We had a lazy start this morning, well we weren't that lazy but we did take our time over breakfast and reading the paper before we set off. As you can see from the photo below we were blessed with some winter sunshine on our cruise/walk to Knowle locks.
When we arrived at the top of the locks and the service point I noticed Button End moored against the Stephen Goldsborough yard this was the boat that Adam Porter had reviewed in the last Canal Boat magazine and is a facsimilie of Footsie 100 a previous SG build.
Caxton has been serviced and is now entering the first of the five Knowle locks. These are all double locks, 80,000 gallons of water a time and double gates top and bottom. The paddles are hydraulically operated by windlass and by the time I had completed the five locks\my puny musscalls were in revolt!
Above you can see the peculiar mechanism for opening the paddles - that post thing in the centre... and below is the pawl that fits over the shaft to stop the gate winding down again.
Two down, three to go..
Caxton between locks.
And finally, four miles and five locks later, Caxton is moored up by the The Black Boy pub and a pint of 'Duck Soup' real ale is acting as an internal embrocation and the musscals are feeling better already...
8 comments:
Sorry but they are not hydraulically operated paddles, they are screw, just like the old-fashioned bottle jacks.
Brian
If you are dog walking then the last length of towpath from Hatton Station to the top lock is usually an un-walk able mud bath in winter. Shrewley Tunnel area is OK and you can try out the separate footpath tunnel. I don’t know where in between the mud starts.
We came through there last year and covered a ridiculous amout of ground in a single day. We started at Lapworth Junct, up Knowle, down Camp Hill, up Ashted, up Farmers Bridge and finally across to Tipton. Phew - I feel knackered as the thought!
I prefer your pace of travel.
Andy
You do realise you've got 46 more locks like that, including the Hatton and Stockton flights, before you get to Napton Junction?
Hi Brian
No need to be sorry, you are quite right to correct me, they are screw operated.
Lesley
Thanks Paul, I would be walking with the dogs normally but I will keep a wary eye on the condition of the towpath.
Lesley
Hi Andy
So do I!!!
Lesley
Thank you Adam!
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