Keadby comings and goings 5th September

Chains and anchors could be heard being made ready as we got up this morning. The Lockie came to chat with the boats going out and deliver this months Towpath Talk to everyone. Conversation arose about the comings and goings of vehicles in the car park beside the moorings that went on well into the night, fairly obviously drug deals. The Lockie said that the police are aware of what goes on here, it’s just catching people at it that’s the problem. If they’d been on Lillian last night!

Braunston Belcher and Mr and Mrs Blue Boat head for the lock

Mick returned from the Post Office with our Saturday paper in time for us to head up to the lock, crossing the swing bridge before it opened to let the boats in. The area around the lock is all fenced off but with our key of power we gained access. Once the boats were settled into the lock the gates were closed behind them and the sluices were opened. The Lockie let us watch from his control tower as the water levelled and the gates opened. The boats quickly and easily turned out onto the Trent heading up steam, the tide had just turned to help push them on to Torksey and maybe even Cromwell Lock. They very quickly became very small and insignificant on the vast river.

We had a good Saturday breakfast before hearing on the VHF radio that a boat was nearing. One boat was going out at about midday and was approaching the rail bridge. Coats back on and back to the lock to see what difference two hours made. It makes a lot!

Looking out towards the River Trent at Keadby Lock

Big river gates closed

So small on the high tide

The lock has four sets of gates, two pointing up the canal and two out to the river, this set are higher. The big gates were closed to the river which was about three foot higher than the canal, this morning it had been nine/ten foot lower. It took very little time to raise the boat and out they went. Virtually no steering was needed for them to turn into the tide upstream and their progress towards Keadby Bridge was twice as fast as the boats this morning. They were heading to West Stockwith only a couple of hours upstream. Getting into the lock there can be troublesome, so their departure was timed such that they should arrive when the water is slack to make it much easier.

The yellow path is where the track splits

Track is to the left, the structure is pulled back by cables to the right

This afternoon we have walked up to the rail bridge to have a closer look at it. The rail tracks cross the canal on a diagonal, but the bridge slides them away straight at right angles to the canal. There is a footpath across the line which can be used if the bridge is open or closed. Large bolts keep the track in position when it is open to trains. We walked over the track along the towpath to the road swing bridge, here we crossed and had to press the button to get the level crossing barriers raised for us.

Pylons pylons everywhere

The remainder of our walk took us through Keadby Gas Power Station and all the pylons leading away, then through other parts of the village. It really is despressed. We passed one garden that someone loved, but looking at their house it was a different matter. Next time we come through here we will most likely keep going.

Cruiser heading downstream. Keadby Bridge, a Scherzer rolling lift bridge, carrying both road and rail, not opened since 1956

 

 

We watched a cruiser come in from upstream later this afternoon, two narrowboats are following an hour or so behind.

 

 

 

Nestled in between

the big boys for protection.

With more activity in the car park this afternoon we have moved Lillian into a gap in the Long Term Moorings opposite with permission from the Lock Keepers.

 

0 locks, 3 lock pennings, 3 down, 1 up, 1 walk without Blackberry collecting vessel! 15 rocks, 34 wraps.