Dutton

Our original plan for this morning was to leave the mooring at 10 and go through Preston Brook tunnel at 1030am. But then we thought now we are here we may as well go to the end of the Runcorn arm and back. The Bridgewater company don't seem to have a problem putting barriers to help control towpath traffic.

We only met a couple of boats as we made our way towards the end, but there is development along most of the towpath side land with footpaths closed. Last time we were this way there was a company making canoes in this building, now it looks empty.

It looks as if the mural has been repainted in the past 4 years from how bright it is .

We went to the end and winded, there were two boats, a wide beam and a Narrowboat belonging to Unlock Runcorn who are working to restore the locks from the end of the arm down to the Manchester Ship Canal.
We decided not to stop at the end but just wind and head back to Preston Brook junction. There use to be a small canal side garden centre which is now closed and up for sale, it has a very nice mooring but as it not been used the lilies have taken over.

We arrived at the entrance to Preston Brook Tunnel  at about ten to two outside out passage window so had to wait until two thirty before we could enter. I got one very poor shot of the repairs part way through the tunnel which are basically a concrete box. It collapsed in 1981.

As we came to the other end of the tunnel Diana noticed we were chasing a duck, I hope we hadn’t chased it all the way from Preston Brook.

A couple of years ago a boat got into the tunnel at Preston Brook and then got wedged which required the fire brigade to get them out. Ahead was Dutton Lock which was against us, all 20mm of it. The tunnel is 4M wide but Dutton lock is probably only 3M. which limits the size of boats that can access the T&M canal. We probably only did another mile when we spotted a row of mooring rings on a concrete edging, all in the shade.

Today’s Journey

12 miles with 1 lock in 5 hours

Preston Brook

Last night we ate at Elmas the Mediterranean restaurant, this was not our first visit and very enjoyable. This morning the first job was a visit to Sainsburys, its only a small one but we got everything we need. The day again was very sunny but quite hazy.
This seamed a good idea, skips in the hold of a barge, once full they can be lifted out.

We passed the converted offshore lifeboat again with the grafted on wheel house.

We met two broad beam boats today, thankfully both had skippers who could steer, the first was the Wizard II a wide beam charity trip boat, the second was  a Bridgewater work boat

It looks as if this farm building has reached the ends of its days with a large pile of brickwork behind it.

On our way up here I spotted this, but was far to slow to get a photo, so on our return I made sure I captured this.

You can see how hazy it was from this photo of the chemical works.

With all the development at Preston Brook both sides of the canal the developers are building a new bridge across the canal. There is still a lot or work

 

to do to complete both the bridge and the housing estate, I wonder if they have included bus stops in the road layout .We only went a little further until we spotted a nice oak tree on the towpath, our only hope of shade so that was it, we pulled in and called it a day. We may regret this mooring as although its in the shade its rather close to the railway line.

Today’s Journey

9¼ Miles with no locks in 2¾ hours

Lymm

Quite a cool breeze this morning making steering quite pleasant. We passed this converted lifeboat, I think its the first time I have seen one with a wheelhouse grafted onto it.

Then we came to the fishing match, the time was 1043 and they didn’t start until 1045 so I said to the first one we will be clear by then, I could only see six anglers, then we went round the corner and saw the rest. What I have never seen before was two EA officers complete with stab vest and body cam checking all the fishing licences.

We were undecided whether to stop in Lymm or carry on to the breach, it depended on the mooring situation. When we got there there was loads of spaces so we carried on to the breach. The canal is

buoyed off and a chain across just beyond the winding hole, a full length boat would have problems turning there as  they would have trouble getting the stern round, they may manage it doing it the same way as I did. Bows to the towpath and stern round into the winding hole, then pull the bows round to leave. Thankfully the wind was in the right direction. The scaffolding/sheet dam is doing nothing with the water level both sides, its the stone/earth dam that is holding the water back.As we were stopped to have a look, we couldn’t see the work site we thought we may as well have lunch before setting off again. On our way back to Lymm we passed this boat with an interesting porthole layout with spectacle covers.

We also passed a continuous line of moored wide beam boats, we have met one on the move this week and even with the width of the Bridgewater, depending where it is it can be interesting.

Between Lymm and Hesford Marine is an old waterside warehouse with an attached house, the house looks lived in but the warehouse is getting into a poor state and could use a bit of love .

 

 

  Back in Lymm there was only a single boat moored on both sides so we pulled in on the town side just through the bridge for the night and eat out tonight.

Today’s Journey

9½ miles with no locks in 3¾ hours

Grappenhall

Bit of a lazy start today that turned into a rush. We didn’t need to be at Preston Brook tunnel until 11 o’clock so we were just sort of milling around and suddenly noticed the time getting away. It turned out that we locked down through Dutton Tunnel and cruised straight into the tunnel and away.

Just before Dutton Lock you pass Dutton Dry Dock, this is a pretty little dock in my opinion, the only real down side is lack of road access. You can see how bright a day it is from the above photos photos. Dutton lock had its maximum fall with the T&M canal overtopping the top gate. There was a boat ahead of us, but once in the tunnel I couldn’t workout how far so took it slowly. there was just one boat waiting at the far end.We carried straight on passing the old Midland Chandlers shop now empty. There is a massive housing development going on from behind here all the way to Delph lane where they are building a new bridge across the canal to another development on the other side, at the moment they have a temporary bridge across for moving plant.

Last time we came this way this old building was propped up, today there are a few more props, a real risk it will just fall into the canal one day.

It was an ideal time to meet this lot as there were taking a refreshing break all tied up under a large bridge, mush better than all over the canal like a couple we have met today .

Another sad sight but I expect its beyond redemption, it looks as if its been there some time and everything looks rotten on it. I don’t know who it is but its quite short.

We thought we had found a bit of shade to moor but then realised that I had driven the stern pin in quite close to a wasp nest, and they didn’t seem too impressed with the idea. Shut the back end up to keep them out then sat down for a cool drink, by then they had calmed down a bit and we pulled the boat forward a boats length to leave them in peace, quietly removing the mooring pin..

  

Today’s Journey

9¼ miles with one lock in 3¼ hours

Dutton Hollow

This was our mooring last night, tucked in under the trees for shade it was so nice I sat out on the

deck watching the TV, I was hoping that the sun was going to go down over the canal but it was just to the right.

We were away early today and passing the moored boats on the long term CRT moorings, I noticed one of them had this floating around, I suspect its tethered in some way so as not to whiz off down the cut.

Our first stop was the services at Anderton for water and dispose of recycling, mustn’t call it rubbish any more. CRT have built a nice compound for the bins, accessed with a BWB key, they even put a mesh roof on it to stop people throwing things into the compound, it works because there is rubbish on the roof where someone has tried to do just that.

Passing the Anderton Lift it’s good to see the top basin being put to good use, there is a fine growth if weed in the aqueduct leading to the two caissons.

We had a clear run through Barnton Tunnel and arrived at Saltersford Tunnel 5 minutes before the transit window closed. At the far end there were three boats wating to come the other way and we met another three in the next half kilometre, so that timing worked well, we are now moored at the site of the old breach, there is only one other boat here  and a few have been passed in both directions.

Today’s Journey   

 

7 miles with no locks in 3 hours

Marston

Away a little earlier this morning arriving at Big Lock just as a boat was leaving, going down, so we followed by ourselves. I don’t recall this sign last time we were this way but lots of offside vegetation has been cleared at the lock.

This boat was suffering a sever case of the droops, maybe its heat related or just old age.

It was very pleasant cruising for the next couple of hours as there are lots of trees both sides to give dappled shade. The domestic refuse site by the canal has completely closed down and they are building on adjacent land.

 

The still air and sunshine has given some lovely reflections like this bridge.

I stopped at Oakwood Marina to fill with diesel, I had been told it was £1 which sounded good, but it was actually £1-30 domestic, I should have filled at Chas Harding’s at £1-25. Soon we were passing our old marina at Park farm that looks to have major workgoing on and then to Orchard Marina that was dry for many years. The moorings outside are full but lots of space inside.

It looks as if a nice new Power Station called The Lostock Sustainable Energy Plant has been built beside the Tata Chemical works.
I don’t know how long this wide beam has been on the 48 hr moorings but its certainly caught CRT’s eye, I don’t think they are Christmas Cards hanging on it.

We carried on until a short way before the Lion Salt works where the shade from the trees by the mobile home park attracted our attention, it was even better when Diana spotted 4 mooring rings attached to the concrete edge.
Sitting in the shade the outside thermometer is still reading 33° C and its a couple of degrees cooler inside the boat.

Today’s Journey

 

7½ miles with one lock in 3½ hours