A cracking day to Worsley

Another fine morning saw us on the move at 09:30.

Moving out of the countryside towards Sale

The old and new rub shoulders as the canal heads into Sale.

Under Timperley Bridge the 2+ mile Sale Straight stretches ahead.

It was a pleasure to cruise this canal in bright sunshine today. Most of my memories of Bridgewater Canal cruising involve a considerable amount of rain….

The excellent towpath is well used by walkers, cyclists and runners.

There’s a narrow strip of undeveloped land either side of the Mersey aqueduct, separating Sale from Stretford. Watch House Cruising Club has it’s HQ here.

WHCC

Water Lilies

The fine St Ann’s Church, Grade II listed and built between 1862 and 1863.

Through Stretford and Waters Meeting is reached, in the shadow of the Kellogg’s factory.

Waters Meeting

We turned left here, onto the original main line of the canal which carried the Duke’s coal from Worsley to Manchester. An hour away to the right is Castlefields and the junction with the Rochdale Canal. This section was opened in 1765, followed by the link back to the Trent and Mersey at Preston Brook in 1776, and the final connection to the Leeds and Liverpool at Leigh was authorised in 1795. The Duke of Bridgewater’s coal could then be shipped to markets in Manchester, Liverpool, Leeds and south into Cheshire.

The mines finally stretched for 46 miles under the ridge separating Walkden and Swinton, serviced by a network of underground canals which saw daylight at Worsley Delph.

Before we got to Worsley, though, we crossed the Manchester Ship Canal on the impressive Barton Swing Aqueduct.

Heading onto the aqueduct.

When operated the ends are closed by gates and the structure, complete with 800 tons of water, rotates about it’s centre on an island in the middle of the Ship Canal.

Looking across to the similar designed road bridge.

The brick tower between the bridges contains the controls. The last time we came this way we saw the structures swung to allow two vessels to pass below, but the Ship Canal was empty today.

Near Eccles (famous as the home of the pastry cakes) the canal swings left to head eastwards, and there’s an interesting “folly” at Monton near Parrin Lane Bridge.

Monton Lighthouse

The canal follows another long straight to the interesting village of Worsley.

Worsley Dry Dock, reputed to be the oldest working dry dock on the inland waterways.

The boathouse, built to house the “Royal Barge”, specially constructed for Queen Victoria’s visit in 1851.

The Packet House, where once passengers boarded the fast packet boats to Manchester.

In 1843 the 2½ hour trip cost 3d for a seat in the Best Cabin. That’s just over 1p for those who don’t remember £sd.

Worsley Delph and the 2 entrances to the mine.

Leaving Worsley, under the M60 and M602 bridges.

The ochre colour of the water is due to dissolved iron oxide leaching out of the mine workings. A similar effect can be seen north of Harecastle Tunnel on the T&M.

We pulled over about 1½ miles past the village, in a quiet spot on the offside. We’ve stopped here before.

In the bushes for the night.

Locks 0, miles 13

Pushing on up the Bridgewater

We woke up today to a fine, sunny morning, and were on the move at 10:00.

Away from our Moore mooring.

We wanted to make sure our diesel tank was fairly full, so pulled in at Thorn Marine at Stockton Heath. While there we also filled the water tank and emptied one loo tank.

Thorn Marine, still working hand to mouth with a threat of closure from Peel Holdings.

We had a steady cruise through the Warrington suburbs of Stockton Heath and Grappenhall, emerging into the countryside near Thelwall with the M6 viaduct visible in the distance.

Thelwall Viaduct and the M6

Ducking under the motorway the canal runs into Lymm, where surprisingly there were a couple of mooring spots available, but we pushed on past Outrington to Dunham Massey.

Water Lilies near Lymm

Lymm Moorings

There are a group of canal-related businesses alongside the navigation out of Lymm, and the painters had an excellent advert moored outside.

Fine paint job on NB Old Tom

The photo doesn’t do the finish justice.

Owl carving at the Barn Owl Inn.

It’s been a warm dry day, with the forecasted afternoon showers failing to materialise. More of the same for the rest of the week, they reckon.

After a conversation with Paul off NB The Antidote a couple of weeks ago, I’ve had my reservations about the accuracy of my engine rev counter. So I bought a cheap laser tachometer from a dealer on ebay. He was right; the rev counter is reading light, to the tune of around 25%. There’s a calibration screw on the back of the instrument, and with a bit of adjustment we’re now a lot nearer. So we’re now ticking-over at 700rpm, and canal cruising at 900.

Locks 0, miles 10¾

One river, two canals.

On Friday we left the Weaver for the Trent and Mersey, going up the Anderton Boat Lift.

Last lock on the river, Saltersford, the deck hand going forward.

Ducks in a row.....

We moored on the holding moorings below the lift, walked up to the office and were allocated a passage in just ½ an hour’s time. As it worked out we were a bit later than that. The trip boat, MV Edwin Clarke, had a breakdown and missed it’s own up time, so pinched ours when it was repaired. No matter, we’d plenty of time.

It’s a good view from halfway up to the exhibition centre.

After the peace and quiet of the river it seemed very busy on the canal, but the service wharf was empty so we dealt with the “housekeeping” then turned around and headed back to moor above the lift so Mags and Corie could go in the exhibition and have a look around.

It had started to rain by this time, so I sneaked the boat up onto the upper holding moorings right outside the door to wait for them.

The rain eased as we set off, heading north parallel to the river but now 50 feet higher. Corie was fascinated by the two tunnels we had to go through before mooring just north of Bartington Wharf.

Barnton Tunnel.

Corie’s camera takes sharper pictures under these conditions; mine would just have shown a blur of brickwork. Something to do with shutter speed and aperture settings, or some such wizardry.

Corie and I took Meg for a walk and met a couple of South American visitors.

A bit shy….

But they finally came to say hello.

I like this guy, reminds me of someone in a band…

(photo from colourplanprint.co.uk)

Our visitor was being collected on Saturday, and we originally intended to wait here, but Corie didn’t want his boat trip to finish just yet, so we decided to have an early start in the morning and get up to Moore on the Bridgewater Canal in time to meet Melanie who was coming down for him.

So at 07:45 (wow, that IS early!) I pulled pins and set off for Preston Brook Tunnel, leaving the other two in bed. And I thought the early start was a JOINT decision…..

Looking down at Dutton Lock in the early sunshine.

They were both upright by the time we arrived at the Dutton Stop Lock an hour later.

Tug Kennet at Dutton Dry Dock

Working down the 3 inches of Dutton Stop Lock

Claymore hire boat coming out of the south portal of Preston Brook Tunnel.

After the tunnel we pulled over at the road bridge to visit the handy Spar shop just two minutes away, then moved on a few hundred yards to Midland Chandlers.

We’d decided to buy a couple of those automatically inflating lifejackets to use instead of the bulky waistcoat type ones we’ve got at present. The Ribble Link trip is imminent…

Meg had also grown out of her “water wings” so we invested in a new jacket for her, too.

“I don’t think I like this, Dad.”

She won’t be out on the deck during the tidal passage, but you never know.

So, lighter in pocket, we cruised the last 2½ miles to Moore, where we pulled in just past the Post Office. Mags’ granddaughter, Melanie, arrived with her three daughters to collect our erstwhile crewmate, and we had an hour or so gossiping before they all set off back up to Ingleton.

Boat full

L-R – Emma, Melanie, Lauren behind Joanne, Corie and Mags in the sunshine.

I’m sure Corie has enjoyed these few days with us; we’ve certainly enjoyed having him. For a first trip to England he’s certainly cramming some stuff in. Tomorrow they’re going to have a look at Malham Cove and Janet’s Foss, then on Tuesday up to Middlesborough to see another of Mags’ granddaughters, Zoe, and her family, with a side trip to Whitby. He flies back home on Friday, with quite a few memories (and a bag full of souvenirs) of his visit. We’ll look forward to seeing him again.

We were having a quiet day today, with the Grand Prix to watch this afternoon, but I think Mags’ sister and nephew are on their way….

Locks 2, Boat Lifts 1, tunnels 3, miles 16½

Weaver Tour

Our surprise guest arrived yesterday. Well, it was a surprise for Mags when her Canadian grandson turned up! The best kept family secret for ages, Corie had arrived in the UK on Saturday, had a long weekend in Ingleton, and then was brought down to meet us by Mag’s grand-daughter Nichola, her husband Arthur and Mag’s great-granddaughter Emma. They all spent the afternoon with us, including a trip up to Northwich and back, before Nickie, Arthur and Emma headed home leaving Mag’s to get to know Corie. We moved away from the lift to Barnton Cut to get a quieter night.

This morning we set off around 09:30, heading downstream. We had a short wait at Saltersford Lock, then were on our way again.

Saltersford Lock

Weedy walls as we drop down.

Acton Swing Bridge rotates about it’s centre, to clear both the navigation channel and the backwater.

It’s around 40 minutes to Dutton Lock, and the lock keeper was expecting us, but he was also expecting three boats coming upstream and had set the lock ready for them. After waiting 10 minutes there was still no sign of them so he decided to fill the lock and drop us down. Of course, as soon as the lock was full the convoy of three narrowboats appeared!

Waiting below the lock

These were the only narrowboats we saw on the move all day.

Corie near Dutton.

And deep in concentration near Devil’s Garden

Pickering’s Wharf used to have a swing bridge across the channel. Since it was removed the houses on the north side of the river have to use motor launches to get to the road.

Pickering’s Wharf.

Frodsham Cut was the old line of the navigation until 1827, dropping the river down through a shallow lock towards the Mersey. There’s no access this way now; the “new” line, known as the Weston Canal, takes the navigation into the increasingly industrialised edges of Runcorn.

Sutton Swing Bridge looks a bit careworn, not much paint, quite a bit of rust.

Sutton Bridge

I wonder why this looks so neglected when those upstream still look fresh in black and white paint?

We pushed on down to Marsh Lock, which links the Weaver Navigation to the Manchester Ship Canal. We turned around here and moored on the lock pontoon for lunch. We knew that we wouldn’t be in the way, this lock is used only rarely these days.

Grandma and Grandson at Marsh Lock

Looking across the water from the lock. The Weaver comes in from the left, the Ship Canal comes in directly across and heads off the Manchester to the right.

The opposite bank of the Ship Canal with Weaver Sluices on the right.

Over the wall is the Mersey estuary, with Liverpool on the far horizon.

Corie on the bottom gates of Marsh Lock

After lunch we retraced our steps, heading back upstream to moor just above Dutton Lock at around 16:00.

Passing the chemical works on the north bank, spotted these two painters hard at work…

And here’s one we did earlier.

We caught up with a bunch of rowers out from the Runcorn Rowing Club.

As we passed they were doing some balance training?

Alas, no-one fell in. I just knew I should have gone faster….

Moored for the night astern of MV Chica.

It's been a good day today, dry with even a bit of sunshine. The weather is predicted to steadily improve towards the weekend. We’re heading up onto the canal tomorrow.

Locks 3, miles 17