Foxton locks

 

After a couple of days on the summit of the Leicester branch of the Grand union canal we pulled pins at 13.30 after the rain had stopped from our mooring in the Laughton hills and made our way towards Foxton locks.

While we filled with water Carolyn went off to find the lockie and book our passage down the flight. It turned out that there where 3 boats on their way up and we would have to wait for them before we could enter the top lock.

Foxton locks are ten canal locks consisting of two "staircases" each of five locks, located on the Leicester line of the Grand union canal about 5 km west of the Leicestershire town of Market Harborough and are named after the nearby village of Foxton.

To conserve water there are side ponds that feed the locks. Last year a 79 year old lady fell into one of the side ponds and was sucked through the pipe and into the lock. Luckily there was only a short boat in the lock at the time and she popped up in a clear bit of water from where 3 men dived in and rescued her.She was then air lifted to Coventry hospital with a head wound.

There was talk of a fence being put around every pound ,but in the end they fitted these grills so that a similar incident could never happen again.

Just because you are stood next to one it doesen’t mean I’m going to buy you one. You only get an ice cream as a reward for working up the locks not down. Don’t worry we have to come back up at sometime and then I will treat you to a small cornet.

After a 45 minute wait we finally get onto the flight. Its the same as the Watford flight of locks Red before white and you will be all right ..White before red and you are in big trouble !.

A date for your diaries. Should be a good day out.

After completing the first 5 locks we cross the centre pound and try not to be pushed into the side by the flow of water coming in from the right.

We are the last boat to enter the locks today and in total there has been 6 boats with 4 of those being hire boats. 5 boats went up the flight and we were the only one to go down.

With the help of a lockie it only took us 47 minutes to come down the flight. We picked up this mooring just after the bottom lock and very close to the pub which will be handy. We were a bit surprised that there were hardly any boats here,still it gives us more choices of where to moor. We will have a day or two here before going to Debdale marina for them to lift us out and inspect our hull.

                                                                                                           Happy Days