Great Western Coffee Shop

EDIT NOTE: Slightly cheekily, I have split these particular posts off from grahame's original railway topic - simply because they deserve their own discussion here. Chris from Nailsea.  :)



Bit better now ... here you go ... Regents Canal

(https://www.wellho.info/pix/wtrip031.jpg)

(https://www.wellho.info/pix/wtrip032.jpg)

(https://www.wellho.info/pix/wtrip033.jpg)

(https://www.wellho.info/pix/wtrip034.jpg)

(https://www.wellho.info/pix/wtrip035.jpg)

Thanks, Graham, for taking in that canal walk, those photos an unexpected bonus.

Mark

That last canal picture looks like 'Gunpowder Bridge' (https://www.rmg.co.uk/stories/blog/library-archive/macclesfield-bridge-disaster).

I heard it called the 'blowup bridge" - and there are still rope marks on the wrong side of the columns where, rumour has it, the columns were used the wrong way round in the rebuild

I am glad you saw the rope marks. I was tempted to mention them - which are now on the towpath side rather than towards the canal, as one would expect. The location was on my lunchtime walks when I worked in the Paddington area.

I have some concern that the rope cuts are not that deep and very even - could they even have been added just to make a good story?   Comparison with rope marks elsewhere on the walk

(https://www.wellho.info/pix/rope002.jpg)

(https://www.wellho.info/pix/rope001.jpg)

Several other variables in play - including that pillar being on the outside of the bend.

Full disclosure: I was the 'Boat horse' for a memorable 23 mile day on that Welsh canal, taking some pleasure in causing the rust to fly from various tow rope cuts. Later on the same trip, still under 'Horse' power, with nifty footwork and several "Excuse me's" we managed to exit its first lock and hang a left onto the Shropshire Union main line without stressing the crews of other boats there. (Well, not much anyway. We were in bits, mind...)

Mark

Many years ago, my family and I enjoyed a couple of holidays on narrowboat 'Alba' on the Kennet & Avon canal, courtesy of the owner, Steve (a fellow patron of the Portwall Tavern in Bristol).

They were brilliant holidays!

CfN.  ;D

You make a good point. Certainly you would want the horse and rope past the bridge on the main towpath before unhooking the rope from the horse and passing around, by hand, on the inside of the columns to continue the journey.

Grahame, horses are measured in hands aren't they. Those cut marks look about one hand apart  ;D

From grahame's picture gallery:

(https://www.wellho.info/pix/wtrip033.jpg)

Does that (apparently) narrowboat actually take to the open water, without keeling over - looking at the amazing superstructure?  ::)

Here it is: hopefully the gangway conceals a structural secret.

Mark


https://www.fengshang.co.uk/ (https://www.fengshang.co.uk/)

No - it would be a watery candidate for our open top bus conversion thread.   I'm pretty sure it's attached to the walkway to stop it wobbling over.  Been there long as I can remember.

For - goodness - the best part of 20 years I / we were owners of 40 foot narrow boat "Blyth Spirit", bought shared with my parents, so often the holidays with the children, and on through changing times. So the canal is a bit like a second home.

I used to have photos of narrowboat 'Alba', (also 40ft), but sadly they were lost in the demise of my previous laptop.  ::)

At the time, Alba was based in the Semington marina, from where we sailed.  She is now up in Lancashire, moored along the foot of the garden of the cottage that Steve and his wife moved to, specifically because it included that mooring for a narrowboat.  ;D

I would recommend a narrowboat holiday to anyone. Even if you're a non-swimmer - as Steve said to me: "If you fall over the side, in the Kennet & Avon canal, just stand up - it won't be more than waist deep!"

CfN.  :)