Naburn Locks

Naburn Locks

March 2018

In my last post covering the CRT National Council Meeting in York I mentioned a site visit to Naburn Locks.

CRT and Council members gather at the Naburn Locks workshops

Naturally, I took my camera with me to record this far flung outpost of the connected waterways system, a location I would very much like to visit by boat. However, Naburn is Ouse equivalent of the Trent's Cromwell Lock. It forms the top of the tidal Ouse beyond which the waters of the Ouse are controlled. 

Bridges over Naburn Locks

We were given a guided tour by the resident lock keeper who has lived and worked on the site for 35 years, supported by volunteers. 

Naburn Banqueting House

The first and smaller lock was built in the 1750's and a larger one capable of carrying 400 ton craft was built next to it in 1888. Between this time the Trustees of the Ouse Navigation built the imposing Banqueting House next door. This fine Greek revival building has been hotel, night club and guest house in its time but alas it is prone to flooding and occupies a very remote location. As a result it has been a  commercial failure and rumour has it that it has defaulted to the ownership of Nick Mason of pink Floyd who is looking to sell.

The lock island used to host a four story water mill which was demolished about 100 years ago. However, the old navigation buildings still stand and are being creatively redeveloped by volunteers who have transformed them to a visitor centre on a shoestring budget. The complex includes a forge, a workshop and offices.

Naburn Lock Keepers cottages

To date attention has focused on the workshop and forge which contain period machines and an interpretation boards. The offices are stripped out and restoration is ongoing.

Outside a nature  and heritage trail is being established funded by the 'Tesco Bags for help' scheme which includes six locally relevant totem poles created by a local chain saw artist. As it stands the site justifies a couple of hours plus, in good weather, a picnic on the open grass area.

Archbishop's Palace

Perversely, this lock island is the only land owned by the Trust in the area so they are making what they can of it and it is great to see its potential being realised.

Return to York

Craik 1973 - Ouse

Craik

Ouse 1973

1973 marked a shift away from the canals in favour of the Fenland river navigations.

Craik 1973

We ventured into these waters for two consecutive years, initially hiring Craik from Hoseasons and exploring the River Ouse, the Cam, the Wissey and the Lark.

With Dr D otherwise engaged (quite literally) boating became a three person affair and at the age of 12, I was deemed old enough to take my turn at the helm and most importantly, to operate the locks.

Matilda dnd Capt Ahab on Craik

A bit of explanation about the Ahab family dynamics is needed here.

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  Mother Ahab (Matilda) is a wizz at driving cars but when it comes to boats she has a complete blind spot. No matter how much she tries, she can't get used to steering it "the wrong way". This was a problem back in the 1960's and to be honest, it remains a problem today, to the extent that I wouldnt even ask her to steer Wand'ring Bark out of a lock!. Matilda's role was focussed on galley duties (little somethings and mugs of tea were a speciality) plus rope holding. As I reflect on it, her continued support for my fathers boating adventures is a true sign of her love for him.

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  That left the Capt Snr. Now he was wildly enthusiastic about his boating and as soon as he took control of the craft he was away, lost in a watery world of his own. The problem was his mobility, or rather his lack of it. The Capt Snr was injured in WW2 with a bullet passing through one thigh, ripping out large amounts of muscle and vein. As a result he was unable to walk great distances and could easily find himself suddenly lame and virtually unable to move at all. This disability was a huge frustration for him, and boating was an ideal way to allow him to be out and about in the countryside, without too much walking.

So as I said, lock duties fell to me. The locks on the Ouse and it's tributaries were, at the time, all of the manual guillotine variety. This meant labouriously winding the bottom gate up and down to allow the boat to pass underneath. This usually involved a couple of hundred stiff turns in both directions over a sweat inducing period of ten minutes or so. Heartbreak Hill had nothing on Fenland cruising.

The sign says "hand operated" - like I didn't know it!

I believe that these locks have all been automated over the years, but it was interesting to encounter a couple of manual guillotine locks on the Huddersfield Narrow and Rochdale Canals last Easter, when the twinges of back ache brought back memories of the stiffness I endured on the Fens in the 1970's.

We made it up to Cambridge and has a mooch up the Lark and Wissey, but never went down as far as Denver Sluice, which sounded so remote and mysterious. To this day I havn't been to the Sluice, or experienced the delights of Salters Lode. It's a bit off the track from a Midlands base, but one day...

These were wild and empty waters, with few other boats to be seen and cruising was mostly within the confines of high embankments . Maybe it's not surprising that landmark events were thin on the ground.