

Enjoy the trip!

 

I was recently reading a book that suggested this tip for doing lift bridges - do let me know how you get on - it sounds much easier than the banbury stick!

[The Maestro]

I was recently reading a book that suggested this tip for doing lift bridges - do let me know how you get on - it sounds much easier than the banbury stick!

 

What is the Banbury Stick?

 

Paul.

[twoputtyrats]

What is the Banbury Stick?

 

Paul.

 

It's all explained in this post here....

 

http://www.canalworld.net/forums/index.php...opic=4310&st=20

 

SImon.

[Paul Evans]

I can do no better than:

The soluton to the lift bridges on the Soutern Oxford is a Banbury Stick, a stout pole just under 6ft long which is wedged between the underside of the bridge and the cill on the towpath side (after the bridge has been lifted manually) this will give sufficcient clearance for a boat to pass under it.

 

The original Banmbury Sticks had a hole in them through which a strong rope, with a spliced eye on the loose end, was fixed. The rope was placed on the stonework at the side of the bridge after it had been lifted and the eye was dropped onto the towing dolly as the boat passed through. The moving boat then pulled the Stick frm its location on the cill, and the bridge came down with a bang. It didn't do the bridge much good, but saved valuable time, I don't think BW would approve of that part of the operation these days.

I saw one used on the Caldon in the late 1970's when one of the pottery manufacturers was still moving china, from the pottery at Milton to its distribution wharehouse at Hanley, by boat. The lift bridge in question, Ivy House, has since been mechanised and the pottery no longer uses boats (if, indeed, it's still in business).

 

Not much use with swing bridges but I believe David Schweizer knows of a technique for operating swing bridges from the towpath side with a rope and short pole. Perhaps he'll give us a clue!

Edited July 16, 2006 by Paul Evans

[Guest]

Morning,

 

For many reasons I may be forced into coming back along the L&L single handed.

 

The majority of the swing bridges are done from the non-tow path side.

 

Is the a special way of doing them - or do i need a wet suit ?

Some of them are a pain for single handers. I have seen others do the rope to the bridge trick. Lots wait for another boat as suggested. The worst problem we have with the L&L bridges are the ignorant motorists.

[Noah]

........................ The worst problem we have with the L&L bridges are the ignorant motorists.

 

Oh yes, sometimes much worse than the actual bridge. On a recent trip my girlfriend re-boarded the boat close to tears after receiving verbal abuse from an impatient motorist while she was operating a swing bridge. Seems I took too long to get the boat through in the strong crosswind.

 

When I'm single-handed I use Paul Evan's number four tip (above) but it can still be a real pain in even a light wind and a few scrapes are likely. Irate motorists can either be patient, offer to help, or go around! I'm on the Rufford Branch at the moment and one swing bridge is the worst that I've encountered. I just make a total balls of it. However, the best swing bridge for single-handed operation must have been on the way south to Liverpool last week at Downholland. Perfect design, with both towpath and off-side landing stages and bollards.

 

Noah

[Guest]

Oh yes, sometimes much worse than the actual bridge. On a recent trip my girlfriend re-boarded the boat close to tears after receiving verbal abuse from an impatient motorist while she was operating a swing bridge. Seems I took too long to get the boat through in the strong crosswind.

 

When I'm single-handed I use Paul Evan's number four tip (above) but it can still be a real pain in even a light wind and a few scrapes are likely. Irate motorists can either be patient, offer to help, or go around! I'm on the Rufford Branch at the moment and one swing bridge is the worst that I've encountered. I just make a total balls of it. However, the best swing bridge for single-handed operation must have been on the way south to Liverpool last week at Downholland. Perfect design, with both towpath and off-side landing stages and bollards.

 

Noah

Crabtree Lane swingbridge by the Slipway pub, Burscough is where we get most grief. A guy on a bike (nowt against bikers-I like bikes myself) lifted the barriers one day and rode across after my wife had shut them. For some reason the dregs of humanity appear at that bridge whenever we want to open it.

[Noah]

Crabtree Lane swingbridge by the Slipway pub, Burscough is where we get most grief. A guy on a bike (nowt against bikers-I like bikes myself) lifted the barriers one day and rode across after my wife had shut them. For some reason the dregs of humanity appear at that bridge whenever we want to open it.

That would make me a little bit angry, more so because I'm a biker myself. I suppose there's good, bad and ugly in all types of people. That bridge is particularly difficult to operate. Did it on my own once and I struggled! A car driver shouted abuse out of his window at me but I just ignored him and carried on as I'm a mellow kind of guy (these days!). Weird how road rage intrudes onto the canal in places.

 

Noah