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Thursday, 29 March 2018

Acton Bridge Thursday 29 March 2018

We set off just after 9am just as nb. Elizabeth came by, so we followed them all the way to marsh Lock. Our arrival coincided with Steam Boat Daniel Adamson coming up in the lock from the Manchester Ship Canal. DSCF0536

Her passage was slightly slower than expected as one of the bottom gates wont shut under its own power so the chaps have to use a Terfor and pull it shut from the far side, fitting the strop is not without its difficulties.DSCF0539

Once the gate was shut the lock only needed to lift a few inches before the Daniel Adamson could get out onto the River Weaver and head upstream.DSCF0544

You will find more photos of Daniel Adamson in my  Drop Box .

We then carried on down to Western Point to wind at the entrance to the now derelict Runcorn Canal, it only needs some new gates for the first section to be put back in use.DSCF0550

Eddy Stobard now has the use of the land at Western point and boats cant get passed the low swing bridge, I don't know what's in all these white pallets but there are lots of them. DSCF0552

On our way back up stream we spied a nice spot at an old weir to take photos of the boats heading for Ellesmere Port for Easter. We are not sure if there were 14 or 15 in the end. I like it when I spot old waterway working furniture, This is an old mooring ring, but what is unusual is that it has a pin attached to it, so the eye of the rope was passed through the ring and then the pin through the eye of the rope behind the ring. This results in the rope being attached just like a belt buckle.DSCF0577Once past Marsh Lock we started meeting the boats coming down to make the crossing, hopefully I have a photo of them all and I  have published them in my Drop Box  .

When we reached Sutton Swing Bridge the main body of them were coming down so we waited for the last and followed them down to the lock. Following the arrival of Daniel Adamson CRT left the top lock gates open so the boats could go straight in as they arrived. DSCF0580Here Ilford and Clematis are the last pair to arrive and we left CRT shutting the gate as we continued on to our chosen spot to get the photos.DSCF0582

It wasn't long before they came streaming out, I am not sure how but Ilford went last but came out in the middle. Again all the photos are in my Drop Box.DSCF0601

Much to our surprise not only were this lot leaving but a single Narrowboat was coming in from the Port.DSCF0617

Once they had all gone we again headed upstream past the chemical works, I font know what causes this foam but it was also bubbling up through the ground.DSCF0547

The banks of the river further upstream are covered with Wild Garlic, I expect it will be in flower shortly.

We then met the Daniel Adamson coming back down the river to return to Ellesmere Port, the CRT boys are having a busy day today.DSCF0622

On to Dutton Lock where most of the flotilla spent the night with only 4 locking down this morning, but we were going up alone. Once the Lady lock keeper had seen us on our way it was up to Acton Bridge for the night, we just managed to squeeze on to the back end of the visitor mooring, front rope on a bollard and stern chained to the piling.

Today's Journeymap 08 16½ Miles 1 Lock in 6¼ hours.

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