Liam

This water point is also not on the list, because it is a private water point and so should not be used. It is actually the water pointed used when pumping out so wouldnt use it anyway. It is isolated inside the arch when not in use (in use very very infrequently). The nearest water point to Sale is at The Old No 3 in Little Bollington or at Stretford as part of the marina services.

Yes it's the black door to the right of the barrels, under the guttering. There is also a handy (non Bridgewater Canal Company) elsan point just further down from you Peter, at Lloyds Bridge, Outrington.

In the (paper) copy of the byelaws I have somewhere on my boat I strictly remember reading that it was against said byelaws to stay in any one spot on the towpath, excluding such places as Lymm, Castlefield and The No 3 where either 48 or 72 hrs are allowed. The recently introduced Platinum license which enables you to stay on your boat in any 1 spot (excluding places above) completely contradicts what it says in the byelaws. It will be interesting to find out what the score on this is. Liam

If that's the case there'll be a fair few boaters asking for a refund. I hope they all do.

To be fair the elsan point at Lymm is provided by the pub, so can't really be included, no excuse for not finding the Worsley services as it has a "Toilets" sign above!

There's 2 bins! One is based in the car park between Midland Chandlers and Claymoore at Preston Brook, the other bin is at Stretford Marina. Both bins are provided by The Bridgewater Canal Company so available for boaters use. There is also the council waste disposal site in Stockton Heath available for use. Pedestrian access is restricted but you can pass your bag of refuse to an attendant who will dispose of it for you. There's less than half of the moorings in Castlefield designated for private moorings so there's plenty of space for you as a visitor. There's 6 easily accessible water points on the Bridgewater (7 in total but ones a bit difficult to reach). For a rundown of services... Butts Bridge: Toilets, water, elsan Worsley: Toilets, water, elsan Castlefield: Toilets, water x2, elsan Stretford: Toilets, water, elsan, rubbish disposal, shower Olde No 3: Water Lymm: Elsan Preston Brook: Toilets, water, elsan, laundry facilities (coming soon) Lloyds Bridge at Outrington also provided services, albeit privately and these include elsan, pump out, showers and laundry. The services are there you just need to know where to find them.

This happens all the time. The Christmas / New Year floods caused a lot of silt to be washed down through the Medlock into the Bridgewater which has massively reduced the depth in that area. I now struggle to get Ariel anywhere near the sides and I struggle to wind at the end there.

Lots of boats just passing through on their holidays have been charged over the past 12 months or so. There also seems to be a collection of people who continually pay the £40 per week so they're able to stay on the canal, often in the same location. Whilst this may be convenient for the boaters it does seem a fairly expensive way of doing things. It's an interesting comment about local businesses nose diving. I myself haven't noticed any decrease in traffic passing through the canal. Since the Boothstown stoppage ended at the end of May there's been a constant stream of CRT boats out and about. I'd probably say that the overall number of CRT boats hasn't decreased, I'd say they just don't seem to be hanging around for as long. The majority of my sales do come from the resident Bridgewater folk but in summer a fair amount of trade does come from CRT boats passing through and I've not really seen any noticeable decrease in this.

Not forgetting the fuel boat "Ariel" This weekend I'm carrying out deliveries from Sale through Stretford to Manchester Castlefield and Worsley.

Yes a very sad sight. Unfortunately the boat, well at least the front half has been burnt out with quite bad buckling of the steel on the cabin sides and cabin top. I believe the cause of thr boat fire is under suspicious circumstances. The owner spent a short time living alongside his wreck of a boat in a tent but sadly was found dead recently.

Yes, pretty much although before we go too far past is always preferable Alternatively, most fuel boat operators and their contact details are listed on the lock13.co.uk website, so when you're coming into their area, give them a buzz and arrange a meet up somewhere.

They get all of the income from licenses and all money for mooring permits, from their marinas and several online moorings. They also have the income of the short term licenses. There is also a lot of income from and round the canal that does not go to any canal related account. Several thousands of pounds are paid for taking water out of and putting water into the canal. This money goes directly to Peel Ports rather than the Bridgewater Canal Company. The amount of land that came within the Bridgewater Canal estate is slowly running out so no more developments can really take place. Peel Holdings are therefore looking at other possible sources of income such as extra moorings at Astley etc. and plans in the pipeline for more marinas in the future. Any developments being carried out in terms of repairs and maintenance or upgrades is usually 99% of the time paid for by another party such as the Bridgewater Way upgrade along the canal, funded by Sustrans and the various councils.

Yes businesses have closed, but some new businesses have also started. The last bank to close was Lloyds in the past month, after Natwest and Barelays shut previously. I don't think the whole blame can be passed to lack of boats for this, most people go either into Altrincham or into Warrington to do their shopping and banking etc. The Post Office / Stationers has also closed and the Lymm Library was threatened with closure, more likely again this would be due to the Council and Royal Mail than lack of boats. As Bridgewater boater, over the past couple of months since the reopening of the canal at Astley, I've seen more CRT boats on the canal than I have in the past 2 years, what that means, I don't know.

Yes, lots. People who have been charged upon their return and also people who decided not to take a chance and have pre-paid before their return journey. You obviously have those that take the chance that breeze through and back again without being "caught" and charged.

It's advised to get a receipt and to inform the company that you've paid for a 3 or 7 day permit (£20 or £40 respectively).

Unfortunately Ambush is no longer attending but the other wide boats are.

I think I'd prefer this to be honest, and next door is for sale aswell, so 2 properties for less than half the price. They're not lock cottages but are canal side, http://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-47848071.html

Sculptor being another.

I'd be more inclined to leave it nearer to Stockton Heath rather than Preston Brook and would aim for somewhere like near the Red Lion at Moore near the winding hole. However if public transport is required I'd go for Stockton Heath itself, it's a town and so more regular and reliable public transport links, and handy for supplies from the various shops in town.

Thanks Richard

I have a HA2 with a leaky fuel return pipe, not actually the spill rail but the copper pipe which joins onto that. I think the olive is misshapen so it's allowing fuel to weep out of the join. The simple solution would be to replace this olive, but... Once the copper pipe leaves the spill rail, it then runs back on itself, going uphill and joins the overflow fuel pipe from the day tank, back to the main tank. It's only supported at either end, although it does have "loops" in the copper pipe I don't think the vibration of the engine generally does it much of a favour in the long term. A very short distance from the spill rail is the fuel filter. What I'd like to do, to reduce the run of the pipe and to make it look a lot neater and to keep it out of the way is to connect the fuel return back into the filter. I've read this is bad practice on a JP as they don't like any form of back pressure on the return, but can't find a definitive answer for the HA engines. Anyone able to help? Thanks in advance, Liam

Unfortunately not mate, being roped in to help dry dock a boat over Easter in Braunston.

I've only been in Wetherspoons in the past few years of visiting. The last time I went to go in the one directly behind the museum about 7 years ago, after just boating to EP via the Ship Canal for Easter, the door burst open just as I went for the door handle, the result of a bloke having been beaten up and then thrown out. I stayed for 1 pint with a mate and then went back to the boat for a bit of peace. It's called the Horse & Jockey if I remember rightly.

The nearest pub is just outside the back door, and then further drinking establishments can be found in the town, which is out the back door, past under the motorway and over past the railway bridge, including a Wetherspoons.

Definitely wasn't me!