ANDERTON BOAT LIFT

The Anderton Boat lift gives access to the River Weaver 50` below the Trent & Mersey canal.

It was built in 1875 and still works much the same now as then. The main difference is that electricity now powers the rams.

Two water tanks, each containing 250 tons of water and two narrowboats, are supported on two one piece hydraulic rams.

Originally power was a steam engine driven pump, now electricity is the power source.

In 1908 the lift underwent major repairs and the hydraulic rams were replaced by gears, weights and pulleys and a lot of these are still in place today although not part of the lift operation.

The lift closed in 1983 because of corrosion and it was nearly 20 yrs later it was restored. Restoration took the form of re introducing hydraulic rams as originaly used but electric power to drive them.

Passage up and down the lift is free for narrowboats holding a B. Waterways licence. All you do is turn up and get allocated the next space or for £5 you can book a time.

Even if you are not on a boat you can take advatage of a trip boat that regularly makes the journey up and down, but you will have to pay.

The whole site with visitor centre containg exhibits and film shows telling the whole story is well worth a visit.

Anderton Boat Lift pictured from the R. Weaver. Quite a structure eh!

The entrance to the lift. First you enter beneath the guillotine gate you can see, this is then lowered and you are between the canal and the lift tank, a bit like entering the lion area at a drive in safari park, the gate in front of you is then raised and you enter the lift tank. Gate then lowers and you are in your own private bath tub ready to go down.

Looking down to the River Weaver from the tank as we decend.

This is a view of the other tank on it`s way up, shows the hydraulic ram.

Two boats in the lift tank waiting to decend, NB VALERIE on the right.

HARECASTLE TUNNEL

Some 4 miles along the Trent & Mersey from the jct. with the Caldon canal you come to Harecastle Tunnel. This tunnel is almost 2 miles long and is not as wide as other tunnels on the canal system and so it`s controlled by a tunnel keeper at each end. A maximum of 8 boats are allowed through north and the same can then go south once they emerge.

The water colour in this area for some distance both sides of the tunnel is caused by the ironstone mineworkings that are present all over the hill above the tunnel. The drainage from these mines causes the brown soupy colour.

There are actually 3 tunnels through the hill. The first was finished in 1777 . A second was built, to help speed boats through the tunnel as all the boats had to be legged through while the horses were walked over the hill, this was finished in 1827.

The 3rd tunnel was some 40` above the canal tunnels and was for a railway line. Now Following the closure of the original tunnel through subsidence and the re-routing of the railway only one tunnel is useable.

After exiting the tunnel the branch to the Macclesfield canal leaves to the left and as the Trent and Mersey drops down through 2 locks the Macclesfield canal crosses over the top of us. Just like a road flyover.

This area is Kidsgrove and there is a large Tesco 5 mins walk from the canal so an overnight stop followed by breakfast and seriouse re - stocking at Tesco was captains orders. OK so i am the captain, to tell the crew i just look in the mirror.

About 4 miles on is Hassall Green and a 17c pub called the Romping Donkey, i did ask but no one knew why. What i can tell you is they do a fab sunday roast, carvery style and a few pints after who wants to move after that so an o`night stop is order of the day.

Tunnel entrance

The odd colour of water

The Romping Donkey, Fantastic sunday roast.

Looking back at the tunnel entrance

BEFORE WE LEAVE

Just as i make my way back onto the trent & Mersey to carry on my journey North West to Anderton i will leave you with some of the views on the Caldon.

This is a view to the right at one of the many places i moored
and this is to the left

CHURNET VALLEY

The Caldon canal a branch of the Trent & Merseywas opened in 1779 to transport limestone from the quarries Froghall.

The canal was owned from the 1840`s by the North Staffordshire Railway as was the railway to Macclesfield but by 1988 under British Rail the last stretch of line closed.

By 1996 a group of railway enthusiasts had started running a steam hauled passenger service between Cheddleton & Froghall, a return journey of some 10 miles.

Now as it`s my mate Bills birthday and like me he is a steam train buff we will have a few extra pics, and also Kevin must be looking in. DMRC rules.

Steam trains only run on a Wednesday and all w`end. This diesel unit runs at all other times.

This is a loco inside the shed area udergoing repair.

This is Cheddleton stn. headquaters of the Churnet Valley Railway and the site of the engine shed and carriage & wagon sidings.


A steam hauled passenger train having just left Consall stn. has crossed the canal and is passing the Black Lion pub and that`s my boat NB VALERIE in the picture as well.



This shows the narrowness of the canal as i pass under the overhanging platform and more so the waiting room of Consall Station.

Up here on the Leek arm of the Caldon canal British Waterways have erected signs warning of Blue/Green Algae. The algae naturally occurs in still freshwater like canals and in hot weather can rapidly spread.
The morning after the signs went up along the towpath i awoke to find the canal covered in a carpet of green.
Contact with affected water can cause allergic reactions, itchy eyes and skin irritation and the advice is to avoid contact if possible and wash hands well if you should get your hands wet from mooring ropes for instance. Also keep dogs out of the water.
The algae will disappear as the weather cools. More info can be found on BW website.
www.britishwaterways.co.uk/newsroom

CALDON CANAL

On a field at the side of the canal jct, the members of the North Staffordshire Victorian Military History & Research Society had set up a victorian camp as the Staffordshire 80th foot regiment. They were camped all weekend in conjunction with the museum free admission and the mill engine in steam. They performed various drills and gave a firing display. Also the units armourer gave talks on the many weapons on display as did the women folk on the cooking facilities in camp. All taking part wore dress of the period.

At the jct. of the Trent & Mersey and Caldon Canal the Eturia Industrial Museum has been established. The museum also includes access to the steam powered bone & flint mill situated at the rear since 1857. The mill ground bone, flint,stone for the pottery industry.
On the way up to the Caldon i stopped off at the Wedgewood pottery factory. On site was a visitor centre/museum and the visit included acess around the factory to see how pottery of all types was made. In fact so close to people on production that questions could be asked, although most of the questions were answered on the handsets issued at the entry point and requiring only a number at each location to be entered and a commentary could be heard.
It was here that i learned that bone china actually contained a high bone content. I have not in the past given a thought to the china in the kitchen. Learning all the time. Wonderful.

SHUGBOROUGH

Shugborough Hall in Staffordshire is just south of the Great Haywood Jct, where the Staffordshire & Worcestershire canal joins the Trent & Mersey. Following crippling death duties it went from the Earl of Litchfields family home to the the National Trust who have leased the whole estate to Staffordshire county council.

The picture above shows the main house and like others i have seen i found it boring. BUT the difference here at Shug` hall is that the council have used all the other parts of the estate as a museum of country life.

The stables contain a collection of horse drawn carriages, servants quarters, the kitchens and storerooms and so much more.

The farm sited away from the house and reached by a ride on the road train contains a working mill, a museum of agriculture, butter and cheese making demos plus lots of how it used to be exhibits.

Just next to the farm lies the Walled Garden which used to supply the whole estate with fruit & veg. It is being re-planted with the same produce that grew here 200 yrs ago. part of the surrounding wall has cavitys where fires would be lit and the heat would spread along the wall and the warmth would help speed the growth of certain fruits. one side of the garden contains the head gardners house and some very small accomadation for garden workers, these now used as demo units for woodworking, leather work and other old country skills.

Yep as stately homes go this one is tops. Well done Staffs council. If you boat this way it`s worth a stop. Check out the bridge his lordship had built so he could get to church. The one over the canal is still there and if you go across the river you can find signs of the river bridge long gone.

Check the cottages his lordship had built to house villagers when he re-located the village so it was away from his manor,

The history both on and near the canal system is huge, if you just ask and look around as you travel, life can become a second education.

HOT AIR SAILING

This is the 5th ballon in the past 7 days.

Remote controlled, no motor just the very slight breeze.

ALREWAS or OLREWUS

Alrewas village was a nice o`night stop on the way back from Burton upon Trent. It was mentioned in the Domesday book and the village has many 17th century timber framed buildings.

The butchers shop has been in the same family since 1867 and is now since 1962 owned by Peter & Anthony, father /son. Anthonys son is 8 yrs old and told me he wants to be a butcher so the name will live on another generation.

This building at the rear of the shop was once the slaughter house. Can you see the rail above the window, this was for hanging slaughtered animals. To the rear of this building is a very modern slaughter house where the family run a very busy slaughter service for local farms.
Anthony was saying that when he visits cattle markets he bids against buyers from Morrisons Supermarkets.
A very pleasent half- hour chat and he would show us around if we came back a less busy day when they were not slaughtering.
Moving around the country i have noticed people are much more friendly and relaxed, i suppose they don`t have the pressures of big city life.


Coming soon on this blog: Sailing on the canal? & Hot air?

BURTON ON TRENT

At Fradley Jct. coming off the coventry a left onto the Trent & Mersey was intended to meet up with family for a w`end in mid August, but as there was plenty of time in hand a right turn towards Burton on Trent and a visit to the Coors visitor centre. This used to be the BASS museum of brewing but re-named to align with U.S. parent company Coors.

Admission includes a half pint in the bar and on entering the museum was asked "are you retired" answer yes (truth) so was given senior citizen rate. Now i am not one to argue with a attractive lady so took the £2 discount, after all it ended up in the bar till.

It was a very interesting visit and if you are up Burton way bridge 32 is the place to moor it`s also shown on Nicholsons guide as a winding hole with facilities. Horninglow Basin is full of permanent, stern moored boats and as the bows of some almost stretch into the main line winding is not easy with 58`.

Several forms of transport are on display horse drawn as above also lorries and vans including a flat bed small truck in the CORONA livery. Hands up who remembers Corona delivered to your door and getting money back on empties.

Three shire horses are on site and are used for displays at the museum and at shows.

FRADLEY Jct.

This is the Brit. Waterways office at Fradley Jct. In days gone by it was a toll hse, carpenters workshop, a forge and stables. Now it serves as a B.W. office with water point plus rubbish& elsan and part of the site is used as accomadation.
Opposite the office is the entrance to a reservoir built by the Trent & Mersey Canal Co.to save their water being lost to the rival Coventry Canal co. It served as an overflow storage and could be fed back as and when they needed it.
The reservoir is completely wheelchair friendly all round and has many small jettys so all can get close to the waterside.

The hide is very well constructed and inside can be found pictures in full colour of all the different species to be seen. Some like the Kingfisher might mean a long patient wait.

All in all not a place to miss if you pass by and not a single sign of vandalism to be seen.

After publishing this blog i realise that the pictures are appearing out of sequence. Sorry will try to sort it for future blogs.

TO BLOG OR TO HOT TO BLOG

Phew! it sure has been hot lately. In fact to be honest i have been so hot i just could not find the energy to blog. I do like the beautiful weather of the past week or so but cruising with the sun beating down does tend to get me very over-heated and in the last 9 days i have covered 30 miles and 13 locks in very short stages spending long periods seeking the countryside and shade.


At Hartshill i passed the Brit. Waterways yard comprising some very old buildings topped by a wonderful clock tower.

This is Fradley Jct. coming off the Coventry canal through a swingbridge (i am standing on) and onto the Trent & Mersey Canal. Pictures not quite in order if any one thinks i am travelling back and forth.

This is Fazeley Jct. where the Coventry Canal meets the Birmingham and Fazeley canal.The picture shows the Brit. Waterways office on the site of Peel`s Wharf. The office is on left of picture and flats are to the centre and right. Must have been a nice little earner when B.W. developed this site.

Leaving here i am heading up the Birm. & Fazeley past the firing range at Hopwas on through Whittington where the canal suddenly once again becomes the Coventry Canal. All down to running out of money and the canal being built by a rival company, the Birm. & Fazeley, only to be puchased later by the Coventry. They had originaly planned to reach Fradley till the cash ran out.Anyway this journey takes me to Fradley Jct. Where there is a very nice nature walk but i will blog that next.

STOP ME AND BUY SOME

Sitting under my sunshade after returning from a walk across the fields to the town of Bedworth i looked up and saw one of the many old working boats that now service boaters needs all over the canal system. In just a small stretch he stopped at 4 boats and finaly moored alongside the boat in front of me. As he needed to get near the boats fuel tank he moved forward and moored partly alongside NB VALERIE after asking me if it was ok. This boat is owned and operated by a young couple IAN and ALISON. On board they had coal, firewood, toilet chemicals, b b q coal and plants to name but a few. Also they had that most inportant boaters need DIESEL. Look at the picture you gas guzzling road users and eat your hearts out, 51p a litre. Sadly Ian did not carry bottle gas, mine having just run out after 12 weeks 3 days, but as this is the couples 1st year they might in future add it to the stocks. Still no panic as narrowboats have twin bottles and with 12 weeks use plenty of time to replace the empty.
Ian & Alison service boaters needs on the Oxford from Rugby to Hawkesbury jct and upto Fazely on the Coventry. So boaters their phone number is 07913761871. Sorry road users boats only, strictly illegal in your vehicles.

HAWKESBURY JUNCTION

Standing on a bridge with the Oxford canal coming through the stop lock into the basin. A boat is coming under the bridge from the Coventry canal. The Greyhound pub is out of sight to the left.

Viewed from Coventry canal the basin under bridge. Left onto the Oxford Canal. Where i am standing was once a boat yard but like so many places on the system it has now given way to housing.

Again from the Coventry, Greyhound pub across the basin and toll house between the canals.

The actual jct. of the Coventry & Oxford canals was originally about a mile away at Longford on the way to Coventry and upto this this point the canals ran parallel. It was not untill some 8/9 years later that Hawkesbury jct. as in the pictures came about thus cutting out the extra mileage of the original route. The toll office was for a long time manned by generations of the Sutton family and so the boatmen called the jct. SUTTON STOP. The Greyhound pub at the edge of the basin had a feed store and stable at the rear for the horses that pulled the boats. So mybe they should have a diesel pump to feed my horses! Will check tomorrow.

Amazing the things that have gone on while i have been living my previouse life. This is like going back to school, so much to learn not just from the canal. Coventry City was an eye opener, the amount of industry once there and what they produced also the bombing and how the city became what it is today. The canal routes zig zagging until they were straightened all for speed to compete with other canal companys. Suppose a bit like our road system till they built those straight direct motorways, and two i can think of have toll houses. Like the fashions of the past all going full circle. Hope all this full circle lark don`t mean i end up at work again......no chance to much to see yet and I`ve only just begun-song there somewhere, answers on comments please but no prizes.

Well after coming off the Ashby with my mate John i am having to stay at Hawkesbury Jct. for a while as sadly John has had to go back to London for a funeral so i am looking after his boat as he did mine when i went home, no the boat is home, i visited family. The weather is not to good at the moment had some rain, wind and plain dull day.

INSIDE THE BOAT

Just sitting checking my e-mails and have one saying can i blog a picture of the boat interior. As i had a similar request sometime ago and forgot(sorry ) i thought i woild take a couple of snaps before i forgot again. So the top one is looking forward and i am standing with my back next to the bathroom door. Past the kitchen unit on right it`s 18` to the front doors.
The bottom pic i am standing in front doorway looking towards kitchen and beyond that lies bathroom and bedroom.
Just happened to pick up a copy of Towpath Talk (june 1st issue 5) and an article on blogs. So being a blogger i took time out of my busy schedule....and had a read. At the end of the article was a list of ten boat blogsites and yes there was mine, blimey i felt chuffed.
Anyway at mo am just moored at Hawkesbury Jct. after coming off the Ashby and taking a few days to catch up on bits and bobs i have meant to do e-mails etc , just chilling out and why not it`s the way i live. If i want and when i want.

W`END HOME

Well folks these are the 2 main reasons i popped back south for on the top TEO age 12 days and on the bottom KEIRA 1 month. I did pop back short time ago when keira was born. Of course the other g`children JACKKIERNAN were on my visit list especially Jordan who is an age i can have a nice conversation with although Jack is not far off a good chat as well.

The transport this time was a hire car from Enterprise who collected me and dropped me back at the boat on monday. So a 3 day hire was £60 inc cdw ins. Brand new car 700 miles on clock meant i could visit a lot more friends and family than when i used train last time. No cabs and buses.

Short blog to-night just off the Ashby had a thunder and heavy rain this evening after a very hot day.Still it only lasted half hour and it is still sticky.

ASHBY CANAL

Back in time, the tearoom on the inside

Tea shop Market Bosworth

End of navigation

Shackerstone railway stn.

"VALERIE" moored at Shackerstone

Have now been on the Ashby for 6 days and what a wonderful experience it`s been. The canal is navigable for 22 miles upto snarestone. About 5 miles further on the canal is in water at Donisthorpe for about2 miles and there are plans to join the 2 sections once again.

The canal is mostly small villages and the largest place must be Hinckley so keeping the food cupboard filled is a must as most moorings -the best anyway- are remote. While in Hinckley i noticed on the map a greyhound track, that`s track not stadium just 800yds and it`s yards not meteres as i am old and english, from the canal. Now the one and only time i went to a dog track was 30 yrs ago so as i am retired and doing things i fancy off John and i went on a saturday night. Yes i am still with John, he`s a nice bloke and we get on ok pleasing ourselves if we stay in or go out no hassle. Well this track turns out to be a flapping track, that is it`s un-licenced.All it consisted off was a circular track of grass and sand with floodlights on poles that looked as if a dog collided with them they would crash to the ground. A small box on stilts was the control tower and a small bar area. Three bookmakers were on site standing on a long bench with their large bag and an assistant writing down the bets. I estimate the attendance was approx 150 punters so how they made money is beyond me. The bookies had the tote as competition. On the tote you could only bet 50p upwards on 1st and 2nd dog so you had to pick the two best dogs, but you could do a reverse bet so your 2 dogs could finish 1st or 2nd. Gonna stop on that as i am not other than the lotto now and again a gambler. Was a good night though.

The Battlefield Line is a steam railway of some 9 miles in length between Shenton and Shackerstone. The remainder of the railway ceased in the sixties and all that remains is run and maintained by steam enthusiasts.

Market Bosworth is a typical village along the Ashby and it was here the small tearoom was discovered up a small courtyard between the buildings. Going inside for a cuppa was like going back in time.It was crammed full of victorian bits and bobs and some intersting pictures of the village in the past, also on the walls lots of the old metal advertising signs.

So still on the ashby but i am going back to see family for the w`end as i have in the last week been made a g`dad again so must go and cuddle Teo my 7lb g`son. The name Teo is Turkish as my son steve is married to a lovely young Turkish girl Ozlem. For the trip i have hired a car this time to make sure ican visit a lot more people. The car co. will collect me canal side and drop me back on monday.