Good places to moor on Trent and Mersey Canal (near start of Brigwater Canal)

[tstore]

Hi

I need to move my boat from Derby up to Lymm where I'll be starting a new job (tricky with current lockdown restrictions). Hoping to start this on 1st June when restrictions lifted. Tried enquiring about mooring and licence costs with Brigewater Canal Co. Found them very unhelpful and not willing to give me a licence cost unless I had secured a moorring which I can't seem to do. So thinking of mooring on Trent and Mersey before you get onto the Brigewater Canal. Anyone got any tips on reasonably priced marinas around there? I've Park Farm Marina but tel number just says they are not available?

 

Any tips greatly appreciated.

 

Thanks

 

Thomas

[Dave 2]

• Hi I believe Park Farm is now owed by Collingwood  Narrow boat Liverpool I suppose there on lockdown, I had a mooring there a few years back very basic but reasonably priced, also Oakwood Marina which is next door to Park Farm both vehicle access on the same road.

[David Mack]

Bridgewater Canal Co will not give you an annual licence unless you have a Bridgewater Canal mooring. There's a list of mooring sites on their website.

I think you will struggle to find a legitimate liveaboard mooring on the Bridgewater.

Otherwise you are limited to the reciprocal licencing arrangement with CRT, which is only for through passage.

 

[Pie Eater]

There are 2 marinas at Anderton and also one called  Orchard marina.

 

There are online CaRT moorings in the area and I think the Black prince hire base also have on line moorings.

 

Another option is on the River Weaver at Northwich.

[haggis]

5 hours ago, Dave 2 said:

• Hi I believe Park Farm is now owed by Collingwood  Narrow boat Liverpool I suppose there on lockdown, I had a mooring there a few years back very basic but reasonably priced, also Oakwood Marina which is next door to Park Farm both vehicle access on the same road.

We moor at Park Farm and we had an email at the beginning of the year telling us that Alan McNaughton was the new owner.  I have lost the email now but I  didn't know he was involved with Collingwood. We have had no communication since the original email and just hope that our boat is OK . 

 

Haggis

[dor]

We moor at Park Farm and we had an email at the beginning of the year telling us that Alan McNaughton was the new owner.  I have lost the email now but I  didn't know he was involved with Collingwood.

 

I think that Alan McNaughton's sister is (or was) married to the Collinwood.  Alan's father was the principal force of Liverpool Boats. Can't be certain I have it exactly right, but there is certainly a family connection.  Hence Collinwoods 'took over' when Liverpool Boats closed down.

[haggis]

6 minutes ago, dor said:

We moor at Park Farm and we had an email at the beginning of the year telling us that Alan McNaughton was the new owner.  I have lost the email now but I  didn't know he was involved with Collingwood.

 

I think that Alan McNaughton's sister is (or was) married to the Collinwood.  Alan's father was the principal force of Liverpool Boats. Can't be certain I have it exactly right, but there is certainly a family connection.  Hence Collinwoods 'took over' when Liverpool Boats closed down.

I was aware that Collingwood took over from Liverpool boats but I had thought that Alan McNaughton was involved with Wincham (?) boats, the place a bit further up the Trent and Mersey. 

 

haggis

[Alan de Enfield]

1 minute ago, haggis said:

Wincham (?) boats, the place a bit further up the Trent and Mersey. 

Haven't they had a somewhat checkered history ?

'Sunk' and then done a Phoenix a couple of times ?

 

Harrals went bust and then set up again (I think) as ASH Narrowboats, then I think ASH disappeared and someone else took over.

 

Its always looked like a scrap-yard when we've called in, a bit like an 'end of life place' for narrowboats.

[beerbeerbeerbeerbeer]

8 hours ago, David Mack said:

Bridgewater Canal Co will not give you an annual licence unless you have a Bridgewater Canal mooring. There's a list of mooring sites on their website.

I think you will struggle to find a legitimate liveaboard mooring on the Bridgewater.

Otherwise you are limited to the reciprocal licencing arrangement with CRT, which is only for through passage.

 

I understand there’s something like a £40 fee for every week you overstay on the Bridgewater. 
Perhaps that could be a short term solution while looking for a mooring. 
You’d still need a CRT license mind. 

 I’ve heard of some do this long term.  
 

[Alan de Enfield]

5 hours ago, Goliath said:

I understand there’s something like a £40 fee for every week you overstay on the Bridgewater. 

That sounds a lot cheaper than paying for a mooring, I'm surprised that at £2k per year its is not overflowing with overstayers.

[beerbeerbeerbeerbeer]

6 hours ago, Alan de Enfield said:

That sounds a lot cheaper than paying for a mooring, I'm surprised that at £2k per year its is not overflowing with overstayers.

You’d think so. 
I’ve met two boaters claiming to do it. 
How long they’ve been doing it I don’t know. 
There’s probably a bit more to it, and maybe they get hassled. I don’t know. 
But would be great as temporary measure while looking for a mooring. 
Pay a CRT license monthly and cancel when you get the Bridgewater license. 
In similar circumstances I’d give it some thought. 
 

[tstore]

Thank you all. I've found a berth at Nantwich quay. Very nice people running the show. Park farm was a no go as another marina nearby is relocating all boats to do refurb work so will be inundated with boats from there. Quite fancy being on river nav for s bit and save some money on CRT licence. As ever this forum is so useful!!!!

Sorry meant Northwich Quay! Doh

[Alan de Enfield]

3 minutes ago, tstore said:

Quite fancy being on river nav for s bit and save some money on CRT licence.

 

Which river do you fancy ?

 

Mooring on a river can be quite 'hairy' and requires a very different skill set to mooring on a canal.

Rivers are nice and calm and slow at this time of the year, but given a big storm or Winter floods when whole trees are being carried down the river they are very, very different.

[TheBiscuits]

11 minutes ago, Alan de Enfield said:

Which river do you fancy ?

 

17 minutes ago, tstore said:

Northwich Quay

 

 

I'll take a wild guess at the River Weaver ...

[tstore]

Northwich is on River Weaver

 

[Alan de Enfield]

5 minutes ago, tstore said:

Northwich is on River Weaver

 

Of course, but Northwich is also on the T&M, but I was thinking of Wincham Wharf.

[ditchcrawler]

29 minutes ago, tstore said:

Thank you all. I've found a berth at Nantwich quay. Very nice people running the show. Park farm was a no go as another marina nearby is relocating all boats to do refurb work so will be inundated with boats from there. Quite fancy being on river nav for s bit and save some money on CRT licence. As ever this forum is so useful!!!!

Sorry meant Northwich Quay! Doh

That is still CRT waters

30 minutes ago, tstore said:

Thank you all. I've found a berth at Nantwich quay. Very nice people running the show. Park farm was a no go as another marina nearby is relocating all boats to do refurb work so will be inundated with boats from there. Quite fancy being on river nav for s bit and save some money on CRT licence. As ever this forum is so useful!!!!

Sorry meant Northwich Quay! Doh

Any idea which marina is moving in there?

[tstore]

Think it was orchard marina, the guy said same people who own park farm

 

[Alan de Enfield]

11 minutes ago, ditchcrawler said:

That is still CRT waters

It is but a Rivers registration is only 60% of the canal & river licence.

[haggis]

6 minutes ago, tstore said:

Think it was orchard marina, the guy said same people who own park farm

 

That's interesting! Since we got an email (long since lost) months ago telling us that Park Farm had changed hands, we have had no more communication and the web site still has the old (now presumably out of date) contact details. We have no way of contacting the marina to make sure our boat is still OK and living about 300 miles away, we can't pop down for the day to check. Is anyone else on here at Park Farm who could perhaps cast an eye over kelpie and let us know that she is still afloat?

We paid for a years mooring and that doesn't expire till October.

 

haggis

[tstore]

Park Farm is definitely active so presume it will be ok. I'm happy to go have a look when I am around there again. 

[tstore]

I went down there Personally and spoke with a chap who seemed to be running the place, he was surrounded by boaters from orchard marina and when I asked after a mooring they all burst into laughter and said about 50 boats had to relocate from orchid so I stood little chance.

[ditchcrawler]

Just now, tstore said:

I went down there Personally and spoke with a chap who seemed to be running the place, he was surrounded by boaters from orchard marina and when I asked after a mooring they all burst into laughter and said about 50 boats had to relocate from orchid so I stood little chance.

I expect that would be Dave, lives on a boat in the corner nearest the canal.

[haggis]

1 hour ago, tstore said:

Park Farm is definitely active so presume it will be ok. I'm happy to go have a look when I am around there again. 

That would be very kind of you. Kelpie is moored on the right after you go in the entrance. We have no reason to be concerned but not having seen the boat for a while and having no means of contacting the marina it makes me feel a wee bit concerned

 

Haggis

[Paul&Sam]

Hi All

 

If your looking for a mooring on the Trent and Mersey we are currently breathing new life into the old Middlewich Top Wharf site with some off side secure moorings. 

 

Feel free to give us a call to chat about anything regards the moorings if you maybe interested in mooring there.

 

All the best.

 

Paul

07901 588 364