Canal navigation

[silverfoxcc]

In the Express on Sat there was this question

How do canal boats navigate tunnels. The guy never gave an answer, and burbled on about passing port to port, but on some canals i have seen traffic lights

Is this normal practice when you cannot see the other end, and if so is there built in safety should two boats appear at each end at the same time?

[woodypup59]

If its narrow enough that two boats can't pass, there will be either traffic lights or a time schedule.

Eg One way until noon, the other way from 2pm.

There was recent incident where a "fat boat" (ie 10 or more feet wide) went through Blisworth tunnel (14 feet wide) at midnight and was reprimanded by the lock keeper.

[john2443]

Most tunnels are wide enough (14') for 2 narrowboats (7') to pass. This can be a bit tight where the tunnel has a kink in in like Braunston, if you meet at the kink one may have to reverse.

Harecastle has tunnel keepers/ traffic lights.

If you have a barge (14') you have to book.

I've never met a boat in a tunnel and not been able to get straight past, you just keep close to the wall on your right and go for it!

[Simpo Two]

john2443 said:

I've never met a boat in a tunnel and not been able to get straight past, you just keep close to the wall on your right and go for it!

I met one in Braunston tunnel. The hardest part was being dazzled by his spotlight making it impossible to see exactly where he was.

If you have a dog, take it inside because they can get freaked out by tunnels.

[john2443]

Simpo Two said:

The hardest part was being dazzled by his spotlight making it impossible to see exactly where he was.

A new thing that I discovered last year, was boats having an LED headlight - excellent when it's on your boat, but a real pain when it's coming towards you, it was so bright I couldn't see anything.

[Evoluzione]

How did they do it back in the day before electric and in a single tunnel?

[john2443]

Evoluzione said:

How did they do it back in the day before electric and in a single tunnel?

Oil lamps - not that it makes too much difference being able to see ahead, you just follow the walls!

With short tunnels you could see if someone else was coming, in longer ones some boats went through one way and when they were out, some went the other way, they would have had a person at each end keeping track or mornings Northbound, afternoons South.

[dudleybloke]

Be glad you don't have to leg the boat through the tunnels!

[Uggers]

I was on the Lancaster Canal last weekend and was pondering how did the boats pass in the days of horse drawn barges?

I'm assuming there was a lot more traffic, and with the towpath only on one side how did they get past each other without tangling up on the way past

[dudleybloke]

Uggers said:

I was on the Lancaster Canal last weekend and was pondering how did the boats pass in the days of horse drawn barges?

I'm assuming there was a lot more traffic, and with the towpath only on one side how did they get past each other without tangling up on the way past

I think they used different heights for where the rope ties into the boat depending if they are on the nearside or farside from the towpath.

[silverfoxcc]

At the Black Country museum ,on the canal trip they do, they turned of all the lights and got two passengers to leg it, Is that still done or have the safety nutters put an end to it.
And new info about canal tunnels being 14ft wide to allows passing, i always thought they were built at the lowest cost ir for one ft boat

Saying this BUT have never been on a proper canal ....except fishing