Lift Bridges

[c c]

Just got back from our annual November cruise on BADSEY (71.5ft Woolwich). The one over-riding annoying experience on the South Oxford was with lift bridges. SIX bridges were in the down position - three locked and three unlocked. And the same on the return leg.

Lift bridges that are down when there was no reason why they should not be left up and which are neither designed nor balanced for the height and weight of the average women.

Lift bridges with absolutely no thought given to where we were meant to get anywhere near the edge to moor and get off the boat to go swing on an invariably broken or just-out-of-reach chain. But more especially annoying was that everywhere an unlocked bridge was down and by random chance a tiny length of piled mooring is provided, boaters permanently moor their pride and joy in that only available chance of getting ashore without swimming.

How would you open the bridge in the following examples:

The above was occupied by a clown - yes really - "a childrens entertainer on tour" who stuck his head out to complain that I had woken him up and to claim that it was an authorised mooring place! I reversed about quarter of a mile (not easy to achieve) before the wife managed to scramble ashore leaving me wondering why it was not legal to carry explosives for his boat and the bridge.

 

I spent the entire trip trying (and failing) to answer why do some lift bridges that are locked in the down position only open with a boaters key (which means the boater is inconvenience every time whilst the pedestrian is not) and why not have it without a lock so that pedestrian users lower the bridge when they need it. It is possibly understandable in the days of clearly defined middle class pedestrians and working class boaters but with boats costing the same as a house these days, class doesn't seem the reason.

Talking of class - Oxford is a great place to visit. This was our mooring for a week 10 minutes from the City centre.

[frangar]

I personally would have breasted up to the moored boat and thanked them for being a floating pontoon so that my boat didn't go aground…...

 

Cheers

 

Gareth

[Guest]

I'm afraid if he is moored on the only suitable landing for a bridge I would have told him I was mooring along side to dispatch my crew.

 

ed cross post with Gareth.

Edited November 29, 2013 by The Dog House

[Mike Tee]

I personally would have breasted up to the moored boat and thanked them for being a floating pontoon so that my boat didn't go aground…...

 

Cheers

 

Gareth

Fully agree

 

eta - although thinking about it, it can then get even more difficult when singlehanded

Edited November 29, 2013 by Mike Tee

[matty40s]

no hesitation in dropping alongside at all, water pistol or not.

You will probably find that the bridge is down as that is their quickest way to the shop/pub/work.

[Arthur Marshall]

Just out of interest - how do you manage these while singlehanding? I didn;t realise there were still some of these about - I know on the llangollen we used to carry a sandbag to weigh the chain down but if the chains are too short for that, what's the trick?

[Graham Davis]

If there is a Public Right of Way across the bridge then it has to open/down for them and not the boats, which could be the reason for some.

 

And agreed, you should have breasted up to him and walked across his deck!

[Leo No2]

Just out of interest - how do you manage these while singlehanding? I didn;t realise there were still some of these about - I know on the llangollen we used to carry a sandbag to weigh the chain down but if the chains are too short for that, what's the trick?

Is it a product of the winter period I wonder. I came up the South Oxford in September and only had to deal with three lift bridges, two around Dukes Cut and the awful aluminium one (Mill Bridge) at Lower Heyford. I wonder if those that moor in difficult positions leave them down because it suits them and when the longer days come they move on and the bridges stay up? Just a thought.

[Bones]

The bridges were rarely weighted properly and the lock is the solution. I used to use a banbury pole or wait for someone to go past. Some of them have chains and hooks and i have seen others weight them down with all sorts of things.

[twbm]

Agreed, walk across the moored boats.

 

Even more of a pain with a loaded butty on a long line.

[Captain Fizz]

I would have moored alongside, put the kettle on, had lunch whilst listening to some heavy metal and then continued on my way!

[Bones]

Agreed, walk across the moored boats.

 

 

Ditto

[Laurie Booth]

I'm afraid if he is moored on the only suitable landing for a bridge I would have told him I was mooring along side to dispatch my crew.

 

ed cross post with Gareth.

Or better still shout out " Hi open the bridge for me....Cheers mate"

[Tacet]

 

 

I spent the entire trip trying (and failing) to answer why do some lift bridges that are locked in the down position only open with a boaters key (which means the boater is inconvenience every time whilst the pedestrian is not) and why not have it without a lock so that pedestrian users lower the bridge when they need it. It is possibly understandable in the days of clearly defined middle class pedestrians and working class boaters but with boats costing the same as a house these days, class doesn't seem the reason.

 

It wouldn't work well for a pedestrian approaching an open bridge from the towpath side.

[Paul C]

You're going to say "its a historic boat, they're like that" but I'd use a boat with reasonable access off the front of the boat. That way, one can moor on the non-towpath side (ie the side where the bridge is operated from) and raise the bridge, then get back on again.

[MtB]

Or better still shout out " Hi open the bridge for me....Cheers mate"

 

The best solutions are the most obvious, but only after someone has pointed them out!

 

MtB

[Captain Fizz]

Yes indeed!

[David Mack]

You're going to say "its a historic boat, they're like that" but I'd use a boat with reasonable access off the front of the boat. That way, one can moor on the non-towpath side (ie the side where the bridge is operated from) and raise the bridge, then get back on again.

I have climbed off the front of Fulbourne directly onto a lift bridge deck before now, when there was insuficient depth to get in to either bank. And after opening the bridge and hauling/pushing the boat through I got back onto the stern deck the same way.

[Mike Tee]

It wouldn't work well for a pedestrian approaching an open bridge from the towpath side.

Of course it would - thats what the chain is for. Pull it down step on it, walk across and the bridge would lift behind you. However, I could see a problem if someone was trying to take a pram and toddler across - swings and roundabouts (or bridges).

[FadeToScarlet]

Put the fore end against the bridge deck, get off onto it or the abutment, open bridge.

Or, better yet, put someone ashore if there was someone with me at the last bridge hole.

[ditchcrawler]

I personally would have breasted up to the moored boat and thanked them for being a floating pontoon so that my boat didn't go aground…...

 

Cheers

 

Gareth

Spot on, same as at water points.

[Hawkmoth]

Or better still shout out " Hi open the bridge for me....Cheers mate"

Loved that one! Greenie

Bob

[PhilR]

Looking at the first two photos in the OP's message I can understand a bit of annoyance regarding where the two boats were moored. But I can't understand the need to reverse for ¼ mile.

 

Those lift bridges are not an unwelcome sight for anyone who is single-handing. Compared to most swing bridges they are easy. Motor up to the bridge ........ jump off onto the bridge ......... tie a line to the bridge ....... open bridge ..... fix Banbury stick ......... motor through, pulling out stick on departure.

 

Whilst this is happening the stern of the boat might wag around slightly (but only slightly). If someone is stupid enough to moor within 70 ft of a bridge hard cheese.

[c c]

I personally would have breasted up to the moored boat and thanked them for being a floating pontoon so that my boat didn't go aground…...

 

Note the covered cratch and anyway by the time I was alongside, our bows would have rammed the bridge.

If there is a Public Right of Way across the bridge then it has to open/down for them and not the boats, which could be the reason for some.

 

And agreed, you should have breasted up to him and walked across his deck!

and again - I did think of that but by the time I would be breasted, my bow would be under the bridge!!

The bridges were rarely weighted properly and the lock is the solution. I used to use a banbury pole or wait for someone to go past. Some of them have chains and hooks and i have seen others weight them down with all sorts of things.

Saw your boat but sadly nobody at home

Agreed, walk across the moored boats.

 

Even more of a pain with a loaded butty on a long line.

Would you do this even if the boater was being hostile - off duty clowns can be miserable apparently.

I would have moored alongside, put the kettle on, had lunch whilst listening to some heavy metal and then continued on my way!

I can see the sense, although probalby some loud blues, but still have the problem of the bows jammed under the bridge and how to continue of ones way..................................

It wouldn't work well for a pedestrian approaching an open bridge from the towpath side.

Well doe snot a boater have to approach an open bridge from the towpath side?

 

The best solutions are the most obvious, but only after someone has pointed them out!

 

MtB

AND if someone was actually on board.

I have climbed off the front of Fulbourne directly onto a lift bridge deck before now, when there was insuficient depth to get in to either bank. And after opening the bridge and hauling/pushing the boat through I got back onto the stern deck the same way.

Yes I know I should send the wife crawling along the tippet to jump down into the bow and raise the bridge with a mighty heave of a stout shaft - but I didn't/couldn't wouldn't..

Put the fore end against the bridge deck, get off onto it or the abutment, open bridge.

Or, better yet, put someone ashore if there was someone with me at the last bridge hole.

Oh now you want her to crawl along the tippet, jump into the bow and - wait for it - climb onto the bridge!!

Or - foresee some imconsiderate idiot mooring where they should not moor and have her walk the 2 miloes from the previous bridge hole...

Been married long?

Looking at the first two photos in the OP's message I can understand a bit of annoyance regarding where the two boats were moored. But I can't understand the need to reverse for ¼ mile.

 

Those lift bridges are not an unwelcome sight for anyone who is single-handing. Compared to most swing bridges they are easy. Motor up to the bridge ........ jump off onto the bridge ......... tie a line to the bridge ....... open bridge ..... fix Banbury stick ......... motor through, pulling out stick on departure.

 

Whilst this is happening the stern of the boat might wag around slightly (but only slightly). If someone is stupid enough to moor within 70 ft of a bridge hard cheese.

OK I may have exagerated a little - but the second pictured bridge took the two of us to persuade it to lift and as for ....jump onto the bridge.....we are not as athletic as we used to be. In fact I can never remember being that athletic at any time in my life.

Perhaps if I had a Banbury Stick it would have been different - What is it?

 

 

Edited to say - Thanks all of you for replying and my answers are meant to be half joke half serious.

Edited November 29, 2013 by canalchef

[David Mack]

Yes I know I should send the wife crawling along the tippet to jump down into the bow and raise the bridge with a mighty heave of a stout shaft - but I didn't/couldn't wouldn't..

 

I was singlehanding at the time, so that is more or less what I had to do. But as it was at the electrically-operated lift bridge on the Caldon, I didn't have to heave the bridge up with a stout stick. But I did have to duck as I made my way forward along the top plank to pass under the adjacent pipe bridge!