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Is it possible to get a barge up the river Stort?


docus

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Hi all,

 

It's been a while since I was on the forum - nice to be back :)

 

I lived on a narrowboat for 5 years, but have been back on dry land for a while. I'm now looking to return to the water, this time on a Dutch barge.

 

One of my favourite places to explore was up the river Stort. I remember some of the bridges up that way were very low. Also, the river was quite shallow and silted in places.

 

I wonder if it would be possible to get a Dutch barge up the Stort? I don't have the boat yet so can't give any definite dimensions. I've not got much experience with barges (as you can probably tell :D ) so I don't know so much about their handling.

 

Would a typical Dutch, such as Tjalk, be likely to make it under the bridges and through the shallower stretches?

 

 

Any wisdom most gratefully received!

 

Many thanks,

docus

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Would a typical Dutch, such as Tjalk, be likely to make it under the bridges and through the shallower stretches?

 

 

You'd need to give dimensions of the barge - there is no such thing as typical I'm afraid, and I know plenty of tjalks which would certainly be far too large. Looking from the other end though, C&RT quotes bridge heights for Kings Weir on the Lee at 7'8" and Keck's Bge on the Stort at 6'10" but in my experience they can be a bit variable according to weather conditions. They also give Stort depth as just over 4' which is probably sufficient for most converted sailing craft such as a tjalk but could be tight for a large motor ship. It's the air draft which would be most likely to cause grief.

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Although the locks are 13' odd wide, anything over 12' wide and you might have trouble and jamb in one or two entrance-exit lock gates, Sawbridgeworth lock top gates for example. Roydon railway bridge is also quite low. Spelbrook lock road bridge I think is possibly a touch lower than Kecksys farm rail bridge. Depth varies a lot, anything between about 4' and 8' or 9 ' deep.

Edited by bizzard
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Yes you can get a barge up the Stort but it is very tight in places,you really need to check your dimensions as some of the bridges are pretty low especially when water levels are high and some of the bends very tight.. I would suggest you do it in a quiet period as a big barge causes a fair amount of problems to other boats.

I was originally moored next to a Dutch Barge in Hallingbury marina and on his occasional trips he planned very carefully in advance.

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Thanks to everyone for the advice :)

 

I'm now looking at a widebeam instead as I think it might suit my purposes better.

 

I was wondering, with the way some of the smaller, more awkward Stort bridges curve down, would the sides of a 12ft widebeam have trouble squeezing through anywhere?

 

Thanks again - I really appreciate it!

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Yes and the main London rd bridge B1383 at B.Stortfort which is on a tight turn of the river has had its supporting engineering bricks all damaged and knocked out by wide beams trying to negotiate it. I wouldn't walk over that bridge anymore never mind drive over it. I do sail under it though.sad.pngsmile.png

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Yes and the main London rd bridge B1383 at B.Stortfort which is on a tight turn of the river has had its supporting engineering bricks all damaged and knocked out by wide beams trying to negotiate it. I wouldn't walk over that bridge anymore never mind drive over it. I do sail under it though.sad.pngsmile.png

Not by me.

One thing I will add is Stortford is a real disappointment, when I was there just a load of chavs spinning round the car park opposite.

Edited by Loddon
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Not by me.

One thing I will add is Stortford is a real disappointment, when I was there just a load of chavs spinning round the car park opposite.

That car park is long gone now. The Sainsbury's who's car park it was is in a new complex at Jackson Square. Yes the waterside in the town is a disappointment, lots of new apartments overlooking it. The sanitary station is the ''highlight supreme'' of visiting Stortford town has just be done up.

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  • 1 year later...

"Canalability" at Harlow Town have "Red Watch" 68x12+ running regularly on the Stort. I have taken RW through the seven perils of Roydon for my CCCM. "Becky" (lives in Poplar Dock) has been to Hallingbury Mill.Read Mr.Bizzard's comments carefully. He is the MAAN. And Yes! Roydon Rail and Splebrook are the buggers

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I haven't taken my barge up there (58x12 with fold down wheelhouse) but I think the point made earlier about cabin top width is important. My cabin has a d strake welded all round the top edge - I found out why this was when navigating through Islington tunnel - it protects the cabin top edges from damage when they hit the brickwork due to not keeping the boat in the middle :rolleyes:

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Not by me.

One thing I will add is Stortford is a real disappointment, when I was there just a load of chavs spinning round the car park opposite.

They probably look at the river & think, just a load of middle-aged farts in boats.

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I have been living on the river Stort since October in a 70x12 widebeam and have managed to get up to Bishops Stortford three times without to much trouble a bit tight in places but you can get through I've been doing it on my own so can't be to difficult as I'm still a novice

Dave

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Been there with a 13ft 6 inch barge, managed to get under one bridge by pulling the water out of the lock but struggled going downstream, had to hacksaw the protruding windgererator support. Some boaters lower that pond but it is a long walk to the next lock.

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