Oxford to Tipton Malthouse stables , how many days ?

[madcat]

how long has do you reckon this trip is likely to take ? Trying to work it out is a bit brain boggling so I wondered what other folks experience of part or all of the journey is time wise .

 

Also how to deal with swing bridges on the Oxford alone . Oxford canal is new territory for me as my usual plan is to head North when I could get away boating for longer than a weekend.

 

I used to get OH to work the bridges on the Leeds Liverpool when I brought the boat to Haskayne . Not an opinion now for any sort of help due to age and failing eyesight.

 

Would be interested to hear what everybody thinks about likely times .

[jake_crew]

5 days ?

[matty40s]

Plenty of hire boats around to help, and this one's not full length is it?? ☺

[john6767]

5 days ?

I would say longer than that particularly single handed. For us from Napton with 2 of use it take 3 1/2 days to get to Oxford without particular long days, so 3 days is doable. From Napton to Birmingham is another 3 days, and you are a few hours down the main line in addition. So I would say to plan on 7 days from Oxford to Tipton if you want to go for it, but a more leisurely trip would be say 9 days.

 

BTW, the bridges on the South Oxford are lift bridges not swing bridges. There are not that many that are kept in the closed position though, (4 or so?) so waiting for another boat would seem to be the most pragmatic solution, it will be busy anyway so you would be unlucky to wait long.

Edited July 7, 2015 by john6767

[alan_fincher]

If it's the boat I think it is, are you confident it will fit through all the locks at Napton?

 

By means not all do, I believe, although I think Marston Doles is no longer the problem it once was. I know "Pisces" proved to be too wide a year or so back.

 

This is what the HNBC pages currently say.....

 

Oxford Canal - South

• Quite a lot of work has been done to some of the worst locks in the last few years and, although some historic boats do still get stuck, members report fewer problems recently ... "Both up and down at the first and second locks at Napton (Nos 8 & 9) the boat didn't hesitate and even the top gate recess at Marston Doles top, which I remember as being tight, was taken cleanly. The BW lock keeper at Napton top advised that the higher the water level in the pound between 8 and 9 the easier it is to work through 9 which he acknowledged is tight for some boats. A couple of bottom gates, Grants and Somerton, wouldn't go right back thanks to rubbish behind them but this was easily resolved." (August 2011)

Older reports:

• Napton 4 (bottom lock) reported July 08 that little Woolwich and an iron BCN dayboat conversion had problems when they haven't previously
• Napton No 5 (ie second one up) bulge in wing wall on offside below lock causing some boaters to requre tirfor in and flushing out
• Marston Doles top lock tight on top gate recess

 

 

Is your surveyor going to be measuring the widest bits for you?

[bottle]

At Napton a few weeks ago (months??) signs at locks say lift fenders, boat goes forward, as he did so, I mentioned the sign as he had his fenders down.

 

Oh! we have been up here before, no problem.

 

He got stuck.

 

Now whether he had renewed his fenders since the last time I have no idea, luckily he entered slowly and it was easy enough to get him out.

 

A few years ago watched as old boat was towed backwards to the winding hole, had middle age spread, and had wedged.

[alan_fincher]

A few years ago watched as old boat was towed backwards to the winding hole, had middle age spread, and had wedged.

 

It is not necessarily the boat that is at fault, though.

 

Whilst locks like these will no doubt easily still pass most boats built to the modern narrower width of 6' 10", or thereabouts, some may have had walls move to now be tight enough that a boat that hasn't actually spread beyond its original build width of 7 feet 0.5 inches may now struggle to pass.

 

For a boat like Madcat is talking about, hopefully there will be no issues, but some of the same or similar type do struggle at Napton.

[madcat]

I'm sure a width check is on the list , I will ask anyway .

 

I wasn't really aware of this issue as I'd never think of going down or up the Oxford normally. Any chance to escape and its I'm for Manchester where are you bound.

 

matty it seems width not length is the issue here but then blokes seem to be length orientated in their thinking.

 

It's not full length , cut down so it fits the shorter locks on some Northern canals which is what all this upheaval is about . I'd have hung onto Halsall otherwise but I have plans for the future when I've more freedom to wander.

 

It could all be off if things go buttons up on Thursday with the surveythough. I'm not anticipating any truly nasty surprises but it has happened .Then I reserve the right to go all girly and cry.

[pete harrison]

It all depends how much effort you want to put in.

 

Back in August 1998 'Steilsteven' (of this Forum) and I took a large Northwich motor and large Woolwich butty pair from Reading to Ellesmere Port in 6 days, including the loss of half a day for an engine breakdown and the failure of the butty's 'elm in Wolverhampton Locks - and we closed all lock gates behind us. Within that trip, and relevant to this thread, we travelled from Enslow to Marston Doles in a day, Marston Doles to Rowington in a day and Rowington to Tipton in a day (including the engine breakdown at Hockley Heath).

 

We had two other crew making things pretty comfortable, but one had never been on a pair before and the other was my eldest son who was about 12.

 

On a single handed single motor I would expect to do about the same as above, especially as the majority of narrow locks are uphill between Oxford and Tipton (easier when single handed as the fore end can nudge all of the gates open).

 

edit = add G.U.C.C.Co. Ltd. boat types to add relevance as it sounds as though 'madcat' is talking of acquiring a 'historic' narrow boat.

Edited July 7, 2015 by pete harrison

[madcat]

I'm not sure I'm up to such fast passage as Pete and Co but it's looking not too bad as long as the boat isn't too fat for Napton.

 

Any recent attempts by old boats known of ?

[OldGoat]

Just done that route. Took nine days, but we did dawdle in Brum on the way up.

Say eight days.

We do move on - no slouch, but beginning to slow down. All the 'poo works' gear is a pain - IMHO CaRt are using thick grease on them nowadays.

[mark99]

I've seen a couple of modern boats recently complete with dangling rope fender sausages go through Napton <despite the signs>. I thought that's what guard irons are for? fenders only when moored camp personally.

Edited July 7, 2015 by mark99

[madcat]

Pete it has to be another GU boat , I'd never have parted with Halsall otherwise.

I'm not counting any chickens though as there are still possibilities for things not to work out.

[pete harrison]

It's not full length , cut down so it fits the shorter locks on some Northern canals which is what all this upheaval is about . I'd have hung onto Halsall otherwise but I have plans for the future when I've more freedom to wander.

By collating the details from the three threads you have submitted today I think I have sussed out which boat it is. If it is the one I am thinking of I photographed it on 29 October 1990 in the process of a major rebuild - and it is a lower owner boat than HALSALL (not that it matters)

[madcat]

Pete I imagine you've worked it out. I'm keeping things low key as I prefer to just slink into obscurity but I will be in touch about the boat in the future if it all works out .