Cotswold Canal Trust

The Cotswold Canal trust plans to install a Hydro electrical generator at Dudbridge Lock. They are hoping to get help help with funding and needs your support. You have to register to support but that is easy with no personal info required. All the information is in the link below.

http://www.energyshare.com/dudbridge-locks-hydro/

Dudbridge Locks Hydro Scheme

Introduction

The Cotswold Canals Trust is working with the Stroud Valleys Canal Company to implement a small scale hydro power scheme to utilise surplus water flowing down the Stroudwater canal at the Dudbridge Locks near Stroud. Both organisations are registered charities.

The Cotswold Canals Trust is the largest canal society in the UK with nearly 6000 members and the Stroud Valleys Canal Company was set up in 2009 to take on the role of maintaining the canal and is effectively the canal landowner.

Aim of the Project

The aim of the project is to derive a long term sustainable income to help support the maintenance and operation of restored sections of the Cotswold Canals into the future for the benefit of the public and the wider heritage and wildlife environment. In the absence of any likely substantial subsidies from the public sector, this kind of innovative form of income will be important. We anticipate that the hydro scheme will generate a net income of about £21,000 of green energy per year and this will be supplied to the national grid. We expect CCT and community volunteers to help run and maintain the completed hydro scheme and its location adjacent to Marling School offers significant learning opportunities.

Technical Outline

The Dudbridge hydro scheme is reasonably straightforward and non-controversial in that it takes the water that currently cascades over two locks and generates power from it. The scheme has been fully discussed with both the EA and Stroud District Council and the necessary approvals are being secured.

The scheme has an intake above the upper lock and discharges immediately below the lower one. The fall is about 5m and the flow rates depend on the flows in the canal that derive from the combined flows from Painswick Stream and Slad Brook.

The analysis carried out in the design produced by HydroGeneration, a local company, proposes an Ossberger crossflow turbine with a maximum recommended flow rate of 0.700 m3/s but capable of operating efficiently down to 0.117 m3/s. This should generate a maximum of 23kW and 108,196 kWh in an average flow year.

The civil engineering element of the project is made more complex due to the nature of the site and the need for the scheme to be integrated with that necessary to restore the canal. It also means that the civil engineering works have to be undertaken at the same time as the canal works and these are schedule for later this year.

Marling School is adjacent to the installation site and the project will assist in teaching the pupils about engineering projects.

Financial

The budget for the whole scheme is £310,000 which includes a 15% contingency with the first £110,000 phase due to be completed this year to coincide with the canal restoration work. Capital funding is expected to come from a number of sources including grants, sponsorship, and, if necessary, a loan covering any manageable funding gap to be repaid using some of the hydro income.

We are seeking grants and sponsorship to help us bring this project to fruition.

Ken Burgin, Chief Executive - Cotswold Canals Trust     14th June 2011

Tel: 0752 590 0374  Email:ken.burgin@pikelock.com

Napton 20 June 2011

If anyone is interested at 4-30 this morning the moon was high in the sky, the mist was rising off the canal, there was no wind and it was a bit chilly outside. Magic woke up, went down the front of the boat and woofed, last time this happened we ended up with a mess on the floor, so I was up, overalls on ready to let him out, what did he do, have a big drink, he also barks if he is thirsty. Once full of water it was down the towing path for several wee’s before he headed back under our bed and went back to sleep.

We set off at 10 am, the pound had come up since last night and we had drifted in against the side, now the ropes were slack and every passing boat caused a bump. I considered filling with water at the Cropredy services but as there was a boat already there and we met a boat that had just come down the locks we pushed on.
As we left Cropredy lock another boat pushed off ahead of us and started to come towards the lock so we were able to leave the gates open. As we departed I spotted this little chap enjoying a snail for breakfast.

The site of the proposed new Cropredy Marina is a sea of blue at the moment full of Linseed wavering in the breeze. As we approached the end of the straight I just caught sight of the back end of a boat ahead of us, as we came to Broadmoor Lock they were just leaving but there was another boat waiting to come down. The whole day went like this, meeting a boat just leaving a lock and another approaching as we left. We caught up with the boat ahead again at the bottom of the Claydon Flight, they went in just before we arrived and by the time we were ready to go up to the lock there was a boat coming down, again this was repeated all the way to the top of the flight. We had to close the top gate as there was no other boat in sight but a hire boat arrived before we got as far as the bridge.
The cottage at the top lock is selling organic lettuces, green or red, this week for 80p each and they are a nice size so we bought one.

As we came into Fenny Compton, stopped at the Marina having their lunch was the Hotel Pair that we have been seeing all week. We stopped for a chat with the skipper to see how things were going, I would imagine he had fun this afternoon pulling them round the bendy section of canal between fenny and Marston Doles. We expected to see him mooring opposite us tonight at the Engine Arm but there is no sign of him.

The visitor moorings through Fenny Compton were all full with even a hire boat moored on the water point (what’s new) so we decided to carry on back to our home moorings. As we chugged along I spotted my first Grass Snake of the season swimming happily along the off side bank and then Diana took over steering for a while wile I went below, I was aware of the boat not just slowing down to pass moored boats but stopping so I looked out of the front doors. There hard on the wrong side on a right angle bend was a hire boat, tight against the off side piling and going slowly backwards. When he saw us he stopped and waved us by, so we passed on the wrong side, as we went out of view he was still going backwards and forwards on the outside of the bend against the piling. He only needed to put his boot against the piling and push ether end out and he would have been away, but they just stood on the back deck going first forward and then back.

I didn’t photo any planes flying over today but I did get this one at Marston Doles on the ground, just before we stopped to fill with water, again all the moorings were full. Just as we had finished filling a boat came up the lock, Diana went to give them a hand which was handy as both the bottom paddles were still open. We met a second boat between the two Marston Doles locks and a third as we left so it was quite a good day for locking. We are now back on our home moorings for the night before heading back to Suffolk.

We have done 146 miles 63 narrow locks and 20 broad locks 78 engine hours

Cropredy 19 June 2011

We started slightly earlier than usual. We moored just below the lock moorings last night and just as Diana was taking Magic out two boats came by, so I walked up to help the first one through, once they were on their way up Diana came back with the dog and I said to the second boat I better join the back of the queue, to which he offered me his turn so he could sit and eat his breakfast.
As we left the lock and thanked him the hotel pair turned up and they in turn followed him up. We continued on to Banbury where Diana made a quick visit to Morrison’s before we continued on to the town moorings, as I pulled in at Town Lock the hotel pair pulled in to the services, I would guess they fill their tanks every day.
We moored in the town to go for a Fathers Day lunch with my daughter, her husband and his parents and my grand daughter.

The town was empty of boats with only 4 on the visitor moorings in the centre of town and 1 on the moorings opposite Sovereign Narrowboats. There are only half a dozen boats on the Spice ball Park moorings but there is still one with his bows half way out under the foot bridge. We had a steady run from Banbury through to Cropredy meeting boats near each lock so gates were open of locks empty which eased our passage.
We had a chat with the chap who owns the lock cottage at Bourton Lock, someone smashed his front door in last week and stole his solar panels which hasn’t helped him. I would think the best thing he can do is move in as soon as possible. There is major earth works going on around the back of his cottage where that are building the Banbury flood relief scheme, This will be a large, normally dry reservoir that will be able to hold flash floods coming down the Cherwell and releasing them in a controlled manor. The pond through Cropredy was down by about 6”, better than when we came down, lots of the visitor moorings were free when we arrived at 6 pm but have filled up since, we weren’t able to get anywhere near with the first spot we tried, but now the bow is against the towing path and the back is not to far out.

I only managed one aeroplane photograph today and it was only a quick shot on the bend, coming out of Banbury with a hire boat coming the other way, so its not a clear as some of the others I have posted, but hopefully you will be able to identify them.

Kings Sutton Lock 18 June 2011

We woke to a nice morning, the Hotel Pair came by at about 9 15, there had been boats going the other way but nothing else in our direction. We set off about 10 am just as the rain started. Diana and the dog were walking but Magic soon went off that idea, he tells you he has had enough by getting hold of his lead and heading back home or to the boat, so I had to pull over and pick them up.

As we approached Northbrook lock there was a boat locking down. They told us how low the next pound was, it was down by a good foot and even in the middle I was bouncing on things in the first section. At Dashwood Lock the hotel pair were struggling, they had boats coming down so they had to leave the butty on the lock moorings which went had aground while the motor entered the lock, it was not helped by them having a brand new crew who had only joined them the day before so the skipper was having to tell them all what to do. I think we must have been there for at least three quarters of an hour or more, time to photograph another three plane going over.  
  

There were a steady stream of boats coming down and 3 waiting at the top. I dropped Diana off at the beginning of the lock mooring but I was unable to get anywhere near the side as it was far to shallow. We all made good progress after this with the rest of the pounds well up to weir. The hotel Pair pulled over for lunch by the Somerton Common which left us free to continue. The house on the off side has a rather smart summer house /tent. They have it out most years and they have a great view down the canal from it.

 

We stopped to fill with water at Aynho Wharf and while we were there I took the opportunity to fill up with diesel at 86p and self declaration. After filling both tanks we pulled over to the visitor mooring and I walked round to the Railway Tavern to book a table for this evenings meal, unfortunately the only time they could offer was 6 pm. much earlier than we like to eat so it was dinner on-board. As it was only 3 30 pm we decided to push on for a bit longer, finally stopping just below King Suttons lock for the night at 1730.
We were expecting the Hotel pair to pass us as they were planning to moor overnight at Twyford Bridge but so far there has been no sign of them and it getting dark.

Tackley 17 June 2011

Last night we walked down to The Talbot for dinner,  I was a bit put off when I didn’t see any beer engines on the bar, surly I wouldn’t be down to drinking fizzy stuff? But then I spotted them, 3 barrels sitting on a rack behind the bar, each with a tap in it and a thermal jacket on to jeep it cool. All was not lost after all. We ordered our meals which turned out to be good home cooked food. I had Shepard’s pie with lots of meat in it and Diana had Beef stew again with loads of good meat in it, we followed this up with slice of apple pie.

A bit overcast this morning but fine, everyone was saying how bad it would be today, but I looked on http://www.metcheck.com for Oxford and it didn’t look to bad and that is how it turned out.
After filling with water we headed for the lock at about 10-30 am which we shared with a Wilderness boat called Sloe, we told them that another Wilderness “Tardis” had just locked down a few minuets before they arrived. They stopped just below the lock so we carried on down the Thames alone meeting just one boat on the way before turning into Dukes Cut to join the Oxford canal at Dukes Lock.
At the junction of the Oxford and Dukes Cut BW have erected an A4 notice telling boaters that this is the last winding point on the Oxford Canal for boats over 52 feet, beside it is a second notice telling you how to wind below Isis Lock, this is an A3 notice so you need binoculars to read it or do what I did to photograph it and trapse through the jungle beside the bridge. The notice is only required because BW installed a pontoon that takes up 13 foot of water beside the lock entrance. Its still no help in swinging a full length boat to the right to go onto the Thames.

We met a couple of boats before Thrupp so that put the locks right for us and we experienced a couple of light rain showers. As we came under the Langford Lane Bridge and round the bend we saw “Butterfly” the boat that had been moored by us last night, so we stopped for a short chat. Before they left this morning they had given us a bead key ring spelling out Harnser. They told us we were about to catch up with a slow moving Hotel Pair that were making their way up the canal. Luckily for us the Bywater Hotel pair http://www.bywaterholidays.co.uk were tied up against the services at Thrupp wharf topping up their water tanks so we were able to get ahead of them for today. As Diana lifted Shipton Lift Bridge nb Butterfly came up behind us so were able to pass under the bridge with me, at Shipton Weir Lock we invited them in beside us. This was a good move because I ended up receiving 4 slices of home made cherry cake, as they are only about 35 foot long they fitted nicely in the side of the lock, and followed us out onto the river with us. They then followed us until we moored for the night at Tackley when they continued north.

Eynsham Lock Moorings 16 June 2011

If anyone is interested the weather was very pleasant at 3 30 am. this morning and dawn was well on its way by 4 am. Magic has an upset stomach as we found out at 3 30 am. when I took him out while Diana cleared up. this was repeated at 9 am as well, so his next meal will be Uncle Ben boiled rice.

We were ready to go at 9 30 but it started to rain, the sky was bright with very little cloud so we decided to sit it out for 2 hours, its been fine and sunny ever since. We have met a few Narrowboats today heading up stream and a hire cruiser went by just before we set off going down, we also saw a couple of cruisers going back up to their moorings but far more Narrowboats.

There were a couple of interesting plane went over last evening but as I was inside no chance of a photo, today they have been doing continuous circuits (CCs ?) some not even lifting the landing gear.

 

 

Being June 16 there are fishermen all over the place and even a lady fisher person with two rods and all the gear at Babcock Hythe mobile home site. Just below one of the locks a whole group of fisher persons had set up camp by the weir pool and there was a somewhat unusual shed on wheels standing there as well.

We only went as far as Eynsham Lock where we walked into town to buy the rice for Magic’s tea, we still came back with two bags. There are some handy leaflets at the lock, “Eynsham Shopping Guide” which shows the town layout including shops, pubs, bus stops and point of interest. One of the things that interested me was this flowering tree growing by the entrance to The Elms, a early 16 century house, of course the Elms are long gone with Dutch Elm disease. I photographed the flower and leaves so hopefully will be able to identify it.

Morton 15 June 2011

A late start today as a bit of shopping was called for to replenish stocks of fresh fruit and veg plus some bread flour.  By the time we set off at 1130 AM it was a steady drizzle and very overcast

 

At St. Johns lock they had a couple of electricians working on the lock keepers outside light. EA rules require all contractors on site to wear a lifejacket, so these two were in the garden and up a ladder wearing lifejackets. I wonder it they would have needed them if they had been installing a new cooker?

 

Today has been the busiest we have experienced so far this trip and in our short day we have met some 25 boats, mostly Narrowboats but one wide beam and one inflatable. We did manage to meet a hire Narrowboat on a right angle bend and they were hard on the wrong side which lead to a bit of smoke from the exhaust as we stopped while running down stream. There is hardly any flow on the river at all but it still makes a marked difference to your progress once you are going down hill again.

 

Yesterday I posted that there was work going on at Radcot Lock weir, I managed to get a better photo of it as we came down stream today

 

 

I also managed to get a photo of the large bull we saw yesterday who was all by himself in the field, all the others we have seen have been with herds of cows.  This chap was a monster compared to them, unfortunately he was just laying about to you don’t see him in his full glory.

 

There is a rather interesting structure at Shifford lock called “The Shifford Lock Insect Lodge” I don’t know who was responsible for it but its quite a grand structure, I hope the intended occupants enjoy living there.

 

 

 

We had to work a couple of locks ourselves as we caught them at lunch time and a 5 pm we moored against a concrete edge at Morton about half a mile above Harts foot bridge, no sooner had we tied up and magic hopped off than he found a dog biscuit on the path, a niece little bone shaped one.

The Head of the Thames 14 June 2011

Next door left quite early this morning well before we were up. The sun was streaming in and we took Magic for a walk along the Thames path opposite the pub. It must be dog muck heaven, I cleared up 10 lots in the first 100 Mt's from the road access and none of it was there when we walked by yesterday tea time.

We were back on the boat a little after 10 30 and on our way upstream. The first lock we came to was actually “Self Service” as the lock keeper was sanding down and recoating the beams, unfortunately he had forgotten to turn the self service sign so he helped us through with both Diana and him working paddles and gates.

They are rebuilding the weir at Radcot Lock and have some serious lifting equipment on site including two large cranes.

Further on at Radcot there was a male swan with the ends of his wing feathers well worn protecting his territory from a young cob. He chased him round pecking at him but didn’t drive him off completely, once he turned back down stream he seamed happy and things settled down again, we also saw several Curlews with their plaintive call. They were sitting out in the grass until we passed by and then would jump and fly up the river. The other thing we saw were several bulls, the first was in a field by himself laying under a tree by the river, I think he was probably one of the largest bulls I have ever seen, the others were all with herds of cows.

We pulled in for water just above Grafton Lock and it would seem that the EA or probable the NRA as it was then, had more shackles than they knew what to do with so they welded two to every length of piling to support a safety chain.

We continued on winding at the head of Navigation where we expected to see a big notice saying “Entrance to the Thames and Severn” but there is nothing which when you consider that IWA are having a big campaign to pay for the restoration of Inglesham Lock that would have something to show boaters and their members where it is.

Tadpole Bridge 13 June 2011

The weather didn’t improve much yesterday and was still blowing when we went to bed. This morning was much better, the rain had stopped and the wind dropped and shifted round a bit.

We set off about 10.15 AM at a steady pace upstream, we didn’t share any locks and only met a few boats during the morning. We pulled over for lunch about half a mile below Newbridge for an hour or so before continuing up stream.
We met a few more boats this afternoon, three of which were hire cruisers all with lady drivers but we met more narrow boats and also had a couple following us.
As we approached one bend I spotted a cruiser coming towards us and held back, then I spotted a Narrowboat bow coming round the bend with the cruiser overtaking him. If I had continued at my original pace he would have been on the deck by my garden bench now.
We spotted a white Egret feeding in the shallows on one bend, these are getting more common now, but its mainly been an afternoon of aircraft spotting.

 

At one point we passed a strange craft moored with a few other boats and what looked like a small funfair in the field.
What caught my eye was the bike, these are very common in Holland but I spotted one just like this as we came through Thrupp and as we are not a million miles away by road it could well be the same one.

We decided to moor at Tadpole Bridge for the night and eat in The Trout. There was already one Narrowboat on their moorings but we managed to squeeze in behind them, just.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

PS. I see from Twitter that the boat is still aground by Oxford Common and has now been joined by a second one.

See http://yfrog.com/h0d56ruj

Windy Thames 12 June 2011

Yesterday evening I was sitting in the lounge when the boat rocked, just like it does when someone steps on the front deck, I looked up and there was an oriental lady siting on our bench seat. She waved at me through the doors as I looked up, said sorry and goodbye before leaving again.

This morning we rigged the anchor ready for the Thames and set off backward passed all the residential moorings. It was 11 30 before we set off in steady rain that had been falling since the early hours. On our way back we spotted this pretty little craft moored amongst the wide selection of residential boats.

Since we were last here BW/EA have installed a row of buoys across the cut, there are still two boats moored below them but the buoys are in two staggered rows so I suppose they could get out between them if they ever wanted to.

As we traversed Sheep wash cut through the old railway swing bridge, the deck of the bridge is very clear to see, I think this may be down to clearing the undergrowth from around it. I hope this is not the first step to removing a bit more of the history of the canal. As you pass the old gear system for rotating the deck is very visible. There is a piece of old film on YouTube showing this bridge being moved in the 50s at http://youtu.be/Pt5Me7EyfRc

Once out on the Thames we turned right, upstream towards Lechlade, as we passed the meadow on out right this narrow boat was high and dry. When we reached Godstow lock I asked the lock keeper how long it had been there, her answer surprised me as it only went aground today, from how high it was out of the water he must have slid up at a fare lick, I thought he had been there weeks from when the water was much higher. We had just passed this when we met 3 people swimming down the river not far from the pub landing stage. Although the landing stage has now been rebuild and says “No Mooring” under the pub name, There are small signs on the actual decking and the down stream end is reserved for customers while the upstream end is “No Mooring” so we may be able to pay them a visit on our way down stream, if not we can turn into Dukes Cut and moor overnight on the canal.

The Lock Keeper at Godstow said she would let the approaching boat into the lock before us as it was a hire boat, what a wise young lady. They rocketed into the lock hitting the right hand wall, hard astern and swinging over to bash the left, stopping just before the gate. They finally tied up on the left and we slid in beside them. The offed to let us go first but I assured them they would be much faster than us so they shot off.

We saw this unusual craft moored at the Abbey ruins and the rest of the bank upstream from them looks to be occupied by long term moorers. We caught to the hire boat at the next lock which was on self service, they wondered for a while why the lock wouldn’t fill with all 4 paddles up. We left the lock first but they passed us by Dukes Cut with the bow wave almost up to the gunwales, we continued on at a more sedate pace until we decided to pull over on the right hand bank for lunch. I spotted a nice spot, right on the outside of a wide bend, the grass short and even a scaffold pole driven into the bank, I drew close, dropped the speed right down to zero and we were against the bank, bang, as if held by magnets. The wind is blowing straight across the river from the south pinning us hard against the bank, I would struggle to get away from here if I wanted to but the weather is so yuck we will stay until tomorrow.

Oxford 11 June 2011

Another fine morning with a very picturesque mooring, the train runs behind the hill which dampens the noise quite a bit, also I suspect that they are shot blasting the railway bridge at Aynho so reducing trains at night. We decided to walk the dog towards Pigeon lock but as he showed no sign of wanting to return to the boat I walked back alone and finally caught them both up waiting at Pigeons Lock for me, about a mile for a 14 year old Lab is not a bad morning walk.

Once Diana and the dog were back on-board  we pushed on to Bakers Lock where we dropped down onto the Cherwell, as we exited the lock there was a Hire boat with about 8 chaps on-board trying to round the bend by the bridge, they eventually sorted them selves out and headed for the lock we had vacated, surprisingly we met 4 boats on the Cherwell and still Shipton lock was empty.
I don’t know it its the dry weather but all the lift bridges on this canal seem a lot better balanced so are a lot easier to open.

We winded at Thrupp just before the electric lift bridge to visit the services for water and a pump out. Diana went and bought a card for £12 and when the hire boat that was there filling with water moved off we slid in to do the business. I put the card in and it popped straight back saying card empty, I took it back and exchanged it, the same thing happened, I went back for a third and the chap came back with me. Silly me, the first one had started the machine but I didn’t hear anything happen and I expected the display to say  “card accepted” not just empty as it had just used the credit to make it work. We were hoping to moor for the night in Thrupp but all the moorings were full so we continued on to Oxford.
We had a few spots of rain between Thrupp and Oxford, not heavy but enough just to a jacket on, we passed two kids fishing with no umbrellas so one of them had but his chair on his head and the other had pulled her knees up under her jumper and done the same thing, unfortunately her chair had just fallen off when I took their photo.

here we had another interesting incident. As we approached Perry’s lift bridge there was a boat coming the other way, we both pulled into the moorings before the bridge and both had crews go to the bridge, the oncoming crew, after a bit of wiggling unlocked the bridge and opened it, the other boat came through so I started to head for the bridge, a passer by who had been there since the key was first put in the lock at this point, jumped up, grabbed the edge of the bridge and closed it down so that he could walk over to the other side.

There is a chap who acts as a volunteer lock keeper at Wolvercote lock, we have seen him before, I don’t know if he is official but it is handy as that is the first lock that the Collage Cruiser boats have to work as they travel north. We carried on into Oxford passing the mouth of Louse Lock to moor at the very end of the South Oxford canal, we will have to back out in the morning as there isn’t a winding hole at the end, this means that very few visiting boat venture up here.

Bridge 212 Tackley 10 June 2011

Last night the owner of the wharf opposite dredged the winding hole out with his digger, he was probably at it for a couple of hours so hopefully boaters who try to turn there in the future will find things mush easier.

I also walked up on to the bridge where I found this old weight restriction notice on the south parapet wall, it is a shame that one of the voluntary canal groups can’t give it a quick coat of black and white paint.

The canal south of Banbury is much quieter than between Banbury and Braunston. We met our first boat as we were filling Kings Sutton lock, it was a shame they didn’t arrive 5 minutes earlier as it would have saved us filling the lock, but at least we could leave it empty. The next boat we met was this couple in their canoe who as they put it were out for a constitutional paddle. They went as far as Kings Sutton lock and then returned to Nell Bridge overtaking us on the way. By the time we arrived at Nell Bridge there was no sign of them.

 

As we approached Nell Bridge Lock there was a lady opening the bottom gates so I let Diana off before pulling back on to the lock moorings. Once the oncoming boat was in the lock the lady rapidly wound her near side paddle up, so Diana followed suit with the offside one. Sir on the helm seemed quite happy with this and was a local boater, but one of the results was a large plume of fine mist coming up from the paddle gear. I saw it with the lady drawing hers and manage to photograph it when on Diana’s side.

We had a morning of showers and as we approached Chisnell Lift bridge is started raining quite heavily, as it was  lunch time we decided to pull over for a bit while we had something to eat and wait for the shower to blow over.

After lunch we moved off and had very little more rain, the down side was that we left just after a single hander who was moored on the other side of the bridge so ended up following for the rest of the day and before anyone jumps in, yes we did help him by opening the bottom gates and closing up after him.
Most of Oxfordshire Narrowboats were out and there was a crew waiting to set off on one of the few remaining boats. We caught up with our single hander and the last hire boat to leave at Dashwood lock where they were receiving their tuition before continuing south. We continued on to just through bridge 212 between Northbrook and Pigeon locks mooring up at quarter to seven.