Ploos1 Posted October 15, 2019 Report Share Posted October 15, 2019 Help needed! Currently doing the four counties ring and both of us been injured so need to go home and leave the boat for a couple of weeks (safely). Currently near Red Bull and hope to slowly and painfully make our way to Middlewich for better transport links. Any ideas for safe moorings there to leave the boat for two weeks? many thanks in anticipation. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frangar Posted October 15, 2019 Report Share Posted October 15, 2019 (edited) 23 minutes ago, Ploos1 said: Help needed! Currently doing the four counties ring and both of us been injured so need to go home and leave the boat for a couple of weeks (safely). Currently near Red Bull and hope to slowly and painfully make our way to Middlewich for better transport links. Any ideas for safe moorings there to leave the boat for two weeks? many thanks in anticipation. I’d be tempted to nip back the other way into stoke and leave the boat at festival park marina...phone to check if they have space etc. Won’t add much to time but good transport links and apart from passage thro Harecastle it’s not many locks if you are poorly. Edited October 15, 2019 by frangar Because I had my rings muddled up!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rgreg Posted October 15, 2019 Report Share Posted October 15, 2019 19 minutes ago, frangar said: I’d be tempted to nip back the other way into stoke and leave the boat at festival park marina...phone to check if they have space etc. Won’t add much to time but good transport links and apart from passage thro Harecastle it’s not many locks if you are poorly. Good advice. When I enquired with Festival about a temporary mooring a couple of years ago the price was very reasonable and just a short taxi ride to Stoke railway station. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeterScott Posted October 15, 2019 Report Share Posted October 15, 2019 Middlewich moorings are generally good in our experience, and have left boat there on 14day moorings without difficulty. Out of choice, above Wardle Lock on Middlewich Branch (first pic) , or above Big Lock below Andersen Boats are OK. Or stay where you are and a taxi might be less uncomfortable Good Luck ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frangar Posted October 15, 2019 Report Share Posted October 15, 2019 1 minute ago, PeterScott said: Middlewich moorings are generally good in our experience, and have left boat there on 14day moorings without difficulty. Out of choice, above Wardle Lock on Middlewich Branch (first pic) , or above Big Lock below Andersen Boats are OK. Or stay where you are and a taxi might be less uncomfortable Good Luck ? I’m not sure I’d leave a boat unattended in middlewich. There’s been a few instances of boats having windows broken...the boats that were stuck by the breach above wardle got quite badly damaged Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nipper Posted October 15, 2019 Report Share Posted October 15, 2019 We have moored at Middlewhich lots of times with no incidents except for two occasions. When moored on the visitors moorings above Wardle Lock I had a double glazed pothole window smashed while we were onboard, but the little scrouts were faster than me! I got hold of CRT local bods number and phoned several times, in the end i left a message and heard nothing at all, a total waste of time! The other occasion while on the moorings above the big lock, adjacent to the playing area. Someone trying to enter the rear of the boat around 2 in the morning while i was asleep, he even shone a torch in my eyes. I didn't report that incident thinking that he had had enough punishment when he saw me break through the rear doors like a rocket, naked and brandishing a large mooring pin. Nipper 35 minutes ago, frangar said: I’m not sure I’d leave a boat unattended in middlewich. There’s been a few instances of boats having windows broken...the boats that were stuck by the breach above wardle got quite badly damaged The mooring area shown in the bottom picture is used for the hire boats and is deemed to be theirs.! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arf Posted October 15, 2019 Report Share Posted October 15, 2019 1 hour ago, Ploos1 said: Help needed! Currently doing the four counties ring and both of us been injured so need to go home and leave the boat for a couple of weeks (safely). Currently near Red Bull and hope to slowly and painfully make our way to Middlewich for better transport links. Any ideas for safe moorings there to leave the boat for two weeks? many thanks in anticipation. 33 minutes ago, frangar said: I’m not sure I’d leave a boat unattended in middlewich. There’s been a few instances of boats having windows broken...the boats that were stuck by the breach above wardle got quite badly damaged Provided its not too far, I think you could moor without too many worries past the aqueduct or after Croxton flash to the north. Its nice and deep there and should be far enough out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boater Sam Posted October 15, 2019 Report Share Posted October 15, 2019 If you want to come up through Stanthorne lock, I'm sure our farmer would let you moor in the 65ft space on our moorings, totally safe, may be a bit shallow as there has not been a boat in there for months, but its only mud. Occupied boats all around. PM me for a phone # Sam. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arthur Marshall Posted October 15, 2019 Report Share Posted October 15, 2019 Or nip up the Macc to Heritage Marina. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dor Posted October 15, 2019 Report Share Posted October 15, 2019 If both of you are injured I would suggest, as above, going back to Stoke. There are an awful lot of locks between Red Bull and Middlewich (about 30), which is not ideal if you are injured. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Mack Posted October 15, 2019 Report Share Posted October 15, 2019 Its a few years ago now, but Fulbourne had a porthole glass broken and the cloths slashed when left on the towpath above Wardle Lock. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ditchcrawler Posted October 15, 2019 Report Share Posted October 15, 2019 3 hours ago, frangar said: I’m not sure I’d leave a boat unattended in middlewich. There’s been a few instances of boats having windows broken...the boats that were stuck by the breach above wardle got quite badly damaged One had a window broken I think you will find, but even that is one too many. Maybe Anderson Boats would look after it on their offside moorings below the 3 locks. But if you are injured that's a lot of locks from where you are. There is a railway station where you are as well as 14 day moorings almost outside the CRT office Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob-M Posted October 15, 2019 Report Share Posted October 15, 2019 Speak to the CRT guys at Red Bull, you may be able to leave it there and get a taxi to the station or if you are lucky one of the CRT staff may give you a lift which they did for one of my crew a few years ago. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arthur Marshall Posted October 15, 2019 Report Share Posted October 15, 2019 If you can track down Rob the Lock, who wanders about on his bike round the locks through Stoke generally being a helpful and useful person, he's been known to work all the locks up to Middlewich for people before now. Slipping him a bob or two doesn't go amiss - keeping his bike up to scratch costs him a fair whack - but he never in my experience has asked for money for anyone. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mac of Cygnet Posted October 15, 2019 Report Share Posted October 15, 2019 There is a regular bus service between Red Bull and Crewe. I don't think you would get a better transport link than that! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ploos1 Posted October 15, 2019 Author Report Share Posted October 15, 2019 Thank you all so much for your help and advise. This forum (and its member of course) is a wonderful service and we really appreciate the time spent giving us all the amazing options. We have now, with all your help, come up with a plan. Thank you all again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dmr Posted October 15, 2019 Report Share Posted October 15, 2019 7 hours ago, Arthur Marshall said: If you can track down Rob the Lock, who wanders about on his bike round the locks through Stoke generally being a helpful and useful person, he's been known to work all the locks up to Middlewich for people before now. Slipping him a bob or two doesn't go amiss - keeping his bike up to scratch costs him a fair whack - but he never in my experience has asked for money for anyone. He locked us up into Etruria yesterday, and cycled past us today, if only I had known this sooner I might have employed him to get us up to Middlewich tomoro. ................Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Todd Posted October 15, 2019 Report Share Posted October 15, 2019 From my experience of sorting out travel, Kidsgrove or Stoke is much better served than Middlewich which, today, is quite some distance from a station. Whereabouts do you want to get to? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve_C Posted October 15, 2019 Report Share Posted October 15, 2019 (edited) Rode Heath or Wheelock are probably a safer bet than Middlewich. Both are on bus routes, Wheelock is on the Middlewich route not quite sure which route Rode Heath is on. Wheelock only a short bus or taxi journey to Sandbach railway station also. Edited October 15, 2019 by Steve_C Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slim Posted October 15, 2019 Report Share Posted October 15, 2019 9 hours ago, Arthur Marshall said: If you can track down Rob the Lock, who wanders about on his bike round the locks through Stoke generally being a helpful and useful person, he's been known to work all the locks up to Middlewich for people before now. Slipping him a bob or two doesn't go amiss - keeping his bike up to scratch costs him a fair whack - but he never in my experience has asked for money for anyone. I've encountered him on a couple of occasions. The first time i felt aa little uncomfortable not knowing quite what was going on. The second time (maybe a year later) we had a relaxed conversation over a few 'tinnies'. He gave me a card with his phone number . Well worth the couple of beers and a bottle of wine. Thought of offering cash but it didn't feel 'right'. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rgreg Posted October 15, 2019 Report Share Posted October 15, 2019 (edited) 32 minutes ago, Slim said: I've encountered him on a couple of occasions. The first time i felt aa little uncomfortable not knowing quite what was going on. The second time (maybe a year later) we had a relaxed conversation over a few 'tinnies'. He gave me a card with his phone number . Well worth the couple of beers and a bottle of wine. Thought of offering cash but it didn't feel 'right'. He told me that he used to be a CRT volunteer but now is a free agent providing services such as grocery supplies and laundry, as well as lock assistance. He's certainly quite a character, and flies around on his bike to offer help like a man on a mission! Edited October 15, 2019 by rgreg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slim Posted October 16, 2019 Report Share Posted October 16, 2019 8 hours ago, rgreg said: He told me that he used to be a CRT volunteer but now is a free agent providing services such as grocery supplies and laundry, as well as lock assistance. He's certainly quite a character, and flies around on his bike to offer help like a man on a mission! Yes, he mentioned the CRT bit to me. He wanted to 'travel' with a boat CRT wanted him to remain at specific locks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arthur Marshall Posted October 16, 2019 Report Share Posted October 16, 2019 3 hours ago, Slim said: Yes, he mentioned the CRT bit to me. He wanted to 'travel' with a boat CRT wanted him to remain at specific locks. I met him last year or so bringing a boat up from Stone to Middlewich for someone. Year before he'd been booked to take someone's boat down to the Nene. I remember him as a young lad just starting out - he's a lot better at winding you up slow these days! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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