Twice through England's deepest canal lock within a hour and a half.

(Boat Flamingo - posted by Alan)

Going down - some 45 minutes after scheduled time.

So we ended up last night, somewhere we never planned to be, pointing the wrong way, towards a lock that needs a booked passage in both directions, that we didn't have. Oh, and our engine was misbehaving after the hammering it had taken earlier in the day.

Gates open - tunnel beyond - it curves sharply.

So my first task towards sorting out the mess was trying to book passages though Tuel Lane lock. The first call-taker was very much of a "computer says no", persuasion, and told me 24 hours notice was always required. Fortunately though the lady at Leeds office was far more understanding. If we could get to Tuel Lane by 09:30 another boat was booked, and we could go through with them. If we could be ready to come back up at 11:00, there was a similar opportunity there. I said we would try though a 09:30 arrival was frankly highly optimistic.

Two rather more conventional locks follow - the last on the Rochdale.

Far too optimistic, in fact. The engine started OK, and we got under-way, but after not very long again started a heavy misfire. I didn't now think we would get there, but again nursed it along. Again if I tried any speed it threatened to die, but taking it gently we managed to make progress, albeit slow.  Fortunately, before we finally got to Tuel Lane it started to run considerably better.

 

Lock 2 going back up, and heading to tunnel

We need not have rushed. The lock was in no way ready for the 09:30 passage, and in reality we had to wait until well after 10:00. I was a bit surprised to find the CRT operative was the same one who had told us off for using the winding hole we had yesterday, but had to smile when he now told me it was a maximum of 48 feet, as yesterday he had said 57 feet.

Entering the tunnel - not to be attempted if the deep lock is emptying.

Tuel Lane is impressive if you are in it - very impressive in fact being the deepest lock on the UK canal system, but hemmed in by roads, car parks and much fencing, and with no public or even boater access allowed on the lock side it is hard to take photos that reflect its massiveness. 

Inside the modern tunnel - heading to the deep lock.

Once you are through it, you then enter an equally modern curving tunnel, before having to pass through two conventional locks - the last on the Rochdale Canal, before it becomes the Calder and Hebble, and which cannot pass full length narrow boats.

 




 

Leaving the tunnel and entering Tuel Lane lock.

That meant to get back for our 11:00 booking we had to go down two locks, turn, and back up through those same locks. We couldn't achieve this by the nominated time, because of the delay first time through the lock, but the single-hander on the other up-going boat was happy to wait, and hopefully the CRT man was as well.

The view from above...

Cath was off the boat, so managed some photo opportunities denied to you if you all have to stay on board.

Our non-stop turn had denied us the chance of taking a much needed fill of water - we hadn't been able to empty our full toilet cassettes, and we didn't know what was causing the engine to misfire, but at least we were now pointed at Manchester. We tied up above the lock to allow Cath to buy much needed supplies, and to regroup and consider our next moves.

... and the view in the bottom

One of the next things to happen I can laugh about now, but I probably wasn't even smiling at the time.  In the guide the indicated position of the sanitary station, (toilet cassette emptying point) was on the Calder and Hebble, beyond where we had turned.  I loaded up one of the full ones on our still just surviving folding trolley, and headed for that location. This involves trundling it through a shopping area, as you can't follow the course of the canal where it passes through the tunnel - you get some inquiring looks doing this! Much of the route was heavy cobbles, and I expected the trolley to fail at any moment. However when I got to the indicated location, there was no sign there had ever been a sanitary station there, and there certainly was not now. I trundled my "poo suitcase" a few more bridges, in case the location was shown slightly wrong - there was no sanitary station, so I headed back over those wretched cobbles.

These are big gates.

At this point I decided to go and visit Shire Cruisers, the local boat hire firm, to see if they might help with our engine issues. I was nearly at their office when I passed in an old warehouse, nowhere near the indicated location on our map, a sanitary station - finally I could empty the damned thing.

Shire Cruisers were not sure they could help, but though it possible - they agreed to send a man up to the boat when they could spare him.

James arrived at the boat. We suspected fuel issues, and he thought the same, concentrating on the fuel lift pump, which he thought was probably not performing as it should. He would go and see if by any chance they had one.

 

Different pairs of bottom gates are used 
depending on longest boat passing through.

Meanwhile I was in contact with Dave who had done an excellent job of rebuilding the engine a couple of years back, and who is always happy to offer advice. He thought possibly dirty fuel or blocked fuel filter, and suggested we check a pre-filter gauze that is in the top of the pump. I did this, and although by no means fully blocked, it was disappointingly dirty. David and I cleaned it, and re-assembled. At least the engine still started - something that worries me once I start to take the fuel delivery systems of a diesel apart.

A single lock replaces two former ones - hence the great depth.

We waited quite a while to hear from Shire Cruisers, but nobody called, so I rang them. "Sorry", they said, "they didn't have a suitable pump", and apologised that they were very busy and had not got back to us. There was no charge despite their man having visited the boat - well done Shire Cruisers.

Our choice now was to stay put at a quite unsuitable location, or to try to get back to Hebden Bridge. We decided to do the latter, but before we set off I went and emptied the other toilet cassette, in case we got stranded somewhere before Hebden Bridge. Unfortunately, however, we could not replenish our very depleted fresh water tank - something we had hoped to do at Sowerby Bridge, had we not had to race back immediately to Tuel Lane lock to take advantage of the only possible opportunity to go back the other way through it.

If you are not actually under duress, it is very attractive on this stretch.

Eventually we set off, hoping to get to Hebden Bridge.  Unfortunately the engine started misbehaving again, though once more I was able to keep it running, and get along more slowly, (and rough sounding!). However eventually the misfire subsided, things seemed pretty normal, and we were able to up through the 4 locks back to Hebden Bridge with no further issues. Of course we also passed those two other "non winding holes" from yesterday, and we stopped at the second one we passed to pick up most of the remaining ballast we had left there yesterday.  We could only get our bow close enough to load this on, so had it stacked there, further lifting the back end out of the water - I had to be fairly careful stopping in the locks, as we really were pumping a lot of air when running in reverse, and coming to a halt seemed to take forever!

Exhausted by these unexpected two days we declared ourselves to tired to think about eating on board, and instead went again to "Il Mulino" an Italian restaurant, the quality of who's food is surpassed only by the good humour and excellent service from the staff.  Highly recommended - particularly if you have just had two unexpectedly hard days.


Luddendon Foot to Sowerby Bridge and back to Hebden Bridge
Miles 7.8, Locks: 10
Total Miles 198.5, Total Locks: 187