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Worcestshire's latest waterways

Laurence Hogg

By Laurence Hogg
in General Boating

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Laurence Hogg Veteran

Laurence Hogg

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Having navigated the Droitwich Barge canal today I would reccomend this to anyone. Superb waterway, superb scenery, serenity and history rolled into one. We had no problems at all, locks are great and everything works. we were drawing 3ft 3". The town basins are full with boats and a great weekend beckons.

If you have heard rumours about this canal as we did then forget them, theres nothing to complain about and much to appreciate.

 

gallery_5000_522_160771.jpg

 

gallery_5000_522_155005.jpg

 

When we have done the Junction I will report on that

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magpie patrick Veteran II

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I concur, I know you could say I am biased but I have now cruised the entire length of both canals, I anticipate they will be incredibly popular, The Ladywood flight is a dream to work and Droitwich is worth 24 hours of anyone's time, lunch at the Hop Pole is going to be very much in demand!

 

Collectively, they are a microcosm of all that canals have to offer

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Capt Ahab Proficient

Capt Ahab

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Having navigated the Droitwich Barge canal today I would reccomend this to anyone. Superb waterway, superb scenery, serenity and history rolled into one. We had no problems at all, locks are great and everything works. we were drawing 3ft 3". The town basins are full with boats and a great weekend beckons.

If you have heard rumours about this canal as we did then forget them, theres nothing to complain about and much to appreciate.

 

gallery_5000_522_160771.jpg

 

gallery_5000_522_155005.jpg

 

When we have done the Junction I will report on that

We will be there on Tuesday.

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Smelly Veteran

Smelly

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We're planning to be there in a couple of weeks - looking forward to it. We'll have to keep an eye out for fellow forum members.

 

If the cat doesn't come home you might trip over us on your way...

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Laurence Hogg Veteran

Laurence Hogg

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CAUTION TO ANY DEEP DRAFTED BOAT USING THE A38 TUNNEL.

 

our experience in the M5 tunnel was not good, indeed it verged on being dangerous. "Barnet" has a air draft of 6ft 3" and currently draws 3ft 3" max under way. She passed the height gauge without problem and we entered the tunnel. 3/4 through we came to a very VERY slow halt and became immovable, this suprised me at first as we had progressed slowly without incident. No matter what we did we could not move forwards. A boat then appeared behind us. At this point the amount of exhaust in the tunnel was getting excessive, there seemed little air passing through which probably was due to the very quiet day. After much struggling to free the boat and really breathing to much exhaust the crew fwd eventually managed to get a line out of the tunnel to some people who were at the mouth and they hauled and we tried to leg the boat out. This is near to imposible as the walls are smooth concrete. Also there is nothing to shove against as the joints are precise and small. The chain at water level is also of little use to a trapped boat. Eventually with all weight forward I decided to engage astern fiercly, pushing water under and forward and then to do the same in forward and "ride the tide". This got us out but the amount of exhaust was clearly affecting the boat behind. Just out of the mouth we again grounded. We were stuck in the tunnel for 25 minutes.

 

The problem here as I see it, is that the boat behind drew a lock whilst we were on the way into the tunnel, hence the slow grounding. Once stuck there is nothing to assist ones self with. I think this needs addressing urgently, a simple chain on the wall would be of great help. Also maybe a "one through" before a lock is drawn needs to be implemented (traffic lights?) because the converse of this incident is to be driven into the roof by rising a rising level.

We were lucky that people were around to try and help but imagine a lone boater experiencing this, there could be potential for a nasty incident.

 

This wont affect boats drawing around 2 ft or so, but all ex working boats, conversions etc will need to be very careful. I have emailed Nick Worthington at BW on this matter.

 

As for the rest of the jcn canal it is fine and just needs using.

 

 

This is as tight as it gets:

gallery_5000_522_41476.jpg

 

and where else do you find a new staircase lock - lovely!

 

gallery_5000_522_16284.jpg

Edited by Laurence Hogg
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sueb Veteran II

sueb

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Lynx found that lock 2, bottom gate offside, the paddle slips when the lock is full. A man had a nasty fall and a gouged arm. Also going down, lock 4 access from the towpath is blocked by a locked gate.

Sue

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Laurence Hogg Veteran

Laurence Hogg

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Lynx found that lock 2, bottom gate offside, the paddle slips when the lock is full. A man had a nasty fall and a gouged arm. Also going down, lock 4 access from the towpath is blocked by a locked gate.

Sue

The gate is opened with a BW key according to the WW guide. Any other problems need reporting to BW by phone, email or the questionaire they supplied in your pack.

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David Mack Veteran II

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CAUTION TO ANY DEEP DRAFTED BOAT USING THE A38 TUNNEL.

 

our experience in the A38 tunnel was not good, indeed it verged on being dangerous.

 

 

Laurence, please can you clarify which bridge you mean. Are you referring to the A38 Roman Way which crosses the Barge Canal west of the town centre? Or the old A38 (now B4090) Worcester Road bridge on the River Salwarpe section between the Barge Canal and the Junction Canal? Or did you mean the M5 culvert?

 

David

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magpie patrick Veteran II

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Laurence, please can you clarify which bridge you mean. Are you referring to the A38 Roman Way which crosses the Barge Canal west of the town centre? Or the old A38 (now B4090) Worcester Road bridge on the River Salwarpe section between the Barge Canal and the Junction Canal? Or did you mean the M5 culvert?

 

David

 

 

good point, I suspect he means the A449 crossing

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richardf Proficient

richardf

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Lynx found that lock 2, bottom gate offside, the paddle slips when the lock is full. A man had a nasty fall and a gouged arm. Also going down, lock 4 access from the towpath is blocked by a locked gate.

Sue

 

I think the locked gate is the result of a boundary dispute with the owner of the lock cottage. There also seems to be an issue with someone mooring their day boat on the lock mooring on the last lock before Droitwich, apparently he has always moored it there and refuses to move. I think the bridge referred to is the M5 crossing, no depth gauge for the A449 crossing.

Great weekend though and many congratulations to all concerned.

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Laurence Hogg Veteran

Laurence Hogg

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Laurence, please can you clarify which bridge you mean. Are you referring to the A38 Roman Way which crosses the Barge Canal west of the town centre? Or the old A38 (now B4090) Worcester Road bridge on the River Salwarpe section between the Barge Canal and the Junction Canal? Or did you mean the M5 culvert?

 

David

 

Sorry folks I have edited the post, it is the M5 Culvert.

 

good point, I suspect he means the A449 crossing

Sorry I have edited the post it is the M5 culvert.

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magpie patrick Veteran II

magpie patrickDonate to Canal World

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Sorry folks I have edited the post, it is the M5 Culvert.

 

 

Sorry I have edited the post it is the M5 culvert.

 

Okay, the M5 culvert is not ideal, it wasn't actually built for the canal but for the Body Brook when that length of motorway was completed in, I think, the mid 60's. A new structure would have stalled the restoration for many years.

 

However, there does need to be a way to get a boat out if, for example, one breaks down in there.

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David Mack Veteran II

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Okay, the M5 culvert is not ideal, it wasn't actually built for the canal but for the Body Brook when that length of motorway was completed in, I think, the mid 60's. A new structure would have stalled the restoration for many years.

 

However, there does need to be a way to get a boat out if, for example, one breaks down in there.

 

We all owe a huge debt of gratitude to the designer on the M5 project 40 odd years ago, who calculated that the Body Brook needed a culvert under the motorway just over 7 feet wide and about 10 feet tall. This looks like such an unlikely dimension for a stream culvert, that I have long assumed that the designer responsible was a closet canal enthusiast!

 

David

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Amduck Collaborator

Amduck

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We're hoping to do this ring from Tewkesbury in the next couple of weeks, with too many people to sleep - anyone have any advice about overnight moorings with somewhere to pitch a tent nearby? (or possibly B&Bs?)

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MaryP Community Regular

MaryPDonate to Canal World

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I was asking the locals at Hanbury the other day, and apart from the Droitwich basin there are no mooring spots apart from pin and gangplank at the side.

 

They also said that there was no guide that they knew of. There had been leaflets - A4 type - handed out at the opening w/e, but nothing to buy. Does the Droitwich Canal Trust have any plans for a guide does anyone know?

Edited by Mary P
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magpie patrick Veteran II

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I was asking the locals at Hanbury the other day, and apart from the Droitwich basin there are no mooring spots apart from pin and gangplank at the side.

 

They also said that there was no guide that they knew of. There had been leaflets - A4 type - handed out at the opening w/e, but nothing to buy. Does the Droitwich Canal Trust have any plans for a guide does anyone know?

 

Not only do they have plans for one but one has been produced. It is, I think, £7 and features several pictures of our previous boat Ripple, which we took to Droitwich last September.

 

It covers the canal for cruising and has a number of walks as well. I bought a copy at the opening ceremony.

 

All I can suggest is contact the trust.

 

As for accomodation, I suspect camping in Vines park would be frowned upon and Droitwich doesn't strike me as a B&B place, although I may be wrong. There is a travelodge on the A38 about two miles out of town, that, combined with a taxi, might work

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Capt Ahab Proficient

Capt Ahab

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In which case the owners of the cottage would appear to have breached the agreement. Contact BW

The gate may be bolted from inside but you can always get in via the cottage's parking area or over the road bridge below the lock.

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