Saltersford Tunnel

[davidk65]

Talking to a fellow nb owner at the Anderton mooring, the subject of Saletsford tunnel came up. We shared recent experiences of going through this particular tunnel, mentioning how tricky it was to sail through.

 

I was amazed to hear that at a recent BW user group meeting the problems with Saltersford was brought up and the need for some kind of safe control on entering and leaving the tunnnel, as I understand it this subject has been raised over the last 5/6 meeting, BW again responded that there was no need for any kind of control what so ever.

 

I can only conclude that the person from BW has never been faced with the problem of having to decide if it is clear to enter this piece of waterways engineering that bends in the middle and almost obscures all the light.

I have used the Saltersford on 4 separate trips recently and on each occiasion I have been more than half way through and met boats comming the other way. The pandemonium that then breaks out has to be experienced to be believed. People refusing to move, and no wonder, as we all maintain that the tunnel was "clear" when we started in. Reversing in not easy at the best of times and is more difficult when one is in the semi dark. If you are the only boat that has to reverse that is one thing, but it is a completely different matter when other boaters have tagged on behind and they all have to reverse, as happened to me last week.

 

My approach to the Saltersford is to check it's clear (in the time one has to see), have all lights on, enter the tunnel and give regular long blasts on the horn as we go further in. However my experience is that it does not work as I have found out to my cost.

 

BW does have a responsibilty to ensure that boating is as safe as it is possible for them to make it (I know that boaters also have a responibility), but this tunnel is an accident that has already happened and will continue to happen until BW put some measure of control, simalar to Preston Brook.

[William Martin]

I have been in a convoy that met a convoy too - lots of shouting and revving - an on the hour/half hour system would be good.

 

From memory, there seems to only be wood 'buffers' on one side - it would be good if they were on both sided - I have a gash on my superstructure because of that

[barney]

I go down Saltersford tunnel a lot being moored at Prestonbrook we have had to reverse out on several occasions. Some boats do not have decent light on the front of some could be describe as candle lights. I met one chap in there after bowing my horn a few times which is loud. I said to him when I had reversed out why did you not blow your horn he replied why do I need one of them.

[Liam]

I am also a regular to the tunnel, and over the past 7 years, that dogs leg is definately getting longer and longer. I remember (jeeze I'm 21 going on 61) when you could nearly straight through it, now it's impossible as you have to swing your fore end away from the coping, missing it by a couple of foot so you can try and see before entering, but it doesn't always work and you have to just get your bows in and blast your horn now and again. To be honest I've never found it that much of a problem though.

 

Around 1hr 45 mins from Saltesford to Preston Brook, which means that if you worked on the same times as Preston Brook, it would suit traffic going one way fine, but the opposite way would have to wait for an extended period of time.

[John Orentas]

And I thought I was the only one who has managed to do this. Met this bloke in the middle I was in my then brand new boat and even though we were a bit nearer his end than mine he was very reluctant to reverse out, going on that the boat wasn't his and he didn't want to risk any damage.

 

Grudgingly I did the right thing. When out into the daylight, boat scratched and covered in soot (there's 200 years of it in there). I realised I had been pulling out a rather tatty hire boat, I wasn't very pleased, had some words.

[Liam]

There's arrows on the tunnel wall to solve any disagreement about who's the most furthest in

[cheshire~rose]

There's arrows on the tunnel wall to solve any disagreement about who's the most furthest in

Yes there ARE arrows but who it is that ends up reversing is usually decided by a combination of which boat is bigger, which has the more experienced crew (try asking a hire boat to reverse!) and which skipper shouts loudest and has the most colourful range of language!

It is a notorious tunnel for this typw of problem and I have experienced such problems on several occasions

[Liam]

It doesn't matter on the size of the boat. If you are over half of your way through on your 30ft boat, and someone comes in the other end on their 60ft boat, why should you have to back out?

 

And for all I care, the other boat's screw can scream and ball all they want. If they are in the wrong they can move, not me. Chains hang conveniently from the wooden rubbing strakes at the side enabling you to tie up until they back out.

 

 

You're being stereotypical about hire boats

[cheshire~rose]

You're being stereotypical about hire boats

 

Yes I admit to being slightly stereotypical! but my comment was based on experience.

 

I know if I was the person on the hire boat then I would reverse out, I will not say it would be a beautifully choreographed manouvre but I could do it! (and thats more likely than me being on my own boat!)

 

Unfortunately sterotypical or not we all know that there are an awful lot of hire boat users that would look at you in surprise to learn that the boat can go backwards at all.

 

It is just the way things are! If the world was without these people what would we do for entertainment?

[matt]

I try to hit it very early in the day (although I've been through very late in summer with no issue).

 

It's choc with hireboats on that stretch in the afternoons - personally any stretch that involves interaction with other people I try to clear before/at dawn - and there have been some amazing dawns lately.

[Keeping Up]

I try to hit it ....

I try not to

[GRPCruiserman]

My battery went flat half way through once!! Nightmare!! I got through, but what I always do is go in dead slow and listen. If I cant hear anyone then I go, otherwise, I wait. I always give a long nlast on the horn as I enter as well and give it welly as the bow wave keeps the boat in the middle as with all tunnels.

[fuzzyduck]

I do the same mate, although i also play Ride of the Valkyries too, to keep the adrenaline buzz going.

[Liam]

It's to be avoided aswell on Saturday afternoons...

 

You have Alvechurch, Black Prince and Claymoore boats all trying to get through and it normally leads to either reversing out or a lengthy wait.

[Audi Fan]

... and give it welly as the bow wave keeps the boat in the middle as with all tunnels.

That's interesting, do you have to go very fast for a bow wave to have an effect?

[fuzzyduck]

planing is best. although you have to watch the air draught

 

remember we're talking about lightweight cruisers 25 and 22 foot DCs respectively.

Edited November 7, 2006 by fuzzyduck

[RichardH]

On Waterscape there is a restriction dated 5-4 to 29-5 stating passage through the tunnel is at designated times

 

Anyone know why - I sailed through 10 days ago and there wasn't any hint of the restriction

 

http://www.waterscape.com/pdf/pdf.php?file...Download+guide+

[charles123]

Subject: Saltersford Tunnel Timings in place for Easter

 

 

Trial operation times for Saltersford Tunnel as stated below from today. The trail will end at after the last May bank holiday (28th May 2007), when a decision will be taken whether to make this permanent or not.

 

Signage has been erected to advice boaters at both ends of the tunnel and the information is in the stoppage section on waterscape.

 

 

 

Northbound Times (Direction Barnton to Preston Brook)

 

Entry on the hour

 

Until 20 minutes past the hour

 

 

 

Southbound Times (Direction Preston Brook to Barnton)

 

Entry 30 minutes past the hour

 

Until 10 minutes to the hour

 

Should you wish to feed back any information to British Waterways on the times please advise me asap

 

 

 

regards

 

mike webb

[Doubleblanker]

Over the weekend i was walking 2 of our dogs along the canal and there was an A4 size notice about the saltersford tunnel times stuck on the dutton stop locks.

[Pie Eater]

We went through both ways over the Easter Holidays - no problems with the timings but at present there are no mooring bollards or rings to tie to when waiting at the tunnel.

 

Also the towpath in the 'lagoon' in between Barnton & Saltersford tunnels is collapsing near the Saltersford tunnel entrance.

 

Steve

[GRPCruiserman]

That's interesting, do you have to go very fast for a bow wave to have an effect?

 

You don't have to go too fast, just enough to create a bow wave, this would usually be faster than you would go on the canal due to bank breaking wash, the principle is that provided you start in the middle of the tunnel, your bow wave reflects off the sides of the tunnel at the same rate and it is the reflected wave that holds you in the middle. As the tunnel twists and turns, so do the waves requiring very little steering adjustments.

 

As I say I only have experience of GRP cruisers, which 'suck' the water from straight under the boat, not the sides, so I don't know whether this principle would work with a narrow boat which 'sucks' the drive water from the sides of the boat,you'll have to ask narrow boaters about that.

 

I think the entry/exit times are an excellent idea, like Preston Brook, at least you wont have 16-20 tons of steel suddenly appearing out of the darkness!!

[Pie Eater]

Last year BW put Saltersford on timed passage but omitted to install mooring rings or bollards at either end of the tunnel.

 

Does anyone know if they have done this yet?

 

Steve

[magpie patrick]

You don't have to go too fast, just enough to create a bow wave, this would usually be faster than you would go on the canal due to bank breaking wash, the principle is that provided you start in the middle of the tunnel, your bow wave reflects off the sides of the tunnel at the same rate and it is the reflected wave that holds you in the middle. As the tunnel twists and turns, so do the waves requiring very little steering adjustments.

 

As I say I only have experience of GRP cruisers, which 'suck' the water from straight under the boat, not the sides, so I don't know whether this principle would work with a narrow boat which 'sucks' the drive water from the sides of the boat,you'll have to ask narrow boaters about that.

 

I think the entry/exit times are an excellent idea, like Preston Brook, at least you wont have 16-20 tons of steel suddenly appearing out of the darkness!!

 

The trouble is on narrow boats the benouli effect comes in because of the water being drawn from each side. This effect is what keeps an aircraft in the sky and basically states that the faster a fluid moves the lower the pressure it exerts: where a rigid body has fluids moving at different speeds down each side it will be drawn to the side where the fluid is moving faster. For a narrow boat in a tunnel this is the side you are closest to, and this phenonemon pulls you even closer!

[howardang]

The trouble is on narrow boats the benouli effect comes in because of the water being drawn from each side. This effect is what keeps an aircraft in the sky and basically states that the faster a fluid moves the lower the pressure it exerts: where a rigid body has fluids moving at different speeds down each side it will be drawn to the side where the fluid is moving faster. For a narrow boat in a tunnel this is the side you are closest to, and this phenonemon pulls you even closer!

Also known as "Bank Effect"

 

Howard Anguish

Edited February 8, 2008 by howardang

[Hairy-Neil]

Also know as "Bank Effect"

 

Howard Anguish

 

If you know what you're doing you can use this effect, coupled with prop wash, to your advantage when narrowboating through wide locks......Most boaters I see don't understand it and it works to their great disadvantage.