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Silver Propeller - How Many Have You Done?


cheshire~rose

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2 hours ago, alan_fincher said:

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!
 

Yes definitely the end of the Slough arm. I'm ashamed I let myself be talked out of going right to the end by tales of the rubbish to be found there by some local boaters in Uxbridge/Langley, turning after the Langley moorings instead.

Hopefully the London mooring strategy plans for regeneration and services at Slough will help.

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1 hour ago, cheshire~rose said:

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. 

Keadby is easier than West Stockwith on a spring tide so you aint got noooooooo problem :)

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23 minutes ago, mrsmelly said:

Keadby is easier than West Stockwith on a spring tide so you aint got noooooooo problem :)

Our summer plan has us heading for Ripon, not because of this scheme but may as well take the photos and see where we end up.  We will probably have done a few on the BCN ones on May any way.  So I hope you are right about getting into Keedby, that and getting into Selby on the way back, are already making me nervous.

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41 minutes ago, john6767 said:

Our summer plan has us heading for Ripon, not because of this scheme but may as well take the photos and see where we end up.  We will probably have done a few on the BCN ones on May any way.  So I hope you are right about getting into Keedby, that and getting into Selby on the way back, are already making me nervous.

If you want my advice it would be to try and do it at both locations on a middling tide. Having done both locals on highest spring tides one year and having done on little neaps then we now try to be somewhere middling and not involving high winds or heavy rain. We have put up with wind and rain in the past. Next month we are going up to York but if the weather is crap we will simply wait until it suits us as we have zero time constraints. Going in at Keadby can often be a non event if timed correctly. A nice thing about Keadby is if there is a large coaster tied up outside as it gives definition to " The whole " you are aiming for. The ouse out at Selby and up to Naburn on a big tide is bloody interesting in a narrowboat :ninja: especialy dodging the trees. If like Rachel you are doing it in a proper boat shaped boat then its all rather a doddle. I love the York trip.

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1 hour ago, mrsmelly said:

If you want my advice it would be to try and do it at both locations on a middling tide. Having done both locals on highest spring tides one year and having done on little neaps then we now try to be somewhere middling and not involving high winds or heavy rain. We have put up with wind and rain in the past. Next month we are going up to York but if the weather is crap we will simply wait until it suits us as we have zero time constraints. Going in at Keadby can often be a non event if timed correctly. A nice thing about Keadby is if there is a large coaster tied up outside as it gives definition to " The whole " you are aiming for. The ouse out at Selby and up to Naburn on a big tide is bloody interesting in a narrowboat :ninja: especialy dodging the trees. If like Rachel you are doing it in a proper boat shaped boat then its all rather a doddle. I love the York trip.

You will have to hope the river levels drop again soon. York and Naburn are underwater again. 

I dont like your summer :)

 

 

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7 hours 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.

Disappointing, isn’t it?  I expected a brass band or at least a fanfare. All I got was a polite nod from another boater as I spun around to go back. 

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12 hours ago, cheshire~rose said:

 

  • Alveston Weir, River Avon (Warwickshire) Nope.
    (all boats must hold an Avon license, and obtain guidance notes, in advance, from The Avon Navigation Trust)
  • Bedford River, Great Ouse Nope.
  • Boston Black Sluice, Black Sluice Navigation (EA) Nope.
    (also accesible by trail boats via EA slipway at Hubberts Bridge)
  • Cascade winding hole, Chesterfield Canal Yes! Went even further, all the way to the tunnel portal.
    (Cascade winding hole appears as Manor Road Winding Hole in CanalPlanAC)
  • Coombeswood Basin, Dudley Canal No 2 Yes!
  • Fens Branch Stourbridge Canal No. Passed it on the way to Coombeswood, but didn't go along.
  • Gronwyn Bridge winding hole, Maesbury, Montgomery Canal No. Got as far as Queen's Head, but there was a stoppage at the locks between there and Maesbury. Walked to the end.
  • Head of navigation, Ashby Canal Yes!
  • Holme, Middle Level (New Dyke) No.
    (max length of craft is 20.70m (68'-0"))
  • Horseway Lock, Middle Level No.
    (or junction of Vermunden’s Drain and Sixteen Foot Drain)
  • Inglesham Junction of the River Thames with the Thames & Severn Canal No.
  • King John’s Castle, Odiham, Basingstoke Canal No.
  • Langley Mill Basin, Erewash Canal Yes!
  • Leek Branch canal terminus, Caldon Canal Yes.
  • Liverpool Docks, Leeds & Liverpool Canal No.
  • Maud Foster Windmill, Boston, Maud Foster Drain No.
  • Melbourne Basin, Pocklington Canal. No.
  • Norton Canes, Cannock Extension Canal Yes! Went all the way to the A5 and reversed back to the boat yard winding hole.
  • Ripon Basin, Ripon Canal No.
  • River Dee Branch, Off the Shropshire Union Canal No. Been past it, but not down.
  • Saul Junction, Gloucester & Sharpness Canal No.
  • Sheffield Basin, Sheffield & Tinsley Canal. Yes!
  • Southern portal of the Dudley Tunnel, Dudley Canal
    (above Park Head locks) No. Been past it, but didn't go up the three 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) Yes, but on the trip boat as my boat is 57' and I thought it a bit antisocial to bang all the boats moored on the branch reversing out.
  • Standedge Tunnel and Visitor Centre, Huddersfield Narrow Canal Yes. All the Huddersfield Narrow!
  • Stanton Downham Bridge, Little Ouse or Brandon Creek No.
  • Terminus of the Wendover Arm Grand Union Canal, Wendover Arm No.
  • Tewitfield Marina, Lancaster Canal No.
  • Titford Pools, Birmingham Canal Navigations No. Planned to do it last year, but the flight had a stoppage when I was on the BCN.
  • Uttoxeter Basin, Froghall, Uttoxeter Canal No. Boat too tall for the tunnel, so only reached the west portal. Walked to the basin.
  • Walsall Town Basin, Walsall Canal Yes! Nice Italian resturant in the town centre.
  • Welches Dam Lock, Old Bedford River No.
  • West Summit Lock, Rochdale Canal Yes. Did all the Rochdale canal with many trips down the weed hatch.
  • Winsford Bridge, River Weaver No. Only done part of the Weaver. Need to go back.

So ten, or eleven so far, depending if doing Springs Branch in the trip boat counts. Stoppages prevented a couple and boat size another. Several I've been past, but not done, which surprised me as I thought I was more dedicated to completing canals than in fact I am.  The rest I've not been anywhere near yet, down south and East Anglia. Only allowed to buy a brass bridge plaque for the boat if I've done every part of that canal.

Jen

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10 hours 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...

If by head of the Lancaster you mean the northern terminus of navigation that is where Tewitfield Marina is situated, which is on the list. 

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6 hours ago, mrsmelly said:

Keadby is easier than West Stockwith on a spring tide so you aint got noooooooo problem :)

We have an interesting little foray out onto the tideway planned for later in the spring. Python will be taking Dawn Rose, the Chesterfield "Cuckoo" Boat to Langley Mill. There are a lot of "unknowns" about how the combination will handle and we are hoping it does not become too interesting! 

Of course it is one thing to take the two boats out onto the tideway but another thing altogether to bring the two boats back into West Stockwith :) 

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3 hours ago, StephenA said:

Isn't the River Dee Branch derelict?

 

 

I am moored next to it right now. Its still used for long term moorings and all looking well maintained but there is no access onto the Dee, the bottom lock is blocked off, though not sure that anyone would want to go onto the Dee anyway. There is a LOT of water flowing over the lock gates so it would be very hard to get down them. No winding hole so would be a very difficult reverse down and straight back up. I think IWA have not done their research here.

I think CaRT could open a sluice to divert water to get a boat down the first lock to the long term moorings, but the next lock would be difficult.

.........Dave

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8 hours ago, cheshire~rose said:

We have an interesting little foray out onto the tideway planned for later in the spring. Python will be taking Dawn Rose, the Chesterfield "Cuckoo" Boat to Langley Mill. There are a lot of "unknowns" about how the combination will handle and we are hoping it does not become too interesting! 

Of course it is one thing to take the two boats out onto the tideway but another thing altogether to bring the two boats back into West Stockwith :) 

Im on my way to Langley mill now, or I would be if the bloomin river would let me. :(

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20 hours ago, cheshire~rose said:

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 

When we went there, it would have been very difficult to get further than the winding hole due to the number of small trees in the water. 

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20 hours ago, cheshire~rose said:

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 

When we went there, it would have been very difficult to get further than the winding hole due to the number of small trees in the water. 

  • Alveston Weir, River Avon (Warwickshire)  No
    (all boats must hold an Avon license, and obtain guidance notes, in advance, from The Avon Navigation Trust)
  • Bedford River, Great Ouse Three times
  • Boston Black Sluice, Black Sluice Navigation (EA) No
    (also accesible by trail boats via EA slipway at Hubberts Bridge)
  • Cascade winding hole, Chesterfield Canal Yes
    (Cascade winding hole appears as Manor Road Winding Hole in CanalPlanAC)
  • Coombeswood Basin, Dudley Canal No Twice
  • Fens Branch Stourbridge Canal Walked it
  • Gronwyn Bridge winding hole, Maesbury, Montgomery Canal If that's the winding hole I think then twice. 
  • Head of navigation, Ashby Canal The old one twice, new one wasn't built. 
  • 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) Twice to the junction
  • Inglesham Junction of the River Thames with the Thames & Severn Canal Twice 
  • King John’s Castle, Odiham, Basingstoke Canal
  • Langley Mill Basin, Erewash Canal Three times
  • Leek Branch canal terminus, Caldon Canal Once 
  • Liverpool Docks, Leeds & Liverpool Canal Twice
  • Maud Foster Windmill, Boston, Maud Foster Drain Once 
  • Melbourne Basin, Pocklington Canal Once and Stamford Bridge. 
  • Norton Canes, Cannock Extension Canal Only as far as Grove Colliery Basin
  • Ripon Basin, Ripon Canal Once to Old Terminus, once to  new
  • River Dee Branch, Off the Shropshire Union Canal 
  • Saul Junction, Gloucester & Sharpness Canal Three times
  • Sheffield Basin, Sheffield & Tinsley Canal Twice before redevelopment, once after. 
  • Southern portal of the Dudley Tunnel, Dudley Canal Walked it
    (above Park Head locks)
  • Springs Branch head of navigation, Leeds & Liverpool Canal Walked it
    (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 Through the tunnel twice. Not been to the visitor centre
  • Stanton Downham Bridge, Little Ouse or Brandon Creek Lock too short
  • Terminus of the Wendover Arm Grand Union Canal, Wendover Arm Once
  • Tewitfield Marina, Lancaster Canal Once
  • Titford Pools, Birmingham Canal Navigations Moored at the Pumphouse now but only been to the pools by boat in the 80s
  • Uttoxeter Basin, Froghall, Uttoxeter Canal Tunnel too low
  • Walsall Town Basin, Walsall Canal Lost count of how often. First time was 1982
  • Welches Dam Lock, Old Bedford River
  • West Summit Lock, Rochdale Canal Twice from Sowerby Bridge and return. Once whole canal
  • Winsford Bridge, River Weaver Once and to the other end. 
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23 minutes ago, pearley said:

When we went there, it would have been very difficult to get further than the winding hole due to the number of small trees in the water. 

How long ago was that?

I have been up to the tunnel portal with a boat each year for the last 4-5 years and have not known any "small trees in the water"

in November 2016 Python assisted the WRG to clear a lot of the overgrown vegetation opening the channel up significantly and we cleared the offside wharf at the end so folks can moor there.

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15016308_1214783445211765_84719430126938

14918865_1214783471878429_80764571168045

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My claim is 30 ish from the first list:

Places accessible to all craft kept on the connected inland waterways

  • Alveston Weir, River Avon (Warwickshire) Yes - well, within distance of its sound
    (all boats must hold an Avon license, and obtain guidance notes, in advance, from The Avon Navigation Trust)
  • Bedford River, Great Ouse - Yes
  • Boston Black Sluice, Black Sluice Navigation (EA) No
    (also accesible by trail boats via EA slipway at Hubberts Bridge)
  • Cascade winding hole, Chesterfield Canal Yes
    (Cascade winding hole appears as Manor Road Winding Hole in CanalPlanAC)
  • Coombeswood Basin, Dudley Canal No 2 Yes
  • Fens Branch Stourbridge Canal Yes
  • Gronwyn Bridge winding hole, Maesbury, Montgomery Canal Yes
  • Head of navigation, Ashby Canal Yes
  • Holme, Middle Level (New Dyke) Yes (hard work)
    (max length of craft is 20.70m (68'-0"))
  • Horseway Lock, Middle Level  Yes
    (or junction of Vermunden’s Drain and Sixteen Foot Drain)
  • Inglesham Junction of the River Thames with the Thames & Severn Canal Yes
  • King John’s Castle, Odiham, Basingstoke Canal No - annoyingly navigation closed t available above Brookwood when we visited
  • Langley Mill Basin, Erewash Canal Yes
  • Leek Branch canal terminus, Caldon Canal Yes
  • Liverpool Docks, Leeds & Liverpool Canal Yes
  • Maud Foster Windmill, Boston, Maud Foster Drain No - went on tho the drain but not as far as the Windmill
  • Melbourne Basin, Pocklington Canal Yes
  • Norton Canes, Cannock Extension Canal Yes
  • Ripon Basin, Ripon Canal Yes
  • River Dee Branch, Off the Shropshire Union Canal No
  • Saul Junction, Gloucester & Sharpness Canal Yes
  • Sheffield Basin, Sheffield & Tinsley Canal Yes
  • Southern portal of the Dudley Tunnel, Dudley Canal Yes
    (above Park Head locks)
  • Springs Branch head of navigation, Leeds & Liverpool Canal No - other than on foot
    (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 Yes
  • Stanton Downham Bridge, Little Ouse or Brandon Creek Both - and above Brandon Lock
  • Terminus of the Wendover Arm Grand Union Canal, Wendover Arm Yes - the current terminus anyway
  • Tewitfield Marina, Lancaster Canal - Yes
  • Titford Pools, Birmingham Canal Navigations No.  We scraped along the bottom until coming to a dead stop in the preceding  narrows - so chose discretion. Interestingly later visitors report no problems - so maybe levels were down, 
  • Uttoxeter Basin, Froghall, Uttoxeter Canal Yes - but had to revisit with additional ballast to get through tunnel
  • Walsall Town Basin, Walsall Canal Yes
  • Welches Dam Lock, Old Bedford River Yes (been through it too)
  • West Summit Lock, Rochdale Canal Yes
  • Winsford Bridge, River Weaver Yes 

 

of the "Places only accessible by local, portable and trailable craft" I've only been, on a sleep-aboard boat, to the Tonbridge and Chelmsford ones.

But no score at all in 2018.

Edited by Tacet
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1 hour ago, cheshire~rose said:

How long ago was that?

I have been up to the tunnel portal with a boat each year for the last 4-5 years and have not known any "small trees in the water"

in November 2016 Python assisted the WRG to clear a lot of the overgrown vegetation opening the channel up significantly and we cleared the offside wharf at the end so folks can moor there.

15002385_1214783355211774_81570015103040

15016308_1214783445211765_84719430126938

14918865_1214783471878429_80764571168045

Sunday 25 March 2012 with Christine and Malcolm Richardson. Stayed overnight then walked over the top to the other end of the tunnel. Joined on the moorings by Martin and Di on Nb Florence from West Stockwith. Both days warm and sunny. 

Knew my diary woyycome in handy one day. 

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Quite amused by the Springs Branch one, and the fact it needs to be done during 2018.

Since the rockfall from the castle in January 2016 you can not navigate to the end of the Springs Branch.  It's still on an official stoppage notice, as the canal is completely blocked with rocks.

I suppose you could argue that the "head of navigation" has moved a few hundred yards from the end of the branch back to the rockfall, in which case this would count.

This was what it looked like when we did it in July last year:

20170704_195252.jpg.2eb9da636fd2d3b3bf43646fd73b798e.jpg

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3 hours ago, pearley said:

When we went there, it would have been very difficult to get further than the winding hole due to the number of small trees in the water. 

 

3 hours ago, cheshire~rose said:

How long ago was that?

I have been up to the tunnel portal with a boat each year for the last 4-5 years and have not known any "small trees in the water"

This is what it was like when we went up to the tunnel portal in September 2009. All of that weed in the channel concealed a lot of tree debris in the water.

Up to the winding hole the channel was clear, so we concluded that not many boats actually went beyond right up to the tunnel mouth.

And  not many people using the towpath there either!

PICT1083.JPG.1dd7b538e02c61be6e9946a0d621a6f0.JPG

Edited by David Mack
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10 minutes ago, David Mack said:

 

This is what it was like when we went up to the tunnel portal in September 2009. All of that weed in the channel concealed a lot of tree debris in the water.

Up to the winding hole the channel was clear, so we concluded that not many boats actually went beyond right up to the tunnel mouth.

And  not many people using the towpath there either!

PICT1083.JPG.1dd7b538e02c61be6e9946a0d621a6f0.JPG

Perhaps the tree debris in the channel had been removed before all my more recent trips over the past 5 years? Certainly I have not experienced any of the boats I have been on which reversed up to the tunnel portal experiencing this problems in that time, maybe some weed later in the season but not tree debris and usually the water is so clear before boats start moving that you can see to the bottom and it is the size of the fish in the shoals I tend to notice rather than trees debris.

I think it would be fair to point out that the towpath you say not many people were using is not visible in your photo. It is visible in the second photo I posted and is around 8 feet higher than the water level at this point as it rises up to go over the tunnel. That stretch of path is well used and loved by local people but it is possible with the overgrown bushes on that side of the cut in your photo you would be completely unaware of anyone walking there

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We can claim Boston Black Sluice 2016  ... no pics Im afraid. Lots of pictures taken by the local residents as we were told we were the  1st boat in almost 3 years . Bunny .

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7 hours ago, cheshire~rose said:

Hmm - I saw Karen Parrott's picture of the "stop lock" at Trent Lock yesterday:

29176887_1689359171158442_84765908946848

" Stop lock? " I was there yesterday at Trent lock and yup there is enough clearance for the two bridges of about a canoeists head height and its gone up since then 

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