Napton flight

My sister-in-law rang up earlier this week to let us know that their
boat simply can't get through the Napton flight any more; there's one
lock, I think Napton Top Lock, that has caused problems every time I've
been through it, and apparently the lock chamber has now subsided to the
extent that a 7' hull can't be made to fit. They met a coal boat
coming down who warned them that the only way he'd got through himself
was by squeezing the sides of the hull in with chains - on a wooden
boat, it just couldn't be done. The brickwork on the lock in question
was already badly chipped from people trying to force their way through
when last I saw it, and I can easily believe that it has now reached the
point of no return. Thoroughly annoying from her point of view, of
course, as she had a job about to start in Oxford and now has to go all
the way back round through Brentford and up from the other end against
the river and against the clock.

The irony is that the boat was *built* to work the Oxford Canal, and did
so for years both before and after her conversion.... Is there any
chance of the flight's being fixed in the near future, or is it likely
to remain impassable until it has lost a further two inches and
inconveniences the tourists?

--
Harriet Bazley == Loyaulte me lie ==

I like work; it fascinates me; I can sit and look at it for hours.

On Sun, 07 Oct 2007 01:46:04 +0100, Harriet Bazley
<bazley@feathermail.co.uk> wrote:

>My sister-in-law rang up earlier this week to let us know that their
>boat simply can't get through the Napton flight any more; there's one
>lock, I think Napton Top Lock, that has caused problems every time I've
>been through it, and apparently the lock chamber has now subsided to the
>extent that a 7' hull can't be made to fit. They met a coal boat
>coming down who warned them that the only way he'd got through himself
>was by squeezing the sides of the hull in with chains - on a wooden
>boat, it just couldn't be done. The brickwork on the lock in question
>was already badly chipped from people trying to force their way through
>when last I saw it, and I can easily believe that it has now reached the
>point of no return. Thoroughly annoying from her point of view, of
>course, as she had a job about to start in Oxford and now has to go all
>the way back round through Brentford and up from the other end against
>the river and against the clock.
>
>The irony is that the boat was *built* to work the Oxford Canal, and did
>so for years both before and after her conversion.... Is there any
>chance of the flight's being fixed in the near future, or is it likely
>to remain impassable until it has lost a further two inches and
>inconveniences the tourists?

I'm not quite sure why you say that - if I read you correctly - you
can't pull in a wooden boat. It's probably easier than on an iron or
steel boat.
Of course that does rather depend on where the boat needs pulling in,
but that applies to any boat.

Marston Doles top lock always used to be the pinch point, 35 - 40
years ago, maybe it still is <g>

Tim

On Oct 7, 9:51 am, "Nicholas D. Richards"
<nicho...@salmiron.> wrote:

>
> If it is getting worse, phone BW.
>


..... and get an agency receptionist who hasn't a clue what a lock is??

Tony H

On 7 Oct 2007 as I do recall,
Tim Leech wrote:

> On Sun, 07 Oct 2007 01:46:04 +0100, Harriet Bazley
> <bazley@feathermail.co.uk> wrote:
>
> >My sister-in-law rang up earlier this week to let us know that their
> >boat simply can't get through the Napton flight any more; there's one
> >lock, I think Napton Top Lock, that has caused problems every time I've
> >been through it, and apparently the lock chamber has now subsided to the
> >extent that a 7' hull can't be made to fit. They met a coal boat
> >coming down who warned them that the only way he'd got through himself
> >was by squeezing the sides of the hull in with chains - on a wooden
> >boat, it just couldn't be done.
[snip]

> I'm not quite sure why you say that - if I read you correctly - you
> can't pull in a wooden boat. It's probably easier than on an iron or
> steel boat.
> Of course that does rather depend on where the boat needs pulling in,
> but that applies to any boat.

Only having heard this saga over the telephone and at second hand, I'm
not certain. I pictured the coal boat as being half-empty at the time
and flexing, whereas theirs is full of stoves, water tanks and so on,
with iron knees every foot or so and thick timbers in place of steel
plates. Anyway, they did try with chains, and apparently still
couldn't squeeze.

>
> Marston Doles top lock always used to be the pinch point, 35 - 40
> years ago, maybe it still is <g>
>
Maybe it was Marston Doles... somewhere between Napton Junction and
Oxford is all I can swear to!

--
Harriet Bazley == Loyaulte me lie ==

Everyone hates me because I'm paranoid.