Leaving the Llangollen canal to the increasing holiday season traffic we headed towards Middlewich on the Middlewich Branch of the Shropshire Union. Boats of all kinds were gathering for the Middlewich Festival on the weekend starting 15th June - a great event but we fancied a little peace and quiet and decided to head north on the Trent and Mersey towards Preston Brook and the Bridgewater canals into Manchester.
This stretch of the Trent and Mersey from Middlewich to Preston Brook is familiar territory as we moored a previous boat at the Alvechurch base at Anderton for a couple of years. Moving through Middlewich we started to descend the awkward flight of three that has a ninety-degree bend with a small 'pound' ( water between locks) that can be something of a 'floor-show' for 'Gongoozlers' or onlookers as boats find very little room to manoeuvre between locks and some dramatic thrashing of propellers and panic rudder movements can be observed as boats jockey for position as they try and avoid traffic coming in the other direction. Even more excitement and drama is added when many of the crews are first-time hirers from Anderton and this is really their first experience with locks.
We descended the 'top' lock with no problem and I had the awkward bend to myself when I was told the lock in front was set for a boat coming up. Jumping off I held the boat with the centre rope and waited for the oncoming boat.......and waited.....and waited. No boat !
Eventually I got news that this boat was stuck in the lock below with no water having left the paddles behind it open which drained the lock and most of the 'pound' above with very little water....
oh, dear !!
It was an Alvechurch hire boat. They had managed to open the gates but the water level in the lock and pound was so low that they could not get over the cill and out of the lock. Denise went with another lady up to the lock above to let some sufficient water down enabling them to float out of the lock. Water came down, throttle went forward and produced a horrible set of noises from the engine-bay and then stalled.....this boat had serious sounding mechanical problems. After pulling them out of the lock we left them to ring Alvechurch for assistance. We felt more than sorry for their situation when I was told it was their honeymoon and they had been married the day previous. !!!!
Moving through Middlewich we admired some of the boats gathering for the festival. Many of them being old working boats arriving early to assure a mooring. We joined a 1930s boat in the double lock of 'Big Lock' which is the last lock apart from a small 'stop-lock' until Manchester some thirty miles away.
This northern stretch of the Trent and Mersey is attractive - in parts. Perhaps I am looking through rose-tinted glasses but this stretch of the canal from Middlewich to Anderton looks unkempt and overgrown compared to some seven years ago. I appreciate we are at the height of the 'growing' season and reed banks always look worse this time of year, but some stretches of the canal are reduced to almost a single boat's width. There in one stretch where a boat has been moored for years on the opposite bank with an old guy inside who always gives a friendly greeting. This boat is still there but now almost covered by a twenty-foot thick bank of weeds. I am sure the elderly occupant is still alive and kicking because he has carved a gap in the reeds at the side of his boat, so that he has at least a window on the world.
Despite rampant reed growth the Trent and Mersey in this area has a few very attractive areas called 'flashes' these are flooded parts of the canal that were caused by land-slip during the days of local salt extraction. They are now in effect 'lakes' adjacent to the main line of the canal with a fatal attraction to stray into their peaceful shallows where you will come to a shuddering halt in a few inches of water..... obey the signs !!
Not all of this stretch is attractive. Approaching the old 'Brunner Mond' (now TATA ) chemical works followed by the unlovely 'Wincham Wharf' reminds you of the original purpose of building canals in the first place - industry. Most of the industry on canals is now gone and we tend to cruise through attractive stretches of canal forgetting the Northern Victorian entrepreneurs maxim of 'where there's muck there's money' which underpinned the whole purpose of canal-building.
Wincham Wharf is a hive of canalside 'industry' where boats of all sizes are fitted-out, repaired, painted, blacked or bought and sold on brokerage . An important range of scarce services without which recreational canal-boating would grind to a halt.
Pressing on towards Anderton and its famed boat lift down onto the River Weaver we decided to give a trip down onto the river a miss. We needed to replenish our food stocks, fill with water and find a toilet 'pump-out' and that would be difficult on the Weaver as 100 boats were due to attend the forthcoming Northwich Festival. Finding a mooring on the river amongst that lot would be like finding the proverbial rocking-horse droppings !!!!
So we moved on towards the three tunnels of Barnton, Saltersford and Preston Brook tunnels........
Barnton is the first and shortest tunnel heading north. Tunnel engineering was in its infancy when this was built and digging a straight line is not as easy at it sounds, so we have a tunnel with 'kink'
Best method for Barnton is to put the bow into the tunnel mouth, peer into the darkness. no light coming?...... tell your hound to stop barking...........and listen..........no engine noise?.........a long blast of your horn.........no answer?...........then go for it !!!!!!
Saltersford and Preston Brook are a lot longer and therefore timed, you only hope the crew coming the other way have not stretched the time instructions and chanced it....it is along way to back out if you have !!! Saltersford was not timed until a few years ago and suffered even more from the tunnel engineer's lack of attention, as it has TWO kinks and it is impossible to see from one end to the other.
This as you can imagine was the cause of many a heart stopping moment as a light progressing in the opposite direction would suddenly appear from behind one of the 'kinks'. Sensibly this is all now a thing of the past - you hope.
Blinking in the (overcast) daylight we emerged from Preston Brook tunnel and onto the Bridgewater
Canal. Although a lot older than the Trent and Mersey it is immediately obvious that this is really how a canal should be built - wide and contoured to the land with no locks all the way into Manchester or Wigan. Even the infrastructure, bridges and perfect stone canal edges for example,
are superb and and in excellent shape after over two-hundred years.
Downside to the Bridgewater ? Oh yes....... it is obvious that Peel Holdings are not one to spend a penny on services when a halfpenny will do. All the way from Preston Brook to Castlefield in the centre of Manchester (nearly thirty miles) there is only ONE water-point. This is encased in a brick box only three foot height and is unsigned on the southern approach, so is virtually impossible to recognise as a water point. If you do recognise it and stop, you will have to crawl on your hands and knees to attach the hose it is so low. We actually paid £1 and were glad of it to Thorne Marine to use their own private water facility.
Rubbish disposal?.......there is NONE - ZERO - ZILCH. We thankfully noticed a community rubbish disposal facility near the canal at Stockton Heath ( hidden from the canal by trees) and were more than pleased to throw our rubbish bags into their skips. This is really for the residents of Stockton Heath and has nothing to do with Peel Holdings .
Castlefield quay in the centre of Manchester ? surely rubbish facilities here ? I am afraid the answer again is no. This is visited by hundreds of boats in the summer who all spend money in local bars and shops,etc, bringing much needed revenue to the city centre in these difficult financial times. How are they rewarded ? virtually told you are not very welcome and by the way take your rotting rubbish with you. We noticed that a lot of rubbish was just dumped near the sanitary station or in litter-bins and we can understand the frustration.
Even mooring is difficult with only a few mooring rings and being concrete nowhere to put a mooring pin. Come on Peel holdings and Manchester City council make a visit to Manchester a little more welcoming or frankly in my opinion - Manchester especially Castlefield Quay - you are welcome to it.
This stretch of the Trent and Mersey from Middlewich to Preston Brook is familiar territory as we moored a previous boat at the Alvechurch base at Anderton for a couple of years. Moving through Middlewich we started to descend the awkward flight of three that has a ninety-degree bend with a small 'pound' ( water between locks) that can be something of a 'floor-show' for 'Gongoozlers' or onlookers as boats find very little room to manoeuvre between locks and some dramatic thrashing of propellers and panic rudder movements can be observed as boats jockey for position as they try and avoid traffic coming in the other direction. Even more excitement and drama is added when many of the crews are first-time hirers from Anderton and this is really their first experience with locks.
 |
| Negotiating the tight bend in to Middlewich top lock |
We descended the 'top' lock with no problem and I had the awkward bend to myself when I was told the lock in front was set for a boat coming up. Jumping off I held the boat with the centre rope and waited for the oncoming boat.......and waited.....and waited. No boat !
Eventually I got news that this boat was stuck in the lock below with no water having left the paddles behind it open which drained the lock and most of the 'pound' above with very little water....
oh, dear !!
 |
| Middlewich second lock |
It was an Alvechurch hire boat. They had managed to open the gates but the water level in the lock and pound was so low that they could not get over the cill and out of the lock. Denise went with another lady up to the lock above to let some sufficient water down enabling them to float out of the lock. Water came down, throttle went forward and produced a horrible set of noises from the engine-bay and then stalled.....this boat had serious sounding mechanical problems. After pulling them out of the lock we left them to ring Alvechurch for assistance. We felt more than sorry for their situation when I was told it was their honeymoon and they had been married the day previous. !!!!
Moving through Middlewich we admired some of the boats gathering for the festival. Many of them being old working boats arriving early to assure a mooring. We joined a 1930s boat in the double lock of 'Big Lock' which is the last lock apart from a small 'stop-lock' until Manchester some thirty miles away.
 |
| Visiting for Middlewich festival.......traditional working boats |
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| A 'Buckby' can on 'Pavo' ........ a boat originally built in the 1930s |
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| Colourful display on 'Mr Toad' .......a diminutive boat visiting Middlewich festival |
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| 'Elizabeth' converted into a unique pleasure boat in 1936 |
 |
| Sharing 'Big Lock' .....the only double lock on the Trent and Mersey. |
This northern stretch of the Trent and Mersey is attractive - in parts. Perhaps I am looking through rose-tinted glasses but this stretch of the canal from Middlewich to Anderton looks unkempt and overgrown compared to some seven years ago. I appreciate we are at the height of the 'growing' season and reed banks always look worse this time of year, but some stretches of the canal are reduced to almost a single boat's width. There in one stretch where a boat has been moored for years on the opposite bank with an old guy inside who always gives a friendly greeting. This boat is still there but now almost covered by a twenty-foot thick bank of weeds. I am sure the elderly occupant is still alive and kicking because he has carved a gap in the reeds at the side of his boat, so that he has at least a window on the world.
 |
| A little like a scene from 'African Queen' ...... reed banks choke the Trent and Mersey |
Despite rampant reed growth the Trent and Mersey in this area has a few very attractive areas called 'flashes' these are flooded parts of the canal that were caused by land-slip during the days of local salt extraction. They are now in effect 'lakes' adjacent to the main line of the canal with a fatal attraction to stray into their peaceful shallows where you will come to a shuddering halt in a few inches of water..... obey the signs !!
 |
| Beautiful , inviting and shallow ! Croxton Flash. |
Not all of this stretch is attractive. Approaching the old 'Brunner Mond' (now TATA ) chemical works followed by the unlovely 'Wincham Wharf' reminds you of the original purpose of building canals in the first place - industry. Most of the industry on canals is now gone and we tend to cruise through attractive stretches of canal forgetting the Northern Victorian entrepreneurs maxim of 'where there's muck there's money' which underpinned the whole purpose of canal-building.
 |
| 'TATA' ( old Brunner Mond) chemical works. |
 |
| Wincham Wharf |
Wincham Wharf is a hive of canalside 'industry' where boats of all sizes are fitted-out, repaired, painted, blacked or bought and sold on brokerage . An important range of scarce services without which recreational canal-boating would grind to a halt.
Pressing on towards Anderton and its famed boat lift down onto the River Weaver we decided to give a trip down onto the river a miss. We needed to replenish our food stocks, fill with water and find a toilet 'pump-out' and that would be difficult on the Weaver as 100 boats were due to attend the forthcoming Northwich Festival. Finding a mooring on the river amongst that lot would be like finding the proverbial rocking-horse droppings !!!!
So we moved on towards the three tunnels of Barnton, Saltersford and Preston Brook tunnels........
Barnton is the first and shortest tunnel heading north. Tunnel engineering was in its infancy when this was built and digging a straight line is not as easy at it sounds, so we have a tunnel with 'kink'
Best method for Barnton is to put the bow into the tunnel mouth, peer into the darkness. no light coming?...... tell your hound to stop barking...........and listen..........no engine noise?.........a long blast of your horn.........no answer?...........then go for it !!!!!!
Saltersford and Preston Brook are a lot longer and therefore timed, you only hope the crew coming the other way have not stretched the time instructions and chanced it....it is along way to back out if you have !!! Saltersford was not timed until a few years ago and suffered even more from the tunnel engineer's lack of attention, as it has TWO kinks and it is impossible to see from one end to the other.
This as you can imagine was the cause of many a heart stopping moment as a light progressing in the opposite direction would suddenly appear from behind one of the 'kinks'. Sensibly this is all now a thing of the past - you hope.
 |
| Preston Brook tunnel - southern portal. |
Blinking in the (overcast) daylight we emerged from Preston Brook tunnel and onto the Bridgewater
Canal. Although a lot older than the Trent and Mersey it is immediately obvious that this is really how a canal should be built - wide and contoured to the land with no locks all the way into Manchester or Wigan. Even the infrastructure, bridges and perfect stone canal edges for example,
are superb and and in excellent shape after over two-hundred years.
Downside to the Bridgewater ? Oh yes....... it is obvious that Peel Holdings are not one to spend a penny on services when a halfpenny will do. All the way from Preston Brook to Castlefield in the centre of Manchester (nearly thirty miles) there is only ONE water-point. This is encased in a brick box only three foot height and is unsigned on the southern approach, so is virtually impossible to recognise as a water point. If you do recognise it and stop, you will have to crawl on your hands and knees to attach the hose it is so low. We actually paid £1 and were glad of it to Thorne Marine to use their own private water facility.
Rubbish disposal?.......there is NONE - ZERO - ZILCH. We thankfully noticed a community rubbish disposal facility near the canal at Stockton Heath ( hidden from the canal by trees) and were more than pleased to throw our rubbish bags into their skips. This is really for the residents of Stockton Heath and has nothing to do with Peel Holdings .
Castlefield quay in the centre of Manchester ? surely rubbish facilities here ? I am afraid the answer again is no. This is visited by hundreds of boats in the summer who all spend money in local bars and shops,etc, bringing much needed revenue to the city centre in these difficult financial times. How are they rewarded ? virtually told you are not very welcome and by the way take your rotting rubbish with you. We noticed that a lot of rubbish was just dumped near the sanitary station or in litter-bins and we can understand the frustration.
Even mooring is difficult with only a few mooring rings and being concrete nowhere to put a mooring pin. Come on Peel holdings and Manchester City council make a visit to Manchester a little more welcoming or frankly in my opinion - Manchester especially Castlefield Quay - you are welcome to it.
