Thrupp - any good?

[Peter X]

It's usually difficult to find a mooring at Thrupp, especially if you're boating most of the day to get somewhere so arriving in the evening when the few visitor moorings may well be full, and especially if you have a pair of full length boats.

With hindsight, and bearing in mind that 8 year waiting list, I think it can be seen that BW (I assume this was before CRT came along) should have either (a) not sold off (or rented out?) the use of so much of the towpath in a popular location, or (b) got more in return and used the money to provide enough visitor moorings in the area.

Because as crew for NBT and other people I would be very unlikely to spend two consecutive nights at Thrupp, I'm hopelessly biased. But shouldn't it be a general rule that where a location is so popular that there's usually no visitor moorings left after 5pm, some of the 14 day or 7 day moorings should have their time limit reduced? Probably not in winter, but at least for the peak season in summer?

[Nightwatch]

We have moored at Thrupp numourous times and it's been okay. Don't particularly like either of the pubs there. In addition, in no stretch of the imagination would I 'join the club'. I have met quite nice members but also some 'look down their nose' types. Not for me and the boss. 

[dogless]

What about people who aren't racing around for a few days, and would like to stay in a 'nice place' a little longer, or even leave their boat for a few days where they feel it'll be safe?

I think the balance of 7 day and 48hour moorings at Thrupp is very good. In fairness to the TCCC, perhaps people wouldn't be as impressed with the place if it wasn't for all the work they undertake.

Rog

[Athy]

On 09/09/2018 at 11:23, Mike the Boilerman said:

 

I was under the impression there was a long waiting list, followed by a stiff interview process which includes producing photos of your boat and peer review of your application. 

 

In addition, the car park is across an electric lift bridge that regularly fails. This could drive one to distraction I'd have thought...

 

On the upside, I suspect the mooring fees are low in comparison to normal CRT moorings.

 

Interesting comments, thanks. I suppose there would be an application form; as for photos of the boat, for what purpose? Certainly not to choose the poshest boats only: the one moored next to us when we stopped a couple of days there recently was a not ramshackle but certainly not smart Springer. As for "peer review", what do you mean? By a lord of the realm? By our equals? Or by a club official while he's in the loo?

I saw a car park but it was on the same side as most of the moorings: below canal level and not far from the café. I don't know whether that's the TCCC car park but I somehow assumed it was.

[bizzard]

I used to maintain and drive vintage wedding cars on Saturday afternoons for extra money, one of them was a 1928 R/R  with a Thrupp and Maberley coach built body.

[MtB]

2 minutes ago, bizzard said:

I used to maintain and drive vintage wedding cars on Saturday afternoons for extra money, one of them was a 1928 R/R  with a Thrupp and Maberley coach built body.

 

I know someone with one of them. It was pale cream and convertible. One of the quietest engines ticking over I've ever heard.

 

He got so pished off with people approaching him and asking him to do weddings in it (when stopped at petrol stations, in the car park at Waitrose etc), that he painted it midnight blue. That put a stop to it. 

 

Now they all ask him to do funerals...

[bizzard]

16 minutes ago, Mike the Boilerman said:

 

I know someone with one of them. It was pale cream and convertible. One of the quietest engines ticking over I've ever heard.

 

He got so pished off with people approaching him and asking him to do weddings in it (when stopped at petrol stations, in the car park at Waitrose etc), that he painted it midnight blue. That put a stop to it. 

 

Now they all ask him to do funerals...

Yes, the rear half had a fold down hood, solid roof over the driver. Very quiet 6 cylinder engine. Auto vac petrol pump, worked off  vacuum from the engines inlet manifold. The owner also had two other old R/R's, An enormous 1930 Phantom, another later R/R saloon with a Park Ward body. He also had a 3 litre red label open Bentley, A 1926 Talbot saloon, a late R/R Silver Shadow, a  1958 Triumph Roadster and a 1919 open Rover with skinny artilliary wooden wheels and the footbrake worked on the propshaft to the rear wheels only. It was a wicked thing to drive in Saturday afternoon traffic.  They were all used for weddings and sometimes hired  out to film companies.

Edited September 10, 2018 by bizzard

[Lily Rose]

2 hours ago, Athy said:

 

I saw a car park but it was on the same side as most of the moorings: below canal level and not far from the café. I don't know whether that's the TCCC car park but I somehow assumed it was.

 

I assume Mike was referring to the car park behind Annie's Tea Room. If so it's a free CRT car park but, I think, with no time limit. It is on the same side as many of the moorings but presumably Mike's point was about the inconvenience if the bridge was out of order when you were arriving or leaving.

 

Regarding visitor moorings, for such a popular spot there aren't really that many so I suppose shorter times would result in less people being disappointed and having to cruise on, albeit at the expense of other people who might need to stay longer. Perhaps if ALL the moorings from the bridge to the Boat Inn (the prime spot?) were 2 days it would be better for more peopl and there would still be 14 day moorings at the Shiplake end as well as 7 days, I think, near the Jolly Boatman.

 

Having said that, we arrived at Thrupp 4 times in the last 2 years, twice in July and twice in August, and moored between The Boat Inn and the bridge every time. Partly luck, no doubt, and partly due to timing our arrival for mid AM or PM to reduce the chances of it being full.

 

[Midnight]

Stayed at Thrupp last year on the way to Oxford. We approached with a little bit of apprehension after hearing stories of gestspo like bc members but pleasantly surprised. Quite a few moorings,  friendly bc members and residential boaters. The boat pub was ok but didn't have any blond hoppy beers. 

[john6767]

27 minutes ago, Lily Rose said:

 

I assume Mike was referring to the car park behind Annie's Tea Room. If so it's a free CRT car park but, I think, with no time limit. It is on the same side as many of the moorings but presumably Mike's point was about the inconvenience if the bridge was out of order when you were arriving or leaving.

 

Regarding visitor moorings, for such a popular spot there aren't really that many so I suppose shorter times would result in less people being disappointed and having to cruise on, albeit at the expense of other people who might need to stay longer. Perhaps if ALL the moorings from the bridge to the Boat Inn (the prime spot?) were 2 days it would be better for more peopl and there would still be 14 day moorings at the Shiplake end as well as 7 days, I think, near the Jolly Boatman.

 

Having said that, we arrived at Thrupp 4 times in the last 2 years, twice in July and twice in August, and moored between The Boat Inn and the bridge every time. Partly luck, no doubt, and partly due to timing our arrival for mid AM or PM to reduce the chances of it being full.

 

Luck no doubt, we stopped at Thrupp last week arrived at 6pm and there was a space on the 7 day mooring just past the bridge.  Spoke to the guy on the next boat, they had arrived at 2pm into their 7 day spot.  We stayed 2 nights and when we left there were 3 spaces on the 7 day and another 3 on the 2 day.  OK the schools have gone back and there were no hire boats there apart from one but the Jolly Boatman.

[mrsmelly]

2 hours ago, Lily Rose said:

 

I assume Mike was referring to the car park behind Annie's Tea Room. If so it's a free CRT car park but, I think, with no time limit. It is on the same side as many of the moorings but presumably Mike's point was about the inconvenience if the bridge was out of order when you were arriving or leaving.

 

Regarding visitor moorings, for such a popular spot there aren't really that many so I suppose shorter times would result in less people being disappointed and having to cruise on, albeit at the expense of other people who might need to stay longer. Perhaps if ALL the moorings from the bridge to the Boat Inn (the prime spot?) were 2 days it would be better for more peopl and there would still be 14 day moorings at the Shiplake end as well as 7 days, I think, near the Jolly Boatman.

 

Having said that, we arrived at Thrupp 4 times in the last 2 years, twice in July and twice in August, and moored between The Boat Inn and the bridge every time. Partly luck, no doubt, and partly due to timing our arrival for mid AM or PM to reduce the chances of it being full.

 

The muddy car park at the back of Annie's tea room is cart car park. Tcc have a separate car park behind the locked gate at the far end of the car car park.

[Lily Rose]

1 hour ago, mrsmelly said:

The muddy car park at the back of Annie's tea room is cart car park. Tcc have a separate car park behind the locked gate at the far end of the car car park.

That would explain why the car park was empty first thing in the morning! I probably saw the gate but paid no attention to it and now don't even remember it.