Guidance

River Thames: distances and measurements for boaters

Distances between locks on the River Thames and measurements restricting navigation.

From:
Environment Agency
Published
12 February 2020
Last updated
21 February 2023 — See all updates

If you are planning to boat on the River Thames, you may also find our locks and facilities for boaters page useful.

Distances and travel times between locks

The following table lists the distances between locks from Cricklade Bridge downstream to Teddington Lock. It also gives an estimated travel time based on the speed limit of 8 kilometres per hour (approximately 5 miles per hour).

Name of lock Distance to next lock downstream (km) Distance to next lock downstream (miles) Time to next lock downstream at 8 km/h (minutes)
Cricklade Bridge 18.88 11.73 142
St John’s Lock 1.85 1.15 15
Buscot Lock 5.37 3.34 41
Grafton Lock 2.98 1.85 23
Radcot Lock 4.23 2.63 32
Rushey Lock 6.92 4.30 52
Shifford Lock 7.63 4.74 58
Northmoor Lock 6.21 3.86 47
Pinkhill Lock 2.38 1.48 18
Eynsham Lock 4.37 2.71 33
Kings Lock 1.81 1.13 14
Godstow Lock 3.87 2.40 30
Osney Lock 3.73 2.32 28
Iffley Lock 2.70 1.68 21
Sandford Lock 7.38 4.58 56
Abingdon Lock 4.15 2.58 32
Culham Lock 4.52 2.81 34
Clifton Lock 4.80 2.98 36
Days Lock 6.37 3.96 48
Benson Lock 10.46 6.50 79
Cleeve Lock 1.00 0.62 8
Goring Lock 6.55 4.07 50
Whitchurch Lock 3.67 2.28 28
Mapledurham Lock 7.08 4.40 54
Caversham Lock 4.23 2.63 32
Sonning Lock 4.68 2.91 36
Shiplake Lock 4.80 2.98 36
Marsh Lock 4.59 2.85 35
Hambleden Lock 5.89 3.66 45
Hurley Lock 1.03 0.64 8
Temple Lock 2.70 1.68 22
Marlow Lock 6.44 4.00 49
Cookham Lock 3.35 2.08 26
Boulters Lock 3.43 2.13 26
Bray Lock 5.10 3.17 39
Boveney Lock 3.75 2.33 29
Romney Lock 4.83 3.00 37
Old Windsor Lock 4.70 2.92 36
Bell Weir Lock 4.57 2.84 35
Penton Hook Lock 3.13 1.95 24
Chertsey Lock 3.32 2.06 25
Shepperton Lock 4.75 2.95 36
Sunbury Lock 4.79 2.98 36
Molesey Lock 7.74 4.81 59
Teddington Lock (to Teddington Boundary Obelisk) 0.39 0.24 3

Bridge heights

The following table gives the headway of bridges over the River Thames. This is the distance between the standard water level and the highest point of the underside of the bridge.

These distances are approximate. Remember that river levels fluctuate and these distances will change with the river conditions.

Bridge Headway (metres) Headway (feet)
Halfpenny Bridge, Lechlade 4.73 15’6”
St John’s Bridge 4.22 13’10”
Bloomers Hole footbridge 3.50 11’6”
Eaton footbridge 2.97 9’9”
Radcot Bridge 3.45 11’4”
Old Man’s footbridge 4.27 14’0”
Tadpole Bridge 4.52 14’10”
Tenfoot footbridge 3.71 12’2”
Shifford Lock Cut Bridge 3.66 12’0”
Newbridge 3.50 11’6”
Hart’s footbridge 3.27 10’9”
Swinford Bridge 4.49 14’9”
Oxford Western Bypass Bridge 4.11 13’6”
Godstow Bridge 2.56 8’5”
Medley footbridge 3.05 10’0”
Osney Bridge 2.28 7’6”
Osney Railway Bridge 3.55 11’8”
Road Bridge 3.71 12’2”
Grandpont Bridge 3.91 12’10”
Folly Bridge 3.12 10’3”
Donnington Bridge 5.03 16’6”
Isis Bridge 5.03 16’6”
Kennington Railway Bridge 4.11 13’6”
Nuneham Railway Bridge 4.80 15’9”
Abingdon Bridge 4.24 13’11”
Culham Lock Cut Bridge 3.78 12’5”
Culham Road Bridge 4.49 14’9”
Appleford Railway Bridge 3.96 13’0”
Clifton Lock Cut Bridge 4.06 13’4”
Clifton Hampden Bridge 4.09 13’5”
Days footbridge 4.64 15’3”
Shillingford Bridge 5.26 17’3”
Wallingford Bridge 5.00 16’5”
Wallingford Bypass Bridge 5.10 16’9”
Moulsford Railway Bridge 6.60 21’8”
Goring Bridge 5.15 16’11”
Gatehampton Railway Bridge 6.96 22’10”
Whitchurch Bridge 4.14 13’7”
Caversham Bridge 4.57 15’0”
Reading Pedestrian and Cycle Bridge 4.57 15’0”
Reading Bridge 5.38 17’8”
Sonning Bridge 4.32 14’2”
Shiplake Railway Bridge 5.43 17’10”
Henley Bridge 4.34 14’3”
Hurley Upper Towpath Bridge 3.98 13’1”
Hurley Lower Towpath Bridge 4.39 14’5”
Temple Bridge 6.26 20’6”
Marlow Bridge 3.86 12’8”
Marlow Bypass Bridge 6.02 19’9”
Bourne End Railway Bridge 4.72 15’6”
Cookham Bridge 4.62 15’2”
Cookham Lock Cut Bridge 3.81 12’6”
Boulters Lock Bridge 5.26 17’3”
Maidenhead Bridge 5.66 18’7”
Maidenhead Railway Bridge 9.80 32’2”
M4 Motorway Bridge 7.77 25’6”
Summerleaze Bridge 7.30 23’11”
Windsor Bypass Bridge 6.25 20’6”
Windsor Railway Bridge 5.41 17’9”
Windsor Bridge 4.01 13’2”
Black Pott’s Railway Bridge 5.94 19’6”
Victoria Bridge 6.17 20’3”
Albert Bridge 5.69 18’8”
Old Windsor Lock Cut Bridge 4.34 14’3”
Runnymede (M25) Bridge 7.01 23’0”
Staines Bridge 5.94 19’6”
Staines Railway Bridge 6.40 21’0”
M3 Motorway Bridge 6.50 21’4”
Chertsey Bridge 5.82 19’1”
Desborough Channel Upper Bridge 5.18 17’0”
Desborough Channel Lower Bridge 5.18 17’0”
Walton Bridge 5.56 18’3”
Sunbury Lock Cut Bridge 5.94 19’6”
Hampton Court Bridge 5.92 19’5”
Kingston Bridge 7.29 23’11”
Kingston Railway Bridge 6.51 21’4”
Teddington Lock Cut Bridge 5.58 18’4”

Maximum drafts

The River Thames varies in depth of water between Cricklade and Teddington.

Sometimes, parts of the River Thames between Cricklade and Inglesham are only navigable by small boats. Downstream of Lechlade, the navigation channel is normally available for boats of the following approximate drafts.

Area Approximate maximum draft (metres) Approximate maximum draft (feet)
Lechlade to Oxford 0.9m 3’0”
Oxford to Reading 1.2m 4’0”
Reading to Windsor 1.3m 4’6”
Windsor to Staines 1.7m 5’6”
Staines to Teddington 2.0m 6’6”

Lock sizes

The following tables list the dimensions of the locks on the River Thames. The first table gives the sizes in metres and the second table uses feet and inches.

Lock sizes: Metres

Boulters Lock tail gates on the pedestal side do not open fully. Width of the tail gates is restricted to no more than 5.5 metres (18’)

Lock Length (metres) Width (metres) Depth upper sill (metres) Depth lower sill (metres) Fall (metres)
St John’s 33.60 4.52 1.32 1.32 0.85
Buscot 33.47 4.47 1.47 1.47 1.69
Grafton 34.59 4.59 1.67 1.44 1.11
Radcot 34.59 4.57 1.49 1.54 1.48
Rushey 34.59 4.59 1.67 1.52 1.82
Shifford 34.64 4.59 1.67 1.6 2.23
Northmoor 34.59 4.59 1.65 1.44 1.24
Pinkhill 34.59 4.90 1.67 1.62 1.05
Eynsham 34.51 4.97 1.65 1.72 0.84
Kings 34.46 4.97 1.67 1.67 0.77
Godstow 33.52 4.95 1.52 1.62 1.57
Osney 34.64 5.25 2.74 2.10 1.89
Iffley 46.96 6.47 2.26 2.26 0.81
Sandford 53.03 6.62 2.31 2.31 2.69
Abingdon 36.57 5.71 2.64 1.52 1.89
Culham 39.87 5.33 2.41 1.62 2.41
Clifton 39.57 5.79 2.36 1.75 1.03
Days 46.93 6.45 2.26 1.93 1.58
Benson 40.56 5.46 2.23 2.13 1.87
Cleeve 40.71 5.53 2.13 2.22 0.89
Goring 54.68 6.40 2.97 2.56 1.77
Whitchurch 41.22 5.48 1.85 1.93 1.01
Mapledurham 61.69 6.42 2.18 2.13 2.05
Caversham 40.03 5.46 1.82 1.88 1.44
Blakes 37.39 5.75 1.80 1.63 1.07
Sonning 47.57 5.46 2.00 1.93 1.63
Shiplake 40.64 5.56 1.98 1.90 1.55
Marsh 41.19 6.42 2.18 2.18 1.33
Hambleden 59.63 7.74 2.20 2.20 1.44
Hurley 39.82 6.07 1.88 1.88 1.05
Temple 41.02 5.46 2.13 2.10 1.23
Marlow 46.10 6.07 2.13 1.95 2.16
Cookham 55.77 7.62 2.51 2.48 1.30
Boulters 60.80 6.47 3.12 2.13 2.39
Bray 40.94 5.46 2.13 2.13 1.46
Boveney 45.59 5.43 2.38 2.13 1.47
Romney 78.50 7.45 2.83 2.62 2.01
Old Windsor 54.55 7.36 2.48 2.54 1.74
Bell Weir 78.51 7.44 2.61 2.61 1.82
Penton Hook 81.28 7.56 2.74 2.56 1.22
Chertsey 61.16 6.40 2.66 2.46 1.22
Shepperton 53.16 6.04 2.43 2.59 2.03
Sunbury Old 47.15 5.86 3.07 2.26 1.87
Sunbury New 62.78 7.41 2.76 2.48 1.87
Molesey 81.78 7.56 2.84 2.41 1.85
Teddington Barge 198.12 7.54 3.15 2.61 2.68
Teddington Launch 54.22 7.41 4.26 2.79 2.68
Teddington Skiff 15.08 1.77 1.09 1.34 2.68

Lock sizes: Feet and inches

Boulters Lock tail gates on the pedestal side do not open fully. Width of the tail gates is restricted to no more than 5.5 metres (18’)

Lock Length (feet) Width (feet) Depth upper sill (feet) Depth lower sill (feet) Fall (feet)
St John’s 110’3’’ 14’10’’ 4’4’’ 4’4’’ 2’10’’
Buscot 109’10’’ 14’8’’ 4’10’’ 4’10’’ 5’7’’
Grafton 113’6’’ 15’1’’ 5’6’’ 4’9’’ 3’8’’
Radcot 113’6’’ 15’0’’ 4’11’’ 5’1’’ 4’10’’
Rushey 113’6’’ 15’1’’ 5’6’’ 5’0’’ 6’0’’
Shifford 113’8’’ 15’1’’ 5’6’’ 5’3’’ 7’4’’
Northmoor 113’6’’ 15’1’’ 5’5’’ 4’9’’ 4’1’’
Pinkhill 113’6’’ 16’1’’ 5’6’’ 5’4’’ 3’6’’
Eynsham 113’3’’ 16’4’’ 5’5’’ 5’8’’ 2’9’’
Kings 113’1’’ 16’4’’ 5’6’’ 5’6’’ 2’6’’
Godstow 110’0’’ 16’3’’ 5’0’’ 5’4’’ 5’2’’
Osney 113’8’’ 17’3’’ 9’0’’ 6’11’’ 6’3’’
Iffley 154’1’’ 21’3’’ 7’5’’ 7’5’’ 2’8’’
Sandford 174’0’’ 21’9’’ 7’7’’ 7’7’’ 8’10’’
Abingdon 120’0’’ 18’9’’ 8’8’’ 5’0’’ 6’2’’
Culham 130’10’’ 17’6’’ 7’11’’ 5’4’’ 7’11’’
Clifton 129’10’’ 19’0’’ 7’0’’ 5’9’’ 3’5’’
Days 154’10’’ 21’2’’ 7’5’’ 6’4’’ 5’2’’
Benson 133’1’’ 17’11’’ 7’4’’ 7’0’’ 6’2’’
Cleeve 133’7’’ 18’2’’ 7’0’’ 7’3’’ 2’11’’
Goring 179’5’’ 21’0’’ 9’9’’ 8’5’’ 5’10’’
Whitchurch 135’3’’ 18’0’’ 6’1’’ 6’4’’ 3’4’’
Mapledurham 202’5’’ 21’1’’ 7’2’’ 7’0’’ 6’9’’
Caversham 131’4’’ 17’11’’ 6’0’’ 6’2’’ 4’9’’
Blakes 122’8’’ 18’11’’ 5’11’’ 5’5’’ 3’6’’
Sonning 156’1’’ 17’11’’ 6’7’’ 6’4’’ 5’4’’
Shiplake 133’4’’ 18’3’’ 6’6’’ 6’3’’ 5’1’’
Marsh 135’2’’ 21’1’’ 7’2’’ 7’2’’ 4’4’’
Hambleden 195’7’’ 25’5’’ 7’3’’ 7’3’’ 4’9’’
Hurley 130’8’’ 19’11’’ 6’2’’ 6’2’’ 3’5’’
Temple 134’7’’ 17’11’’ 7’0’’ 6’11’’ 4’1’’
Marlow 151’3’’ 19’11’’ 7’0’’ 6’5’’ 7’1’’
Cookham 183’0’’ 25’0’’ 8’3’’ 8’2’’ 4’3’’
Boulters 199’6’’ 21’3’’ 10’3’’ 7’0’’ 7’10’’
Bray 134’4’’ 17’11’’ 7’0’’ 7’0’’ 4’9’’
Boveney 149’7’’ 17’10’’ 7’10’’ 7’0’’ 4’10’’
Romney 257’7’’ 24’5’’ 9’3’’ 8’7’’ 6’7’’
Old Windsor 179’0’’ 24’2’’ 8’2’’ 8’4’’ 5’9’’
Bell Weir 257’7’’ 24’5’’ 8’7’’ 8’7’’ 6’0’’
Penton Hook 266’8’’ 24’10’’ 9’0’’ 8’5’’ 4’0’’
Chertsey 200’8’’ 21’0’’ 8’9’’ 8’1’’ 4’0’’
Shepperton 174’5’’ 19’10’’ 8’0’’ 8’6’’ 6’8’’
Sunbury Old 154’8’’ 19’3’’ 10’1’’ 7’5’’ 6’2’’
Sunbury New 206’0’’ 24’4’’ 9’1’’ 8’2’’ 6’2’’
Molesey 268’4’’ 24’10’’ 9’4’’ 7’11’’ 6’1’’
Teddington Barge 650’0’’ 24’9’’ 10’4’’ 8’7’’ 8’10’’
Teddington Launch 177’11’’ 24’4’’ 14’0’’ 9’2’’ 8’10’’
Teddington Skiff 49’6’’ 5’10’’ 3’7’’ 4’5’’ 8’10’’
Published 12 February 2020
Last updated 21 February 2023 + show all updates

  1. Update to lock sizes. Boulters Lock tail gates do not open fully. Width of the tail gates is restricted to no more than 5.5 metres (18’).

  2. First published.

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