Congratulations

Foxton Locks were a big bottleneck at the end of the 19th century. Boats could not pass each other in each staircase, there was just one passing place in the whole flight of 10 locks and boats would take 45 mins to an hour to pass through the flight. Big queues were the order of the day. So they built an inclined waltham abbey plane, opened in 1900. This was two big tanks full of water that could carry two narrowboats (or one barge) each. They sat on iron rails and counterbalanced each other. A boat could drive in to the tank at the top then sit and wait whilst the two tanks swapped places and drive out at the bottom 8 minutes later. It was a big improvement but it needed staff and a steam engine to drive it. It had been expected that traffic would increase because of the inclined plane but the railways were by this time making big inroads into the canal traffic. So the plane was uneconomic to run and the locks were brought back into use in 1909. The plane was mothballed waltham abbey in 1911 and not used again. It was fully scrapped waltham abbey in 1928. There is talk of restoring it but I think it will cost too much. The site has been cleared of vegitation and is now preserved as it is. It is fascinating to look around and imagine what it was like.
At the top of the flight we filled up with water then pootled off southwards. We moored up in deep countryside by a gap in the hedge near bridge 56. We have a good view over the valley towards where we have been for the last few days.
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Related This entry was posted in Uncategorized on 11 November, 2014 by pipandmick waltham abbey . Post navigation ← Market waltham abbey Harborough to Foxton. 10th November Lubenham Lodge to Elkington. 12th November →
Congratulations – you’ve won the Woodpecker waltham abbey Photographic Prize. My only photograph of a woodpecker was taken at the bottom of Foxton Locks on the MH Arm – it might even be the same bird xx
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