How to Leave a Comment on Our Blog

HOW TO LEAVE A COMMENT ON THIS BLOG
1. Scroll to the end of the post.
2. Click on the phrase "0 comments" or, if there are comments it will indicate how many, for example, "8 comments." Clicking on this will open the comment option for you.
3. Type in your note.
4. Choose your Profile. If you don't understand the choices under Profile then choose Anonymous but PLEASE type your name and location at the bottom of your comment so I know who you are!

Tuesday, July 24, 2012

Heartbreak Hill

This section of the Trent and Mersey canal is known as `Heartbreak Hill`. Over 6 miles or so 25 locks are encountered. Personally with all the time in the world to travel the canal system I suffer no heartbreak. I expect in the days of working boatmen the large number of locks was an obstacle to overcome in delivering the goods on time so i can understand the name if they indeed named this section. I thought they called them Cheshire locks so maybe `Heartbreak` is a modern day term.

Mostly the locks are paired single locks. U.S this means a single boat can use either lock. Some like the one above has no gates and is used as a by wash.
Others like this one have just been neglected although I have seen some  that were on previous trips un-usable but now are fully functional.











This to me is a blatant example of erasing history in fact almost as bad as the demolition of canal side buildings. Why does the original stone bridge number not just have a modern metal plate fixed into it`s masonry but also re-numbered. There must be, and Milton Keynes is in my mind, plenty of extra bridges built over the canal over the years that have been numbered with just an `a` added to the previous bridge number. Milton Keynes being a new town has many new bridges and from memory a,b,c,d,e have been used. So a lot of expense for new numbers when perhaps an `a` and `b` here and there would have solved the problem. One of the metal plates has been removed perhaps by a disgruntled boater like me or perhaps someone who lives at 145!

No comments:

NB Valerie & Steam Train by Les Biggs

NB Valerie & Steam Train by Les Biggs