The weather recently has been glorious and you won’t hear us complain about that. However, it’s going to cause problems with the infamous Vazon Bridge at Keadby, which we talk you through in this week’s episode. And then there’s Keadby Lock, our entrance to The Trent that is currently closed. We could be stuck…
Nature Abound
It’s difficult to ignore the stunning beauty that surrounds us. We’ve mentioned it already, but it becomes the dominant feature along the unspoilt Stainforth and Keadby Canal. We’re away from major roads and pass few towns, villages even, and are only accompanied by fields and grassy verges.
The Isle of Axholme Greenway – Crowle
Unbeknownst to us, we had entered the Isle of Axhome Greenway, a section of North Lincolnshire so named after the ancient towns built on small hills above the flooding marshland. We first became aware of this when we moored up south-west of Crowle at the Godnow Swing Bridge.
Godnow Swing Bridge is a convenient place to pop into Crowle, a small market town with roots dating back to Neolithic times. It’s worth a wander.
Vazon Bridge And The Problem With Rising Temperatures
Vazon Sliding Railway Bridge was once an engineering marvel. Spanning the canal, it allows trains to pass over and retracts to let boats through. Over the last few years, however, it has been having a few mechanical issues. When the ambient temperature exceeds 16 degrees celcius, the metal expands, and the bridge becomes inoperable.
Knowing we had this restriction ahead of us and keeping a keen eye on the weather, we had to push on to reach the Vazon Bridge. A heatwave had been forecast, and if we didn’t make it through this section, we could be stuck at this noisy spot for days. According to the bridge operator Liz spoke to, boaters have been stuck here for weeks before now. We recommend contacting them before you approach on 0330 858 4478.
If you are passing through this section, we recommend phoning ahead and chatting with the operator. They’ll be able to tell you if they can open Vazon Bridge. One crew member should hop off and operate the road bridge to save hanging around between the two bridges.
Keadby Lock Repairs
Having taken the last opportunity to pass through Vazon Bridge, after which it was closed for a week due to the heatwave, we were able to moor up and investigate Keadby Lock. We’d been monitoring the repairs and frequently spoke with Phil, the lock keeper, who kept us abreast of the situation. You can call Keadby Lock on 07733 124611 or Ch 74.
One of the side walls in the lock itself had been leaking. This meant that when they tried to empty the lock to let boats out onto the Trent, the water was flooding in faster than it could be emptied. As such, the lock was restricted to only opening 1 hour before high water. When heading upstream (from north to south), there isn’t enough time to ride the rising tide to Torksey, our destination.
And if this wasn’t bad news enough, I discovered engine problems with the fan belts and used up my last spare in a failed attempt to get it onto the alternator.
00:00 The current Keadby Lock situation (chat with Phil, the lock keeper)
01:15 Departing
03:14 The Isle of Axholme Greenway and Crowle
05:13 And early departure from Godnow Swing Bridge
09:14 Vazon Sliding Railway Bridge
13:31 Taking in The Trent
14:56 Chatting to the Keadby Lock operator
15:58 Problems with the engine
17:38 Bad news from the CRT
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