The grand Grand Union Canal and Bascote Locks

Saturday, 31 December 2011 21:06

What a grand day - as they say! - more lock wheelers to help with the double locks on the Grand Union Canal, a staircase lock, a sunny day (eventually), chats with walkers and "hellos" from fishermen! All in all, who wouldn't want to winter cruise on the last day of December 2011? Now we are moored in full sunshine, out in the countryside and to cap it all Johnny Depp is on TV this evening!

Goodbye to the Two Boats (http://www.2boats.co.uk) in Long Itchington - a grand canal pub! (but no food when we wanted it!)

Now where were our lock wheelers? We had Bascote Locks ahead ........

I took so many photos today! OK it is my hobby and digital photography has revolutionised the art; Only trouble is my laptop is full - I have over 51,000 photos! When contemplating writing a blog of our daily cruise on Epiphany I try to photograph a "story" - but sometimes I just snap away for the enjoyment. Today's cruise has a number of "stories" so I think I will split it up. So here is our Bascote Locks story for your delight!

Grand Union Canal below Bascote Bridge

This part of the Grand Union Canal was once the Warwick and Napton Canal, running from Saltisford, Warwick to Napton. Originally planned to be the Warwick and Braunston Canal terminating at Braunston, the line was altered, presumably to save money, and it terminated at the junction with the Oxford Canal at Napton. It took 7 years to build and was opened in 1800.

Bascote Locks ahead

Bascote Locks were a little further on - under and beyond Toll House Bridge (28). I assume this is an eponymous name for the bridge. Our lock wheelers, Peter and his son Alex, were well organised, but had found a narrowboat coming up the staircase locks. 

Narrowboat Poppy in Bascote Top Lock, catch the rope if you can

They were on their maiden voyage and were struggling to work out the sequence needed for a staircase of two locks. With a little help from Peter they made it into the top lock (14)!

Let me introduce you to Peter of nb Sonflower - 

Closing the bottom paddles - note the number of the lock on the paddle gear

John came into the top lock - and I continued snapping. 

Epiphany in the top lock

Alex went down to the next lock to empty it as the top lock of a staircase lock empties into the bottom one (if there are more than two it can be more complicated, but there are usually good instruction boards). 

Alex at the paddles of Lock 15

Epiphany enters Lock 15 from the top lock

Once Lock 14 was empty, the gates between the two locks opened and John brought Epiphany into the bottom staircase lock (15). Two more locks in the flight were ahead of us, and we got through those in record time.

Leaving Lock 15

Originally, the locks were built as narrow locks, but on the creation of the Grand Union Canal, amalgamating a number of canals, wide locks were built and the narrow locks now act as by-weirs at most of the locks on this section all the way to Camp Hill in Birmingham. 

Lock 16 awaits

Through the bottom gate to Lock 17 - you can see the old narrow lock to the left

Waiting for Lock 17 to fill

Below Lock 17 is Splash Bridge. What a great name for a bridge! Peter and Alex stayed with us and walked on to the next lock. 

Splash Bridge through the bottom gates of Lock 17

We were very fortunate to have their help through all the locks, bar our last, for the day. A great big thank you to our lock wheelers .....

Grand Union Canal, Long Itchington to Splash Bridge (29)
1 hour 1 minute, 1.69 miles, 4 locks