Steve Wood <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: >Adrian Stott wrote: >> Steve Wood <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: >> >>> David Cragg wrote: >>>> Some years ago I read that John Lilley got his Leeds & Liverpool short >>>> boat as far as a newly concreted bridge between Braunston and Napton >>>> where it stuck and had to be chiseled out. >>> Not bad. Surprised he didn't get stuck well before that - say Preston >>> Brook? ;-) >> >> It floated all the way south to the Thames, but the route took it east >> of Norfolk. > >Actually it must be quite a passage. I'd be interested to read about the >journey if there is a web link. Could a standard L&L boat do it or are >we talking Progress-style modifications? Maybe the Watford locks bypass >isn't needed after all ;-)
The trip is described in Liley's book "France -- the quiet way" (Stanford Maritime 1975). It *was* an interesting trip. The boat, Arthur, was forced by the weather to run into Wells, where it sat on the beach at low tides until kinder winds prevailed. Arthur later went to France, where it travelled extensively. It's been back to England since, and may still be somewhere in the SE, although I haven't heard of it for a while. This book, and its sequel "Barge Country", are very good reading. The latter includes a description of the bridge-jamming incident, with picture. The bridge was 103. Adrian . Adrian Stott 07956-299966
