Lady Teal to the Rescue

Well it was up early this morning! Splashing noises and plaintive yelps from the other side of the Stainforth & Keadby, all at about 6am!

On going out there was a poor dog scrabbling, and failing, to get out the other side, bear in mind this is a wide navigation. It was clearly in distress and very tired. We were worried that starting the engine may scare it more so, as it bobbed under the water, Gina managed to call it across, I don’t think Lady barking was the help she thought it was!

We coaxed it across and with my trusted rope skills I managed to lasso it, not sure if the dog or me was the more surprised! A few tugs and we had it up onto the bank, panting and looking tired, the dog wasn’t too good either!

It seemed ok and despite trying to find someone, RSPCA, council whoever, to pick it up no one was interested. It perked up and seemed to know where it was going and with a look at us and a wag of its tail it went on its way.

This helicopter was not part of the rescue but flew low over us yesterday, brilliant!

Chinook New Junction Canal
A Chinook helicopter doing a low pass over us on the New Junction Canal

 

Glorious morning

Glorious morning
Glorious morning

Lovely spot to stop and a glorious morning too. Who could ask for more

Vazon Railway Bridge

We finished our run on the Sheffield and South Yorks and Stainforth and Keadby at Keadby. Before mooring up we passed through the weird and wonderful Vazon Railway Bridge, one of only three in Europe. See this video I did of it Vazon Railway Bridge   As they say on the CRT site:

A railway swing bridge crossing existed here as long ago as 1866. In time, this was superseded by the first sliding bridge at this location, built for the Great Central Railway’s Scunthorpe line in 1925. This bridge was designed by Sir William Arrol & Company of Dalmarnock.

The 1925 bridge was replaced in 2004 by the present, low-lying, sliding bridge. To allow boats to pass, the whole deck of the bridge which carries two tracks, slides sideways on rails and is pulled by steel cables. The bridge construction is an open riveted steel framework and incorporates two walkways, so that pedestrians can cross when the bridge is in open or closed position.

The modern bridge is powered by mains electricity, although interestingly the 1925 bridge was operated with a massive set of batteries.

Watch out for a train!!!

Vazon Railway Bridge, which slides out of the way
Vazon Railway Bridge, which slides out of the way