Going down…

We dropped down onto the Weaver today, it’s likely to be busy up on the Trent and Mersey this weekend and we’ll be nicely out of the way down here.

There was a rush of boats first thing, at 9 o’clock they were already queuing on the holding dock, but by the time we moved up there was no one else to join us.

Waiting for the nod on the holding dock

All clear to go in and crossing the aqueduct which links the structure to the canal

We use the boat lift at least once a year, but I never tire of the pleasure of using an engineering masterpiece that was opened in 1875, modified in 1908, closed in 1983 and re-opened in 2002.
It’s a stunning piece of kit, I’ve described it in detail before so I’ll just let the pictures do the talking today.

Looking up at the now-redundant machinery deck…

 

…out up the Weaver valley…

 

…and down to the adjacent caisson.

We’re going down…

…and MV Edwin Clark is coming up

The two caissons are original, now approaching 140 years old, but the hydraulic rams date from the refurbishment in 2002.

Down, and the guillotine gate opens to let us out onto the river.

Looking back

Moored just a couple of hundred yards upstream

I got my new/old front brake assembly fitted to the bike this afternoon, played a bit of ball with Meg, and generally pottered. We’re heading to Northwich tomorrow for a bit of shopping, then will be heading off to the countryside, not sure whether upstream or down though.

Locks 0, miles 1