Mr B

Church View Primary Care Centre by M & S in Nantwich is home to the three doctors surgeries in Nantwich. Nantwich Health Centre Surgery and Tudor Surgery are on the first floor and Kiltearn Surgery on the top floor. There are no other surgeries in the town itself. Nantwich mooring could be busy this week because of the Nantwich Show.

Came down the flight this morning with MHS (OP). In the top lock at 7.30am and leaving the last Poolstock Lock at 12.30pm. One off each boat setting alternate locks. Kept going all the time other than to clear the prop in the junction pound, where the water level was low. In fact pounds were getting lower as we descended the last four or five locks on the flight. Not certain these locks are much more challenging than some others we have been through on our trip to Leeds and back, it’s just there are some many. Saw no CRT personnel today, although did see two with clipboards when we went up five weeks ago, one was measuring a lock with a tape. Let’s hope their notes turn actions. Barry

Hello MHS Have sent you a PM. Barry

Anyone know where you can leave a car overnight in the Johnson's Hillock Locks/Botany Bay area. My sister-in-law is on a short visit to the UK and is hoping to come and find us on the L & L. Barry

Found this on the C&RT stoppages - I wonder how long it will take? From Date: 19th March 2014 at 14:30 To Date: until further notice Type: Navigation Closure Reason: Repair Notice updates: 24/03/2014 @ 14:55 The Canal remains closed at this location Due to a blown cill, Repairs are underway. A further update will be issued 7th April 2014 Description: A stoppage to through navigation is required as an issue has been identified with the tailgate cill at Blackburn Lock 55. Our team is in the process of de-watering the affected section to carry out investigation works. An update will be issued on Monday 24 March 2014 We are planning to go to Leeds soon we thought the Wigan flight would be a problem! Mr B

A question What is the 'Padlock Key' that is required to operate. Bridge 1, Junction Bridge and Lock 1? (This is from the Navigation notes for the Rufford Branch on the Boaters Guide for the Leeds and Liverpool Canal) I have A BW key (Watermate Key) and the Handcuff Key. Do I need yet another Key? Barry

Tiller Girl, Thanks for the Goole maps directions. I can see exactly the place you suggest. I certainly looks wide enough even for my poor winding skills! Tacet, That appears to be the end of a slip way, and has a wide beam boat opposite is that correct? MrB

Thank you all for your replies. I have been looking on Google maps. It is quite difficult to identify any winding hole on the Rufford branch with any certainty. Can any of you give a more precise location say google earth co-ordinates for those near Tarleton. Cloudinspector, Would the winding hole you mention be by the moorings near Town End Swing Bridge and the industrial units? MrB.

Hi all, We are planning a trip up the Rufford Branch. Canalplan suggests that we can wind at one of several places, Tarleton boat yard, Bank bridge winding hole, Rufford Old Hall winding hole or Fettlers Wharf. The only place that can be seen from Google Earth is the Fettlers Wharf entrance! My copy of Nicholson's shows a winding hole after Bridge 7 near to Rufford Old Hall but none any further towards Tarleton. The Boaters Guide on Waterscape does not show any winding on the Rufford Branch The boat is 57ft long and I do not want to go onto the river to wind (no confidence to do that). Can any of you comfirm the Canalplan winding or the lack of winding as the Boaters Guide suggests. Thanks MrB

Your discussion makes interesting reading, particularly as you both know the locality. I think we have concluded it was a local name for a bridge, despite being named in the formal setting of an inquest. We’re obviously never going to know exactly where it was. You are quite right the only known facts are that he left No 8 Thwaites Arcade Blackburn to catch the 6.30pm train to Langho on 21st December and he was found dead in the canal 19 days later and no evidence of foul play. Today we have read another report about the inquest in a different newspaper which says he was found ‘about 400yds on the Rishton side of Facit Bridge, Rishton’, but I don’t think an ‘a’ or ‘e’ is going to make a great deal of difference! Not sure how well he would have known a route home, as research today implies he had only very recently moved to Langho from Lower Darwen, so he may even have been making his way back into Blackburn using the towpath as a guide. It was only about 3 days after new moon, so it would have been very dark. The weather wasn’t icy but it was windy. Thanks Marian

Thank you for all these replies. The link however was us researching in 2005. We are now revisiting this research to see if we can get any further. The ‘long shot’ was hoping some local canal person might have knowledge of Fecit Bridge. The list of bridges between 1843 and 1936 is very useful and adds further weight to our thought it is a local name. George ex nb Alton has given us hope we might still find which bridge it is. Think we will have to go to Rishton and find some local with historic knowledge. Many thanks, Marian

We know this is a real ‘long shot’ but does anyone know which bridge in or near Rishton is/was known as Fecit Bridge? The question has arisen during family research and our quest to find out exactly where my great grandfather’s body was found. He went missing on his way home from work 21st December 1922 and his body was found in the canal on 9th January 1923. The inquest report in the Blackburn Times states: ‘P.S. Tait said .... a body of a man had been seen in the canal about 100 yards from Fecit Bridge on the Rishton side’. Having looked at old and present day maps of the area a Fecit Bridge is not named, so just wondering if anyone knows of a canal bridge that is /was known as Fecit Bridge somewhere along the Rishton stretch of the canal. The bridge can only be between Church and the outskirts of Blackburn. Marian, Wife of Mr B

We have certainly made use of the advice given in response to our original post – thank you. We’ve made it to Marple and well beyond! Particularly want to thank Denise and Bill NB Indulgence and their friend Maisie, without their help we would not have got up the Rochdale 9. Yesterday we went from Piccadilly Village to the bottom of the Marple flight, 9 hours cruising. Amazingly only one boat came passed in the opposite direction and that was 10 minutes before we moored up for the night, where is everybody? Looking forward to getting home now. Marian & Barry

We just want to put on record how grateful we are to Claymoore Boats for all their help over the last week. We turned up at their base early last Wednesday morning just as the news of how bad the T&M breach was, was starting to filter through. Despite trying to sort their boats out on the cut they made us feel so welcome and without hesitation offered a mooring for our boat, so we could get home for a hospital appointment. Thank you Claymoore Boats. Marian and Barry

Thank you for your time and effort in giving such comprehensive answers.We now have far more knowledge about how to tackle this part of our journey, and what challenges we might face. With regard to the Rochdale 9 C&RT told us on Monday 'we will be endevouring to have an increased presence of volunteer lock keepers available on this stretch and our water controllers will be available to ensure water levels are optimum'. Will keep you posted! Marian & Barry

Having got caught the wrong side of the T&M breach, we’re just about to set off from Preston Brook back to Aqueduct Marina via the Cheshire Ring, a ring we have avoided in the past because we thought it might be too strenuous for us. Would like to know if there much suitable mooring fairly near to the bottom of the Marple Flight or is it better to travel from after the lift bridge not long after the Dukinfield Junction? Secondly, roughly how much time does it take to go up the Rochdale 9 in realistic terms, rather than suggested Canal Plan times? I know I could be asking how long is a piece of string, but some idea is better than none. It will be only me operating the locks as Mr B has a disability and should not be working locks at present (on medical advice), so we are not quite single handed!! From reading other posts on here, are we right in thinking it is safe to moor in Thomas Telford Basin at Piccadilly Village or on the pontoons, seen on Google Earth on the off side, just after turning onto the Ashton Canal. We’re asking this as most guide books suggest not starting the 18 locks on the Ashton Canal after 10.00am. and we don’t think we will be up the Rochdale 9 by then. We were only out for a comparatively lock free cruise up the Bridgewater! Marian (Mr B’s wife)

Great news; swift and pleasing result from Canal and River Trust. Received letter back from C&RT this morning. Quote ‘I have tested your cards in our office and your conclusion is quite right, they are indeed faulty.’ Not only have C&RT replaced the three faulty cards but they included an additional one which, quote ‘I hope will go some way towards the inconvenience you experienced.’ A good outcome. Barry

Hi Mark, When we went through the tunnel last week the north end tunnel keeper told us the level was half an inch above normal. Barry

Thank you, have read all the above with interest and have decided I'll have to send the cards back for refund. Brought a new card this morning from BW man at Harecastle Tunnel. He said a few years back there had been a batch of faulty cards, but he thought it was more than two years ago. Barry

Thanks for comments so far. Meant to say we did check it was a digicard machine, and the old cards left by other users looked identical. No Robbo, since these three cards arrived in the post they have not been near a magnet but I suppose they might have come across one in transit. Barry

Just attempted to pump out at Etruria using 25 Unit Service Prepayment digicard which was sent to us by BW in September 2010. Machine came up with 'card error', so tried the other two cards sent at the same time and both of these gave the same result. A boater nearby told us the pump out worked yesterday and an old card left on the machine indicated 'card empty', so we assume the machine was in good working order. We're not desperate to pump out and understand we can purchase another card at Harecastle Tunnel, but we're just wondering why all three cards should incicate 'card error'. We have never used these cards or put them in a machine before and they have always been stored away from electrical and magnetic sources. Any suggestions as to what could be wrong the cards, do they have an expiry date or might they not have been preloaded?! No need for this post to start the old pump out versus cassette debate - we have both! Barry

Hello to you all I was on the boat day before yesterday and the blanking plate at the rear of the stove crashed onto the heart at the back of the stove. Luckly the fire was not alight at the time. Looking at the plate and reading the fitting instructions it suggests that there should be lugs on the plate, both are missing and have been so for a while if the rust/corrosion is anything to go by. The only thing that was holding the plate in place was the fire cement. Is it a common problem with the Becton Bunny stoves? Are these plates easily obtained? The stove has been in the boat since it was built in 2007. Mr B.

Hi all, We have a problem. - The exhaust of our Isuzu 35 is getting louder! No obvious signs of soot on the lagging around the pipes or the box. I think it might be time to replace the silencer. Whilst I am replacing one silencer rather than a large hospital silencer is it possible to fit two silencers as in most cars? I am sure I have read post(s) about having 2 silencers before but cannot seem to find them. Barry

We used to moor at Venetian Marina and moved to the along the cut (next door) when it opened and we are very happy there. STIG is exactly right you get what you pay for. We wanted a boat length pontoon, with electricity and water and ease of access to the boat which is why we took the decision to move. However, if you just want a place to moor your boat Venetian is fine. We found everybody there to be friendly and helpful. When we bought our boat in 2007 Venetian was the only marina in the area which had space. Swanley Bridge had just opened and it was full. Since then three new marinas have opened in the area – Aqueduct, Tattenhall and Overwater all of which have similar facilities. The only way to know what you get for your money is to go and visit the marinas. Mr B

I e-mailed from the Collingwood web site. No Reply. As for a chimney to fit the pipe welded into the boat roof - I eventually found plain black 18" (46cm) single skin chimney at both Norbury Wharf and at Nantwich Marina. They had no handle or brassware. These were transfered from the old chimneyafter the purchase of a few copper poprivets. With the aplication of a bit of red paint it now looks very much the same as the original chimney. Barry