Tunnels

We had intended to leave Braunston on Monday morning but over the weekend Kev developed toothache.  Luckily the first dentist we rang in Daventry was able to give him an appointment on the same day and treat him on the NHS.  

Toothache free we set off up the 6 locks of the Braunston flight and approached Braunston Tunnel, at 2042 yards our longest yet.  There is two way traffic in the tunnel and as we entered we could see a pinprick of light in the distance, a boat coming in the opposite direction.  The tunnel barely looked wide enough for two boats but when we eventually met Kev steered us passed without touching.  Several more boats followed and then a disconcerting s-bend had to be negotiated before we could see daylight and the exit.  It took 20 minutes to travel through the tunnel and we were pleased to emerge into sunlight.  

The unassuming entrance to the long Braunston Tunnel

At Norton Junction we turned north onto the Leicester Line of the Grand Union Canal.  Shortly after passing Watford Gap services we arrived at Watford Locks and then onto Crick Tunnel, 1528 yards long with no s-bend.  We didn't meet any boats either but were glad to be through quickly because the roof was constantly dripping.  Reinforced brickwork and a section lined in wood show there have been problems in the past with the tunnel's stability. 

At Crick I had a surprise meeting with a colleague from work who'd moored up next to us.  We also saw the narrowboat Dover which featured in the TV series Narrowboat and Narrowboat Afloat with Alan Herd. 

Narrowboat Dover

There was one more tunnel, Husbands Bosworth, before we arrived at the top of Foxton Locks.  The locks are a big tourist attraction and we arrived on a busy sunny Sunday afternoon.

Horse and Boy statue at Foxton

Foxton is famous for the inclined plane boat lift which was built in 1900 to bypass the locks.  Boats were carried up or down the plane in 2 tanks which counterbalanced each other.  The tanks were connected by an endless cable which was powered by steam and pulled them up or down the rails.  High running and maintenance costs resulted in the demise of the inclined plane lift but the site of the tracks are still visible on the steep hillside.

Looking down the steep gradient of the site of the inclined plane boat lift. The tanks came up the lift parallel to the canal at the bottom which is now used as permanent moorings.    

Foxton is also famous for it's ten locks, arranged in two staircases with a small pound in the middle.  On Monday we booked in and came down the first staircase.  There are two sluices on each lock, one empties into the lock below and the other into a side pound. From the side pound the water empties into the lock two below thus saving water.  

Coming down the Foxton Locks, the side pounds are on the left and the winding gear is colour coded.  The red gear opens the sluice to empty water into the lock below and the white allows it go into the side pound.   

In the middle pound we tied up and did some lock-keeping for the five boats coming up.  As the top lock of the bottom flight was filled we emptied the bottom lock of the top flight to maintain the water levels.  Our volunteering duties over we were then assisted down the remaining staircase by the friendly Lockie and a group of Paraguayan tourists who thanked us for letting them have a go!

 Our journey from Braunston to Foxton