Cruising from Glasgow to Edinburgh

[Theo]

Considering the high cost of hiring these days I was wondering if it would be cheaper to crane out, transport up and crane in again rather than to hire. Anyone know off the top of his/her head how much that would cost?

 

Nick

[NB Alnwick]

Considering the high cost of hiring these days I was wondering if it would be cheaper to crane out, transport up and crane in again rather than to hire. Anyone know off the top of his/her head how much that would cost?

 

Nick,

 

You must have psychic powers - I was about to ask exactly the same question!

 

I've just got a commission to write an article for British Steam Railways about the railways around Edinburgh and in the course of my research I have dug up lots of stuff on the Forth & Clyde and Union Canals - which were subsequently absorbed into competing railways. The subject is quite fascinating both from an historical point of view and seeing what has been achieved in recent years. When you see how much money the Scottish Parliament has invested restoring 66 miles of derelict canal - just think what could be done if we had the same attitude in England!

 

It also looks as if there are moves afoot to reopen the River Leven to navigation which would connect Loch Lomond with the Clyde . . .

 

I am sure there are people on this forum who can provide a decent guesstimate of the likely cost of transporting a boat to Scotland - the only thing I am not so sure about is mooring near Glasgow - I have seen what the locals do to the railways there and it isn't something I would like to see happen to 'Alnwick'.

[Theo]

Nick,

 

You must have psychic powers - I was about to ask exactly the same question!

 

I've just got a commission to write an article for British Steam Railways about the railways around Edinburgh and in the course of my research I have dug up lots of stuff on the Forth & Clyde and Union Canals - which were subsequently absorbed into competing railways. The subject is quite fascinating both from an historical point of view and seeing what has been achieved in recent years. When you see how much money the Scottish Parliament has invested restoring 66 miles of derelict canal - just think what could be done if we had the same attitude in England!

 

It also looks as if there are moves afoot to reopen the River Leven to navigation which would connect Loch Lomond with the Clyde . . .

 

I am sure there are people on this forum who can provide a decent guesstimate of the likely cost of transporting a boat to Scotland - the only thing I am not so sure about is mooring near Glasgow - I have seen what the locals do to the railways there and it isn't something I would like to see happen to 'Alnwick'.

 

Quite close to the "limit of navigation" there are secure moorings. We hired from Alvechurch a coule of years ago and had no problems. The only bit of trouble that we had was at the Edinburgh end. Some chaps leaped aboard at ten in the evening singing "Rosie and Jim" and we amazed when I popped out and protested. The seemed more than a little non plussed to think that there was someone sleeping on the boat!

 

Nick

[haggis]

No idea of the cost of transporting a boat up to Scotland but people who have done it, have cruised as far north as they could to reduce the road miles. No idea what difference this makes though. You can have a boat craned an at Auchenstarry and the Falkirk wheel. Theerb are other palces but these are the two best ones, I think. If you are thinking of coming up, speak to BW Scotland .

Re moorings. There are a couple of places where it is not advised to moor. In the Wester Hailes area of Edinburgh and in the Lambhill/Maryhill areas of Glasgow. Re boats being used as diving boards at Edinburgh Quay, I had heard about this! The local yoofs probably do it as there are times when one of the BW hospitality boats is moored there for a while and the yoofs, knowing they are unattended make use of them. As far as I know, they don't do any damage; just use them to jump off into the canal.

The Lowland canals are really quiet and there is a certain attraction to having the canal to yourself.

If I can help with specific info, just ask.

[NB Alnwick]

Thanks Haggis that is really encouraging - you don't happen to have any 19th Century photographs of traffic on the Union Canal, do you?

[Theo]

No idea of the cost of transporting a boat up to Scotland but people who have done it, have cruised as far north as they could to reduce the road miles. No idea what difference this makes though. You can have a boat craned an at Auchenstarry and the Falkirk wheel. Theerb are other palces but these are the two best ones, I think. If you are thinking of coming up, speak to BW Scotland .

Re moorings. There are a couple of places where it is not advised to moor. In the Wester Hailes area of Edinburgh and in the Lambhill/Maryhill areas of Glasgow. Re boats being used as diving boards at Edinburgh Quay, I had heard about this! The local yoofs probably do it as there are times when one of the BW hospitality boats is moored there for a while and the yoofs, knowing they are unattended make use of them. As far as I know, they don't do any damage; just use them to jump off into the canal.

The Lowland canals are really quiet and there is a certain attraction to having the canal to yourself.

If I can help with specific info, just ask.

 

 

In our case the yoofs did a little damage. The lifebuoy was cast into the cut as was the centre line. I retrieved the lifebuoy. It had only drifted a little way down, but I did not notice the centre line until it tangled around the prop. I had to use the bread knife to cut it free. :-(

 

Nick

 

One thing that I found strange is that you do not work any of the locks for yourself. They are big and fast and the BW boys do it all for you. This is good or bad according to your taste. You do have to phone to warn them when you will be arriving at the locks, though, which takes some of the spontaneity out of things.

 

Nick

[haggis]

Thanks Haggis that is really encouraging - you don't happen to have any 19th Century photographs of traffic on the Union Canal, do you?

 

I personally don't have any such photos but an enquiry to the Linlithgow Union Canal Society, who have a small musem might be helpful. Web site is http://www.lucs.org.uk/index.html

 

 

One thing that I found strange is that you do not work any of the locks for yourself. They are big and fast and the BW boys do it all for you. This is good or bad according to your taste. You do have to phone to warn them when you will be arriving at the locks, though, which takes some of the spontaneity out of things.

 

Nick

Yes, I agree that although it can be nice having BW do the locks and lift and bascule bridges for you, the novelty quickly wears off. You are more or less tied to the times BW want you to be at a certain place. Having said that, if you discuss it with the boys, they will accommodate you as long as it doesn't screw up other boat movements.

[NB Alnwick]

I personally don't have any such photos but an enquiry to the Linlithgow Union Canal Society, who have a small musem might be helpful. Web site is http://www.lucs.org.uk/index.html

 

Thanks for the link - I will check it out but I don't think I will have much success.

The canal's heyday was between it opening in 1822 and the opening of the railway in 1842. Twenty years later the canal had almost fallen into disuse and was bought up by the railway - I imagine that by then the shareholders were glad to sell!

 

But it was great before the railway came - as an example, in 1836 the canal carried 200,000 passengers between Edinburgh and Falkirk where there was a connection to boats bound for Galsgow. I believe that the passenger boats on the Union Canal were pulled by teams of horses and boats on the Forth and Clyde were powered by sail.

[OWIN]

I had a 70 foot boat cranned a couple of years ago and transported about 15 miles it cost me about a grand

[NB Alnwick]

I had a 70 foot boat cranned a couple of years ago and transported about 15 miles it cost me about a grand

 

That's about what I figured - I used to place contracts for moving railway engines and coaches by road and, from experience, I rckon the haulage could be done for around £600 - give or take a £150 depending on the loading point. The trick then would be to get the boat lifted out and back in by cranes that are already in-situ because crane hire can cost an arm and a leg . . .

[Liam]

Friends of ours recently got their 62ft Narrowboat lifted out in Cheshire on the Trent & Mersey and put back in the cut at Oxford.

 

Total price was £1700.

[WJM]

UK to Dublin c£2000 - recent quote, and that would include the RoRo Ferry

[Billw]

There are some secure BW moorings at Bowling at the Clyde end of the canal, and I believe others elsewhere.

 

THIS website has details of the Forth and Clyde Canal Society, which has some members with great knowledge of the history of the canal.

[Tiller Slave]

Almost certainly cheaper to hire and a lot less hassle!

 

Unless you are planning to spend an extended time in Scotland.

 

You would need to organise two cranes, transport,( Each way assuming it is not a permanent move), moorings and I think you need a separate licence for Scottish BW waters?

 

How many days cruising would you get?