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Post by Deleted on Aug 20, 2021 7:49:14 GMT
Braunston to Napton was always The Oxford Canal Hence the stop lock at Braunston 😉
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Post by Deleted on Aug 20, 2021 7:53:33 GMT
But it was widened in the 1930's (when all the locks were widened and Ham Baker paddle gear fitted) to provide direct Birmingham to London traffic.
Braunston towards Hillmorton has always been a narrow canal.
Rog
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Post by ianali on Aug 20, 2021 8:00:08 GMT
No problem through Braunston and along to Napton ... it's the GU that way. The issue arises with the North Oxford, which is a narrow canal . As C&RT approved Barby moorings and Dunchurch Pools wide openings and mooring berths for wide beam boats, it is obvious that travel along the north Oxford would be encouraged. You can't blame the wide beam owners for that. Rog I’ve had plenty of near misses, and the odd bump this summer in a narrow. Wouldn’t like to be steering a wide on these parts. The standard of boating skills I’ve observed this year, have been the worst I’ve ever encountered. Seems to be little thinking ahead, boats passing way to quickly, fenders down in locks, lack of general etiquette. Ali christened then the ‘Benidorm wannabes’ earlier this year. We need to get international travel back for the masses...
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Post by Deleted on Aug 20, 2021 8:10:09 GMT
Yes, we've noticed similar ... been boating very defensively as a consequence (hanging back, not getting involved) it's all been done with smiles and laughs, but I prefer to enjoy the antics as an observer rather than a participant Rog
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Post by ianali on Aug 20, 2021 8:21:11 GMT
Yes, we've noticed similar ... been boating very defensively as a consequence (hanging back, not getting involved) it's all been done with smiles and laughs, but I prefer to enjoy the antics as an observer rather than a participant Rog Yes, we have usually smiled, often laughed. I like seeing boats out, like seeing people enjoying them. Just a few to many idiots this year. Often private boats actually.. though I suspect many maybe out on loan(hire). Anyway, grump over.. mood wasn’t helped by combine in field working all night, then a Bond moment when a huge spider went for me in bed just now. This was followed by a cramp in my left leg. Ali was concerned for a moment that I might struggle to bring her tea in bed. Like the brave little soldier that I am, I performed the task admirably.
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Post by TonyDunkley on Aug 20, 2021 8:49:42 GMT
No more so than a pair of loaded boats (motor drawing around 3' 8'' static) passing an empty pair (motor drawing around 3' static) anywhere along the North Oxford, . . or the Coventry, . . or the Moira, . . which is something that used to happen several times every day, . . before the cut got populated with pleasure craft that can't meet a boat coming the other way without leaving a gap big enough for another boat to fit between them. Would love to see you take two breasted up, deep draught boats up the Ashby canal now. Don't know much about how pairs of (narrow)boats worked, . . do you ! No-one ever travelled abreast, loaded or empty, on the North Oxford, the Coventry or the Moira - or 'Ashby', as everyone calls it these days. God only knows why, . . it never went anywhere near Ashby (de la Zouch), from the time it was first opened, or at any time before sections were progressively closed from Moira down due to mining subsidence, . . but it DID carry wideboat traffic -- 12' beam round bilge boats -- between Moira and Hinckley.
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Post by Deleted on Aug 20, 2021 8:53:01 GMT
But it was widened in the 1930's (when all the locks were widened and Ham Baker paddle gear fitted) to provide direct Birmingham to London traffic. Braunston towards Hillmorton has always been a narrow canal. Rog Whilst the GU locks were widened, not all of the bridges were and the channel certainly wasn't. Technically the bit from Braunston to Wigrams has always been part of the Oxford and not the GU. It was independent until 1948 long after the GU came into being. Maps still show it as a continuous route. www.ukwaterwaysguide.co.uk/map/oxford-canal/main-canal It's only in the last few years that it has been referred to as part of the GU.
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Post by TonyDunkley on Aug 20, 2021 9:04:56 GMT
But it was widened in the 1930's (when all the locks were widened and Ham Baker paddle gear fitted) to provide direct Birmingham to London traffic. Braunston towards Hillmorton has always been a narrow canal. Rog Nothing was 'widened' in the 1930's, . . the old 'single' locks from Napton to Knowle were replaced with new 'double' locks built alongside them, which served only to cut down journey times with pairs of narrowboats. The canal itself, including the Braunston - Napton length of the Oxford, wasn't widened, . . which is why neither the GUCCCo or FMC built any more wideboats after "Progress" and "Pioneer".
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Post by Deleted on Aug 20, 2021 9:13:28 GMT
But it was widened in the 1930's (when all the locks were widened and Ham Baker paddle gear fitted) to provide direct Birmingham to London traffic. Braunston towards Hillmorton has always been a narrow canal. Rog Nothing was 'widened' in the 1930's, . . the old 'single' locks from Napton to Knowle were replaced with new 'double' locks built alongside them The canal itself, including the Braunston - Napton length of the Oxford, wasn't widened, . . which is why neither the GUCCCo or FMC built any more wideboats after "Progress" and "Pioneer". The route was widened by adding wide locks. Why not give it a rest. Rog
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Post by Deleted on Aug 20, 2021 9:19:07 GMT
This could get vomit inducingly inconsequential quite quickly !
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Post by Deleted on Aug 20, 2021 9:25:51 GMT
On a slightly related point...
Is the Coventry canal a continous canal from Coventry to Fradley or does part of it become the B & F? I'm interested to know where the B&F finished if the Coventry was a continuation up to Fradley.
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Post by Deleted on Aug 20, 2021 9:30:10 GMT
I understand the B&F built the canal to Whittington because the Coventry ran out of money.
Rog
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Post by Deleted on Aug 20, 2021 9:35:37 GMT
Thanks, gives a bit of explanation - I could never really work out why the B&F appeared to finish at Whittington. Didn't look important/big enough for a canal destination.
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Post by Deleted on Aug 20, 2021 9:37:30 GMT
Years ago we were trapped at Hopwas because there was a stoppage in the wooded section they were doing heavy duty piling works and it was written in the stoppage list as part of the B&F when we thought it was the Coventry. silly error really.
Luckily I had a vehicle so were able to go to Lichfield for shopping.
It was about a month unexpected stop. Used to take the dogs for a walk around the firing range.
Happy days.
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Post by mrbeacham on Aug 20, 2021 9:52:59 GMT
Would love to see you take two breasted up, deep draught boats up the Ashby canal now. Don't know much about how pairs of (narrow)boats worked, . . do you ! No-one ever travelled abreast, loaded or empty, on the North Oxford, the Coventry or the Moira - or 'Ashby', as everyone calls it these days. God only knows why, . . it never went anywhere near Ashby (de la Zouch), from the time it was first opened, or at any time before sections were progressively closed from Moira down due to mining subsidence, . . but it DID carry wideboat traffic -- 12' beam round bilge boats -- between Moira and Hinckley. Times change, Its now called the Ashby,
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