Cycling On The Canal Towpaths


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44 minutes ago, NewBasfordlad said:

 

 

 

 

Its the old Midland railway line so there will be no gradients as such, because it used to carry freight it will be 1.5% or lower.

Heard that one before. Middleton Top to Parsley Hay is a railway line, but the Victorians had to put in winding engines!

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I'm sure the poor lady is distraught.  At times like that one is not worrying about which thread one is in.   Re.  the digression in this thread.  It was a little banter about a side issue w

Over the years our cycle rides have reduced in length from approx 30milers a time, to 6/8 miles a morning. Still very enjoyable but can be a bit of a struggle up and down the canal bridges.  

This happens all the time TRD.  I doesn’t bother the majority of posters at all.  Just a single word can spark a memory for someone, but in this recent instance Chulla was referring to a comment that

5 hours ago, plantfit said:

Oldphil, I've only walked the trail from Monsal head to the old rail station but there are plenty of Youtube video's about the track that should give you some idea of time

 

Rog

Good idea - I always forget YT. Going to pick a warmer day than today though -along the Trent and the canal it was bitterly cold. My dad used to call it a lazy wind - too lazy to go round you.

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They certainly did but the Cromford and High Peak is a somewhat different kettle of fish, imagine if the original plan had gone ahead a canal. The incline plane up from the Cromford canal would be a devil to cycle tis a lovely walk though, spent a weekend in my early 20s walking from there across the tops to Harpur Hill, then down into Buxton.

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I appreciate you folks discussing this.  My days of cycling in the high peak are long past, but I still enjoy seeing these photos and hearing about the tunnels etc. that were not open to bike traffic in my day.  I doubt that I have enough time left to get back over there and see them now.

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Loppy, I've not given you a like because you say you maybe haven't got enough time left!  Couldn't you come over this summer and look round a few places you remember?  I'm sure we'd all love to see you xx

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Back late 60s when I walked up the incline from Cromford canal the High Peak railway had not long stopped running. I had got off the Friday night X2 from Huntingdon street and decided to have a couple in the near by pub. Looking for somewhere to bivvy I came across the engine repair/service shed next to the canal, It was open so in I went and it was like stepping back in time, all the tools still there on a 'shadow board' but this board was the length of one wall, pots of grease and oil, work bench's the lot. I spent the night there and set of early on Saturday.

 

And those pics bought it all back Thanks Rog.

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3 hours ago, MargieH said:

Loppy, I've not given you a like because you say you maybe haven't got enough time left!  Couldn't you come over this summer and look round a few places you remember?  I'm sure we'd all love to see you xx

 

That's kind of you, Margie and I appreciate it.  I have learned in life to never say never.  I would certainly not rule it out.  Finances are not the issue.  Where to leave the 'boys' certainly is.  That is the only downside really.  We love 'em to bits but they do tie you down a bit. Time will tell.  I would certainly love to see y'all too..  :)

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8 hours ago, loppylugs said:

  If the Lord wants us there He will bring it to pass.  

 

You'll be waiting a long time for that to happen, Loppy. Make your own mind up, let's have you and yours in Nottnum, in the Sam Hall one lunchtime and, perhaps, who knows, in the Albert Hall playing a bit of Bach.

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Worked on the chimney at Middleton top many years ago, pointing the brickwork and painting the band's, never got to see inside though, that's was the problem with price work, get it done and get onto the next job. No to think that after all these years, the old place is still standing!.

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Thanks for that plantfit, that's exactly how I left it. Also, just remembered, we applied a waterproofing to the stack,quite unique in it's day. Seems to have done the job though. Nice to think that I have helped in preserving something instead of destroying it. Knocked a few stack's down in my time.

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Well worth a visit NBL, On one occasion when I went the chap who was in charge let me go down to the very bottom under the flywheel to look at the gearing,and when he started the engine going I was on the top walkway and walked all around the whole thing,Think it was less than a quid to visit,probably a tad more now, another one worth visiting is the Leawood pumping station at the side of the Derwent aquaduct,that one is a very old steam beam engine operated by one of two Midland compound engine boilers, you can also go to the top of that engine house when it's running, It lifts a few tons of water from the Derwent some 60 odd feet below and dumps it in the canal to keep it topped up, they operate funny times though so it's worth checking to see when they are in steam,once again small entry fee charged, possibly voluntary donation

 

Rog

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Waddo,You'll perhaps remember the two stacks at the old Bunny brickworks then, not all that far from where you are,I think I have some newspaper cuttings of the tall one being dropped

 

Rog

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Don't need to go that far, papellwick pumping station has a great beam engine. Worked on that stack too.

 

I remember them, but never worked on them. If I remember rightly, it was Elliott's steeplejacks then worked on those.

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I can just see it now. Loppy and Jill sharing the bench. What will they play? Would it be How much is that doggy in the window, or perhaps Kitten on the keys.

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I couldn't resist putting on this clip from the finale of that great film A Canterbury Tale. Here we see Denis Price, who was a cinema organist before the war, getting his chance to play the organ in Canterbury Cathedral. Loppy, this could be you sitting in front of the manuals of the Binns organ in the Albert Hall. Set your sights high.

 

 

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Nottingham/Beeston canal just under the Lenton Lane road bridge, paddle boarders

 

P1050655.jpg

 

Good cycle ride from Beeston marina to the river Trent,stopping off at the Trip to Jerusalem for refreshments, not sure whether you need a license/permit to ride the Nottingham canal towpath now, I kow you did a few years ago, (another way of local government extracting money from the local people?)

 

Rog

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Mrs P on the Nottingham canal towpath, couldn't trust her on a bike along there, I'd be forever pulling her out of the canal so we walked it

 

P1050652.jpg

 

Rog

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Here is a link to the 'Canal and River Trust' you will find lots of information and hints  for cyclists. It states no fee for cycling the towpaths anymore but I would still check in case of any recent changes. We have still got our Towpath passes from when we had to pay. I did put pictures of them on here but 'Photobucket' put paid to them. We always carry them with us and over the years they have got a bit battered. I will try to re post them.

 

https://canalrivertrust.org.uk/enjoy-the-waterways/cycling/cycling-faqs

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1 hour ago, LizzieM said:

What’s your problem TRD?  You made such a comment the other day, it’s not really necessary is it?  

 

The problem is people click and expect to see something about Cycling on Towpaths not old black and white films or, in the other instance, pictures of an American shop when someone is introducing themselves. 

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