Oxford canal airdraft

[gracyf]

Hi and thank you in advance.

I am looking to go up the oxford canal this year from the K & A and I have a narrowboat with an airdraft of 1985mm or 6'6" and a tiny bit.

From my research it would appear that there are several low bridges etc on this canal made worse by the angles and arches relative to the canal. There are two points of particular interest as well I believe nells bridge /lock and the wedding footbridge 131a to name a couple but all the information is not confirmed.

Any advice on these and any others of note would be appreciated.

[Athy]

Hello and welcome!

keep to the outside when going through the road bridge at Aynho. A look at our modified chimney would tell you why.

Filling your water tank will help, as it will lower your air draught a bit. The front of a boat's superstructure is normally higher than the back.

[johnmck]

 

With a full water tank, 1/4 full diesel tank, out airdraft is about 6ft 3, to the top of the cratch, the highest point on our boat. Never had a problem on the Oxford, or come near one, apart from the top being too near the bottom in places.

[the grinch]

no problem at all on the oxford I often went down there, Nell bridge is the worst when the level of the river is high but otherwise usually ok

[b0atman]

info is in the nicholsons guides

[bastion]

The problem is water levels at the moment, am moored above Pigeons lock for a couple of nights and have been grounded at least 3 times today.

[Keeping Up]

The wedding footbridge used to be really low because it's made of wood which had sagged. But it was rebuilt a few years ago and is certainly well over 6'6" now.

[Athy]

I think I know the one you mean - but why "wedding" footbridge?

[John C]

Theres a bridge at Yarnton thats low, lower than Wedding bridge ever was, same applies to Nell, unless there is a lot of rain.

[ditchcrawler]

Theres a bridge at Yarnton thats low, lower than Wedding bridge ever was, same applies to Nell, unless there is a lot of rain.

That's right, there is a bump in the center which is hard to see but at 6-6 you should be OK unless you have bikes on the roof or chimneys sticking up.

 

Why Wedding Bridge, well that is what is carved into it now.

[Proper Job]

Yarnton (bridge 228) catches a few people out. The offside part of the arch has collapsed a bit in the middle which has flattened out the arch on that side, and as has be said, made a bit of a hidden bulge.

 

Keep to the tow path side and it's not a problem

 

Nell bridge (187) is only a problem if the Cherwell is in flood and it has restricted head room. There is an indicator board at the tail of the lock which give clearance

[trackman]

Not relevant just now as levels are low and have been for a while apparently. However, we found the hard way that the lock tail under Nells Bridge silts up really badly after flooding, reducing the water draft drastically. Floodwater pouring down the towpath dumps the surfacing it's scoured away into the cut under the bridge.

We had a real struggle to get into the lock going uphill a few years ago after a period of flooding. We ended up lifting both paddles at the top of the lock and pushing against the flow created to ride over the obstacle. We probably cleared a lot of the silt in the process too!

[Proper Job]

Not relevant just now as levels are low and have been for a while apparently. However, we found the hard way that the lock tail under Nells Bridge silts up really badly after flooding, reducing the water draft drastically. Floodwater pouring down the towpath dumps the surfacing it's scoured away into the cut under the bridge.

We had a real struggle to get into the lock going uphill a few years ago after a period of flooding. We ended up lifting both paddles at the top of the lock and pushing against the flow created to ride over the obstacle. We probably cleared a lot of the silt in the process too!

 

That sounds like my normal method of getting in/out of Roundham and Kidlington Green lock

[Mike Tee]

Should have gone to Specsavers - I read the title as 'Oxford Canal Aircraft'