David Mack

There was coal traffic on the Ashby until about 1970. Did BW remove the Marston stop lock gates after that ceased, and drop the Ashby level by 6"? Might explain why the Ashby is now so shallow!

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/resources/idt-150d11df-c541-44a9-9332-560a19828c47

Until you have done the power audit you won't know how many batteries you need.

Lift bridge is at Middleton, between the Boat & Horses and the Rose of Lancaster. Third swing bridge is on the Yorkshire/Lancashire border just east of the summit. Heavily locked and urban, but not really grim. Came up a month ago with just two of us, on a full length deep drafted boat and made it from 3 locks up the Ashton to the River Irk aqueduct in a day, and then to Littleborough the next day, although single handing would be quite hard. CRT may be able to organise volunteer assistance on the ''Manchester 18' if you give them a but of notice.

One lift bridge and three (I think) swing bridges on the Rochdale, all of them operated from the offside. Grimshaw Lane lift bridge carries a busy road and is power operated and was installed as part of the restoration. It is surprising that the operating console wasn't installed on the towpath side, as it would make operation easier. That said I think it can be done single handed - you just have to moor (or at least take a rope ashore) on the offside either side of the bridge, while you raise and lower the bridge. Similarly with the swing bridges.

Fruit Flies? I thought this was going to be a thread about a book by the chap who shows a lack of self control when someone nicks his mooring space.

I think this has been learnt: "Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham said the fire service had learnt from the Grenfell fire and had also sent a team "to focus on the evacuation rather than fighting the fire"." From https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-manchester-50451033

Well you can understand that. I'm sure they sell far more paint to Collinwood than they do to any individual boat owner.

Or http://www.primrose-engineering.co.uk

Previous relevant thread, including details of a successful planning application for something similar in post #134. But nothing has since happened about that proposal. https://portal.calderdale.gov.uk/online-applications/applicationDetails.do?activeTab=summary&keyVal=NPH53BDW0D600

Can the dry dock you are using not recommend someone who has done work there before? If you get in someone nrw there coukd be a lot of hassle getting them through the various health and safety approvals.

Start with CRT's boating business pages: https://canalrivertrust.org.uk/business-and-trade/boating-business and https://canalrivertrust.org.uk/business-and-trade/boating-business/starting-or-expanding-a-boating-business/static-letting

Global warming...

During the Boxing Day 2015 floods the River Calder flooded into the Rochdale and Calder & Hebble Canals in several places.This resulted in the destruction of a couple of bridges, complete washout of the canal embankment and the sinking of a number of boats.