Narrowboat front roof scraping guards ?

[RLWP]

We did Harecastle a couple of years back and I honestly can't remember any problems at all. Maybe less than most as the flow is managed and someone is counting you in and out

 

Richard

[FadeToScarlet]

When you are going the other way to that boat you do get to see the lighI once heard a tale of a boat that almost ran into the doors going South because the keepers hadn't opened them as the boat approached, how true it is I don't know.

 

It is true, has happened to some friends of mine when they were significantly quicker than the tunnel staff expected.

[NickF]

Fred Carter from Standedge calls it Harecastle Bridge!

[cuthound]

Don't go through with centre doors open. Having gone through a tunnel spending the journey thinking what's that scraping noise I found out on exiting that each time I got close to the wall I shaved a bit off the wooden panelling on the open centre doors.

Applies to locks too.

 

On our last shareboat someone forgot to close the oak veneered doors before going through a leaky lock. It ruined the oak finish, turning it a blotchy black, which eventually had to be painted cream.

[ditchcrawler]

My best experience of Harecastle Tunnel was being the first boat in the convoy being followed by a friend, looking back his light made the roof look as if it was made of jewels.

[steve7a3]

Something to think about with tunnels, especially if you're new: If you wear glasses and they are those solar tint ones that go dark in the sun, don't forget you have them on before you enter a tunnel.

I did. My boat has the dents to prove it.

It wasn't until I was about to enter my second tunnel and the helpful chappie on the boat in front of me suggested I take my sunnies off that I realised why my headlight hadn't been too effective in the first tunnel!

[roland elsdon]

Our old motor used to hit the height guard at harecastle, but we never hit the cabin side. One of our friends having made harecastle coming South came down through Stoke and in spite of dire warnings attempted to go through the old blast furnace bridge with the rigging up, apparently the last top plank nearly knocked him off the back deck, as the deck board impacted on the bridge. As a result I had to make new stands mast and deck board...

Shame they took that bridge out it was a useful reminder that you had to lower the boat for harecastle.

My rule for harecastle

Slow

Nothing on roof including cans mops etc

No chimney

All doors shut

Crew in the cabin

One low powered light at front.

It's much easier now there is no walkway remains.

[nb Innisfree]

When we first went through Harecastle and I asked the bloke in charge about our air drought he barely glanced at our boat while telling us it would be fine. I left our pram hood down but reckoned later that we could have just about squeezed through with it up. Surface of water to tunnel roof at its lowest point was about 7' 6".

Edited March 29, 2016 by nb Innisfree

[BruceinSanity]

When we first went through Harecastle and I asked the bloke in charge about our air drought he barely glanced at our boat while telling us it would be fine. I left our pram hood down but reckoned later that we could have just about squeezed through with it up. Surface of water to tunnel roof at its lowest point was about 7' 6".

But being as it's the summit pound, the water level does vary with time of year. We're probably at minimum height now.

[cheshire~rose]

Something to think about with tunnels, especially if you're new: If you wear glasses and they are those solar tint ones that go dark in the sun, don't forget you have them on before you enter a tunnel.

I did. My boat has the dents to prove it.

It wasn't until I was about to enter my second tunnel and the helpful chappie on the boat in front of me suggested I take my sunnies off that I realised why my headlight hadn't been too effective in the first tunnel!

 

 

I would suggest that is you have reactive glasses and you are entering the tunnel on a bright day you remove them as you enter. It really does help your eyes adjust much faster as the glasses can take a while to change back to clear.

[steve7a3]

 

 

I would suggest that is you have reactive glasses and you are entering the tunnel on a bright day you remove them as you enter. It really does help your eyes adjust much faster as the glasses can take a while to change back to clear.

 

Well, for me at least, going in without my glasses would have been as debilitating as going in with them still dark. Luckily I had plenty of time to stick them in my pocket while they lost their tint before I needed to be in the tunnel. Having a pair of non-reactive available to pop on would be the best option of course.

[nb Innisfree]

But being as it's the summit pound, the water level does vary with time of year. We're probably at minimum height now.

How much does it vary by? We've been through a six times I think, always the same with water level by the tow path about the same as a normal canal level, it couldn't have gone much higher without flooding the tow path.

[BruceinSanity]

How much does it vary by? We've been through a six times I think, always the same with water level by the tow path about the same as a normal canal level, it couldn't have gone much higher without flooding the tow path.

Can't quote exact figs, but they tend to run it down as the summer goes on. SA drags 29" at the skeg and we've taken noticeably longer going through later in the year. The tunnel keeper will sometimes warn that levels are low. Contrariwise, in the Spring, the roof will be closer to the top of the cabin and needs more care.

 

Having said all which, we still find it one of the easier tunnels to do and must have done it at least twice a year for the last 12 years.

[NickAndAnne]

We came through Harecastle on Monday. Had quite a wait, as they had to wait for the water levels to drop. Some boats had been waiting since the previous night.

 

However, our passage was uneventful!

[Cheshire cat]

I've got to say the boat was running quite well on Monday and Tuesday on the T&M summit. Levels were well up. The rivers Trent and Caldon were both over the banks in places last weekend.

[Cheshire cat]

Some tunnels are tighter than Harecastle