Operating the Road Swing Bridge between Market Harborough and Foxton

About an hour and half from Market Harborough, you will encounter a road swing bridge.

Moor up on the right-hand side and hold the boat on the centre line, to allow at least one crew member to cross the bridge.

They will need to take the Canal and River Trust/British Waterways key from the boat.

The following information is written in the manual on the boat, and also directly on the bridge console, so you don’t need to remember it:

• Insert the key into the console on the other side of the bridge and turn ¼ clockwise.
• Swing the two yellow barriers to close the roads to traffic (pull hard to release them.)
• Open the bridge, by first pulling on the red catch and then pushing hard against the barrier. Be warned – it is heavy!
• Allow the boat to drive through and then close it again, clicking the catch into place.
• Reopen the yellow barriers to allow traffic back through.
• Turn the key back and remember to take it back into the boat.

Note that the key will not release unless all the barriers have clicked home correctly.