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Thank you.  We walked up there last year, very interesting as you can trace much of the route of the old arm almost all the way into Halifax.  I did not have a "depth stick" with me but my instinct was that it was quite shallow/silted. I suspect its very little used but if Belfast was ok then we should be.

 

I also thought about turning in the top lock but I think that would be very tight, might just manage if the water is deep right up to the offside bank. I think its handspike on both the top paddles? so would have to improvise something, can't really justify getting a proper hand spike just to do half of one lock, though it would be a nice thing to have. I'm happy to just go up and down between the summit and Hebden if we can get away with it, but really should go down to Sowerby at least once just to keep the second gates at Tuel lane working.  Looking at the history of the restoration I think we are really lucky that both Tuel Lane and Todmorden Library were retained as full length locks, it would have been much easier and cheaper to drop down to 60 foot, so need more 70 foot activity on the Rochdale to justify it.

 

and said, winding holes are a problem. Just possible at the end of Tod Marina, ok at Hebden Bridge dry dock but might need to move various moored boats, then nothing till Sowerby. Plan to investigate options between Walsden and Summit next week. Also good to know that the Littleborough wh might be no good because after that its all the way down to Rochdale.

 

................Dave

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What I know,
It is suspected that lock 46 has a wooden floor, something relativly common on the older Rochdale locks - those built under the original 1796 act. locks 1- 50 If this is the case it may well have failed spectactuarly like lock 49 had, in which case they may have to do a full replace, they will not know until at the earlest Friday 24July. Either way it will not be a super quick stoppage unfortunatley.
Very few boats have used the Manchester 18 this year!
They had very bad troubles with the local scrots draining the flight in Newton Heath during lock down, this is why the canal was locked at night. It
does not appear to have improved :(
The summer holidays have started, however scrots do not like mornings in general.
Lack of use has caused these problems.
The natives where quite friendly last year, especially if you talked nicely to them.
Doing the Manchester 18 in the rain is always better.
Most of the volunteers have not yet been inducted back in this area of the NW for some reason unknow to me!
The volunteers lock keepers are expecting to be back very soon! However there are no boats!
To see if a volunteer is available use the standard CRT contact number 03030 404040 at least 24hrs before, which means at least 2 days before you want to travel.
Very few of the volunteers are available at weekends, normally none!
If a voluteer lock keeper is available, the process is that you will be contacted with the volunteers contact details, so you can organise the passage.
Oh and lastly there is still no full escape into Yorkshire due to the C&H being shut at Figure of Three Locks just before Wakefield, so the only route out is back to Lancashire via the HVNC.
--

Cheers Ian Mac

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2 hours ago, dmr said:

Last winter we chickened out of going to Salterhebble and turned at Sowerby, I am not convinced that a 71 footer can turn at Salterhebble but I might give it a try this winter, we need a shorter boat to go down with us in case we need towing back.

You can wind easily wind at Salterhebble  at the top lock, always good to back into the lock and take a picture and ask where that is. You can also wind  a 72ft boat at Dry dock and at the very end of the Halifax Arm.
Enable one to go to the Navigation in Sowerby Bridge moor conviently :)

 

DSC_8529.JPG

Edited by Ian Mac
Add image ofull length boat winding at Saltershebble.
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44 minutes ago, Ian Mac said:

You can wind easily wind at Salterhebble  at the top lock, always good to back into the lock and take a picture and ask where that is. You can also wind  a 72ft boat at Dry dock and at the very end of the Halifax Arm.
Enable one to go to the Navigation in Sowerby Bridge moor conviently :)

 

DSC_8529.JPG

 This virus really has wrecked the pub going, not  been in a proper boozer for 6 months, just sad bottle drinking on the boat, and fear it might all come back in the winter. All this booking in advance and drinks served at the table does not really appeal but might give the Golden Lion at Tod a try this weekend, just hope there is a vaccine soon. Did not find the Navigation at Sowerby, but did like the Train Station pub and the Shepherds Rest. Will hopefully investigate the arm, top lock, and Navigation later this year. Can you slot us in for going down into Manchester April 2021 please ?  and likely returning to the Rochdale early October 2021.

 

..............Dave

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15 hours ago, dmr said:

Looking at the history of the restoration I think we are really lucky that both Tuel Lane and Todmorden Library were retained as full length locks, it would have been much easier and cheaper to drop down to 60 foot, so need more 70 foot activity on the Rochdale to justify it.

 

 

While the canal was closed the guillotine structure at Todmorden was removed, and all that was left was two steel channels in the wall below coping level. There was also a pipe across the chamber a foot or two below coping level and just upstream of the guillotine gate position. When that section was first restored a set of mitre gates was provided in the upper recess, restricting the lock to 60 foot boats. 

As part of the final restoration from Littleborough through to Manchester the pipe was diverted and a new guillotine gate installed, so that full length boats could once again use the lock. But there was insufficient funding to deal with those locks which have come in a bit, so original full width boats cannot now pass through the full length of the canal.

Edited by David Mack
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17 hours ago, Ian Mac said:

It is suspected that lock 46 has a wooden floor, something relativly common on the older Rochdale locks - those built under the original 1796 act. locks 1- 50 If this is the case it may well have failed spectactuarly like lock 49 had, in which case they may have to do a full replace, they will not know until at the earlest Friday 24July. Either way it will not be a super quick stoppage unfortunatley.

 

Looks like you might be right. Latest today from CRT:

Update on 24/07/2020:

Please be advised, due to our contractor’s prior commitments, the dams have been installed this week at Lock 46 on the Rochdale Canal.

The contractors will be back onsite Monday morning to confirm the dams are safe to work behind. Our team have set up site and will start works as soon as this has been approved.

An update will be provided Friday, 31 July.

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18 hours ago, dmr said:

winding holes are a problem. Just possible at the end of Tod Marina, ok at Hebden Bridge dry dock but might need to move various moored boats, then nothing till Sowerby. Plan to investigate options between Walsden and Summit next week. Also good to know that the Littleborough wh might be no good because after that its all the way down to Rochdale.

 

The wide section between locks 45 and 46 above Littleborough looks plenty big enough for winding, although I have no idea what the depth is like away from the main channel.

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@Ian Mac it is a wooden floor, I was passing when the lad in a dry suit fished a bit up with his keb. He said the floor was bouncing as he walked on it. There's a void under the cill, looked like about half an open paddlesworth coming through. 

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32 minutes ago, David Mack said:

 

The wide section between locks 45 and 46 above Littleborough looks plenty big enough for winding, although I have no idea what the depth is like away from the main channel.

AFAIK it's well silted up, it was never dredged when the canal refurbed in the '80s. I remember looking around when that work was being done in '83 ish. There were a couple of wooden hulls on the far side, probably still there if anyone wants a doer upperer. 

32 minutes ago, David Mack said:

 

The wide section between locks 45 and 46 above Littleborough looks plenty big enough for winding, although I have no idea what the depth is like away from the main channel.

AFAIK it's well silted up, it was never dredged when the canal refurbed in the '80s. I remember looking around when that work was being done in '83 ish. There were a couple of wooden hulls on the far side, probably still there if anyone wants a doer upperer. 

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1 hour ago, Jim Riley said:

AFAIK it's well silted up, it was never dredged when the canal refurbed in the '80s. I remember looking around when that work was being done in '83 ish. There were a couple of wooden hulls on the far side, probably still there if anyone wants a doer upperer. 

AFAIK it's well silted up, it was never dredged when the canal refurbed in the '80s. I remember looking around when that work was being done in '83 ish. There were a couple of wooden hulls on the far side, probably still there if anyone wants a doer upperer. 

If we are at the summit and need to turn its either a long reverse or down the Littleborough flight. Its quite wide just above lock 39, you could maybe wind 68 foot there but its just too tight for us, tempting to go down one night and have a little dig ? After that the short pound next to the textile mill is a good easy turn (locks 43 to 44?) only trouble is its very often empty and need it almost full to wind, and the pounds above it are mostly short so its quite time consuming to let enough water down to turn whilst leaving enough to go back up again.

Have not been beyond this except when going all the way to Manchester so can't comment on other winding holes, though pretty sure the one in the wide pound at Failsworth is not viable.

 

................Dave

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23 hours ago, David Mack said:

Its beginning to look like that for us, although I have plans to be elsewhere next winter.

 

Feel free to breast up to Belfast.

Just spotted this post, and would recognise the BELFAST anywhere.  It has to be my favourite Narrowboat of all time, and I wondered whether it was still around.  I used it regularly about 25 years back when I was working in Hemel Hempstead and it was owned by the Dacorum Narrowboat Project.  I have a lovely watercolour of it moored up.  Is it still in their hands or is it owned by someone else these days.  It certainly looks a lot smarter than it did when I took it out with a group of youngsters, we did a trip with Belfast and another Nash Mills Project Boat - "Narrow Escape"  I think we had 24 youngsters helped by 4 or 5 adults.  It's a long time ago, but I'm sure that somewhere in my scrapbooks I had a picture of it.  Be interested to hear of it's present story

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16 minutes ago, MajorB said:

Just spotted this post, and would recognise the BELFAST anywhere.  It has to be my favourite Narrowboat of all time, and I wondered whether it was still around.  I used it regularly about 25 years back when I was working in Hemel Hempstead and it was owned by the Dacorum Narrowboat Project.  I have a lovely watercolour of it moored up.  Is it still in their hands or is it owned by someone else these days.  It certainly looks a lot smarter than it did when I took it out with a group of youngsters, we did a trip with Belfast and another Nash Mills Project Boat - "Narrow Escape"  I think we had 24 youngsters helped by 4 or 5 adults.  It's a long time ago, but I'm sure that somewhere in my scrapbooks I had a picture of it.  Be interested to hear of it's present story

Its still very much around, I am moored right behind it, the inset section at the engine room is just wonderful.

 

.............Dave

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Thanks for the quick response.  I'd be really interested to hear from it's current owner if they are part of this forum.  When I helmed it with a group, I always stayed in the boatman cabin with my young son.  Memories fade, but I seem to recall that it hadn't changed much in over 50 years since it was built in 1936.

 

Barryimage.png.f0690dc288784524ee8e7c38954ae4b7.png

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On 24/07/2020 at 18:43, dmr said:

If we are at the summit and need to turn its either a long reverse or down the Littleborough flight. Its quite wide just above lock 39, you could maybe wind 68 foot there but its just too tight for us, tempting to go down one night and have a little dig ? After that the short pound next to the textile mill is a good easy turn (locks 43 to 44?) only trouble is its very often empty and need it almost full to wind, and the pounds above it are mostly short so its quite time consuming to let enough water down to turn whilst leaving enough to go back up again.

Have not been beyond this except when going all the way to Manchester so can't comment on other winding holes, though pretty sure the one in the wide pound at Failsworth is not viable.

 

................Dave

There is a winding hole at Littleborough station AFAIK. Don't know if its full length though. Have you got a 72ft stick, or use a 45degree set square and measure along the bank you are on. As for filling 43/44 just run water down as you go down, plenty in top pound at the moment. 

Have you got anywhere with the Warland gate project? Still waiting for the chair polishers? 

Edited by Jim Riley
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47 minutes ago, Jim Riley said:

There is a winding hole at Littleborough station AFAIK. Don't know if its full length though. Have you got a 72ft stick, or use a 45degree set square and measure along the bank you are on. As for filling 43/44 just run water down as you go down, plenty in top pound at the moment. 

Have you got anywhere with the Warland gate project? Still waiting for the chair polishers? 

There is a suggestion in this thread that the Littleborough station winding hole is very silted, maybe I will test it next time we are heading down to Manchester. Can do pretty good winding hole measures with Google Earth, its the silting that's the great unknown.

When we went down to turn a few days ago we had to let so much summit water down that we dropped the level close to the point where CRT claim to need to close it.  43/44 was fine, filing the pound below 39 was the problem. Went past your boat.

Just been to Tod for a pumpout, and a pint at the Golden Lion so now heading back towards Warland. Might get to meet with CRT if they ever un-furlough their staff.

Tod was full of boats, us and 5 others were heading towards the summit today, the Rochdale Canal is busy.

 

.................Dave

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51 minutes ago, dmr said:

There is a suggestion in this thread that the Littleborough station winding hole is very silted, maybe I will test it next time we are heading down to Manchester. Can do pretty good winding hole measures with Google Earth, its the silting that's the great unknown.

When we went down to turn a few days ago we had to let so much summit water down that we dropped the level close to the point where CRT claim to need to close it.  43/44 was fine, filing the pound below 39 was the problem. Went past your boat.

Just been to Tod for a pumpout, and a pint at the Golden Lion so now heading back towards Warland. Might get to meet with CRT if they ever un-furlough their staff.

Tod was full of boats, us and 5 others were heading towards the summit today, the Rochdale Canal is busy.

 

.................Dave

They've now got workboat, pumps, coffer dams at 46 but how long it will take to fix??? If I can I'll get some pics of the wooden floor when I'm passing. 

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19 minutes ago, Jim Riley said:

They've now got workboat, pumps, coffer dams at 46 but how long it will take to fix??? If I can I'll get some pics of the wooden floor when I'm passing. 

Keep us informed, if you can get close and its interesting then I will cycle down for a look later in the week.

I believe coffer dams are provided by a contractor and quite expensive, but talking to a CRT bloke the other day it sounds like they have given up on stop planks, still fine on narrow canals but too risky on the wide ones. I wonder if the recent near miss on the Weaver caused this decision?

A few years ago I saw them testing out some new lightweight aluminium stop planks on the K&A, it needed a crane, a supervising "lifting" engineer, various "operatives, a diver in case something went wrong, and a second diver ready in case the first diver got into difficulty. Not sure I would want to work behind stop planks located in slots in 200 year old masonry.

 

.................Dave

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4 minutes ago, dmr said:

Keep us informed, if you can get close and its interesting then I will cycle down for a look later in the week.

I believe coffer dams are provided by a contractor and quite expensive, but talking to a CRT bloke the other day it sounds like they have given up on stop planks, still fine on narrow canals but too risky on the wide ones. I wonder if the recent near miss on the Weaver caused this decision?

A few years ago I saw them testing out some new lightweight aluminium stop planks on the K&A, it needed a crane, a supervising "lifting" engineer, various "operatives, a diver in case something went wrong, and a second diver ready in case the first diver got into difficulty. Not sure I would want to work behind stop planks located in slots in 200 year old masonry.

 

.................Dave

They've worked for 200 yrs... 

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11 minutes ago, Jim Riley said:

They've worked for 200 yrs... 

Yes, must be getting near the end. My Ford Focus has done 20 years, but I don't think it will do another 20 ?

A lot of lock masonry is looking pretty tired, all that water pissing out of every joint is not a good sign.

 

...............Dave

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20 minutes ago, dmr said:

talking to a CRT bloke the other day it sounds like they have given up on stop planks, still fine on narrow canals but too risky on the wide ones.

 

Johnson's Hillock Top Lock, Leeds and Liverpool Canal, February 2020

 

toplock.jpg.d7ec3215b92e001b66fb51874ad0e530.jpg

 

 

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On 24/05/2020 at 21:45, Cheshire cat said:

The Ashton is a non event. As well as boating through it I cycle it on occasion. There has been much urban regeneration and kids are now tied up with their phones so the days of being fair game are behind us, 

 

I also take exception to the idea that there are problems in the Gay village. Yes, there are issues underneath Picaddilly station but the rest of the Rochdale 9 is uneventful

I've never had any problems with the Gay village, They lean on the glass fence and are chatty and pleasant.

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Just now, Goliath said:

It’s Deansgate Tunnel that’s the shocker for many. 
I just carry on with my boating and ignore the goings on. 
 

We saw one man "entertaining" another man from behind, and a third man watching and "entertaining" himself. And so much "stuff" ends up in the water ?.

 

...............Dave

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2 minutes ago, David Mack said:

So, if I got it correct, from 3.00 tomorrow there are finally no stoppages on the Rochdale Westside of the summit, other than the prebooking of locks 70something to 60 something?

1 minute ago, dmr said:

We saw one man "entertaining" another man from behind, and a third man watching and "entertaining" himself. And so much "stuff" ends up in the water ?.

 

...............Dave

I remember 
We ignored them and walked past. ?

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