Oxford Canal:Claydon Top Lock

We were having breakfast this morning and notice the canal current clipping by in the direction of Marston Doles at around 45 to 60 feet per minute.  Just wondering if there is still a problem with that top pound?   Anyway, we set off on our windy way and soon came to the massive work-site that is all to do with HS2.   The huge spoil heaps on the southern side resulting from the cutting will no doubt be used to build the embankment on the north side of the canal.  It looks like foundations for the canal bridge are being dug now.   To the north, the track line disappears to the horizon with lines of heavy trucks travelling to and fro.   No wonder it is costing billions.   Before all this, there was an attempt to get parliamentary support for reviving the Great Central Railway as a freight only route built to European standards, which the great Central originally was.   Many of the bridges still remain and there is even an orphaned decaying signal post still visible from the northern Oxford Canal just past Willoughby wharf.   Putting all this behind us we continued on, stopping at Fenny Compton for pump out.   The visitor moorings there were quite empty.  Further on, at the southern exit of the narrows that must have originally been Fenny Compton tunnel it was evident that the canal is very shallow and progress slow.   Having used our “allotted time” we stopped at the moorings just before Claydon Top Bridge.   A lovely afternoon for a stroll to the lock where there are a couple of benches.