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C & R T shower facilities?


Colin North

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The are SE region showers in the bat box at Aylesbury basin and in the red brick building at the top of Buckby, opposite the pub.

 

N

 

I need to tell South East region, then, because the last meeting I was in that discussed facilities, they didn't think they had any!

 

So, if, (as I do), you pass through Buckby frequently, how would the average boater have any idea there were showers there? (Not really a question to you, but I'll ask SE Waterways).

It is interesting that there are so many and well kept ones on the BCN -surely not provided in the days of working boats?

 

I don't know if it is strictly true, but I was told EU money had provided many of the facilities on the BCN.

 

If it is true, make the most of them, as I doubt there is going to be a lot more!

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I think the ones on the BCN (other than the ones at residential moorings) are in good condition purely since they are rarely used. If they were transported to the SE no doubt they would be filthy, broken and clogged up very quickly. It's just a matter of the rate of usage.

 

Mind you they are not perfect. My sister who is quite disabled went into the one at Perry Bar top lock. She has a nerve wasting disease that effect both her motor and sensory functions in her periphery - such that she doesn't know where her limbs are unless she can see them. There are no windows and the lights are activated by PIR sensors. So in she goes and sits down, a little while later all the lights go out! There is no way she can get up in the dark and it transpires the PIR sensor is pointing at the door and doesn't cover the loo. She was not happy! I think she did find and pull the red cord but nothing happened of course! Bearing in mind one knows how long sisters spend in the loo it was quite a while before I went in to find out how she was getting on, to find her quite upset.

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I think the ones on the BCN (other than the ones at residential moorings) are in good condition purely since they are rarely used. If they were transported to the SE no doubt they would be filthy, broken and clogged up very quickly. It's just a matter of the rate of usage.

 

Mind you they are not perfect. My sister who is quite disabled went into the one at Perry Bar top lock. She has a nerve wasting disease that effect both her motor and sensory functions in her periphery - such that she doesn't know where her limbs are unless she can see them. There are no windows and the lights are activated by PIR sensors. So in she goes and sits down, a little while later all the lights go out! There is no way she can get up in the dark and it transpires the PIR sensor is pointing at the door and doesn't cover the loo. She was not happy! I think she did find and pull the red cord but nothing happened of course! Bearing in mind one knows how long sisters spend in the loo it was quite a while before I went in to find out how she was getting on, to find her quite upset.

Not just Perry Bar. My shower kit includes a torch since I have bee caught out like that too in several places.

And Ashwood marina as well.

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Two more: Kilby Bridge (Leicester Line), Barnby Dun (South Yorkshire). Most of the ones I've used have been clean enough. It's nice to be able to have a shower without worrying about water consumption and they are free at point of use. Shame they don't do the same with the pump out machine card readers and bypass them. They must be more bother than they are worth.

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Is there a list of locations where one can find boater's Shower Facilities on the canal system?

We found C&RT showers at Gas Street & at Kingswood Junction - they were great.

Trawled C&RT website but cannot find anything.

 

Many thanks.

 

C&RT's most problematic shower can be found in Milton Keynes !

Edited by Tony Dunkley
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Go on then Tony

Where are these??

Does the CRT office, let boaters use their shower facilities Then?

I bet their mighty posh

 

 

Col

 

It's the prize winning shower that runs the Trust, . . . from the drip of a CEO, to all the drips working under him !

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Shower at Broad Street Basin.

 

The shower at Westport is well hidden, its a unmarked door below the visitor centre. IIRC its seen from the path that leads to the visitor centre and I think its on the side nearest the canal. Takes standard bwb key.

 

Showers at Brentford above the gauging lock

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The shower at Westport is well hidden, its a unmarked door below the visitor centre. IIRC its seen from the path that leads to the visitor centre and I think its on the side nearest the canal. Takes standard bwb key.

 

Beat me to it :)

 

This thread has a photo showing where the door is and your recollection is correct

 

http://www.canalworld.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=83068#entry1775752

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The BCN and just beyond is full of them:

 

Holliday Wharf,

Cambrian Wharf,

Hockley Port,

Ocker Hill,

Wolverhampton yard,

BCLM,

Sneyd Junction

Top of Camp Hill locks,

Engine Arm.

 

I've probably forgotten some. Some of these are on long term moorings sites but available for visitors too. Having said that, the majority of boats transiting Birmingham go from the city centre to Wolverhampton, passing close to 6 shower blocks in one day if they go via Smethwick locks (Holliday, Cambrian, Hockley, Engine Arm, BCLM, Wolverhampton). It does seems like overkill when other regions have nothing. There must be a historical reason?

Titford pumphouse has shower facilities.
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When I first started boating it was on and around the BCN so I thought it was the norm to have showers at various points.

It wasn't til I went south I realised it's not the case. I found one at a pub on the Oxford, forget which, and one at Brentford.[/quote

The pub must of been The Wharf at Fenny Compton, they have laundry facilities as well.

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When I first started boating it was on and around the BCN so I thought it was the norm to have showers at various points.

It wasn't til I went south I realised it's not the case. I found one at a pub on the Oxford, forget which, and one at Brentford.[/quote

The pub must of been The Wharf at Fenny Compton, they have laundry facilities as well.

 

Yes, it was the Wharf, looked it up in my diary.

I remember it was popular for caravans too. And had shop in the back. Friendly pub. That was 4 years ago, is it still the same?

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I need to tell South East region, then, because the last meeting I was in that discussed facilities, they didn't think they had any!

 

So, if, (as I do), you pass through Buckby frequently, how would the average boater have any idea there were showers there? (Not really a question to you, but I'll ask SE Waterways).

I have checked in the little brick building at the top of Buckby, and while there's a loo, there's definitely not a shower.

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