Hello 2017

I promised myself that I would update the blog more often in the new year and as the first week is almost over it's time I started.  I celebrated New Year quietly on the Leeds Liverpool canal watching the Jools Holland Hootenanny.  I love Jools but this year the show seemed shorter both in terms of talent and duration.  Maybe last years was too good.  The dreaded Wigan lock flight lay ahead of me and having struggled through it on my own before I was keen not to do so again.  At 21 locks it's not the longer flight on the system but due to a combination of poor maintenance and vandalism it is one of the worst.  I had found a group on FB called the "Wigan Flight Crew" which are a group of canal enthusiasts who volunteer to help boaters on the flight.  I made contact and found they were helping a boat down the flight on 2 Jan and I was welcome to share the trip - the locks are wide and can take two boats.  New Year's day was therefore a long cold trip of around 15 miles and 6 locks and I reached the top of the flight just as the light was failing.  A quick shower and hot drink soon revived my spirits and I slept well knowing I would not have to face the flight alone.  

Around 9:30 the following morning, with ice still on the boat, Andy, one of the volunteers, arrived and we chatted over a pot of tea waiting for Hayley to arrive with her boat.  A little before 10am we were in the first lock and ready to start the decent. 

Wigan Top Lock

Shortly after a second volunteer, Christine, arrived an we were soon making good progress through the flight with a reasonable hope of getting g through in under 4 hours.  However, this was thwarted a little over halfway down when we encountered an empty pound.  A pound is any stretch of canal between two locks and can be several miles long or, as in this case only a few hundred feet.  This one had probably been emptied by vandals opening the paddles on both the gates of the lower lock this draining all the water.   The solution is to run water down from the pounds above by opening and closing paddles which takes time.  About an hour later we had partially refilled the pound and decided that, although still 2 feet below normal level, it was probably deep enough to get the boats through.  Thankfully it was and we managed to continue our descent without further problems.  After clearing the bottom of the flight we continued on the the Leigh arm of the Leeds & Liverpool and went our separate ways as I moored up for the day while Hayley continued on her journey.  

The canal joins the Bridgewater canal at Leigh which then winds its way around the Mersey crossing the Manchester Ship Canal via an impressive swing aqueduct.  The photo below os taken from the Bridgewater aqueduct over the MSC looking at the nearby road swing bridge.  Both bridges are swung to let large commercial ships through.  

Swing Bridge over the MSC

The Bridgewater canal runs for a little over 30 miles to join the Trent and Mersey canal at Preston Brook.  From there the T&M heads south and eventually east to join the river Trent near Nottingham.  Over the past few days I followed a pretty stretch along the Weaver valley to Anderton. 

Anderton is home to the impressive boat lift which carries boats 50 feet down to the river Weaver. Originally built in 1875 it fell into disrepair with the decline of the waterways but was fully restored in 2002 and is once again carrying boats.  It is currently closed for maintenance but opens at the end of the month and I have booked a trip to take Mr Bunbury down. The photo below is taken from the river Weaver showing the massive lift and the water filled metal channel which carries boats from the canal out to the lift.  Hopefully I shall have photos and videos for the next update. Once down the lift I'll cruise the river Weaver for a few days before accending back onto the T&M canal.

Anderton Boat Lift

In the meantime I'm moored up in a local marina for a week while I pick a hire car to visit my eldest son on his birthday and tour around the local area.