Posted: Fri Apr 03, 2015 10:55am

Can you tell me how many locks are 60 ft long on this canal. Nicholsons state 85 - 1. My boat is 60 ft 3 ins long, and I do not wish to do a lot on my own. ABNB website states 62ft. Travelling from Braunston, Liverpool, Lancaster Canal, up the Trent, Leicester otherwise it is the Rochdale I presume?

Posted: Fri Apr 03, 2015 12:02pm

Canal Planer AC gives 85 locks from Wigan Junction NOT including River Lock Leeds and as CaRT give the maximum length of 60Ft I can not say anything different in case you have an accident and we are then subject to litigation. Having done it last year in a 54ft narrowboat I would not like to try it in a 60ft one unless it has a watertight cratch and is a trad with watertight stern doors. Some of the locks leak badly and it was hard enough keeping the water out of the well deck and cruiser stern. If you are travelling from Braunston your boat must be a narrowboat so there is also the Huddersfield Narrow canal.

Posted: Fri Apr 03, 2015 3:37pm

It looks like I have to abandon going across the Pennines, although Pearsons Guide States 62 ft too for Leeds Liverpool. Huddersfield Broard is only 57 ft 6 ins long and so is the Calder and Hebble from Sowerby Bridge to Broad Cut Top Lock. Yes you assume right I do have a Narrow Boat. There is a hire company at Skipton that seems to have boats of 59ft 6 ins. though.

Posted: Fri Apr 03, 2015 8:55pm

It is well known that CaRT dimensions are maybe no accurate and it is also well known that you can get longer narrow boats through those locks singly by putting the boat diagonally across the lock. Now I can not advise that you try that for the reason I gave. However the Bingley 5,3 and a later staircase have lock keepers and they may not accept an over length boat. You really need local knowledge. I would also point out that the boat's registered length should include fenders so by lifting them you may be within length. However you should also check your boat's length yourself. It may well be longer or shorter than you think.