A good dollop of winter wood, and down onto the river.

We spent the weekend near Barnton, then yesterday moved the mile or so to the services at Anderton.

A fine morning…


We made a stop on the way… Not far up the canal the recent winds had dropped a tree across the navigation, and the contractors had left some logs just off the towpath. I’d kept my eye on them while we moored over the weekend and they were still there so we pulled in. It’s a good, wide towpath here, so I sliced them up too, as well as some other bits and pieces I’d picked up over the last week or so. A satisfying couple of hours work, but I’ve got to get my saw chains sharpened now. The last one went dull while I was dealing with these heavy logs.

We turned around and reversed onto the service wharf to fill with water and dispose of accumulated rubbish and recycling. The service block is having a make-over, but the water was still on.

Having dealt with the sanitary arrangements we returned to moor near the boat lift.

Very quiet in Anderton at the moment


Moored on the 24 hour moorings at Anderton.
That wood should last a week or two!

We’ve decided to spend a week or 10 days down on the Weaver before heading south and then west over towards the Llangollen Canal. So this morning I went to the office and was given a booking for 11:30, sharing with Martin on the coal boat Halsall.

Halsall turning onto the holding moorings this morning.

And leaving to turn onto the lift aqueduct.

Waiting on the aqueduct for entry onto the lift proper.

Looking upstream, the new mooring pontoon is completely empty.

At 72 feet long, Halsall only just fits between the end gates.
In fact, Martin had to lift both bow and stern fenders!

The lift, as constructed in 1875, was hydraulically operated using river water. But the corrosive nature of the water took it’s toll on the hydraulic rams, and by 1897 the lift suffered longer and longer periods of maintenance and repair. Finally, in 1904, the Weaver Navigation Trustees faced considerable expense and downtime to replace the hydraulic system, or look for alternatives.
The company Chief Engineer, John Saner, proposed a radical solution whereby the hydraulics would be replaced by a system of pulleys, electric motors and counterbalance weights. Although this involved extensive modifications to the structure, his scheme was approved. The conversion took place over a two year period, opening fully again in July 1908. As each caisson could now be independently operated, the lift was only completely closed for 49 days during this period.

The machinery deck, carrying the electric motors and pulleys, was added…

…as were buttress frames to the main supports.
The buttresses were required because now the structure had to support the two caissons, each weighing around 250 tons, and their counterbalancing weights. Under hydraulic operation the framework merely had to guide and contain the caissons, and support it’s own weight, as the load from the caissons was carried by the hydraulic cylinders built into the foundations.

There was a bit of as delay before we could leave, something to do with the safety interlocks, I think, but then we were off, both boats turning upstream.


We pulled in on the pontoon, while Halsall continued on to supply some customers above Hunts Lock.


We’ll probably continue upstream tomorrow.

Locks 0, miles 2

Two Tunnels…

We set off late today, it was nearly 11 before the rain stopped and there’s no joy to be had in cruising in the rain, is there.

Looking up the Weaver valley from the breach moorings.
The canal runs along the valley, never more than a few hundred yards away fro the river, but 50-some feet higher.

Bartington Wharf, home to a Black Prince hire fleet, most of which seems to be in “home port”.

The repairs to the eroded towpath continue apace…

We had Salterford and Barnton Tunnels to negotiate today. I planned to arrive at Salterford with a little time in hand in order for Meg to have a comfort break. After a very gentle chug through the woods clothing the valley side we arrived with 20 minutes to spare.

This chap didn’t seem at all bothered by us going past, usually they’re away into the bushes.

Like Preston Brook, this tunnel also has a timed entrance system in place…

The tunnel has a kink in the middle due to an unfortunate surveying error when it was dug.

It’s only short though, so we were soon back into daylight and crossing the basin between the two tunnels.
And the sun has made a brief appearance!

Into Barnton Tunnel

This one is straight enough to see the other end, 572 yards away. With no traffic control you just have to check that no-one’s coming.

I wonder how many bricks went into lining one of these…?

A quick estimate gave me the figure of 300,000 visible bricks. I think you can safely assume that there’ll be a triple layer, so that’s close to a million bricks in this one tunnel, not counting those used for lining the airshafts.



You can understand why the canal companies often built their own brickworks next to the canal…

We pulled in just past Bridge 202 on the moorings rings there. It’s the closest spot to the Co-op up in Barnton village for a paper tomorrow morning.

Locks 0, miles 4 

Heading back the way we came.

First off, thanks for all the supportive comments following my half-marathon finish on Sunday. I was feeling a bit disappointed with my time, but you’ve all bucked my spirits up. I’d almost decided to hang up my running shoes, but might rethink that decision…

Good tee-shirt and medal, though.

And on that subject, we managed to raise £330 for Macmillan Cancer Support, thanks to all those who contributed. My Justgiving page will remain active for a while longer, just in case anyone else feels the need to add to the total…

Right then. Yesterday morning we set off from Castlefield, first reversing out into the basin below Rochdale Lock 92 to turn around and head off.

Back out from the Staffordshire Arm, Castlefield

The day was bright but pretty breezy, cool on the face as we headed west to Water’s Meeting.
 

The old Hulme Locks, dropping down onto the River Irwell, have long been derelict…

…replaced by the much graffiti-ed Pomona Lock. 

Looking down on the Ship Canal and Salford Quays.


As early as 1660 it was recognised that improvements to the rivers Mersey and Irwell would enable vessels to travel from the Irish Sea into the growing cities of Salford and Manchester. But it wasn’t until 1734 that vessels “of moderate size” could navigate the Mersey and Irwell Navigation, through 8 locks and along several artificial cuts that bypassed tight bends and shoals on the rivers.

By the early 19th century the lower section of the river navigation was made redundant by the construction of the Runcorn and Latchford Canal, with locks 13 feet wide and 65 feet long.

The Runcorn section of the Bridgwater Canal had been completed a few years earlier, and this, coupled with the beginnings of railway competition, made the R&LC less and less profitable. It was sold to the Bridgewater Navigation Company in 1874, by which time it was in considerable disrepair.

The final nail in the coffins of both the river navigation and the later cut was hammered home in December 1893, with the opening of the Manchester Ship Canal. The MSCC had already acquired the canal in order to use part of it’s channel for the new waterway, obliterating much of the higher reaches up to Pomona. The lower sections remained sporadically in use until the 1950s, but it’s derelict now.

Water’s Meeting
 
We pulled in at Stretford Marina, topped up with diesel and water and bought four 20kg bags of Excel at the very reasonable price of £8 each. Then toddled on, along the long and somewhat boring Sale straight, and back out into the country.

Autumn aroma – the rich, earthy smell of a freshly ploughed field.

Bollington Mill, with Dunham Massey Deer Park beyond
We pulled in at Lymm for the night. A long day by our standards.

So today we set off again, intending to be back on the Trent and Mersey this afternoon.

Blue skies as we set off, but it wasn’t to last.

Under the M6 just south of the impressive Thelwall Viaduct which carries the motorway over the Mersey valley and the Manchester Ship Canal.

 
Picture from aeroengland.photodeck.com

The Bridgewater Canal crosses an aqueduct a little further along, and is somewhat less impressive…

Thelwall Underbridge

They call aqueducts “underbridges” around here.

We cruised through the southern fringes of Warrington and back out into the countryside at Walton.

Runcorn skyline through the arch of Keckwick Bridge

Preston Brook, a settlement that grew up around the canal

We arrived at the northern end of Preston Brook Tunnel at a quarter past one, 15 minutes to spare before we could go through so time for a quick brew and a sandwich before we passed from the Bridgewater to the Trent and Mersey.

Preston Brook Tunnel, north end


The northern half, until the repaired section midway through, is quite wet in places. This leads to the formation of flowstone drips and mini stalactites.


Out of the other end, with the shallow Dutton Stop Lock ahead.

The difference between the two canals is marked. The Bridgewater is wide, fairly straight, and deep. The Trent and Mersey is none of those!


We pulled in on the breach moorings at Dutton Hollow, the same spot we used on the way up.

I intended to post this last night but didn’t get it finished, so that’s why it’s a day late. Today we’ve stayed put, watching the rain come down and the occasional boat go past.

Over the last two days – Locks 1, miles 26.

A run around Sale, a short cruise with friends, a red sun and a singing tower!

I’ve not posted since we arrived on the Bridgewater, mainly because we’ve done this trip many times and I’ve run out of new things to talk about!
So here’s a quick précis…

We left Moore on Wednesday morning, passing the south edge of Warrington through the suburb of Stockton Heath.

Thorn Marine is still here, and still under threat of being redeveloped.
We pulled in for a gas bottle and a couple of bags of solid fuel before pressing on while it stayed fine. Wet weather was due to arrive around midday, and we almost made it to Lymm before getting wet.

First thing Thursday morning I was out for my last training run before the Greater Manchester Half Marathon on Sunday, then we were on our way again.

Surprisingly quiet moorings in Lymm


Old canal-side warehouse near Outrington

A brighter day afforded distant views of the Pennines to the north 

We pulled in on the offside moorings near the Olde No3 pub for the night, to wait for an early morning delivery from Tesco’s. The pub is open again now after being closed up for a while.

The groceries arrived on schedule on Friday morning, and with everything stowed we reversed to the water tap to top up. An interesting manouvre in the brisk breeze…

Topping up the tank


With cupboards and water tank filled we moved just a short distance to spend the night near Dunham Massey.

Over the River Bollin on the concrete aqueduct
In August 1971 a major breach occurred here on the original aqueduct, allowing the canal to drain into the river below. The canal in Manchester dropped by over a foot before stop planks where installed at either end to stem the flow. With little commercial traffic on the waterway the Manchester Ship Canal Company considered closing the canal completely, but instead a Trust was formed, consisting of representatives from the the borough and city councils through which it passes, and the canal company, to raise money to bear part of the cost of repair. This was successful and canal reopened after being closed for 2 years.The Bridgewater Canal Trust still meets to discuss policy for the canal.

Pulled in after another short trip.


So, on to Saturday, and a pleasant cruise in to Sale.

Seamans Moss Bridge marks the end of the rural and the start of the urban as the canal heads towards Manchester.

The site of the former Linotype Works alongside the canal is being cleared to allow construction of a new housing estate, but it looks like the gable of the adjacent factory and the office block are being preserved.




Timperley Bridge and the long straight through Sale

The plan was to moor on the towpath just past Sale Bridge, but there was one space on the offside, alongside the pub carpark, so we dropped into that.

It’s just a short walk to Sale Metro Station from here, and three stops up the line to the Old Trafford Cricket Ground and the start of the half marathon.

Pretty in pink…


Yesterday morning I was up at 06:30, breakfasted and Meg emptied, and aboard a tram by half-seven. The gun went off spot on time at 9 o’clock, and I crossed the start line 5 minutes later. I’d put my expected finishing time down as 02:15, so had been allocated a start zone away from the start.
And I was pretty well spot on, coming in at 02:14:40. I’d hoped for around 2 hours, but by mile 9 I was flagging a bit so eased up and took it steady for the last 4 miles. I can’t blame the course or the organisation, both were spot on. And the support from the locals later on the route was great. I accepted a Jelly Baby from a little girl stood with her dad.

I caught the tram back to Sale Bridge and was back aboard Seyella by a quarter to twelve. Meanwhile Mags’ son Howard had turned up to keep her company, and he’d brought a load of mail with him too. He left us mid-afternoon and I got my head down for an hour.

This morning, a little stiff but not too bad, I walked up to the Co-op to get a few bits and pieces before our guests for today arrived. Doug and James, late of NB Chance and now with a place in Manchester, were joining us for the cruise into the city. It’s been a while since we’d seen them, so had plenty to talk about.

The lads, James on the tiller.
 

Water’s Meeting, Leigh and the Leeds and Liverpool to the left, Castlefield, Manchester and the Rochdale Canal to the right.


Castlefield Bridges




Moored up near the Y

We had lunch before Doug and James left, mid-afternoon. It’s been a really good day.

Soon after we’d moored the sun made an appearance, the orange tint apparently caused by a combination of Saharan sand, and ash from forest fires on the Iberian Peninsula, all carried on the winds of the rapidly approaching Hurricane Ophelia.



From later on this afternoon the wind has steadily increased, and although we’re sheltered here there are some strong gusts rocking the boat. I wouldn’t like to be in an exposed spot tonight.

The Beetham Tower is visible from the basin, and it has a reputation for being a little noisy when it’s windy. Unfortunately the microphone on my camera wasn’t sensitive to pick up the sound when I tried a recording, but there’s a good video on the link here from 2015. It’s quietened down a bit now, just the occasional howl…


The wind is supposed to die down by mid-morning tomorrow, so we'll head back the way we came.

Locks 0, miles 21