Braunston

 Today's Canal : Grand Union

As with yesterday, we had no mobile signal for either network at our overnight mooring location. (We forgot to upload yesterday's earlier when we did have a signal so hopefully some time tomorrow we will manage to catch up - if you are reading this then you know that at some point we succeeded!)

Another change in the weather as well: dry all day and still overcast but very much cooler. Almost time for more layers of clothing. We set off quite promptly and immediately entered into Blisworth Tunnel. This one is very straight and the far end can be seen even before getting into the tunnel. The building by the entrance was once a blacksmith and was operating until a few years ago.  

Half an hour later and we emerged out the other end without having to pass an oncoming boat. A short distance and we passed through the village of Blisworth. The large building beside the main road bridge is now apartments but originally a lour mill and then as a warehouse in WW2.

Next door is a small boatyard and moorings. At the back is an unusual vehicle - a Convoy Carriage.

We spotted the steering on this boat - quite unusual for a canal boat. We wondered about the gearing between the wheel and the rudder - does it need a lot of turns and if so how tiring is it to steer on canals where a boat is changing direction almost all of the time and often very sharply.

Again the canal keeps close company with the main line with its very frequent trains. A little to the south the four track line divided into two, with the other line going through Northampton. It seems that all of the freight must go that way - there are certainly some large logistics bases on that route. Here the direct route to Birmingham passes over head, which is does in a number of places.

Just after are the remains of another railway bridge - a branch line from Peterborough and Northampton that joined the main line nearby but was closed in the Beeching era.

We called very briefly at the services alongside Gayton Junction with the Northampton Arm, just klong enough to empty the elsan and dispose of rubbish. We did not even have time to tie up!

Just beyond the junction is this splendid bridge that combines a local road bridge with a towpath turnover. We puzzled about the need for this as there is a towpath on both sides. Looking at the oldest OS map we can find online, the labels indicate that because there is no bridge across the joining canal at the junction, horses pulling boats headed down the mainline have no route. Instead, they cross over on this bridge, continue on he opposite bank for 200m or so and then cross back to the other side to continue on southwards.

Sometimes we see features that we just cannot explain. This indentation seems to be a common erosion after the offside bank has collapsed - it is possible just to see the line of the bank below the waterline. However, the far end of the inlet has been built up with stone - why?

The new Weedon bypass is now fully in operation and plenty of traffic was making use of it. But, although it is no doubt structurally sound, it surely cannot have won any prizes for its architectural merit? Sometimes we seem to have forgotten the concept that the Victorians taught us that functional buildings can also be made beautiful, or at least imposing.

Does this qualify as the boatyard with the fewest facilities?

We had lunch on-the-go just in time to start up the Buckby flight. At the bottom is a marina that specialises on being the most well known supplier of all grades of boats to the capital. (Often to newcomers to boating!)

We arrived at the locks just after another boat we had been following for some time and they made great lock sharing partners, very happy to enter each lock together, which speeds up the process significantly as it is not necessary to take a line to the bank. At the second lock two surveyors were setting up to take some measurements. 

Two very competent steerers smoothly entering the next lock.

Part way up the flight is a well-know must-photo garden with a red signal, red signal box and a cannon to repel boarders.

We had wondered in the past why this particular lock uniquely in this flight has a footbridge across the bottom of the lock. 

Perhaps this sign gives a clue as it indicates that George Lane crosses here to give access to some cottages alongside the towpath just above the lock. Mike chatted to the chap with the wheelbarrow who lives in the cottage with the signal.He has been here for a long time and bought the signal from ebay and the phone box cost £175 with an advert in a local paper! When they first moved here the side pond to the lock was still in place, if by then disused. Later, when the cottage was connected to mains sewerage the waste was tipped into the side pond which he now tends as a useful quiet area to sit and watch passing boats!

Another red signal!

At the top lock, where the busy A5 crosses the canal is the popular pub The New Inn. We have read that initially the pub for the boatmen in the flight was in one of the cottages at the bottom lock but was later replaced by this bigger and better establishment - the cottages reverted to being private houses.

After Norton Junction we continued along the main line to Braunston Tunnel. Unlike Blisworth this one is not as straight and sometimes it is possible to see through or spot the light on an on coming boat but agt other tines the bends block the view. We passed three boats coming the other direction, one of which was rather nervous at the prospect and came to a halt makes it much harder for them to avoid taking up more than their share of the tunnel.

Shortly after coming out of the tunnel we found our overnight mooring on the the 2 day Visitor Moorings right above Braunston Locks. Alas, yet again no mobile phone signal.

18.3 Miles - 7 Locks