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Silver Propeller - How Many Have You Done?


cheshire~rose

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I noticed the IWA have launched a new "Silver Propeller" award that people who visit at least 20 sites from a list of little used canal destinations (by boat canaoe or paddleboard) can claim.

https://www.waterways.org.uk/waterways/activities/silver_propeller/silver_propeller_award

Interestingly to me it has two sites on The Chesterfield Canal - one is the Cascade Winding hole on the summit pound and the other is Chesterfield itself on the unconnected section. I have done both but not this year yet. We have managed 11 of the sites on the list and it made me wonder how many of them other people have done. I suspect those who have been boating some years will have done many of them and are unlikely to re-visit just to claim their award. With retirement now looming on the near horizon I am wondering whether it might be nice to try and do 20 of them over the next couple of years, maybe ticking of a few more that we have not done before.

 

Here is the list of places:

Quote

Places accessible to all craft kept on the connected inland waterways

  • Alveston Weir, River Avon (Warwickshire)
    (all boats must hold an Avon license, and obtain guidance notes, in advance, from The Avon Navigation Trust)
  • Bedford River, Great Ouse
  • Boston Black Sluice, Black Sluice Navigation (EA)
    (also accesible by trail boats via EA slipway at Hubberts Bridge)
  • Cascade winding hole, Chesterfield Canal
    (Cascade winding hole appears as Manor Road Winding Hole in CanalPlanAC)
  • Coombeswood Basin, Dudley Canal No 2
  • Fens Branch Stourbridge Canal
  • Gronwyn Bridge winding hole, Maesbury, Montgomery Canal
  • Head of navigation, Ashby Canal
  • Holme, Middle Level (New Dyke)
    (max length of craft is 20.70m (68'-0"))
  • Horseway Lock, Middle Level
    (or junction of Vermunden’s Drain and Sixteen Foot Drain)
  • Inglesham Junction of the River Thames with the Thames & Severn Canal
  • King John’s Castle, Odiham, Basingstoke Canal
  • Langley Mill Basin, Erewash Canal
  • Leek Branch canal terminus, Caldon Canal
  • Liverpool Docks, Leeds & Liverpool Canal
  • Maud Foster Windmill, Boston, Maud Foster Drain
  • Melbourne Basin, Pocklington Canal
  • Norton Canes, Cannock Extension Canal
  • Ripon Basin, Ripon Canal
  • River Dee Branch, Off the Shropshire Union Canal
  • Saul Junction, Gloucester & Sharpness Canal
  • Sheffield Basin, Sheffield & Tinsley Canal
  • Southern portal of the Dudley Tunnel, Dudley Canal
    (above Park Head locks)
  • Springs Branch head of navigation, Leeds & Liverpool Canal
    (turning at the end is restricted and that boats longer than 35ft will need to reverse back out)
  • Standedge Tunnel and Visitor Centre, Huddersfield Narrow Canal
  • Stanton Downham Bridge, Little Ouse or Brandon Creek
  • Terminus of the Wendover Arm Grand Union Canal, Wendover Arm
  • Tewitfield Marina, Lancaster Canal
  • Titford Pools, Birmingham Canal Navigations
  • Uttoxeter Basin, Froghall, Uttoxeter Canal
  • Walsall Town Basin, Walsall Canal
  • Welches Dam Lock, Old Bedford River
  • West Summit Lock, Rochdale Canal
  • Winsford Bridge, River Weaver

Places only accessible by local, portable and trailable craft

  • Bridgwater Dock, Bridgwater & Taunton Canal
  • Brograve Mill, Northan Broads Waxham Cut
    (max length 30ft)
  • Chelmsford Basin, Chelmer & Blackwater Navigation
    (all boats must be licensed by Essex Waterways Limited)
  • Chesterfield, Chesterfield Canal
    (all boats must be licensed by Derbyshire County Council)
  • Ebridge Mill, North Walsham & Dilham Canal
    (please notify The North Walsham and Dilham Canal Trust of your intended visit)
  • Lowdwells, Grand Western Canal
    (all boats must be licensed by Devon County Council)
  • New Cut, Tonbridge, River Medway
  • Norwich New Mills Yard, River Wensum
    (hire craft can turn at Bishops Bridge if it is a condition of their hire)
  • Pontypool, Monmouthshire Canal
  • Spalding/Crowland, River Welland
    (Crowland Slipway requires EA short term licence)

Just as a note, if there is anyone reading this who is going to aim to get the award then they can tick off Chesterfield on The Chesterfield Canal by jumping on The John Varley trip boat:

http://www.chesterfield-canal-trust.org.uk/on-the-water/trip-boats/the-john-varley-chesterfield/

Come on folks - list the ones you have done and list the ones you plan to do this year

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Our list is as follows:

Then there is the one Dave did but I didn't:

Inglesham Junction of the River Thames with the Thames & Severn Canal

The one I did but Dave didn't:

Liverpool Docks, Leeds & Liverpool Canal (does it count if I did this is a yellow DUKW?)

The one I am confused about because I didn't think you could actually go up it:

River Dee Branch, Off the Shropshire Union Canal

And the one we couldn't do because we didn't fit through the tunnel:

Uttoxeter Basin, Froghall, Uttoxeter Canal

So perhaps our total as a couple is only 10

 

Edited by cheshire~rose
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Our list looks like this.  I have never set out to do any of the challenges but it seems we have done quite a few.
 

  • Alveston Weir, River Avon (Warwickshire)
    (all boats must hold an Avon license, and obtain guidance notes, in advance, from The Avon Navigation Trust)
  • Cascade winding hole, Chesterfield Canal
    (Cascade winding hole appears as Manor Road Winding Hole in CanalPlanAC)
  • Coombeswood Basin, Dudley Canal No 2
  • Gronwyn Bridge winding hole, Maesbury, Montgomery Canal
  • Head of navigation, Ashby Canal
  • Inglesham Junction of the River Thames with the Thames & Severn Canal
  • King John’s Castle, Odiham, Basingstoke Canal
  • Langley Mill Basin, Erewash Canal
  • Leek Branch canal terminus, Caldon Canal
  • Norton Canes, Cannock Extension Canal
  • Saul Junction, Gloucester & Sharpness Canal
  • Southern portal of the Dudley Tunnel, Dudley Canal
    (above Park Head locks)
  • Springs Branch head of navigation, Leeds & Liverpool Canal
    (turning at the end is restricted and that boats longer than 35ft will need to reverse back out)
  • Terminus of the Wendover Arm Grand Union Canal, Wendover Arm
  • Titford Pools, Birmingham Canal Navigations
  • Uttoxeter Basin, Froghall, Uttoxeter Canal
  • Walsall Town Basin, Walsall Canal
  • Winsford Bridge, River Weaver

I would claim Sheffield basin as we stayed there on a static narrowboat overnight when attending the snooker world championship but that shouldn't count as we arrived by road. 

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2 minutes ago, philjw said:

I took it to be the same place as Alveston Mill so maybe I haven't been there 

 

2 minutes ago, philjw said:

I took it to be the same place as Alveston Mill so maybe I haven't been there 

So did I, but if that counts I've done 19 of them.  Dammit!  But does a silver propellor have any advantages over bronze? 

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12 minutes ago, Victor Vectis said:

Is Alveston Weir 'accessible to all craft kept on the connected inland waterways' ?

I thought it is beyond the head of navigation on the Avon.

Alveston Weir is the official head of navigation on the Avon. But even the map below on the Avon Navigation Trust website describes it as beyond the "safe limit of navigation".

I have been right up to the weir in a hire boat some 20 odd years ago, but in 2014, this is as far as we got:

Lower%20&%20Upper%20Avon%20Chart.jpg

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50 minutes ago, Dr Bob said:

I once saw Liverpool docks, Leeds Liverpool canal from the bus!

So did I:

dsc00789.jpg

1 hour ago, David Mack said:

Alveston Weir is the official head of navigation on the Avon. But even the map below on the Avon Navigation Trust website describes it as beyond the "safe limit of navigation".

I have been right up to the weir in a hire boat some 20 odd years ago, but in 2014, this is as far as we got:

 

Am I alone in thinking that it is not very responsible to encourage people to go beyond the recognised limit of safe navigation? 

I know it is a bit different in a canoe but if folks head up a navigation in their narrowboat and can't do the last little bit it is frustrating - I but like us not qualifying because we didn't fit through the Froghall Tunnel 

 

 

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I must say, I was wondering why anyone might want a propeller made from silver. 

And one made from silver would get 'done' pretty easily I suspect. It is similar to copper in ductility IIRC. 

Edited by Mike the Boilerman
spellin'
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1 hour ago, cheshire~rose said:

 

Am I alone in thinking that it is not very responsible to encourage people to go beyond the recognised limit of safe navigation? 

I know it is a bit different in a canoe but if folks head up a navigation in their narrowboat and can't do the last little bit it is frustrating - I but like us not qualifying because we didn't fit through the Froghall Tunnel 

 

 

Use it or lose it! If these ends of Navigations aren't used by larger craft they will cease to be available for navigation.

How much of the present system would we have now if an earlier generation of boaters had turned back at the "navigation not recommended beyond this point" signs that BWB put up in the 60s?

Edited by David Mack
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As a matter of interest, are the places supposed to be visited in the order on the list..... if so what distance, and how long to allow for the journey ?... or perhaps in a logical order, to go by the shortest route....what is it ?... in which case where is it best to start from?

It wont be me....I have only been to four I recognise on the list (or maybe more without realising it) and do you need proof of a visit ?

 

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Yes I was thinking the same, the Ashby, Caldon and Wendover are pretty well used I think. I would have substituted them with the head of the Derwent, other end of the Weaver, and the head of the Lancaster...

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Just in case you have not noticed, any visits prior to 2018 do not count, so if you want to go for it you have to do them again.  We have for what is worth only done 8 of them.

I also thought the Alveston Weir one was a bit strange, the recommended head of navigaton is the "Red House" and I think the last place you can turn a narrowboat and it is very overgrown with trees after that.  All that said, I think ANT were encouraging people to go further, they organised a trip I think after the Statford River festival and recommended boats go in pairs "push-me-pull-you"  style so you could come back without turning.  Perhaps the have done some cutting back of trees now and it is easier, I think I will look into this as we are going to Stratford early May, and could take a detour as we has only been as far as the Red House before.

21 minutes ago, Dr Bob said:

If you've done one, do you qualify for a chocolate ecofan (other fans are available)? We've done the top of the Ashby.

Did you go to the actual turning circle on the new bit, we did that for that first time last year.

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8 minutes ago, john6767 said:

Just in case you have not noticed, any visits prior to 2018 do not count, so if you want to go for it you have to do them again.  We have for what is worth only done 8 of them.

I also thought the Alveston Weir one was a bit strange, the recommended head of navigaton is the "Red House" and I think the last place you can turn a narrowboat and it is very overgrown with trees after that.  All that said, I think ANT were encouraging people to go further, they organised a trip I think after the Statford River festival and recommended boats go in pairs "push-me-pull-you"  style so you could come back without turning.  Perhaps the have done some cutting back of trees now and it is easier, I think I will look into this as we are going to Stratford early May, and could take a detour as we has only been as far as the Red House before.

Did you go to the actual turning circle on the new bit, we did that for that first time last year.

Yes, the Cascade Winding Hole on The Chesterfield is not the actual head of navigation but the last place you can turn. The head of navigation is another ½ mile on. Most people who get that far will either wind and reverse up to the HON or go straight on then reverse out. It is interesting that at other places they have specified a place that "stretches" boaters to go just that bit further 

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13 minutes ago, john6767 said:

Did you go to the actual turning circle on the new bit, we did that for that first time last year.

We got to the winding hole after the bridge but did not go through the 'gate'. Very busy up there last August. Much less busy on the south end of  the tunnel parked by the pub...great food there.

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I have just looked at the list again, and to be fair about Alveston it does say

Quote

(all boats must hold an Avon license, and obtain guidance notes, in advance, from The Avon Navigation Trust)

so that is basically the advice about going in pairs push-me-pull-you.  I think I have those guidance notes from when we attended the river festival, but they are on that boat and I am not.

 

4 minutes ago, Dr Bob said:

We got to the winding hole after the bridge but did not go through the 'gate'. Very busy up there last August. Much less busy on the south end of  the tunnel parked by the pub...great food there.

Not been to the end then :)  This is the end

 

IMG_2782.JPG

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43 minutes ago, Dave123 said:

Yes I was thinking the same, the Ashby, Caldon and Wendover are pretty well used I think. I would have substituted them with the head of the Derwent, other end of the Weaver, and the head of the Lancaster...

Depends which "Terminus of the Wendover Arm they mean", (connected bit, or disconnected bit). :lol:

The BCN destinations are hardly arduous either, (Coombeswood, Norton Canes, Park Head, Titford, Walsall basin, etc), and why these, and not (say) Bradley, Chasewater, etc.?

I reckon the end of the Slough arm should be added too!
 

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55 minutes ago, Naughty Cal said:

I'm surprised Ripon Canal Basin is on there. That's one of the first places we visited when we bought Naughty-Cal.

We really must get around to doing the Black Sluice as it is on our doorstep!

Its because its OOP Nnnoorfff innitt!!  We went oop there several years ago but realy there are very few narrowboaters that know where it is let alone visit it. I know several seasoned narrowboaters with huge experience who simply will not nip up the Trent to Keadby and all it then offers, such is life its their loss and its a bit more interesting than the usual Braunston, Stoke Bruerne etc etc.

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42 minutes ago, mrsmelly said:

Its because its OOP Nnnoorfff innitt!!  We went oop there several years ago but realy there are very few narrowboaters that know where it is let alone visit it. I know several seasoned narrowboaters with huge experience who simply will not nip up the Trent to Keadby and all it then offers, such is life its their loss and its a bit more interesting than the usual Braunston, Stoke Bruerne etc etc.

I never really get that! I suppose my first experience of The Trent was so understated that I never worried about it, had a wonderful experience and, since then have enjoyed it a bit more each time I do it. Back in the year 2000 my ex and I hired a boat for 3 weeks and did The Pennine Ring. The hire boat company had no problem with us going out on the tideway. They said so long as we did what the lock keeper told us we would be fine. I suspect because it was not our boat we were on it didn't really occur to us that if something went wrong we might lose a large piece of rather valuable vessel! But as novice hirers I am unsure many do. 

I am yet to go into Keadby but it does not hold any fear for me. That is one of the good things about being part of a boat club that has a large percentage of Boaters (rather than Floaters) who between them have a huge amount of experience of The Trent. They are willing to give advice over a pint in the bar and it is not too hard to get someone to accompany you if you are really nervous. 

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