Foxton Road swing bridge

Waterways etiquette at Foxton swing bridge

Foxton road swing bridge is the very first navigational feature you will encounter about an hour and a half from Market Harborough marina. It is a piece of road which needs to be swung out of the way so that your boat can pass through, and that means temporarily stopping traffic on this – thankfully – minor road.

You’ll need to moor up on the right hand side, just before the bridge, as in our video below.

Opening Foxton Road Swing Bridge

  • Moor up using the white-topped bollards on the right hand, as described above. You can hold your narrowboat temporarily on the centre line.
  • Your crew should take a CRT key from the boat (provided) and cross over the bridge.
  • They will unlock the bridge by inserting the key into the console and turning  90 degrees clockwise.
  • This will release the two yellow barriers, which now need to be manually pulled across the road and clicked into place.
  • Return to the red handle on the bridge near the console and pull to release the bridge.
  • The bridge can then be pushed, to allow the boat to drive through.
  • Warning: it is very heavy! Try maintaining pressure on the bridge for a little while and you should feel it “give” after a few seconds.
  • When the boat is through, pull the bridge back into place and return the yellow barriers to click home.
  • Turn the key 90 degrees anticlockwise to remove. Note that the key won’t come out unless ALL the barriers have clicked back into place.

    You might also want to take a look at our Waterways Etiquette page on Foxton Road Swing Bridge, where we’ve listed some troubleshooting tips.

    We are delighted that more and more narrowboat novices are enjoying the canals around Market Harborough. We are putting together a series of Beginner Guides to help you prepare for your holiday and find a few solutions to common problems en route.

    We are delighted that more and more narrowboat novices are enjoying the canals around Market Harborough. We are putting together a series of Beginner Guides to help you prepare for your holiday and find a few solutions to common problems en route.

    It is also a good idea to familiarise yourself with the Canal and River Trust’s Boaters’ Handbook before you arrive.

    We offer all kinds of narrowboats, from Day Boats to Boutique Narrowboats and boats suitable for families. All our hires involve full training and we welcome complete beginners.