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Tardebigge Times


Mike Todd

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13 minutes ago, Mike Todd said:

I was specific in asking about down times as up and down can be quite different depending on how the locks are designed and operated. NOt all fill and empty in the same time and some boaters are uncomfortable with just whacking up both ground paddles as quickly as possible. (Certainly not brilliant if a single boat in the Droitwich Barge locks - as also K&A, whilst other wide locks can be like pussy cats in comparison)

Did I see you in Netherwich Basin a few days ago? Moored for one night if I am correct.

As for Tardebigge, three hours would be about normal for a half decently sized and competent crew. I thought it was more like 2.5 miles from top to bottom so there really is about an hour of straight cruising involved so for that reason I suspect much less than 2.5 hours would be impractical. It also makes your figure of 4 minutes to fill each lock look a little suspect. The Worcs & Bham locks are amongst the fastest on the network and there are flights that can be done in an average of 4 minutes per lock for the entire operation. What makes that difficult at Tardebigge is the separation and depth of the top lock compared to the others. Two hours from 29 to 57 maybe but then perhaps at least 15 minutes after that to complete the top lock operation.

The more I cruise the Droitwich the more bonkers the whole canal seems. Equally so on both legs even though they are very different in character. Until Hanbury locks that is, which are amongst the best on the network and if the volockie you encountered there was the fellow with the beard who appears at first to be somewhat officious he is about the only one I am pleased to see on the network, particularly if single handing.

JP

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2 hours ago, steve hayes said:

Tardebigge locks are well designed, going up you can just “whack” both ground paddles and the boat will hardly move (not like the locks on the T&M round heartbreak hill). 

As it happens I think all of our transits, certainly in more recent recorded times, have been downhill.

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We did an ascent in 3hrs 6 mins. I remembered to take a photo at both the bottom and top locks - Bottom was taken at 15:04 and top was taken at 18:10. When we started up the flight, we could see no one ahead of us, but we did eventually catch someone up and had to follow them up the last 10 locks somewhat more slowly...

Edited by Pete of Ebor
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  • 1 year later...
11 minutes ago, canalhippy said:

I managed 4 hrs and 15 mins going up just before Christmas single handed a few years back, didn’t see a single sole, not even the blur of a cyclist.

 

I usually find the water isn't clear enough to see any fish!

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I did Tardebigge single-handed September 2017; timed it from the top lock down to the bottom of the 6 Stoke locks since I didn't stop in-between and barely any distance between the two flights. It took me approx 5 hours 15 mins in total. Was very pleased with that, but my good work was undone by a ridiculously long wait for some lunchtime grub in the canalside pub at Stoke works! (forgotten the name)

Edited by Philip
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On 25/10/2017 at 22:34, matty40s said:

I did it single handing in May, left the middle of the North Stratford after a 61 lock day at sunrise, entered Tardebigge top lock at about 12pm, and moored at the Droitwich canal junction at 7.30pm.

That ties in with my experience going down of 7 hours single handed which included, as it should be, closing every lock gate behind me. 

I did stop by the pub at the bottom of the main flight though so probably made slightly slower time than you per lock. 

Eta

Most of the locks going down were against me so that would of increased the time. 

Going up was a much easier run though as the couple in a cruiser coming down simply couldn't be a*sed to close any of the gates behind them, gates were open from almost the  bottom to the top. In this case worked out for me. 

Edited by reg
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7 hours ago, Philip said:

I did Tardebigge single-handed September 2017; timed it from the top lock down to the bottom of the 6 Stoke locks since I didn't stop in-between and barely any distance between the two flights. It took me approx 5 hours 15 mins in total. Was very pleased with that, but my good work was undone by a ridiculously long wait for some lunchtime grub in the canalside pub at Stoke works! (forgotten the name)

The Boat and Railway

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I did the Tardebigge flight solo back in the summer - if i remember correctly it took me about 4 and a half hours.

 

Going up took about 6 hours due to having to wait for CRT to come out and remove a gate obstruction.

 

I was happy with the progress i made  - with crew i reckon i could have knocked an hour off those times.

Edited by rawsondsr
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myself and mister done tardy three times in one week dont ask why long story ,,tbh if locks have to be done  what a loverly place to have to do them ..doing locks as never been a problem to us ..but  friends of ours ,who had been boating many many years ,just hated doing them ...and could never understand why it never bothered us ..it would take myself and mister 4/5 hours at a leisurely pace from tardy down to stoke prior 

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7 hours ago, reg said:

That ties in with my experience going down of 7 hours single handed which included, as it should be, closing every lock gate behind me. 

There was only one set of lock gates left open when I descended, and the paddles were left open as well.

About 6 or 7 locks down I met a boat witj a couple on board coming up accompanied by no less than 5 volockies. One asked if I would like some help so I naturally said lovely yes please.

He proceeded to slow me down in the lock, one paddle halfway open to start with (going down) and then the other eventually, he then opened one gate and walked all the way round to open the other (both paddles still up). I moved out of the lock and said thanks, looking back , I watched him walk off with all bottom paddles still up and both gates open.

Next lock was 200 yards away and I really wasn't going to go back and sort his job out for him.

Edited by matty40s
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We did em once  (up - does it make any difference?) and were on course for easily about sub 3hrs with our friends setting some locks early am in front of us. Lock 20 something got clogged up wirh debris and a CRT man on a quad sorted it and we relinquished our record attempt! Its not a race but it still can be fun. We did Grindley Brook 6 in 22 mins mob handed once as an exercise with lotsa  crew. We also do leisurely as default....

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