Still at Ufton Swing Bridge (Kennet & Avon Canal) – Tuesday 6th October

I really couldn’t see the point in getting up today but I heard a text message arrive on my phone so I dragged myself out of bed to see who it was from.  Victoria was off to New York with work today and she was just telling me that she had got to the airport!

Richard decided that he might as well go home and get the car as there wasn’t anything else he could do.  We worked out his journey and off he went and left Muffin and I on the boat in the rain.

Three boats waiting to go up (the rest of us are moored further back)

One boat waiting to come down

Then this email arrived from C&RT

Due to an Electrical Failure Bridge 25A Ufton Swingbridge will be closed until 10:00am on Thursday 8th October.  We understand that this closure may disrupt your schedule.  We are taking every step to fix the problem as soon as possible and we will keep you updated of our progress.

Thursday – who are you kidding!!

 

Our mooring

Our neighbours 

I took Muffin for a walk between showers and came across some more people who are stuck.  They had heard that the bridge could be tomorrow lunchtime!

Richard got back about 5.30pm but it was really too late to go anywhere bearing in mind that I had dinner organised – hey ho!

Oh by the way Ufton Lock was built between 1718 and 1723 under the supervision of the engineer John Hore of Newbury. The rise and fall was a mere 1 ft 9 in.  During restoration in the 1970s, the lock gates were removed and the lock upstream (Towney Lock) was deepened to cope with the new water levels.  Also in 2004 there was a train disaster at the local level crossing which killed 7 people.  The inquest concluded that the crash was caused by Brian Drysdale, a chef at the nearby Wokefield Park Hotel, committing suicide by parking his car on the crossing.