Anton’s Gowt Lock the entrance to The Drains
Head room about 8′-0″, at Summer Level.
Sir Anthony Thomas was one of the financiers of the land
drainage project which created this waterway system in the 1650s.
The Malcolm Alms on the opposite bank of Frith Bank Drain
greets boats entering the system.
We turned left under the traditional brick arch of Bridge No 1
where the south end of Newham Drain (4IDB) is entered.
Turning right leads to Boston
http://www.braggaboutlife.com/uk-waterways/maud-foster-to-boston-via-cowbridge
Newham Drain is wide and clear.
The Brick built Canister Bridge (B1184)
Never seen a bridge Number as delightful as this before.
At the Howbridge Drain (or West Fen) junction we turned
left under an unnamed pre-cast concrete bridge.
This appears to be its only number?
A level gauge is located at the bridge as can be seen we were 6″
(150mm) over datum and this was to prove a problem at New York.
This agricultural building is very impressive not only
for its sheer size but also as it appears un-modified.
This new private galvanised steel bridge comes next,
it appears to be an ideal solution to the need for a low cost
accommodation bridge with adequate headroom.
Bunkers Hill Tunnel note the floating rubbish and overhanging trees.
This Reinforced Concrete pipe tunnel is very low and very small, we
only just got through, but had to stop and visit the weed hatch as
we had picked up a load of rubbish just as we reached the bridge,
so had virtually no steering through the tunnel, the overhanging
trees also made it impossible to line up the opening with the boat.
Hough Bridge a new modern pre-cast concrete plank bridge (B1192) at New York
was just too low by 1″ (at 5′-5″ on IWA Map +6″ on the gauge
so we were just on 5′-0″) so this was the end of our trip for the day.
We were confident we would go through but then realised we would
not fit and stopped with the roof only an inch from the beam.
Cautionary note:- A second step, was just below the waterline at the narrows.
The step would probably be above water if the water level was at 0.
Water levels then went up overnight and we had a days aircraft
spotting which was fabulous, Spitfire & Euro Fighters and a Lancaster.
What nobody knew at the time was that one of the Lancasters engines had
caught fire and the pilot had to do a quick one back to base.
Next morning the levels had still not gone down so we decided
to try and get back through the tube which we did with no
problem as we did not have to contend with the trees this time.
Bunkers Hill
Note the sign in the background.
To our surprise just as we were about to go through the Tube another boat
appeared it was also on its way to The Sleaford Gathering via the Drains.
At the junction we continued along West Fen Drain to Frith Bank
and then left the Drains for South Kyme, a relatively uneventful jurney.