Captain Coochie
Well-Known Member
The Wey is a lovely river isnt it . Ive only got all the way to Godalming once and another tim Guilford but it is so peaceful compared to my part of the Thames .
The Wey and beyond.
- Thread starter oldgit
- Start date
Brayman
Well-Known Member
It is indeed very peaceful, apart from that stretch alongside the M25! near New Haw I think.
Gumpy
Well-Known Member
[ QUOTE ]
I thought this was the lowest bridge on the Wey .........
[/ QUOTE ]
Indeed it is the lowest at 6ft4 I can just get the barge under it at normal levels, Last time up there we spent the night at Godalming and it rained..........
Managed to get back by judicious use of reverse and forward gear, there was not room for a fag paper between the bridge and the folded wheelhouse.
I thought this was the lowest bridge on the Wey .........
[/ QUOTE ]
Indeed it is the lowest at 6ft4 I can just get the barge under it at normal levels, Last time up there we spent the night at Godalming and it rained..........
Managed to get back by judicious use of reverse and forward gear, there was not room for a fag paper between the bridge and the folded wheelhouse.
boatbuilder
Well-Known Member
I went to school at Elmbridge in Cranliegh and the canal ran through our school, if my memory is correct there was a bloody great tank trap bridge , solid concrete with a little drain under. That will take some shifting. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif
byron
RIP
I do enjoy these pictures... thanks
Captain Coochie
Well-Known Member
A couple more for you .
Wake shot /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
Wake shot /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
Geoffs
Well-Known Member
Super shots. That marina is Pyrford, I guess. No marina there when I was on the Wey, no M25 either .
A chap called Avery was NT manager in my day. I guess the poor old chap has passed on now. He was most possessive about 'his' river. He would have had yer watsits for that wake! We had an IWA National Rally at Guildford in 1970, Mr Avery was not a happy man. All those full length narrow boats on his river, one with 20 tons of coal on board. Shock, horror. If anyone so much as touched a lock gate, he went berserk. Seemed to manage to be at every lock, 100% of the time. Omnipresence /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif
Also remember the NT maintenance foreman was a chap called Vince Lochitelli (probably spelt wrong), what a great name for a waterways man. An abrasive character, but great bloke. Very much Mr. Avery's eyes on the water. He'd have yer if if thought you were doing anything to harm the waterway. Blimee, got me going now, great days. Everyone on the Wey, one big happy family. We all new one another up and down the river, whilst allthe NT staff were strict, they were all our mates at the same time.
A chap called Avery was NT manager in my day. I guess the poor old chap has passed on now. He was most possessive about 'his' river. He would have had yer watsits for that wake! We had an IWA National Rally at Guildford in 1970, Mr Avery was not a happy man. All those full length narrow boats on his river, one with 20 tons of coal on board. Shock, horror. If anyone so much as touched a lock gate, he went berserk. Seemed to manage to be at every lock, 100% of the time. Omnipresence /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif
Also remember the NT maintenance foreman was a chap called Vince Lochitelli (probably spelt wrong), what a great name for a waterways man. An abrasive character, but great bloke. Very much Mr. Avery's eyes on the water. He'd have yer if if thought you were doing anything to harm the waterway. Blimee, got me going now, great days. Everyone on the Wey, one big happy family. We all new one another up and down the river, whilst allthe NT staff were strict, they were all our mates at the same time.
TrueBlue
Well-Known Member
[ QUOTE ]
Super shots. That marina is Pyrford, I guess. No marina there when I was on the Wey, no M25 either .
A chap called Avery was NT manager in my day. I guess the poor old chap has passed on now. He was most possessive about 'his' river. He would have had yer watsits for that wake! We had an IWA National Rally at Guildford in 1970, Mr Avery was not a happy man. All those full length narrow boats on his river, one with 20 tons of coal on board. Shock, horror. If anyone so much as touched a lock gate, he went berserk. Seemed to manage to be at every lock, 100% of the time. Omnipresence /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif
Also remember the NT maintenance foreman was a chap called Vince Lochitelli (probably spelt wrong), what a great name for a waterways man. An abrasive character, but great bloke. Very much Mr. Avery's eyes on the water. He'd have yer if if thought you were doing anything to harm the waterway. Blimee, got me going now, great days. Everyone on the Wey, one big happy family. We all new one another up and down the river, whilst allthe NT staff were strict, they were all our mates at the same time.
[/ QUOTE ]
Yes, Pyrford it is. A lovely marina, since sadly taken over by The Caravan Park people. Bit of a pain getting into if your boat is long and the stream is running at the same time.
Vince Locatelli (nicknamed the Ice Cream man) was responsible for the unusual paddle gear (sluices, to Thames folk), so designed by him with a clutch mechanism so that if you let go of the windlass, your arm wouldn't be broken by the flailing metal. Made them very heavy to operate.
I think he's (recently) retired. Always very friendly and helpful to me, but I always tried to show interest in the waterway.
I think NT have spoilt the Navigation by appearing to pander to the tree huggers and walkers than to those who pay for the use of the navigation....
Super shots. That marina is Pyrford, I guess. No marina there when I was on the Wey, no M25 either .
A chap called Avery was NT manager in my day. I guess the poor old chap has passed on now. He was most possessive about 'his' river. He would have had yer watsits for that wake! We had an IWA National Rally at Guildford in 1970, Mr Avery was not a happy man. All those full length narrow boats on his river, one with 20 tons of coal on board. Shock, horror. If anyone so much as touched a lock gate, he went berserk. Seemed to manage to be at every lock, 100% of the time. Omnipresence /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif
Also remember the NT maintenance foreman was a chap called Vince Lochitelli (probably spelt wrong), what a great name for a waterways man. An abrasive character, but great bloke. Very much Mr. Avery's eyes on the water. He'd have yer if if thought you were doing anything to harm the waterway. Blimee, got me going now, great days. Everyone on the Wey, one big happy family. We all new one another up and down the river, whilst allthe NT staff were strict, they were all our mates at the same time.
[/ QUOTE ]
Yes, Pyrford it is. A lovely marina, since sadly taken over by The Caravan Park people. Bit of a pain getting into if your boat is long and the stream is running at the same time.
Vince Locatelli (nicknamed the Ice Cream man) was responsible for the unusual paddle gear (sluices, to Thames folk), so designed by him with a clutch mechanism so that if you let go of the windlass, your arm wouldn't be broken by the flailing metal. Made them very heavy to operate.
I think he's (recently) retired. Always very friendly and helpful to me, but I always tried to show interest in the waterway.
I think NT have spoilt the Navigation by appearing to pander to the tree huggers and walkers than to those who pay for the use of the navigation....
JKay
Well-Known Member
[ QUOTE ]
The Wey is, I beleive, the countries oldest navigable canalised river created in the 1600's.
[/ QUOTE ]
Thats modern compared to the "Fossdyke canal" here in Lincoln
Following the Fossdyke and the Witham through the ages
Early history
Some historians and archaeologists believe that the Fossdyke Canal was built by the Romans around 120AD to link the River Trent with their city at Lincoln. The earliest definite documentary reference to the Fossdyke Canal is from 1121.
The Wey is, I beleive, the countries oldest navigable canalised river created in the 1600's.
[/ QUOTE ]
Thats modern compared to the "Fossdyke canal" here in Lincoln
Following the Fossdyke and the Witham through the ages
Early history
Some historians and archaeologists believe that the Fossdyke Canal was built by the Romans around 120AD to link the River Trent with their city at Lincoln. The earliest definite documentary reference to the Fossdyke Canal is from 1121.
oldgit
Well-Known Member
Easy Peasy that motorway sized bridge,you could get the Queen Mary under that
Now this one needs a neat dog leg after leaving lock,some people do not make it.
And bits of my wheelhouse gelcoat are still embedded in the bridge to prove it and then there was the bent stantion and then .............................oh dear.
Now this one needs a neat dog leg after leaving lock,some people do not make it.
And bits of my wheelhouse gelcoat are still embedded in the bridge to prove it and then there was the bent stantion and then .............................oh dear.
Geoffs
Well-Known Member
Ah, but when considering the 'est', The Wey, or strictly the Godalming Navigation, is the southern 'est' part of the connected waterways system. Although maybe will replaced with the Wey & Arun one day.
Captain Coochie
Well-Known Member
Out of interest is there another way to the south coast via the Thames and other inland waterways ? I tried to look on google earth but couldnt seem to get up just the waterways .
Brayman
Well-Known Member
I don't think so. I seem to remember I looked at this several years ago.
Geoffs
Well-Known Member
No the Wey and Arun is the only one, unless you want to head west on the Kennet and Avon.
The W & A would be useful, I believe it's a broad canal. Mind you the Arun is a beast of a river , the tidal stream at Littlehampton can be quite something.
The W & A would be useful, I believe it's a broad canal. Mind you the Arun is a beast of a river , the tidal stream at Littlehampton can be quite something.
sidney
Active Member
Thanks for the advice. Looks like I will have to pass on the Wey then. At least I have seen the photgraphs and know what I am missing. Have to say having seen those pictures somewhat saddened it is out of our reeach.
Andrew_Fanner
Well-Known Member
There were other proposals to link the Thames and South Coast, only the Wey and Arun ever reached fruition. One daft scheme would have left the Kennet and Avon near Newbury and headed vaguely south to try and reach the Test, but involved crossing high areas with no water. A slightly brighter scheme would hae linked south from the Basingstoke Canal but that too fell by the wayside. The goal was Portsmouth as that gave the prospect of some Government money and possible naval contracts, but the South Downs and so forth get in the way.
neale
Well-Known Member
I recognize that bridge, I was sitting just down stream of the lock a couple of months back. What is the headroom under there?
oldgit
Well-Known Member
East Farleigh Bridge.
Height to pointy bit in middle is 3.2M
Pdf of all Medway bridge profiles HERE
This was the bridge that in 1648 Cromwells boyes nipped over to rout the Kings layabouts and clear them out of Maidstone at a location now known as Havock Lane.
Every Saturday night a celebration of the event is held between the local rozzers and the youth of the surrounding area but with slightly more violence and a great deal more urine in shop doorways. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif
Height to pointy bit in middle is 3.2M
Pdf of all Medway bridge profiles HERE
This was the bridge that in 1648 Cromwells boyes nipped over to rout the Kings layabouts and clear them out of Maidstone at a location now known as Havock Lane.
Every Saturday night a celebration of the event is held between the local rozzers and the youth of the surrounding area but with slightly more violence and a great deal more urine in shop doorways. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif
apollo
...
Mate of my dads didnt make it going downstream whilst the river was running and ended up sideways across that concrete bank to the right of the lock. I can still remember the noise of the "CRACK" and it was 25years ago!!