Birmingham and Fazeley canal

[john6767]

Typhoo basin is not on the "normal" route up the B&F into Brum, but you can turn 1st left at Salford, past Star City, right at Bordesley Jn and go up Ashtead to come out at Aston Jn. Before you get to Ashtead you get to another Jn where Typhoo is left and Brum is right. That Jn probably has a name but I don't recall it (cue BCN fanatics who will tell us!).

Proof House Junction.

[Alway Swilby]

On 09/07/2014 at 09:12, trackman said:

Beware Ashstead Tunnel if you go that way. If your cabin is is high as ours or higher, you will scrape your handrail on the offside on a bulge in the arch going down. The only way to avoid this is to deliberately drop the pound above the tunnel lock before entering. Otherwise you get jammed between towpath edge and tunnel arch. Our air draft is not large and our cabin has a good tumble home to it, and we've never had problems elsewhere.

Wish I'd read this post this morning instead of this evening. We were going up the flight and the lock above the tunnel needed emptying so the pound was high and the grab rail took a beating. What's really annoying is that back in 2014 I'd managed to scrape off a nav light in that tunnel. So today as I was shutting the top gate of the lock below after exiting I thought the pound looked high and asked myself the question "Shall I drop the pound a bit?", then thought "Nah, it'll be alright." But lets look on the bright side, at least I didn't bash the nav light this time.

Edited September 13, 2021 by Alway Swilby

[Rob-M]

16 minutes ago, Alway Swilby said:

Wish I'd read this post this morning instead of this evening. We were going up the flight and the lock above the tunnel needed emptying so the pound was high and the grab rail took a beating. What's really annoying is that back in 2014 I'd managed to scrape off a nav light in that tunnel. So today as I was shutting the top gate of the lock below after exiting I thought the pound looked high and asked myself the question "Shall I drop the pound a bit?", then thought "Nah, it'll be alright." But lets look on the bright side, at least I didn't bash the nav light this time.

I realised after the last time I went through that tunnel it is the location I have now twice caught the corner of my cratch cover and torn it.  Leaving the boat unattended in the tunnel whilst closing the gates I hadn't even noticed the corner had dragged along the wall.

[adam1uk]

28 minutes ago, Alway Swilby said:

Wish I'd read this post this morning instead of this evening. We were going up the flight and the lock above the tunnel needed emptying so the pound was high and the grab rail took a beating. What's really annoying is that back in 2014 I'd managed to scrape off a nav light in that tunnel. So today as I was shutting the top gate of the lock below after exiting I thought the pound looked high and asked myself the question "Shall I drop the pound a bit?", then thought "Nah, it'll be alright." But lets look on the bright side, at least I didn't bash the nav light this time.

Going through Ashted, one of us will be on the towpath with the centre line pulling the boat in to the towpath side.  That’s been just enough to keep the handrails safe.

[JamesWoolcock]

46 minutes ago, adam1uk said:

Going through Ashted, one of us will be on the towpath with the centre line pulling the boat in to the towpath side.  That’s been just enough to keep the handrails safe.

I think you will find that all the way through these locks and the tunnel is really quite deep and that you can afford to run a considerable amount of water off to get through.

A few years ago in advance of taking a Small Woolwich through with deck board up, luby in etc I asked one of the several former boatmen in Gas St Basin what the air draught was. " No idea. We just run a foot or so off" was the answer.

So we did!

Edited September 13, 2021 by JamesWoolcock
Typo

[john6767]

48 minutes ago, adam1uk said:

Going through Ashted, one of us will be on the towpath with the centre line pulling the boat in to the towpath side.  That’s been just enough to keep the handrails safe.

That is what we do too, so far the handrail paint has survived.

[Captain Pegg]

Hmmph, folk cruising the BCN in boats that aren't properly suited. Glad I'm right down the south end of the GU at present. 😏

[TheBiscuits]

5 hours ago, JamesWoolcock said:

I think you will find that all the way through these locks and the tunnel is really quite deep and that you can afford to run a considerable amount of water off to get through.

A few years ago in advance of taking a Small Woolwich through with deck board up, luby in etc I asked one of the several former boatmen in Gas St Basin what the air draught was. " No idea. We just run a foot or so off" was the answer.

So we did!

 

That does sound like the weir levels are set too high on that stretch.  If boaters in the know are dumping a foot of water to transit, surely the level should be kept 6 inches or so down all the time.