A favour repaid as we head back to CRT waters

I believe that a favour owed can be repaid to a stranger, not necessarily the person who granted you the favour. Ultimately what comes around goes around.
So when we were asked for help today at Preston Brook we didn’t hesitate, after Paul and Jan’s help last Thursday down Wigan Locks.

We’d left Moore at around 09:45, with around an hour and a half to Preston Brook tunnel we’d arrive at 11:15, leaving us 15 minutes in hand before the southbound “window” of on the half hour and up to 20 minutes to the hour. The northbound times are on the hour and up to 10 minutes past. Having these timed passages avoids the problem of boats meeting in the middle of the 1272 yard long bore. Salterford, the next tunnel along, runs on a similar system.

Moore, with a handy Post Office and general store next to the canal moorings

Landmarks as you approach the end of the Bridgewater -

Fiddlers Ferry Power Station, way over on the north bank of the Mersey…

…the Victorian water tower on the hill above Runcorn…

…and Daresbury Laboratories, with the distinct tower.
Behind the trees on the skyline above the lab is Daresbury’s All Saints Church, the incumbent was once The Reverend Charles Dodgson. His son Charles junior is better know to us under his pen-name of Lewis Carroll, creator of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, amongst others.  The church has a stained glass window depicting characters from his books. Worth a look if you’ve time to spare.

We were chugging past the moored boats at Claymore’s hire base at Preston Brook when I saw something you don’t see every day…

… a car jump-starting a boat! Or at least failing to…

A discussion ensued, which, to cut a long story short, involved us towing NB Tamiley through Preston Brook tunnel and along the Trent and Mersey for a couple of miles to near Bartington.

NB Tamiley on a short tether.


Bob and Anita had inherited the boat, and needed to move it off the Bridgewater. Unfortunately the engine wouldn’t start and Claymore were too busy to check it out. I had a look “under the bonnet” when we’d negotiated the tunnel and the shallow stop lock, but couldn’t make head nor tail of the wiring.
A professional from the boatyard just ahead is going to have a look in the morning, and Bob has taken a battery away to charge it overnight.

So we didn’t get as far as we’d planned today, but not to worry.

Locks 1, miles 6½