Lock size on Grand Union

[mrsmelly]

2 minutes ago, Naughty Cal said:

"1.Through passage is limited by Thorne Lock. For the Bramwith to Thorne section, dimensions
are as for the main line to Rotherham. Passage from River Trent To Thorne is limited by Keadby
Lock 77ft x 22ft 6ins (23.67m x 6.86m) although longer vraft can be admitted when the tide
makes a level. 2.Narrowboats up to about 18.79m (61ft 8ins) can pass through Thorne Lock
diagonally."

 

Ahh good thats way better than most publications. As I have said I have been through touching both ends on my seventy footer but how long is each seventy footer? and NO I doubt they are all seventy feet 

[Tim Lewis]

22 hours ago, dmr said:

Obviously a 70 footer is not going to do the locks built for 57 or even 60 footish boats but otherwise there are no problems. Most full length locks will take a boat of at least 72 foot, usually a bit longer. There is an old fender boat on the GU who is well over 72 foot.

The only big exception is the K&A which is officially 70 rather than 72 foot, but even here a 72 footer can manage though there are just a couple of locks where a 70 footer should not share with another 70footer as there is a need to go slightly diagonal to get the gates open.

..............Dave

Taking Fulbourne down Devizes we have to open the bottom gate opposite to the side we are on, push the bow of the boat across then exit the lock. This means that you cannot share with another full length boat. We found this to our cost when once having entered the top lock late in the day with another similar length boat. The lock keeper promptly locked the top gates and buggered off which meant that we were completely stuck in the lock with no way of getting out!

Tim 

[PhilAtterley]

 0

Tony Dunkley

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Posted June 13, 2016 · Report post

  On 6/13/2016 at 12:10, florimondo said:

We are 68 ft dutch barge style narrow boat, thinking about heading from Aire and Calder to Nottingham.

I have just read that someone has got a 70 ft NB through Thorne lock which is listed as under 62 ft we draw about 33inches and are 68 foot with fenders off. Does any one have up to date info, should we go in backwards.

 

 

You should be able get down Thorne with a narrow beam x 68' boat without having to go stern first, . . I've been [downgate] through that lock with a 67' x 14' 6" BW Trent bucket dredger, on the way back to the Trent from Doncaster.

There's a lot of depth over the top cill of that lock, and if the pound from Thorne to Keadby is on weir or close to, it's still got a foot or so over it with the lock drained right down. With your draught you can drain the lock down enough to be able to let the fore-end run under the walkways [on the bottom gates] and into the corner by one of the heel posts before there's any chance of the stern end catching the cill.

When the lock has drained right down, open the other side bottom gate and shove the fore-end across.

[dmr]

58 minutes ago, Tim Lewis said:

Taking Fulbourne down Devizes we have to open the bottom gate opposite to the side we are on, push the bow of the boat across then exit the lock. This means that you cannot share with another full length boat. We found this to our cost when once having entered the top lock late in the day with another similar length boat. The lock keeper promptly locked the top gates and buggered off which meant that we were completely stuck in the lock with no way of getting out!

Tim 

Yes, the Devizes locks are all a bit tight and a bit variable, there are two or three where we have the same problem (70 foot 8 and 3/4 inches), and strangely I swear it gets a bit tighter every year. There is also the "bad lock" where boats have to leave one at a time (a pleasure of Devizes is driving from lock to lock together) and this gets us almost every time. It comes at just the point where you start to relax and get into chatting with the boat that your sharing with, I know its there but it always comes up sooner than I expect. There are a couple of other short ones elsewhere on the K&A.

We also sometimes try to do the flight late in the day as the lock keeper is more inclined to help if he's eager to go home. Putting the paddle lock on with a boat still in the lock is naughty.

.................Dave