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Staffordshire to West London


ARouseAfloat

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I'm going to bring a narrow boat from the Staffordshire canal down to West London, Packet Boat Marina in fact to live on and wonder if anyone has done this and how long it's likely to take to do? And finally what will be the route I'll be taking? I'll be doing it Friday evening to Sunday evening weekly due to my work commitments..oh, and I'm fairly new to the canal too and boats in general. Sounds like an adventure ahead ?

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Is there a particular place you can check for closures? C&RT?

 

https://canalrivertrust.org.uk/notices

 

Well worth signing up (see instructions at the foot of that page) and then you can get immediate email alerts in respect of the waterways you are interested in.

 

The formal winter stoppage programme is here: https://canalrivertrust.org.uk/notices/winter/#staticFile

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This link will give you access to the SE stoppages on the two routes south (Oxford and Grand Union) - https://canalrivertrust.org.uk/media/static_maps/South_East_A4.pdf

 

If you chose going via the Oxford you'll also need to look at the planned Thames (Environment Agency) stoppages (now called Investment Programmes) which are here https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/557308/RT_Investment_prog_2016-2017_Issue_2_Map.pdf

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Leo No2, on 26 Oct 2016 - 06:17 AM, said:

This link will give you access to the SE stoppages on the two routes south (Oxford and Grand Union) - https://canalrivertrust.org.uk/media/static_maps/South_East_A4.pdf

 

If you chose going via the Oxford you'll also need to look at the planned Thames (Environment Agency) stoppages (now called Investment Programmes) which are here https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/557308/RT_Investment_prog_2016-2017_Issue_2_Map.pdf

The Thames route is now effectively closed from next week until February 2017 as Thames Water are rebuilding a bridge at Old Windsor.

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I think you can get to London by January as follows, based upon what you've said so far. I am assuming that your boat is currently somewhere on the Staffs & Worcs between its junctions with the T&M and the Wolverhampton 21, and that you have most weekends free.

 

First (if you need to) get the right side of lock 23 (Filance Lock) before its stoppage begins on 7th Nov. Then there are two ways to Braunston:

 

Plan A: T&M, Coventry, North Oxford.

Less locks, and the only winter stoppage to worry about is Bridge 12A just north of Rugby. You have to get past that by 5th December, very doable.

 

Plan B: Across Birmingham then down the GU.

More locks, and one HUGE SNAG.

 

You can get up the Wolverhampton 21 (the stoppages there are not until after Christmas), across Birmingham (new or old main line, take your pick), down Farmers Bridge and up Camp Hill, then on down the GU. Until you reach the Hatton flight, which is scheduled to be closed from 7th Nov to 16th Dec. So you'd either need to get past there in the two weekends before 7th Nov, which is really pushing it, or wait. I recommend Plan A.

 

Due to the Thames stoppages (that's the long way round anyway) your only way to London is down the GU from Braunston, and the main limitation is that you have to wait until 13th Dec to get past stoppages at Buckby (just south of Norton Junction where the Leicester Arm meets).

After that you need to get past lock 21 (just north of MK) by 9th Jan, then there's a 23rd Jan deadline further south.

 

All that can stop you is an unplanned stoppage, the canals freezing over, you or your boat breaking down, fear of tunnels (Braunston and Blisworth are on your route), etc. But go for it, you'll enjoy the experience. It helps if you have at least one person along as crew, and it particularly helps if someone with boating experience comes along on your first weekend.

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I think you can get to London by January as follows, based upon what you've said so far. I am assuming that your boat is currently somewhere on the Staffs & Worcs between its junctions with the T&M and the Wolverhampton 21, and that you have most weekends free.

 

First (if you need to) get the right side of lock 23 (Filance Lock) before its stoppage begins on 7th Nov. Then there are two ways to Braunston:

 

Plan A: T&M, Coventry, North Oxford.

Less locks, and the only winter stoppage to worry about is Bridge 12A just north of Rugby. You have to get past that by 5th December, very doable.

 

Plan B: Across Birmingham then down the GU.

More locks, and one HUGE SNAG.

 

You can get up the Wolverhampton 21 (the stoppages there are not until after Christmas), across Birmingham (new or old main line, take your pick), down Farmers Bridge and up Camp Hill, then on down the GU. Until you reach the Hatton flight, which is scheduled to be closed from 7th Nov to 16th Dec. So you'd either need to get past there in the two weekends before 7th Nov, which is really pushing it, or wait. I recommend Plan A.

 

Due to the Thames stoppages (that's the long way round anyway) your only way to London is down the GU from Braunston, and the main limitation is that you have to wait until 13th Dec to get past stoppages at Buckby (just south of Norton Junction where the Leicester Arm meets).

After that you need to get past lock 21 (just north of MK) by 9th Jan, then there's a 23rd Jan deadline further south.

 

All that can stop you is an unplanned stoppage, the canals freezing over, you or your boat breaking down, fear of tunnels (Braunston and Blisworth are on your route), etc. But go for it, you'll enjoy the experience. It helps if you have at least one person along as crew, and it particularly helps if someone with boating experience comes along on your first weekend.

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Thanks Peter, I really appreciate the trouble you have gone to to get me this information.

 

I want to stay off the Thames if I can.

 

I'll be on my own and in all honesty I'm not massively experienced but I'm sensible, will take as much safety gear as I can and not rush.

 

Andy

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Andy, you should be OK with that approach, especially as your route doesn't include any rivers, and you're only dealing with narrow locks until you get to Braunston. You haven't mentioned the condition of the boat, but it's a good idea to try to check all the important things work before a trip, and/or allow some spare time and money to deal with any teething troubles which may crop up along the way. Doing locks single handed without much prior boating experience you will definitely need to be sensible and not rush. At this time of year you won't come across many other boaters at locks, but when you do they'll probably be happy to help and explain things.

 

If you ask, in this topic or in Crew Swap, there might be someone local willing to come out and help you for your first weekend on the T&M.

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  • 2 weeks later...

you will have plenty of leaves round the prop on the Coventry section.

Do you have more than just the weekend at the moment, or are you finishing Sunday??

At a real push, you could get down the Buckby flight before it shuts Monday - depends on whether you are up for it or not....I will help you out on the wide locks if you want to go for it

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Thanks Matt, will certainly bear you in mind. Well, didn't exactly go to plan. Ended up stuck outside the Tame Ferret pub in Hopwas as the battery died and couldn't get her to start Sunday morning. So, back to London for me and I'll buy a new battery and take it up at the weekend. If anyone is passing my boat and reading this please keep an eye on her (blue 35ft cruiser stern just past the pub, under the bridge on the left). Cheers everyone

Edited by ARouseAfloat
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Hi

 

I live in Lichfield, so close to where your boat is (I assume it's the Tame Otter?). Happy to help if I can. Unfortunately I am away (probably) next sat but if you need transport from a station or whatever on Friday or help on Sunday let me know.

 

Do you know why the battery died. A new battery won't help if the charging system is iffy.

 

I will check on the when passing, as I am likely to do

 

Andy

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Thanks AndyV it will be much appreciated, and yes it's just past the Tame Otter under the bridge. Not sure about the cause, the leisure battery's have been charging fine so I assume it's a dodgy battery. I believe the previous owner used as liveaboard in a Marina so probably didn't get much exercise. I'll will take a multi meter with me on Sunday! Which is the closest station by the way?

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Thanks AndyV it will be much appreciated, and yes it's just past the Tame Otter under the bridge. Not sure about the cause, the leisure battery's have been charging fine so I assume it's a dodgy battery. I believe the previous owner used as liveaboard in a Marina so probably didn't get much exercise. I'll will take a multi meter with me on Sunday! Which is the closest station by the way?

Tamworth

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