Chemical works, rivers, tunnels and badgers.

(Boat Flamingo - posted by Cath)

(Delayed post for Thursday 16th May)

We are no longer in a hurry - at least for a few days - and the mooring in Middlewich was so quiet this morning that we thought that we could have a leisurely breakfast. This was a mistake.

Descending the three narrow locks at Middlewich involves a 90 degree bend.

Just as we started to untie the historic boat Tasmania came around the corner, heading for the lock that lock-keeper was getting ready. No problem, we joined the queue, but before we got to enter the lock there was a growing queue of boats waiting to go down the flight of three.

 

Always good to see a working fuel boat - this is the Halsall

I deemed it time to do washing again - nice weather; a long, lock-less stretch of canal; and because I didn't know when I will be able to wash again. This meant that Alan had to steer. It's attractive enough countryside, but not spectacular. 

 

One of the less pretty parts

Once the washing had been finished we stopped for lunch and then I had a stint of steering. This section of canal is much less attractive - passing through the TATA chemical works. The area is still famed for salt production, but the old towns have been decimated by subsidence because of the extraction of 'wild brine' from underneath the land. In recent years there were a lot of collapsed houses in some villages, but these days this seems to have been replaced with large warehouses. We passed close to Northwich, where Flamingo was built by Yarwoods in 1936. As she was on the fleet of the Grand Union Canal Carrying Company on the southern Grand Union we doubt that she has been this far north since she was built.

If we do need to leave, is narrow boat speed adequate?

We kept on past the Anderton Lift - which transports boats vertically between the Trent and Mersey Canal and the River Weaver by means of two caissons lifting 50' - and then into the two tunnels. Barnton Tunnel is not easy to see through, but you have to make sure that it is clear before you head into it. Saltisford Tunnel allows passage in a westerly direction from the hour to 20 past, and from the half hour to 10 to in an easterly direction.

Entering Saltisford Tunnel.

We got to Saltisford Tunnel shortly before 6 pm, and spent a little while deciding whether we could moor in the basin outside - we couldn't, it was too shallow at the bank. The humans could probably have managed to get on and off by means of the plank, but the dogs would have freaked.

Then David fell from the gunwale into the canal as he was putting the plank back on the roof of the boat. He was OK, wet, and a bit bruised, but he had to go and get into the shower as we headed into the tunnel following several other boats. He put his wet clothes into a bucket - more washing at some time soon.

There are larger boats on the River Weaver...

Shortly after the tunnel we found a pleasant mooring. I got ready to go for a run while Alan and David set up the solar panel. As I got back they took the dogs off for a walk.

They were a long time, and they didn't have phones, Alan having left his, and David's still drying out. Not long before 9 pm I was beginning to wonder where they were, so stepped outside onto the 'gap' on Flamingo in the hope that I might see them. I was disturbed by a grunting noise, and saw two badgers on the towpath. One disappeared into a field while the other ran determinedly along the towpath, just feet from me, then up onto the bridge we had moored near, and I saw it still running determinedly across the bridge.

Footnote by Alan

... but currently they can't get through this lock

The reason David and I were gone such a long while was because, apart from the dogs needing a really proper walk, we saw several fascinating things.

We walked down onto the Weaver and past Saltisford lock.  Only when we got there did I recall that it is currently out of action.  I'm not sure exactly what the problem is, but CRT seemed to have huge amounts of boats, equipment and supplies on hand to deal with it.  

The Weaver in the late evening sun.

Curious "valley" over Barnton tunnel, with air shaft at bottom.

Later we walked over the top of Barnton and Saltisford tunnels that we had passed through a few hours before.  The paths over each broadly follow the lines of the tunnels, as can be witnessed by where the air shafts are.  However we were very surprised to find that for much of the length of the Eastern end of Barnton Tunnel there is actually a significant cutting above where the tunnel runs. It looks like something approaching half the depth of ground above the tunnel has been removed, and the air shaft is actually coming up through the bottom of the cutting formed.  I tried some Internet research to try to find the history to this, but it seems a bit uncertain. Possibly when the tunnel was built it was found not to be fully stable, and this material, (and it would have been a great deal of it), was removed to avoid the instability 

On the path OVER Saltisford Tunnel

Part way on the footpath over Saltisford tunnel one encounters one of the Trent and Mersey mile markers.  Someone walking a horse over would have seen it - those travelling through the tunnel by boat would not have!


 

Middlewich to near Saltersford Tunnel
Miles 12.0, Locks:4
Total Miles 127.9, Total Locks: 88

Most locks in a day so far on this trip.

(Boat Flamingo - posted by Alan)

About to leave our very rural overnight mooring spot.

Our overnight mooring place didn't really have an identifiable name on the map.  It was nearest to Hassall Green which looks to be a very small place, but was still 3 locks further on, and somewhat more distant from Thurlwood, which we had already passed.  It was actually idyllic, but anybody walking past the boat when I let an oil filter full of used oil slip from my hands last evening, and spread its contents into inaccessible places under the engine might have thought otherwise, given my language!

The borrowed solar panel that David and I had lashed up, professional installed, the previous evening was tried before we left, and even with the sun very low was producing enough charge to be of some use - it was obviously going to perform far better if used in the middle of a sunny day, so is looking quite promising.

My constant compaions whilst working the locks.

We have deliberately planned this trip such that whilst we have to work reasonably hard each day to be sufficiently far ahead, we don't want to be doing very long days.  However this morning we realised that supermarket supplies were getting fairly low, and really needed topping up today.  That was only going to be achievable if we pressed on into Middlewich - not a lot of miles, but at least 17 locks, and possibly 20, to find a suitable mooring, if by any chance it were busy.

 

Apart from the approaches to Middlewich it is all very attractive.

Cath and I agreed very firmly that we both need to do stuff to increase fitness levels, (particularly if we are about to work locks right over the Pennines in both directions), and should alternate  between steering and lock work.  We have been fairly true to that, but Cath was again starting to work more locks, whilst I was spending rather too long at the tiller.  So today I set off with the dogs, doing the locks, and particularly going ahead on foot to set them up.

Locks like these are surprisingly deep.

For much of today's journey they come thick and fast, particularly the Wheelock flight of 8 locks.  Many are surprisingly deep - not really an issued going downhill, but some care is needed on the paddles with uphill boats, if they are not to get cannoned around in these fast filling locks.

In the end I lock wheeled for I think a dozen locks, before taking up the tiller again, with Cath taking over on lock (and dog) duties.  On arrival at the "top end" of Middlewich, we found it far quieter than we have ever seen it before, and had no problem finding a mooring without having to descend the flight of three Middlewich locks.  Those could wait until the morning, as the next day would involve very few locks at all.

Steerer's view of the lock wheeler.

The one issue with not going down these locks was that the walk to Morrisons, (which we have not used before), proved longer than expected.  It was not too bad going there, but by the time I had carried two fairly heavy bags back to the boat, I knew I had worked harder this day than I had in a while.
 







Near Pierpopint Locks to Middlewich
Miles 8.9, Locks: 17
Total Miles 115.7, Total Locks: 84

Swimming, oil change and solar panel - and still time for fourteen locks.

(Boat Flamingo - posted by Cath)

There is absolutely nothin Odin likes better than this.

David and I took Odin to the lake before breakfast, so that he could have a swim. Then we set off towards Harecastle Tunnel, expecting a long wait to be allowed through. Harecastle has one-way working at a time, so that boats are let through in one direction, then the other. In fact, we were the second boat in the queue, and we were told that we would be going through in five minutes - barely time to make sure that Alan, as steerer, had everything he needed.

 

Much towpath wsalking gets done at the Cheshire Locks.

The tunnel is very low in the middle, because of subsidence - an earlier tunnel sank so much that the tunnel roof is under water - so Alan had to crouch low to be able to steer that section.

 

Not sure what had caught Cath's interest here.

Then, straight into the 'Cheshire Locks'. Down the first six, and we stopped for lunch - the rest of the oatcakes, then carried on down another eight. By this time I was getting tired after the long day yesterday so we pulled over at about 4 pm. We are moored in the most beautiful countryside, far from houses and roads, and with not even any other boats for company.

 

At some of the twinned locks one of the pair is derelict.

At about 5:30 I went off for a run, and Alan started the oil change - never an easy or clean job on an old boat.

 

The left hand lock here has also not operated for many years.

A friend of ours has lent us a 100 watt solar panel for this trip, but we hadn't had the chance to wire it up before, so David and Alan got it connected, albeit as temporary arrangement. It was late enough in the day that the current recorded was minimal, so we have to wait for another day to see what it is capable of.

 

Alan walks ahead to set up yet another lock.

Plenty of action for dogs!

It never ceases to amaze us how long it can look in some pictures.

The humans are slowing down, but the dogs still going strong.

Attractive setting at Thurlwood

Westport Lake to near Pierpoint Locks
Miles 6.9, Locks: 14
Total Miles 106.8, Total Locks: 67

A brief interlude from this trip for a bit of Flamingo's History

(Boat Flamingo - posted by Alan)

After Flamingo ceased to be a carrying boat when Willow Wren Canal Transport Services was wound up in 1970, it was then sold off, and converted to a trip boat which operated for at least 15 years in the Stoke-on-Trent area.

Most likely general location for trip boat base?

We have just passed up the canal where this business would have operated, and we know specifically that this was near Trentham Lock.  This is probably the first time since it ceased to be a trip boat that it has returned to the area, and this got us thinking about where it must have had its base.  There is one seemingly obvious offside location just above Trentham Lock, and this conveniently has a winding hole right next to it.  There seem to be no other obvious candidate locations, and the housing that stands there now looks post 1986, so this could well have been its base.

Trading as Potteries Canal Cruising Co - Entering Trentham Lock

However studying this postcard image of Flamingo shows it has "Hem Heath Wharf"  painted on the side.  Hem Heath is still a place today, (there is a Hem Heath Cricket Club, for example), but the indications are this area might be slightly North of where this housing is.  However we did not spot a likely alternate location, and this would then make a wharf not next to the winding hole that still exists, so I'm still tempted to think the location is where these new houses now are.

This particular house has piling that is older than the others.

We have been told in the past there were two owners of this business, the first trading as Trent Valley Cruises until about 1978, when new owners changed the name to Potteries Cruising Company.  However someone Cath spoke to on the tow-path knew the boat, and recognised it as a former local trip boat, but neither name she gave for the ownership at the time match those we previously had, so the situation now seems more blurred than we believed it to be.



If anybody reading this can add to the story, is a former owner, or can tell us more about the operations and where exactly based we would love to hear from you.

In the meantime, here is a brochure for Trent Valley Cruises.

An Update!

I have been contacted by Teresa Fuller on this topic, and am now aware that our guess about the location that Flamingo would have operated from is wrong.

It was indeed to the North of the possible location we have identified.  I'm very grateful to Teresa for the additional information supplied, but am not apologetic about publishing speculation that was incorrect - had I not done that we would not have been told the right answer!  Thank you Teresa.

Unfortunately we are now through the area, so can't check out the real location in person.  However here is a great image that Teresa has alerted us to of the area where Flamingo operated from, but taken maybe 80 years earlier.  Hem Heath Wharf was apparently on that offside bank, where the living van is, and the kids are dangling their feet in the water.  So narrow boats used to ferry passengers from here, many decades before Flamingo did. I'm glad I asked, as this is fascinating.

Click on this link

In the end we went much further than we originally planned to.

(Boat Flamingo - posted by Cath)

Still cold enough here to need a coat on.

We agreed that we needed to get to Barlaston, to be at least on schedule. To go further would make it a long day, as there are places that we didn't want to spend a night. We either had to stop at Barlaston, or we had to keep going to get to Etruria in Stoke-on-Trent. We had a plan for Alan to do an oil change at Barlaston.

 

Unusually David is at the tiller here as we lock through Stone.

The Trent and Mersey canal north of Weston winds through fairly unpopulated countryside with locks well spaced out. The weather was fine, and we made good progress to Stone. At Star Lock, I walked a short distance to the Oatcakes and Milkshakes restaurant, and bought 12 fresh oatcakes.

 

At Meaford Alan worked the locks and Cath steered.

There were no problems working up through Stone, and we changed steerers afterwards - Alan is keen to do more lock working.

 

Flamingo was once a trip boat at Trentham - could this be where its base was?

The oatcakes were heated in a frying pan, with a bit of cheese - delicious. We saved half for tomorrow's lunch.

 

This still makes us chuckle.

We arrived at Barlaston at 2:45, and promptly decided that we would rather keep going - even though we knew that it was at least another 3 hours to Etruria.












 

Not all of the flight up to Etruria is picturesque!

In fact, we arrived on the dot of 6 pm - and decided that we didn't want to stop at Etruria either. It looked like all the long moorings outside the museum had been taken - we might have been able to fit in one, but it wasn't clear without actually spending ages taking Flamingo into the arm. So we set off again for Westport Lake arriving at 7:25.





 

The camera dial was mistakenly moved to one of the special effects........

 

....... but it doesn't seem that inappropriate for these subjects.

It's well worth a longer than usual day to moor up next to this.

The lake is beautiful, so we walked the dogs as the sun was setting, then had dinner, and collapsed into bed. A long day, but we have turned our half a day behind schedule into now being a day in hand.






Weston upon Trent to Westport Lake, Stoke on Trent
Miles 18.2, Locks: 16
Total Miles 99.9, Total Locks: 53

Alan shares his birthday meal with an abundance of dogs.

(Boat Flamingo - posted by Cath)

Richard brought us a couple of bags of coal, and a gas cylinder at about 8:30, as we were just finishing breakfast, so we set off towards Great Haywood fairly early, taking advantage of the locks that the Chamberlains had just come down through.

Turning from the Coventry to the Tent and Mersey at Fradley

The weather has picked up a bit from last week, but it's still a little cold. We haven't lit the stove, although quite a few boats have done. It was a day of mostly steering through the Trent Valley - flat meadowlands dotted with alder and willow trees, with dark forested hills in the distance. And not a lot of locks. The canal is winding and shallow - we are often going aground many feet from the bank, while the juvenile Trent winds alongside the canal for many miles.

At Rugeley we found a mooring for Flamingo, and Alan and I went to top up on a few supplies before we ate a quick lunch and headed off north again.

We are trying hard to share steering and locking duties.

At Great Haywood Lock an older woman boater asked 'Is this the Flamingo that was a trip boat at Trentham Lock?' Yes, it is. She then told us that she had known the boat well, and that the owners of it seemed to have quite a thriving business running trips during the 70s and 80s. She told us the names of two people who had owned the boat, but these aren't names that are known to us. Was Flamingo owned by more people during those two decades than we originally thought? Time for some investigations perhaps?

At Hoo Mill Lock we decided that, as it was Alan's birthday, we wanted to eat at the pub, so to make things easier I decided to go for my 'run' along the towpath, so that I could shower, and we'd be ready to go to the pub in Weston earlier.

We are back to regular locks, after many miles with very few.

I started the NHS 'Couch to 5K' programme' last week, but 'running' today was much harder than those I did last week. It was warmer, and the towpath was uneven and slippery - not really enjoyable. I used to run years ago, but under instruction from my doctor I'm being careful and getting back into running slowly - hence following the NHS podcasts.

We have worried about finding moorings for a 71' 8" boat, having found it hard enough on trips this way with a 50' leisure boat in the past, but so far we have been lucky, and we found a good mooring in Weston, with the boat well in to the side, and no worry about the dogs having to teeter on a plank to get to the bank. I rang the pub, 'Do you take dogs?' Yes, they did. So we set off.

"We are ringing up to check it is OK to bring dogs to the pub......" (!)

The pub was noisy, and the food a bit limited for vegetarians (I had forgotten that is was Sunday, and I'd read the normal menu on-line), but it was OK. What we hadn't expected is just how many dogs there would be in the pub. More and more dogs came into the pub with their owners so that in the end there was a melee of wagging tails and tangled leads. Trying to get them all to sit at the same time for a photo was impossible, they were so happy to be in a proper dog pack.

We spent time discussing where we need to be tomorrow night, and that we will have to have an early start and a long day to get through Harecastle tunnel on Tuesday. With planning stops you need to be aware that certain places are not the most salubrious to stop overnight, so because we didn't want to be in the vicinity of Trentham Lock overnight, we'll be having a short day tomorrow, then a long day on Tuesday.

Fradley to Weston
Miles 15.5, Locks:7
Total Miles 81.7, Total Locks:37

Washing day

(Boat Flamingo - posted by Cath)

We got going rather later than hoped this morning, then moored up a couple of miles later, shortly after Glascote Locks. I wanted to walk to a shopping centre in Tamworth to buy a few things that I thought we needed. 

Between Glascote and our stop at Fazeley Junction to go shopping.

As Alan and I set off to walk, I looked at the sky and decided to take my waterproof coat. I was surprised to find out how heavy it was, so looked in the pocket to see what I had managed to leave in there. What I found was a puddle. In the pocket. Enough water that I could go and pour it out onto the towpath. I was seriously impressed. The water had got there nearly a day earlier, and was still inside the pocket. I bought the coat in an end of season sale a year or so back, but I'll be on the lookout for other Brasher coats in future if even the pockets will hold a puddle overnight.

Then up to Ventura shopping centre, where we bought some more waterproof gloves, another knee brace for my dodgy knee (injured in a boating accident three or four years ago - the physio has said nothing more can be done for it, but I was encouraged to keep dancing, and run if possible). Having bought various things it was a toss-up between going back to the boat and trying to get ahead of schedule, or a coffee in Costa.

I'm on holiday, so the coffee won.

After lunch I started to sort out the laundry. We've only been on the trip since Tuesday, but if we let washing build up the problem is how to get it all dry - particularly in wet weather, so I took advantage of a longish lock-less stretch of canal to do the washing.

Laundry facilities on Flamingo

When we bought Flamingo there was a small automatic washing machine on board, but at the time Flamingo was connected permanently to the mains. The space for the automatic washing machine now has a calorifier (hot water tank) and a cupboard, and we have a cheap plastic twin-tub to do the washing. We had a smaller version of this on our old boat, Chalice, and despite being known by us as the 'Fisher-Price washing machine' it cleaned the clothes far better than our expensive automatic washing machine at home. The 'toy' washing machine fits neatly onto the 'seat' at the end of the small bath. It is a bit of a faff to do the washing, transferring wet clothing from washing to spinning, but we can cope with that when we don't need someone to do the locks. I felt very virtuous when I had finished and took Alan a cup of tea and took over steering for a few miles.

Lots of historic boats passed, but only Starling & Ethel caught the camera

As we approached Fradley we had a debate about where we might be able to moor. We've never been able to moor Flamingo on the approach to the junction, as all of the visitors' moorings have been full. However, this time there were only about four boats there in total - and we got the prime mooring spot, as near to the junction as possible. We filled up the water tank after the washing, ate dinner, and then took the dogs for a walk up to Shadehouse Lock, where we found our friends Richard and Ruth, who operate the fuel boats Mountbatten and Jellicoe. Nice to see them, and we arranged for some coal and gas in the morning.

Tomorrow we have to be at least as far as Great Haywood Junction, but we'll try to get a few more miles done to get a bit of contingency time. 

Alvecote to Fradley Junction
Miles 14.7, Locks: 2
Total Miles 66.2, Total Locks: 30