Lock size on Grand Union

[Tony2017]

Are there any locks on Grand Union that are too short for a 70' boat?

(Yes, we know this is a big boat for a newbie but it will be mostly to live on)

[Tony2017]

(Sorry folks meant to post this on the new boaters section of the forum)

[rusty69]

8 minutes ago, Tony2017 said:

(Yes, we know this is a big boat for a newbie but it will be mostly to live on)

Our first /current boat is 70ft,never regretted it (well OK occasionally when it comes to blacking time) 

 

I don't think there are any problems on the gu re lock size. 

 

 

Edited April 4, 2017 by rusty69

[Tony2017]

2 minutes ago, rusty69 said:

Our first /current boat is 70ft,never regretted it (well OK occasionally when it comes to blacking time) 

 

I don't think there are any problems on the gu re lock size. 

 

 

Thanks.  That's re-assuring!

[mrsmelly]

Just now, Tony2017 said:

Thanks.  That's re-assuring!

Longer boats handle better and are easier to drive. The space alone is worth it.

[rusty69]

5 minutes ago, Tony2017 said:

Thanks.  That's re-assuring!

Have a look at canalplan

 

http://canalplan.org.uk/cgi-bin/canal.cgi

 

I think it had Iock sizes 

[Tony2017]

12 minutes ago, mrsmelly said:

Longer boats handle better and are easier to drive. The space alone is worth it.

Thanks.

 

7 minutes ago, rusty69 said:

Have a look at canalplan

 

http://canalplan.org.uk/cgi-bin/canal.cgi

 

I think it had Iock sizes 

Thanks

[Dave_P]

If your boat is exactly 70' then you'll be fine in most places.  The exceptions would be the Leeds & Liverpool Canal, The Calder and Hebble Navigation and the Huddersfield Broad canal where the locks will be too short for you.  Other than that there's an outlying lock on the Middle Levels and some locks on canals which aren't on the main network.

There's also some debate about a short lock on the Stainforth and Keadby canal but I can't remember what the resolution to that debate was.

[rusty69]

5 minutes ago, Tony2017 said:

Thanks.

 

Thanks

Also

https://canalrivertrust.org.uk/media/library/1059.pdf

[mrsmelly]

30 minutes ago, Dave_P said:

If your boat is exactly 70' then you'll be fine in most places.  The exceptions would be the Leeds & Liverpool Canal, The Calder and Hebble Navigation and the Huddersfield Broad canal where the locks will be too short for you.  Other than that there's an outlying lock on the Middle Levels and some locks on canals which aren't on the main network.

There's also some debate about a short lock on the Stainforth and Keadby canal but I can't remember what the resolution to that debate was.

The short lock on the Stainforth and Keadby is totaly incorrect. A seventy foot narrowboat goes through JUST!! Or shall we say a seventy foot Hudson goes through it will depend on how accurate the Hudson I owned was? We litteraly could not have got seventy feet one inch through. Canal plan though is way off though its measurements to be fair on that canal are for widebeam craft. 

[dmr]

Obviously a 70 footer is not going to do the locks built for 57 or even 60 footish boats but otherwise there are no problems. Most full length locks will take a boat of at least 72 foot, usually a bit longer. There is an old fender boat on the GU who is well over 72 foot.

The only big exception is the K&A which is officially 70 rather than 72 foot, but even here a 72 footer can manage though there are just a couple of locks where a 70 footer should not share with another 70footer as there is a need to go slightly diagonal to get the gates open.

..............Dave

[Mrs Tawny Owl]

The northern GU locks are well over 70ft, don't know about anything south of Stoke Bruerne as we haven't been further south than that, but I know loads of old ex-working boats go all the way down to London, and they'll often be over 70".

Only slight issues we have had with ours is on the Avon, where you might need to go down on your own in a couple of locks as you need to move the boat diagonally  to open the bottom gates.

Otherwise 70" is no problem.

Sue

[Dave_P]

1 hour ago, mrsmelly said:

The short lock on the Stainforth and Keadby is totaly incorrect. A seventy foot narrowboat goes through JUST!! Or shall we say a seventy foot Hudson goes through it will depend on how accurate the Hudson I owned was? We litteraly could not have got seventy feet one inch through. Canal plan though is way off though its measurements to be fair on that canal are for widebeam craft. 

When you're getting down to inches and the boat only fits diagonally, the shape of the stern has an effect too.  Picture a 70' boat with a narrow stern and then think of a 70' boat with a springer type stern.  The first boat will nestle back into the corner far more.

[mrsmelly]

2 minutes ago, Dave_P said:

When you're getting down to inches and the boat only fits diagonally, the shape of the stern has an effect too.  Picture a 70' boat with a narrow stern and then think of a 70' boat with a springer type stern.  The first boat will nestle back into the corner far more.

Yes it does depend on exactly where the pointy bit is and stern shape on such locks and lets be honest how long is a seventy foot boat? I would bet you will be hard pushed to find many that are precisely their supposed measurements so if mine was say sixty nine feet 10 inches then a genuine seventy would not get through Thorne lock but my boat may have been over seventy? The op definately does right to ask on here for personal experience as canal plan etc are far from accurate.

[rusty69]

3 minutes ago, mrsmelly said:

The op definately does right to ask on here for personal experience as canal plan etc are far from accurate.

The OP was asking about the Grand Union, which should easily accommodate a 70ft Narrowboat. 

Edited April 4, 2017 by rusty69

[mrsmelly]

Just now, rusty69 said:

The OP was asking about the Grand Union, which should easily accommodate a 70ft boat. 

Yes but without asking from peeps who have been there you cannot be sure. Thorne lock is a prime example of all reading matter being way off the mark.

[Tim Lewis]

3 hours ago, Tony2017 said:

Are there any locks on Grand Union that are too short for a 70' boat?

(Yes, we know this is a big boat for a newbie but it will be mostly to live on)

We, on Fulbourne - 71'6", have done all the GU locks, most many times, without any problems.

Tim

[matty40s]

42 minutes ago, rusty69 said:

The OP was asking about the Grand Union, which should easily accommodate a 70ft Narrowboat. 

Unless you are in the Bishops Meadow Lock in Loughborough (Grand Union Leicester Line/Soar Navigation), where you have to go diagonally to get the boats front out when descending as the gate will not open with a 70 footer against the cill.

[mrsmelly]

1 minute ago, matty40s said:

Unless you are in the Bishops Meadow Lock in Loughborough (Grand Union Leicester Line/Soar Navigation), where you have to go diagonally to get the boats front out when descending as the gate will not open with a 70 footer against the cill.

Its exactly this sort of information that peeps need.

[Tim Lewis]

2 hours ago, Dave_P said:

If your boat is exactly 70' then you'll be fine in most places.  The exceptions would be the Leeds & Liverpool Canal, The Calder and Hebble Navigation and the Huddersfield Broad canal where the locks will be too short for you.  Other than that there's an outlying lock on the Middle Levels and some locks on canals which aren't on the main network.

There's also some debate about a short lock on the Stainforth and Keadby canal but I can't remember what the resolution to that debate was.

Neither will you be able to do the Ripon Canal,  Ribble link, Brandon Lock on the Little Ouse (Not that it goes anywhere) or the Sheffield & South Yorkshire into Sheffield.

Tim

[rusty69]

13 minutes ago, matty40s said:

Unless you are in the Bishops Meadow Lock in Loughborough (Grand Union Leicester Line/Soar Navigation), where you have to go diagonally to get the boats front out when descending as the gate will not open with a 70 footer against the cill.

Ok,so maybe not easily, but certainly possible. 

[rusty69]

33 minutes ago, mrsmelly said:

Its exactly this sort of information that peeps need.

Only if they have a 72 foot Narrowboat. 

[David Mack]

The Grand Union Canal Carrying Company would not have built a very large fleet of carrying boats 71' 6' long (+ rudder + fenders) if the Grand Union Canal locks weren't long enough to accommodate them!

[mrsmelly]

19 minutes ago, rusty69 said:

Only if they have a 72 foot Narrowboat. 

You will find that all much of written matter for the canal system is rather one size fits all information which is not real life boating. Yes the op is asking about one canal but others have added information that helps when other peoiple read such threads. As a for instance Thorne lock is oft quoted as 63 feet etc which is way off the mark for narrowboaters.

Leeds and Liverpool etc etc are often better described accurately by those who have done them rather than rough lock dimensions in printed matter.

[Dave_P]

55 minutes ago, Tim Lewis said:

Neither will you be able to do the Ripon Canal,  Ribble link, Brandon Lock on the Little Ouse (Not that it goes anywhere) or the Sheffield & South Yorkshire into Sheffield.

Tim

Good extra info.  Any more?  One day I may buy a 70' boat, currently I can go nearly everywhere (55').