Pagefield

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AHDRaNAn7rU

If arriving or departing Wigan on a Saturday afternoon, worth checking football fixtures. DW stadium is by Lock 88. Many people join the towpath at Seven Stars bridge (50) to walk to the ground. Others take a different route but cross the nearby footbridge over the canal. (49b). ie, worth avoiding just before, or after a match.

I was being generous with 'somewhat'. And no, not a place to moor. Either go beyond Ell Meadow Lock 89 into Crooke Village, or stay in the Wigan Pound, as has been suggested.

Absolutely. So sad to see the decline in the area. In 1986 the Queen opened the renovated area. The current redevelopment plans look promising.

I remember a winter afternoon in the dreadful environs of Wigan. All round was the lunar landscape of slag-heaps, and to the north, through the passes, as it were, between the mountains of slag, you could see the factory chimneys sending out their plumes of smoke. The canal path was a mixture of cinders and frozen mud, criss-crossed by the imprints of innumerable clogs, and all round, as far as the slag-heaps in the distance, stretched the ‘flashes’— pools of stagnant water that had seeped into the hollows caused by the subsidence of ancient pits. It was horribly cold. The ‘flashes’ were covered with ice the colour of raw umber, the bargemen were muffled to the eyes in sacks, the lock gates wore beards of ice. It seemed a world from which vegetation had been banished; nothing existed except smoke, shale, ice, mud, ashes, and foul water. But even Wigan is beautiful compared with Sheffield! G Orwell We now have double glazing and central heating. Since that pic was taken, the 'pier' has been somewhat renovated.

Recent vid from Foxes Afloat https://youtu.be/WPgUzLrpjJk?t=768

I once spoke to a chap who was mooring up and explained how the pier was just around the corner. He was far more interested in the site of Wigan Casino. Turned out he was a big Northern Soul fan and whilst passing through didn't want to miss the chance to visit. So I directed him to Debenhams!

https://canalrivertrust.org.uk/notices/15864-wigan-flight-leeds-and-liverpool-canal?fbclid=IwAR3hEJXUW0xq9M9-kz80biylcdsJ6MbgL40iP8dnY2L_KfQMIcWoBC17Yi8

Lockies. The pound between locks 1 & 2 is often really low. Not a big deal.

A bit thin on the ground on the Leigh Branch of the L&L.

Quite right. Leaking tailgates on the L&L in Wigan are the cause of this. Same happens on Locks 87 (Dry Dock) 86 (Henhurst) 79, 74, 67. Unbelievable how some with one narrowboat in the chamber will fight with the gates before going over to the other side to lift the other paddles. Meanwhile, all the water is leaking away from the pound above. By the time a level is made and the headgate can be opened they can't get over the sill. Conversely, some of the headgates leak badly, and if both tailgate paddles aren't lifted it's hard work and water again goes down the pan. Examples are 88, 80, 71, 70, 69.

You're welcome Peter. It's a good group.

More info here, Peter - Wigan Flight Crew (Facebook) https://www.facebook.com/groups/WiganFlightCrew/

What do you think the (whatever they are, or aren't) should do? Boater A damaging canal infrastructure under the nose of 'volockies, or whatever they are'. Boater B witnesses this. Should 'volockies, or whatever they are' Report, grass-up, tell tales about boater A, or keep their meddling noses out? Meanwhile, boater B is first in the queue to demand 'volockies, or whatever they are,' report what has just happened. Catch 22?

Probably in response to this http://www.narrowboatworld.com/11343-shortage-of-volunteer-lock-keepers