Soar and Trent

[Ally]

I think you'll be surprised how many places you can moor up. Watermead area is lovely, lots of huge spaces to dog walk and enjoy bird life and general loveliness. Good moorings for it at Birstall, thurmaston and syston. Water and elsan at Kilby bridge, water at syston outside the Hope and anchor pub, water, elsan, rubbish and showers at Barrow boating in Barrow upon soar, plus excellent pie night at the Soar bridge Inn on Thursdays, a 2 minute walk from Barrow deep lock...lots of moorings there too. Water, elsan, rubbish and showers at Loughborough basin. Water above Bishops meadow lock in Loughborough. Not many facilities then till Sawley, though plenty of pretty places to moor. Keep an eye on the lock boards and don't run the occasional lights at locks if on red.

But just take your time and enjoy it.

It is necessary that you wave to us on n/b Hallyth as you corner onto the wreake section between syston and junction lock! Off side right by the corner!

[Tony Dunkley]

Even at the tender age of 37 I'm convinced everything was better prior to the 2000's but that's a whole different subject

 

Regarding the Wisbech timber, was it transshipped to go up the Nene then onto the GU? I understand from Blagroves book Northamptonshire waterways that the stone from Wansford to Peterborough was the only real commercial traffic left on the Nene by the early 80's.

 

Obviously there was the Whitworths traffic the other end that had finished by 67?ish.

 

Your mention of Wisbech pricked my ears so to speak.

 

When I said '30 years earlier', I meant the 1960's, . . . 30 years earlier than the 1990's photo.

 

The ex-Wisbech timber for Leicester was loaded into narrowboats just lowside of the town bridge, either overside if the ship was still there, or from the wharf if it had finished unloading and gone.

Because of the distance, . . . . virtually the whole length of the Nene, then Northampton Arm, the Junction to the top of Buckby, and then the Leicester Cut, the ex-Wisbech timber for Leicester didn't pay as well as the ex-Boston timber for the same Leicester importer, which was a quicker run with boats despite being roughly the same distance from either port by road.

 

The ex-Brentford grain traffic to Wellingborough finished in 1969.

I've no idea what other traffics continued into the 1980's, . . . the last time I was on the Nene was sometime in the very early 1970's when we went for a jaunt downriver for old times sake after doing the public boat trips with a pair of narrowboats at some IWA boat rally in Becket's Park in Northampton.

[gazza]

 

When I said '30 years earlier', I meant the 1960's, . . . 30 years earlier than the 1990's photo.

 

The ex-Wisbech timber for Leicester was loaded into narrowboats just lowside of the town bridge, either overside if the ship was still there, or from the wharf if it had finished unloading and gone.

Because of the distance, . . . . virtually the whole length of the Nene, then Northampton Arm, the Junction to the top of Buckby, and then the Leicester Cut, the ex-Wisbech timber for Leicester didn't pay as well as the ex-Boston timber for the same Leicester importer, which was a quicker run with boats despite being roughly the same distance from either port by road.

 

The ex-Brentford grain traffic to Wellingborough finished in 1969.

I've no idea what other traffics continued into the 1980's, . . . the last time I was on the Nene was sometime in the very early 1970's when we went for a jaunt downriver for old times sake after doing the public boat trips with a pair of narrowboats at some IWA boat rally in Becket's Park in Northampton.

Thanks Tony, I did sus you meant 30 years from the date of the photo - guess I could have made that a bit clearer in my original question to you!

I was surprised Wisbech to Leicester was a viable route for the reasons you gave.

 

Apart from Blagrove and his book there are not many sources of information to call on for recent history of commercial traffic on the Nene.

 

 

Cheers.

[Saintsman]

Shout out if you see us and maybe we will pull over and share a bottle of bubbly

[Saintsman]

Currently having lunch planning to overnight near Kilby Bridge and over night at castle gardens tomorrow, is it nice there ?

[NBDensie]

There is an excellent Kerala Indian, the Kayal, in Granby Street near the Railway Station. You may need to book.

[matty40s]

Castle Gardens gets locked at dusk, so you don't just have a secured pontoon, you have a secured park too.

The city noise is still there but the river lends tranquility. You also don't have the students there at the moment (unless it's graduation time)

[Richard T]

Castle Gardens are fine and another 250m north of them is a new set of pontoons. As yet they do not appear on any guides but they are definetly there and open for use. They have the advantage of water taps and will have power. You can wind a full length boat adjacent to to both.

Castle Gardens has the advantage of having a private park to roam in once the gates are locked at dusk. At the new pontoons you have a building site to roam in. Enjoy Leicester and the river Soar.

[Saintsman]

Got up to Birstall lock today, much nicer than Leicester, on to Barrow upon Soar tomorrow looking for a water point on the way, river sections are very nice indeed

[Richard T]

Water point at Barrow on Soar along with rubbish disposal and toilet. Its just as you leave the river section on the left adjacent to Barrow boating.

[Saintsman]

Thankyou Richard T

[Richard T]

Thankyou Richard T

Wave at Tyto Alba as you go past it at Sileby. Stop there if you want diesel and other bits. Sadly I will be at work.

In Loughborough there are good shops - moor near the junction don't bother going into the basin unless you like winding in tight places. There is a Tesco, M&S, Sainsburys and Aldi close to the canal plus all the other useful High Street shops. Good beer at the Swan in the Rushes. If your next overnight mooring is Zouch cut the food is OK in the Rose and Crown.

[Ally]

You will pass us then on Wednesday. N/b Hallyth at syston, on the corner after old junction boatyard. Give us a toot!

[Nightwatch]

We enjoyed the Soar. Very much.

[Saintsman]

At Zouch tonight onto the Trent tomorrow

[Ally]

Drat, missed you! Hope you are enjoying our river!

[Saintsman]

Had to turn around as Shardlow lock closed, back at Zouch tonight heading upstream on the Soar again tomorrow

[Ally]

One of our boats is waiting to head back kegworth way from above shardlow. Is it expected to open tomorrow?

[adam1uk]

Wave at Tyto Alba as you go past it at Sileby.

We are moored right opposite Tyto Alba this evening -- no other visiting boats above or below the lock. On other occasions there have been at least two above and two below.

 

 

N/b Hallyth at syston, on the corner after old junction boatyard. Give us a toot!

We have passed you as well, then. Didn't realise until now that that was where you moored -- thought it was further north, for some reason. In fact, due to circumstances, I've been past on two different boats today!

[MoominPapa]

We are moored right opposite Tyto Alba this evening -- no other visiting boats above or below the lock. On other occasions there have been at least two above and two below.

 

 

 

 

We'll still be moored above Kegworth deep, painting, when you come by tomorrow.

 

MP.

[Richard T]

Adam

Sorry not on board to wave at you fromTyto. It's a working day!!

[Martin Megson]

By coincidence I'm moored up below Sileby lock tonight. My first time on the Soar and really enjoying this beautiful tranquil river.

[Richard T]

By coincidence I'm moored up below Sileby lock tonight. My first time on the Soar and really enjoying this beautiful tranquil river.

Sorry not to see you we were at our boat this afternoon.MoominPapa (Melaleauca) is also moored there so why not say hello.

Edited September 12, 2016 by Richard T