Vlog 92: Fradley, my dear…
After a couple of days in the rather lovely village of Alrewas I take the boat further along the Trent & Mersey canal to Fradley Junction, where it meets the top of the Coventry Canal. From the CRT cafe, I buy and enjoy a nice slice of lemon drizzle cake. Yum.
The ruse to overcome self-opening gates is to just slightly open a top paddle to produce a flow which will hold them closed. Just be sure to have the bow up against the top gates with engine in forward tickover to stop it moving back.
Normally I’d agree with you but these weren’t merely ajar and needing a push to close, they were swinging back fully open. Thus a flow of water would have gone straight out without moving the gates. If I’d opened the top paddles a bit and then run back to shut the gates it might have held but would have wasted a lot of water while doing so.