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The Tuesday Night Club on Tour
Tour 2002
24 - Acton Bridge to Anderton - Trent and Mersey Canal.
Sunday 21st July 2003.
We had planned the crew change
for Anderton around 11:00, so we started off at 08:00 from Acton Bridge. We
picked our way through the short but wiggly Saltersford and Barnton Tunnels. No
approaching craft were met.
We decided to stop before Bridge 200 in Anderton. This was to check out the
newly re-opened section between Bridge 200 and the Anderton Lift. Work was still was going on between these points, due to bad bank slippage last Winter.
Neil walked round the roads to the Anderton Lift moorings and found out that
there was a couple of spots left, we therefore decided to push on. The towpath
was closed on this section, boat movements were allowed, but no stopping. The
whole section had been piled and concrete capped on the towpath side. On the
slope side the ground had been stabilised with rocks.
We arrived at the visitor moorings, just beyond the Anderton Lift and after a
bit of fiddling about shoehorned ourselves into a tight spot (09:30). Linda
and Wendy arrived around 11:00 in the Passat for the start of their two weeks.
Peter Wright was leaving that day and took the Passat back to chez Arlidge.
Martin Clark wanted to go back home overnight, so got a lift from Peter.
John Chapman arrived soon after in Frogmoore II. He was unhappy about having to
go both ways on the River Weaver.............so a new plan was quickly hatched -
Go down the lift, up to Winsford, then straight down the River Weaver to Weston
Point and back to Manchester via the Manchester Ship Canal. John soon got hold
of the phone number of Jalsea Marine in Northwich, who were recommended by the
M.S.C.C. to do inspections for the necessary Certificate Of Seaworthiness.
Phil at Jalsea said that as we were local, he could come out, do the Certificate
Of Seaworthiness and send off the paperwork to the M.S.C.C. for a charge of
£20. This seemed reasonable, so Phil was booked for late that afternoon.
After this Neil, Linda, Peter and Wendy went for a walk around the lift and
along the Witton Brook, in the new nature reserves created in Witton and
Neumann's flashes. Phil and cohort arrived at around 17:00 and did the lightning
inspection of Earnest and Frogmoore. John was still having trouble with his
starter motor (the solenoid needed a good whack with a spanner to get it to fire
up), but fortunately Phil did not twig this, seeing as Frogmoore was kept
running throughout his visit!
Phil took our Certificates of Insurance with him to copy and told us to pay and
finish the paperwork on our way through Northwich the next day.
That night we ate in, still minus Martin Clark, who would be re-joining us in
the morning, before our booked down the Anderton Lift passage at 10:30.
Looking down at Dutton Locks on the River weaver from the Trent and Mersey
Canal.
The Black Prince hire boat base at Bartington Wharf, by Bridge No 209 at Acton
Bridge. Trent and Mersey Canal.
About to enter Saltersford Tunnel. Trent and Mersey Canal.
Leaving Saltersford Tunnel. Trent and Mersey Canal.
The short wide section between the Saltersford and Barnton Tunnels. Trent and Mersey
Canal.
The sharp approach to Barnton Tunnel. Trent and Mersey Canal.
Leaving Barnton Tunnel. Trent and Mersey Canal.
Soote Hill Bridge No 200. Trent and Mersey Canal.
The recently reopened section after Soote Hill Bridge. Trent and Mersey Canal.
Looking back at Soote Hill Bridge No 200. Trent and Mersey Canal.
Anderton. The spur to the lift is under the towpath over bridge. Trent and Mersey
Canal.
Anderton. The spur to the lift. Trent and Mersey Canal.
Anderton. Looking back at the bank protection works. Trent and Mersey Canal.
Anderton. Looking back at the bank protection works from the Anderton Lift end. Trent and Mersey Canal.
Looking down at the Brunner Mond Chemical works in Winnington, the other side of the Weaver from the Anderton
lift.
Looking down at Witton Brook. Anderton.
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