Floating Container

 

We pulled pins at 10.15 which pleased Curly as she is not so keen on the early starts like me. Opposite Thrupp marina we came across this strange looking craft.

Its simple really although a bit of a Heath Robinson design .I’m sure its very roomy inside although maybe a bit dark as well. I bet it would have cost a lot less than a normal narrowboat to build . We will just have to wait and see if this new design of inland watercraft catches on. Mind you I don’t think I would buy shares in the company building them….

We arrived at Gosgrove and after dropping down the lock we were surprised to see it nearly full with boats and with just one mooring left we pulled in and moored for the night.

After mooring it was off for a walk and down under the aqueduct and through the old Horse tunnel.  Duck !

Oops! looks like someone has problems with their pumps . I think these are used to pump water from the River Great Ouse and up into the canal to keep it in water. After many years working with pumps I just had to see what was wrong with them . One was seized solid while the other one lying down made an awful noise when I turned the impeller. A costly repair I would think.

Looking back at the Cosgrove Aqueduct and those poor sickly pumps. .

The Iron Trunk Aqueduct is a magnificent Georgian structure, which carries the Grand Union Canal over the River Ouse. Built in 1811 by canal engineer Benjamin Beavan, following the collapse of the previous brick-built structure, the aqueduct stands at an impressive 10.8 metres high and connects Wolverton with Cosgrove Village.

Curly and Carolyn looking at where the original locks crossed the river before the aqueduct was built .Initially flights of locks, four at the southeast and five at the northwest, were used to allow the canal to descend to cross the river on the level, and this arrangement came into action in 1800. But during floods the crossing of the river became impossible so an Aqueduct was built.

We will just have a night here before moving on in the morning and doing a Tesco shop as we pass through Wolverton.

                                                                                                      Happy Days