The tunnel is said to be haunted. I quote the words of Ivan Broardhead who tells of the ghosts and the accident that led to the loss of life...
When the wind is whistling mournfully through the trees on a crisp moonlight night, they say you can hear choking cries emerging from the inky blackness of Blisworth Tunnel through which runs the Grand Union Canal. They are the imprisoned ghosts, or 'boggarts' in boatman slang, from a tragedy which occurred over a century ago in 1861.
Canal steamer 'Wasp' entering the northern entrance of the tunnel found that due to repair works a wooden channel or 'stank' had been built in the centre which was only wide enough for one vessel. The 'Wasp' slowed to pick up a carpenter who had finished his shift and then steamed forward steadily until it unexpectedly met a narrow boat being 'legged' through from the opposite direction. Unfortunately the engineers had just stoked up the boiler a few minutes previously so thick smoke was pouring from the steamer's stack. Before it could slow down the two vessels had collided and within minutes the channel was a smoky hell as choking men fought desperately to disentangle their craft. The 'Wasp' crew attempted to race the steamer to the open air, leaving the unfortunate leggers who had passed out in the fumes. One of the crew fainted and fell into the water where he was drowned, another died through suffocation, while the helmsman collapsed and fell overboard as the boat emerged into the daylight. The water revived him so that he was able to clamber back aboard and shut off the steam. Out of the gloom it was discovered that a hitch-hiking carpenter was also dead and the two engineers who had fallen against the furnace door had received ghastly burns. Even today people going through the tunnel say they experience a sickening sensation of suffocation near the Buttermilk Hall air shaft (sunk to give more ventilation after the disaster) and the cries of the drowning and choking men sound in the darkness.
We didn't hear any cries of drowning men as we went through the tunnel, but we did experience a sickening sensation when a hire-boat - travelling much too fast - seemed to lose direction (if that is at all possible in a narrow tunnel) and hit us head on. As Winedown shuddered against the blow, I heard the sound of breaking glass coming from inside the cabin. We scraped along the side of the tunnel and the hire-boat hit us again as it bounced off the opposite wall. While the man on the helm struggled to regain control of his craft, his companion smiled at us as if nothing had happened. It was certainly a relief to emerge into the sunshine again before I went below to clean up the broken glass.
At Gayton Junction, as the Northampton Arm of the Grand Union branched away to the north east, we swung north west towards Norton Junction and the Leicester Section of the Grand Union Canal. Only two miles along the Leicester section from Norton Junction, we came to Watford Locks, our first experience of a staircase flight of locks. A lock staircase is defined as two or more adjacent locks where the upper gates of one lock serves as the lower gates of the next. The Watford flight is formed by two single locks, a staircase of four and finally a single lock. Volunteers from the Canal & River Trust were on hand to help boaters through the flight - which is just as well - but we soon got the hang of the sequence. Each paddle mechanism had been painted red or white depending on its function and it was a matter of opening and closing the paddles in turn. "Red afore white and you'll be alright. White afore red and you'll wish you were dead!" get the sequence wrong and you risk flooding the side ponds.
Each rise of the staircase has a side pond that is used to control the water through the flight and the red and white side paddles are used in turn to empty and fill each chamber. The red painted paddle drained water from the side pond into the chamber while the white painted paddle allowed water to drain from the previous chamber into the side pond. This was to be our initiation run before the Foxton flight.
Although it looked tranquil and peaceful, the noise and bustle from the M1 motorway as well as the main railway line was a constant intrusion. I couldn't help but compare the different modes of transport and be thankful that we were on the canal.
From the summit at Watford, there is over twenty miles before the next lock which is the staircase flight at Foxton, however just two miles above the Watford locks is the Crick tunnel a mere 1528 yards. We made our way through Crick tunnel without meeting another boat and therefore without incident.
We had been told that the Leicester section of the Grand Union Canal was very pretty and we weren't disappointed. The canal meanders through the countryside, skirting villages and at one point it passes under the same road three times in less than a mile as it roughly follows a north easterly direction.
On Saturday 17th August, we moored at the top of the Foxton flight and spent time exploring our surroundings and watching boats go through the flights of locks. Foxton Locks is the largest flight of staircase locks on the English canal system with two staircases of five locks, and is considered one of the top ten attractions of the waterways.
It was while we were exploring Foxton that we came across Nb Lady Esther again. We met Dave and Angie Culley who own Lady Esther while we were in Berkhamsted and had shared a lovely evening together. Since the sun wasn't yet over the yardarm, Dave invited us for a coffee which we happily accepted.
North of Foxton, the locks are all 14ft wide: wide enough to take two narrowboats side by side, as are the locks south of Watford down towards the River Thames . Foxton therefore, was a bottleneck for the working boats at the turn of the last century. In 1900 the Foxton Incline Plane Boat lift (or Thomas Lift, named after its designer, Gordon Cale Thomas as it was known) was opened in an attempt to solve the problem of the operational restrictions imposed by the locks. The time taken to get through the 75ft drop went from approximately 45 minutes through the locks to less than 12 minutes on the incline plane. Unfortunately, it was not a commercial success and was closed in 1911. In 1928 the machinery was sold for scrap. There is now a trust (Foxton Incline Plane Trust - FIPT) that is actively engaged in the restoration of this wonderful piece of Victorian Engineering.
Sunday was a great day to work the twin flights of staircase locks.
The duty lock-keeper and team of C&RT volunteers had to be notified as they were scheduling the boats in turn and we waited at the top of the first flight for our turn.
With the number of spectators, it would be folly to make a mistake, but the lock-keeper and his team made sure everything was running smoothly.
A funny thing happened while we were taking on water. We were greeted by a man on a boat called Billy. This in itself wasn't extraordinary but he said that his boat had been built by John Forth, the same boatman who we bought our boat from. Billy had originally been called Java Belle and was built the year before Winedown. Rob, the helmsman on Billy, had recognised certain features such as the unique pigeon boxes and Maddy Forth's artwork on the back cabin doors. The chance meeting was even more poignant as these two boats were the last two that John had any involvement with before he died in 2008
We moored in the canal basin (Union Wharf) in Market Harborough where we had access to water, electrics, and of course ablutions for the princely sum of £10.00 per night and on Monday morning, we were well placed for the railway station, a little over a mile away.
Unfortunately the blackberry season had hardly begun so the fruit was still tart, but frozen blackberries in a glass of Pinot Grigio is something worth tasting on a hot summer's day, especially in the middle of nowhere, beside the canal.
Over the next few days, between Market Harborough and Leicester, we were able to introduce our South African guests to a number of waterways delights. The Foxton Locks and incline plane, as well as a number of single locks; a swing bridge; the Saddington Tunnel; and in contrast to the structures, the quiet, empty landscapes with villages set back from the canal, as well as the busy city of Leicester.
But before I tell you about Leicester, I would like to mention narrowboat Amamaius. Colleen and Bruce's initiation to the lock process was at Kibworth Top Lock (18) on the Grand Union Canal. While Ian secured the boat on the lock operation mooring, Bruce and I prepared the lock. We filled the lock and opened the gates for Ian to bring Winedown in but with that, narrowboat Amamaius drew alongside Winedown. The helmsman asked if he could share the lock and almost before Ian had nodded ascent, Amamaius surged forward and went into the lock on the tow-path side. I was surprised at his lack of etiquette but shrugged it off (I thought that he would at least have waited until Winedown was in the lock) I was now on the wrong side of the lock so I clambered over the lock gate in order to work the lock alongside Winedown, while Bruce closed the gate behind Amamaius. While Bruce and I opened the paddles on the bottom gate to empty the lock, a woman gingerly stepped off her boat to watch us. I suggested that she might like to close up the lock behind both boats while I went off to prepare the next lock. "Oh No!" She couldn't possible do that because she had rheumatoid arthritis and therefore couldn't cross the lock. While this exchange took place, I noticed the helmsman looking lovingly at two shiny bikes on the roof of his boat and not bothering to get off at all to help. I was unreasonably irritated by his lack of concern for his poor wife and turned back to the task of working the lock. By the time we reached Taylor's Turnover Lock (20) the couple decided to stop for coffee while we continued on. That was the first time the fella got off his boat! We later saw the boat moored in Lakeside Marina near Birstall. If you come across narrowboat Amamaius , please spare a thought for the poor wife!
Castle park is the original site of Leicester Castle but all that can be seen now is the large mound upon which it was once situated. Buildings such as the Mary de Castro church and the cobbled lanes are an indication of Leicester's historical past. The park is locked at night but boaters have access via the waterways key (in order to access the mooring pontoon). This affords total security and also allows you to enjoy the peace and tranquillity as you stroll along the River Soar and appreciate the gardens in private.
A statue of Richard III commemorates his burial nearby after the battle of Bosworth in 1485 which saw the death of the last of the Plantagenet kings and the birth of the powerful Tudor dynasty. The remains of Richard III, having been found in a car park in Leicester, are now the focal point of much debate as to where his remains should remain! However, we visited the museum where there is a fascinating display and a model of the remains.
We had a day to spare after Colleen and Bruce left us and before Jo (Ian's daughter) with husband Chris and baby Hollie joined us. That gave me time to give the boat a good clean and for Ian to find an Indian restaurant. Friday night is Curry night as far as Ian is concerned, so we set off in search of curry. To our amazement, we didn't see a single Indian restaurant that day and Ian remains convinced that there are no Indian restaurants in Leicester - I'm sure there are many people who will contradict that belief.
Jo, Chris and Hollie arrived just before noon on Saturday so we set off down the canal towards Birstall and moored outside the White Horse Pub. There is a children's play area in the grounds of the pub so Hollie was in her element while we enjoyed a small libation. Later, in the evening, Hollie kept us all amused as she thoroughly enjoyed her evening meal.
Boaters facilities in and around Leicester are surprisingly few and far between. After Kilby Bridge on the outskirts of Leicester, there isn't another combined sanitary station 'till Barrow Mill Basin (18 miles and 21 locks away) so we called in at Lakeside Marina near Birstall to dispose of waste and take on water. It was the August bank holiday and we had quite a few guests so I didn't want to be caught short again!
Our next stop was the Hope and Anchor bridge (19) where there was good mooring and a lovely lakeside nature reserve. Here we met (daughter) Tanya with husband David and son Daniel as well as our granddaughter Phoebe. The weather was too good to pass up a BBQ, so while the children played, the men lit the fire and the ladies made salads. We had a wonderful afternoon before we said good-bye to Chris, Joe and Hollie and continued on with Tanya, David and the children.
At Sileby Lock on the River Soar, after a lovely lunch which we enjoyed in the sunshine, we said goodbye to Tanya and David. The Children would be with us for the rest of the week. As the car drove away, the children raced off towards the boat. I heard Ian mutter under his breath "For what we are about to receive..." I just laughed as I trailed behind the children.
While we were at Sileby lock, we were told of a fossil trail in Barrow Upon Soar so that was our next stop.
Barrow Upon Soar, a large village in northern Leicestershire, is situated in the Soar valley between Leicester and Loughborough. The village is renown for its plesiosaur, excavated in 1851, nicknamed the Barrow Kipper. We later found a copy of the skeleton on display in the museum in Loughborough.
Rejoining the River Soar after Barrow Deep Lock (51) we were treated to a superb wooded stretch before going through the open Pillings Flood Lock. The canal skirts the town of Loughborough and the termination of the Leicester navigation and start of the Loughborough navigation is marked by a T-Junction.
We took the sharp left turn (not in a single manoeuvre I might add) which terminates at Loughborough Wharf.
The 48 hour mooring gave us plenty of time to catch up on laundry, do some shopping, replenish our water supply and dispose of waste before we enjoyed our surrounds. Moorings in the basin are excellent and as you can imagine, very popular. Although there were no other boats moored when we arrived, it soon filled up and some boats even had to turn back.
We soon discovered that the town has the world's largest bell foundry which made the bells for York Minister, Great Paul for St Paul's Cathedral as well as the 47 bells for the Carillon tower. Loughborough's Carillon Tower and War Memorial was built after WWII in honour of the 480 men of the town who fell during the Great War.
We climbed the 138 steps of the Carillon, passed the 47 bells and found ourselves on a balcony which afforded fantastic views over Loughborough.
Queens Park (within easy walking distance of the wharf) is also home to the Charnwood Meuseum and it was in here that we found a replica of the Plesiosaur skeleton (Barrow Kipper) that was excavated in Barrow Upon Soar. All in all, Loughborough was a wonderful place to visit and we didn't even scratch the surface.
All too soon, it was time to move on again. Not only had we agreed to meet the children's parents in Kegworth, but our 48 hours were up so we followed the the Loughborough navigation in a northerly direction towards the River Trent and stopped in Kegworth at the shallow lock - an open flood lock - only six miles from Loughborough.
After saying goodbye to the children and their parents we had time to relax, so we stayed in Kegworth for a few days before the next part of our journey on the Trent & Mersey Canal.
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