Derek Porteous

Agreed, it did look very gentle. Every time we have done it, Springs and Neaps, the flow has been stronger. We are pretty slow, so guess we always arrived at Selby a bit later. Half an hour or so more into the ebb could make a big difference.

Dunham Massey or Little Bollington? I believe the Axe and Cleaver is at Dunham Massey. It, too, is excellent.

Worsley has two good pubs (The Bridgewater and one I can’t remember the name) and an excellent restaurant (George’s). It also has a small convenience store. Boothstown is more rural with a large pub and small marina. Another option a little further north is Astley Green. It also has a canal side pub where someone else on this forum has recently been extolling its virtues. Would not recommend an overnight stay in Leigh, although it is OK during the day for provisions.

Echo Dunham Massey if somewhere rural. But if you have time, two overnight stops would be better. Consider Stockton Heath, Lymm and Worsley as options. All good.

Ha... it is always good to check. Yep, certainly did.

Can I re-open this topic please. Had recent fuel filter changes done in boat yards, until now..... Just done an oil and oil filter change and a fuel filter change. Exactly the same problem as I had before with the engine spluttering and then cutting out. As advised, I left the ignition on for a minute before attempting to start it to allow the electric fuel pump to prime. Couldn’t hear any “ticking”, and struggled to get the engine to keep going. OK after about the fifth or six attempt. Do I have a problem with the fuel pump, or am I missing a trick in bleeding it? Thanks.

Five minute walk to the pub (along the road, north to Leigh). And yes, the marina is finally finished (utility block opened last month).

Changing the tone slightly, but not the topic title, we were there last week. We were awakened at 7am but someone clambering on board. It turned out to be two Chinese girls who wanted to have their photos taken amongst our flowers on the transom. No idea why they were in such a rural area at 7am, or indeed why they thought our boat was a “public space”. On the plus side the local volunteers do a fantastic job in planting out the locks. Beautifully kept with flowers, features and even statues. Full marks and many thanks to them.

No, don’t think so. At least they didn’t last time we tried five years ago.

Evening Alan, I know your initial two paragraphs are tongue in cheek, but I do like to see all sorts of craft enjoying our unique waterways. It is particularly fitting that historic craft are still a significant feature in what are historical water roads. However I do take your point. I certainly didn’t mean to perform a global tarring of all historic boat owners. Indeed the vast majority of those I have encountered have been pleasant courteous people; you being a preeminent example. So for the aspersions casting, I apologise. However the three consecutive instances remain valid (well, in my memory anyway). Perhaps you have already alluded to the possible source of what I regards as a significant change in behaviour of some, but certainly still a very small proportion, of historic boats.

Possibly a very valid point, Mike. And I suspect the answer is “no”. However the reason I did post was that on balance the number of modern boats vastly outnumber the number of traditional boats. We have only had three instances of discourteous behaviour, albeit on the last three consecutive days, and all three were traditional boats.

The first two boats were certainly empty. Don’t know about the last instance.

Now I know this is a generalisation, and like all walks of life... there is good and bad (in the eyes of the beholder). We started our summer cruise 10 days ago. All good so far, apart from the weather...BUT. In the past three days, we have encountered three “events”, in themselves quite trivial, but all involving “tradition working boats”. In order, we arrived at lock 54 at Rode Heath. A gentleman in high vis vest arrived by bicycle and proceeded to fill the lock against us although we had priority. No matter we thought... we could wait. Well wait we did, and waited... for a quarter of an hour. The cyclist had certainly got in front of his boat. On chatting to him he proceeded to moan about being held up by a hire boat which had descended in front of him ( quarter of an hour in front). The irony of holding other boats up seemed to be lost by him. Incident two was coming out of the lock just above Red Bull services. There were two traditional boats taking on water there. There was also the line of moored boats making passage effectively one (two way at a push, but very tight). Just as we were leaving the lock, traditional boat 1 cast off and barrelled down the canal forcing us to reverse back to the entrance of the lock. Traditional boat 2 almost did the same but, to their credit, pulled back in and waved us through. The third incident was when we had moored at Barlaston amongst the usual long trot of moored boats. A traditional boat has just come past at quite a speed just inches from the line of boats. Yes, we know they are deeper draughted and have to keep to the channel....but at speed? Anyway a glass of rather fine Shiraz is now staining our carpet and my usually rosy outlook on life is, a bit like our carpet, a tad tarnished. No doubt we will encounter three consecutive instances of courtesy by traditional boaters in the next three days to balance out. If so I will be delighted to submit another new topic and retract my scurrilous views of traditional boater’s sense of entitlement.

Would agree with “cuthound”. Cruised south from Middlewich this morning. No queues this morning. Indeed very quiet, boatwise, all the way (so far!).

Thanks for replies. I suspect the issue is thermostat related, although we do not have a maximum room thermostat, only a frost control. Guess we need to bite the bullet and get it serviced. We have been advised in the past to make sure we run it at least once a month and then leave it along until it breaks down!

I have an Eberspacher central heating system. It’s start up OK but recently has been cutting out completely randomly before its timed sequence of an hour’s running is complete. Sometimes it goes the whole hour and sometimes anywhere within the hour (10 minutes, 30 minutes, 45 minutes, etc.,). It seems to be completely random when it turns itself off. Anyone any ideas what the issue is? Thanks.

" The locky reckoned that being 3ft short of the 70 made it a lot easier. " Allan, do you know why? We are going up through Hurleston in a couple of weeks time to meet up with some friends who are hiring a boat at Bettisfield. Therefore am keeping a careful eye on this thread!

We did that trip on a very windy (and therefore choppy sea) day. Never even thought to block the well drain holes. However we are glad we didn’t. Most, if not all, the water came over the top from the wake of the trip boats which give no quarter. Quickly drained away and no issues. Everything calmed down very quickly after passing Tower Bridge.

CRT have not replied to my voicemail or email yet, but another waiting boat has spoken to them this morning. Apparently they can’t/won’t open the Liverpool Link on Tuesdays. Not sure why they decided to make Monday the Coxhead’s Swing Bridge opening day. There is presumably a reason for that which I cannot fathom.

Storm Hannah has added to the general chaos. At least 7 narrowboats waiting to get through Coxhead’s Swing Bridge at noon tomorrow and presumably more to arrive this evening and tomorrow morning. As yet no decision (as far as I am aware) on whether the Liverpool Link will be open on Tuesday. Whilst the vandalism of the bridge was outside CRT’s control, the subsequent handling of the situation has not been great.

Mmmm. Not sure I would be happy mooring there overnight. Yes, I know the area has improved over the years, but we are nervous moored! Such a pity that we can’t talk to anyone at CRT over a weekend which is, presumably, the busiest time, in boating movements.

If the link is not open on Tuesdays, then we will probably have to abandon our trip. However, as Coxhead’s Swing Bridge is being opened at noon every Monday, the Tuesday closed timing would be very strange. I tried to contact CRT at the number above first thing this morning to discuss options, but just got a message to say the office was not open until Monday.

Winds are far too strong (for us) this morning to attempt to get to Coxhead’s Bridge for today’s noon opening. Next scheduled time is Monday meaning we will be a day late locking down into Liverpool (Tuesday instead of Monday) Can’t get the CRT phone line to answer at the weekend. Should this be an issue? ie. is the limiting factor berths in Salthouse Dock (we have our’s reserved) or the number of boats using the link? We are moored overnight 3 miles from Coxhead’s Swing Bridge and only one boat moving this morning. I guess a few other boaters are also waiting for the gale to pass.

Yep, just heard about those awfully nice people at CRT manually opening the bridge. Saturday noon it is then, and that gives us a couple of nights at Melling. No great hardship.

We are scheduled to go down to Liverpool on Monday, so it looks like the only way we are going to get there is by bus. Hopefully there will be a more “definitive” announcement tomorrow, as everything seems a bit vague so far.