English canal boats (with photos)

samn40 · Oct 30, 2013

On my trip to England last weekend I came across one of the many canals, once the backbone of moving goods around the industrialised parts of England but now solely used for leisure boating. The old barges are now converted into comfy river boat homes. I took time to stop and photograph one lock in operation for any of you who have never seen this.......
I turned off the main road to photograph a barge and got this pic.I could see the lock at the next road turning.....

This is looking from the second bridge back towards where I took the first photo

The bridge from the towpath at the side of the canal. The lock gate is just beyond the bridge....

The lock filling up for the barge to enter

The ladies on the barge explained that this barge was owned by the community and today a group of scouts were using it to navigate the canal system

The back gates are closed and the sluices on the front gates opened and down it goes.....(the rear gates are not very watertight!)

The front gates are opened and the barge can sail on at the lower canal level.....

Another barge ....just waiting to enter the lock and move up to the higher canal!

I hope to hire a barge some time and have a relaxing holiday afloat around England...something different!
Sam

HughB · Oct 30, 2013

Sam. The boats are referred to in England as
"narrow boats" they are usually 6' 10" wide.
The width of the locks there can be as narrow as 7
foot. They can run as long as around 75 foot. Not
all the locks are that long so they might not fit
in all the locks. They are powered by small diesel
engines. There are thousands of miles of canals all over England. The boats have all the comforts of home. Granted a very small narrow home. There are many live a boards there. I have known of folks who have lived on board for years and traveled all over England. It might not be for everyone But for literally thousands it is a way of life.

Phil Scarborough · Oct 30, 2013

Sam, where did you photograph the lock and boat, please? On this trip, when you were taking pictures of Sherwood Forest, you were about 3 miles from our house, would have been nice to meet you. Are you coming back next week to our tractor and heritage show in Newark? 800 tractors,special feature tractors are Wallis, Massey Harris and early Fergusons? Phil

samn40 · Oct 30, 2013

Yes, I will be taking a minibus with 11 others to Newark, Phil.
Email me at the bottom of this page and I will give you my number......Sam

samn40 · Oct 30, 2013

Thanks Hugh, I know that but we don't want to reveal too many of our British secrets to the rest of the World all at once! LOL The canal and lock was on my road from Blubberhouses toward Skipton then Kirby Lonsdale......
Sam

HughB · Oct 30, 2013

Skipton in Yorkshire. I live in the U.S but my
folks are from Wandsworth.

FLOLDFORD · Oct 30, 2013

Sam
Great pictures. I love the boats always wanted to buy a houseboat when I retire and sail the east coast of the US. But it looks like I'm going to have keep working till they put me in the ground lol

Dick2 · Oct 30, 2013

Is the water in the canals fresh water or sea water? Is there a speed limit on boats in the canals, to avoid large wakes that could overflow the canals?

Phil Scarborough · Oct 30, 2013

canal Water is fresh, reservoirs were built to store water, to replace that lost in working the locks. Speed limit usually 4 mph, but reducing to 2 mph past other boats, to avoid damage. Wife and I have had canal holidays, very peaceful and always a pub on the canalside at the end of the day. Phil

larry@stinescorner · Oct 30, 2013

that was really interesting! You gonna show me around when I come to visit?

SweetFeet · Oct 30, 2013

Very interesting. Beautiful photos.

donjr · Oct 30, 2013

Just missing Compo and Foggy....

samn40 · Oct 30, 2013

No problem, Larry just give me a day's notice please!
Sam

Zachary Hoyt · Oct 30, 2013

Neat pictures, I guess now you must officially be a gongoozler. I
was reading recently about the Falkirk Wheel in Scotland, it seemed
pretty amazing to me that anyone could figure out how to do that.
Zach

Tech 7 · Oct 30, 2013

Nice photos Sam, Here in Ontario we have the Trent-Severn Waterway. Its construction began before Canada became a country and by the time it was completed its need was replaced by railways and roads. It also holds the record of the countries longest to complete public works project.Today it is used entirely by pleasure boaters through some fantastic scenery. I have always been facinated by the workings of the locks. The designs of the ones in your photos are very similar to the ones here, Thanks for sharing

Anonymous-0 · Oct 31, 2013

Sam, thanks for a most interesting tour of England over the past few days! As I have stated more than once, you don't see shots such as this in the travelogs. It is much more interesting this way.

ShadetreeRet · Oct 31, 2013

I don't know how the "l" got on the end of my name on my last post. One of my ten thumbs must have gotten in the way!

howdy1960 · Oct 31, 2013

Great pics. Thanks for sharing. Living in central New York USA I grew up around the Erie canal system all tho it wasn't in use any more and most of the locks were gone. I lived a few miles from a resivior(sp) that supplied the canal system and could hit the stream that supplied it with a stone from back yard. It's awesome how they make the canals cross rivers.

Geo-TH,In · Oct 31, 2013

Thanks for the pics.

I would like to know how write something above the pic, then have pic and write something again and then another pic? All my pics post first and what I write is below pic.

Thanks,
George

samn40 · Oct 31, 2013

George I used to have bother subtitling my photos, untl I found 'Modern View'.... Click on photo upload, type your bit, put it in the right place, preview and submit.
Sam

Geo-TH,In · Nov 1, 2013

Sam,
I always use modern view. Guess I need to find the right place to do it like you do. I use up load photo. Do you use select gallery photo or attach serial # list? Thanks
George

English canal boats (with photos)

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