Shropshire Union locks

[Philip]

For anyone who regularly cruises the Shropshire Union Canal or frequently sees the locks between Autherley and Nantwich, is there a predominant direction most of the traffic goes; uphill or downhill, and so a direction more likely to encounter queues in the busier months?

 

Also same question for the Trent and Mersey locks south of Stoke?

Edited December 27, 2021 by Philip

[Hudds Lad]

From our experience i’d say uphill was busier Fri-Sun, but that was usually the time we were hitting those locks. Midweek we'd be many miles away  

[Mike Todd]

IN general the major factor is relationship between a flight of locks and the hire bases that send boats out towards them. The changeover days are significant and those familiar with a particular stretch will know when to avoid. Otherwise there is little reason to anticipate an asymmetric demand. As far as I am aware, hire bases do not point all their boats in a fixed direction. Some are better able to turn them about if the hirer wants to go in the opposite direction from which it last arrived. Most hire bases seem to be on so-called rings which are heavily promoted in their literature.

[Boatingbiker]

A few years ago we were based at Acton Bridge on Trent and Mersey with a Friday pm  start time. This resulted in us arriving at Middlewich on Saturday. We soon learnt that it paid to arrive at Big Lock no earlier than 11am and  be cleared of Wardle Lock by 2pm to avoid the returning boats to the two hire bases at Middlewich and before their new crews commenced their holidays on Saturday pm. Otherwise it was a very slow journey though MIddlewich  after which all boats appeared to be spaced out. There was no clear direction of travel for traffic as Middlewich boats were above the three locks and Anderson boats below the three locks. Not so these days as I understand Middlewich boat no longer trading !

[Philip]

I was thinking specifically whether there is a predominant direction of travel on the four counties ring which can make on way much busier than the other? Do hire boats based on the northern part of the ring tend to head south down the Trent & Mersey to get Harecastle tunnel out of the way earlier in the trip, vice versa for hire boats based on the southern parts?

 

When coming down the Audlem locks in the morning there often seems to a stream of boats going the other way, sometimes starting quite early. 

Edited December 28, 2021 by Philip

[Mike Todd]

8 minutes ago, Philip said:

I was thinking specifically whether there is a predominant direction of travel on the four counties ring which can make on way much busier than the other? Do hire boats based on the northern part of the ring tend to head south down the Trent & Mersey to get Harecastle tunnel out of the way earlier in the trip, vice versa for hire boats based on the southern parts?

 

When coming down the Audlem locks in the morning there often seems to a stream of boats going the other way, sometimes starting quite early. 

But the same argument would have the hire boats from Stone etc all going the other way. I suspect that, overall, there is unlikely to be a preferred but that the normal statistical variation can make it look like that on individual days.

[Timx]

I prefer to do the four counties clockwise, mainly because it’s easier going down the shroppie, because of the bywashes. You have to depend on luck regards which way boats are travelling in holiday boat time, it can work for you at busy times.

[Hudds Lad]

13 hours ago, Timx said:

I prefer to do the four counties clockwise, mainly because it’s easier going down the shroppie, because of the bywashes. You have to depend on luck regards which way boats are travelling in holiday boat time, it can work for you at busy times.

We preferred it anti-clockwise, as we found it easier to come down the cheshire locks to avoid the strong forward surge when filling (not a fan of riding the gate).

Only bywash i recall being a problem is Tyrley bottom lock i think? The one that tries to shove you into a rock face on the left as you approach it. All part of the rich tapestry etc.  

[jam]

On 28/12/2021 at 06:50, Boatingbiker said:

A few years ago we were based at Acton Bridge on Trent and Mersey with a Friday pm  start time. This resulted in us arriving at Middlewich on Saturday. We soon learnt that it paid to arrive at Big Lock no earlier than 11am and  be cleared of Wardle Lock by 2pm to avoid the returning boats to the two hire bases at Middlewich and before their new crews commenced their holidays on Saturday pm. Otherwise it was a very slow journey though MIddlewich  after which all boats appeared to be spaced out. There was no clear direction of travel for traffic as Middlewich boats were above the three locks and Anderson boats below the three locks. Not so these days as I understand Middlewich boat no longer trading !

Middlewich Boats are no longer trading, but the base is now occupied by Floating Holidays so still busy.

[Alway Swilby]

7 hours ago, jam said:

Middlewich Boats are no longer trading, but the base is now occupied by Floating Holidays so still busy.

And there's now Carefree Cruising based at the junction which will send out a few share boats on a Saturday afternoon.

[JohnEW2912]

I doubt that it can be predictable any more given that most of the bigger hire companies have boats setting off on most days of the week. Lots of people are doing short 3/4 night breaks and then there are some tagging on one of those to a week to make a 10/11 night break. Then adding in that most companies are based somewhere with a variety of routes so that in any given week the boats could go in a completely different direction to the week before.

[Philip]

Are the BCN, southern Staffs and Worcs and south eastern Trent and Mersey canals popular routes for hire boats based on the southern part of the four counties ring? 

 

I can imagine a lot of hire boats based at the northern end going up the Llangollen canal.

[Paul&Sam]

On 29/12/2021 at 17:28, jam said:

Middlewich Boats are no longer trading, but the base is now occupied by Floating Holidays so still busy.

Howdy.

 

We don't at the moment send boats out on a Saturday. Just Fridays and Mondays for us. However that's not to say that it could happen on a Saturday.

 

If your passing through pop in for an ice cream / coffee

 

Cheers

 

Paul.

Floating Holidays.

[gatekrash]

On 30/12/2021 at 21:03, Philip said:

Are the BCN, southern Staffs and Worcs and south eastern Trent and Mersey canals popular routes for hire boats based on the southern part of the four counties ring? 

 

I can imagine a lot of hire boats based at the northern end going up the Llangollen canal.

The southern S&W from Stourport up to Aldersley can be busy, you'll get the hire boats from ABC at Worcester and Alvechurch, Starline at Stourport, Anglo Welsh at Tardebigge and Black Prince at Stoke Prior doing the Stourport ring.

 

We did the Black Country ring in August and thought it was generally reasonable from the bottom of the Aston flight round to Great Heywood, but once we got back onto the S&W it was heaving again. 

 

We were chatting to our friend yesterday who did Droitwich, up the Shroppie and on to Llangollen and back in early October (our plan for the end of this year), out of school holiday season and he said it was still busy then.