Mooring at Ellesmere Port Museum?

[Tony1]

 

I'm pondering whether to press on the few miles into the museum basin next week.

I grew up not far from there so I've visited a couple of times before, but it might be nice to moor in the basin there for a few nights, and enjoy the cultural colossus that is Ellesmere Port. 

I cant find any mention of mooring rules or charges on the website, so if anyone has moored there in the last couple of years, I'd be very grateful for a heads up on what the rules are.

I'm going to give them a call on Monday anyway to see if they're already full (or if there's a restriction) before I head down there, but any up to date info would be much appreciated, cheers. 

 

[David Mack]

You can moor above the locks at the Museum - 48 hours I think.

[TheBiscuits]

Drop down into the basin, it's great.  There's a small charge but that gets you the access code for the back gate keypad so you can get in and out.

 

It's a fascinating place to visit, and it's even more fabulous when it's closed and you have the place to yourself.

 

I painted inside my gas locker there last year - I could safely leave crap on the quayside while waiting for paint to dry because only CRT staff and other boaters were allowed access.  Don't do this when the site is open to the public though!

 

If you keep your ticket it will be valid for 12 months at Ellesmere Port and at Gloucester museum too if you fancy going that way.

 

https://canalrivertrust.org.uk/places-to-visit/national-waterways-museum/boating-at-ellesmere-port

[haggis]

We went down to moor in the basin a few months ago and as Biscuits says, it is an interesting place to moor.  When going down into the basin make sure the paddles are up on the second lock before emptying the first though or you will get wet feet. When we came back up a boat was coming down and didn't do that and the lock labourer was wearing rather nice non waterproof footwear 🙂 . 

[Tony1]

Thanks for all the info chaps, I'll give the basin a go next week 😀

[Tracy D'arth]

The hotel is very particular about mooring within sight of their residents.

[TheBiscuits]

 

You may suffer from size anxiety near the big boats ...

[haggis]

36 minutes ago, Tracy D'arth said:

The hotel is very particular about mooring within sight of their residents.

Yes, it would have been handy to moor outside the pub and restaurant 🙂

[Grassman]

 

 

We've stayed there twice and loved it. The first time was coming off the MSC from Manchester, and last year we moored there before going down to Liverpool on the Mersey.

 

I think it's £4 a night and if you buy a ticket to go around the museum it includes one night's mooring. We thought the section of the SU to there from Chester was a little boring but thankfully each of those times we only had to do it once, and staying at the museum for a few days made it well worth while anyway.

[furnessvale]

17 hours ago, Tracy D'arth said:

The hotel is very particular about mooring within sight of their residents.

Of course, they can only be "very particular" about mooring on their side of the water.

 

One Easter, blowing a gale as usual, the wind blew ALTON onto their wall.  We were breasted up to CLENT at the time to avoid firing up CLENT's Bolinder for a short move.  We had been there a minute, sorting out lines to cross the basin without skewering CLENT's wooden side on the old wreck and they were out from the hotel, "you can't moor there!"

[frangar]

I’ve moored on the island opposite the hotel…the aircon from the heath club is very noisy all night!! Hopefully there a few less sunken boats in basin now…it could really do with a few secure pontoons etc to make it more appealing to visiting boats in my opinion. 

[Ray T]

11 minutes ago, frangar said:

I’ve moored on the island opposite the hotel…the aircon from the heath club is very noisy all night!! Hopefully there a few less sunken boats in basin now…it could really do with a few secure pontoons etc to make it more appealing to visiting boats in my opinion. 

 

The majority of sunken boats are now in dry storage in a warehouse not far from the main museum.

One or two may be outside in the yard still.

 

As far as I am aware there are no plans to restore them but preserve them as they are. As one official put it to me, "If they were restored/rebuilt it would destroy the integrity of their original (ish) build.

 

Photo's taken in 2018.

 

Edited February 20, 2022 by Ray T

[frangar]

Just now, Ray T said:

 

The majority of sunken boats are now in dry storage in a warehouse not far from the main museum.

Ive been to look at those...its a fascinating if slightly sad place....Im not sure many if any were from the bottom basin....last time I was there there was a small springer that you could just see the roof of...and what I think was a dredger that had rolled onto its side just by the locks where you come off the Ship Canal....plus a load of over staying boats as no-one seemed quite sure who the water in the basin belonged to.....

 

Ive recently read that both Cuddington and Basto (??) are now receiving some attention which can only be a good thing....one hopes they arent too far gone.

[tree monkey]

23 hours ago, Tony1 said:

 cultural colossus that is Ellesmere Port. 

 

 

I think it was stolen a few years ago.

[Mac of Cygnet]

On 19/02/2022 at 17:30, TheBiscuits said:

 

You may suffer from size anxiety near the big boats ...

 

 

I don't remember feeling any anxiety, and Mrs Mac, Dora Dog and Cygnet don't seem to be showing signs.  Can't believe it was nearly 14 years ago......

 

 

[Iain_S]

23 hours ago, frangar said:

Ive been to look at those...its a fascinating if slightly sad place....Im not sure many if any were from the bottom basin....last time I was there there was a small springer that you could just see the roof of...and what I think was a dredger that had rolled onto its side just by the locks where you come off the Ship Canal....plus a load of over staying boats as no-one seemed quite sure who the water in the basin belonged to.....

 

Ive recently read that both Cuddington and Basto (??) are now receiving some attention which can only be a good thing....one hopes they arent too far gone.

"Basuto", I think, if you mean the puffer. When we were there, it seemed to be having a steel wheelhouse fitted. 

[PeterScott]

On 19/02/2022 at 17:30, TheBiscuits said:

 

You may suffer from size anxiety near the big boats ...

Our version from 2017

[frangar]

23 minutes ago, Iain_S said:

"Basuto", I think, if you mean the puffer. When we were there, it seemed to be having a steel wheelhouse fitted. 

That’s the one!  Knew I had it wrong….but couldn’t think what it was. I do hope they have some love. I like the bigger boats there. 

[Tony1]

 

Just thought I'd add a quick update from the great basin of basins:

 

The prices are still the same as mentioned earlier- your first night's stay is the admission price of the museum (currently £9.75), and subsequent nights are £4 each. For this princely sum you get an A5 sized paper permit to display. There is also a form to fill in, with your boat and license details and even insurance company name. 

 

I suspect there is little or no enforcement of the fees, and that most boaters are not announcing their presence at the main reception/shop building, and staying for free. 

 

When I asked about it being busier in the summer, the guy at reception said they are considering introducing a booking system. That will mean no more free mooring here, but on the plus side you wont be turning up and finding there are no moorings left, and if anyone has come in and moored in a booked place, they'll be asked to leave.   

I'm not sure how widely they intend to publish the introduction of the new booking system, which is why I'm mentioning it here.

If it happens I can envisage some interesting exchanges here next summer, with the local CRT employees possibly being asked to carry out security/eviction of boats with no permits etc. Fun times ahead.

 

 

[ditchcrawler]

On 19/02/2022 at 16:13, TheBiscuits said:

Drop down into the basin, it's great.  There's a small charge but that gets you the access code for the back gate keypad so you can get in and out.

 

It's a fascinating place to visit, and it's even more fabulous when it's closed and you have the place to yourself.

 

I painted inside my gas locker there last year - I could safely leave crap on the quayside while waiting for paint to dry because only CRT staff and other boaters were allowed access.  Don't do this when the site is open to the public though!

 

If you keep your ticket it will be valid for 12 months at Ellesmere Port and at Gloucester museum too if you fancy going that way.

 

https://canalrivertrust.org.uk/places-to-visit/national-waterways-museum/boating-at-ellesmere-port

Last time I went and stayed I paid with Tesco vouchers 

[Heartland]

There was a time when there were Telford designed warehouses across the basin and concrete barges moored alongside.

[Ray T]

42 minutes ago, Heartland said:

There was a time when there were Telford designed warehouses across the basin and concrete barges moored alongside.

 

 

Photo's from CRT Archive.

Edited March 3, 2022 by Ray T

[Tony1]

 

Thought it might be worth mentioning for any interested boaters pondering a trip to the boat museum, the cost of mooring has now gone up to £10 per night, and they have set aside six dedicated visitor moorings in the basin, with an online booking system via the CRT website- you have to log in with your CRT account to make the booking and pay for it, and you can even select a particular mooring, e.g. one nearest the basin, that is easier to get in and out of.  

I'm also getting the impression that they are now doing a visual check on who is in the basin every day or two, so the days when some naughty boaters just cruised in and stayed for a few nights without paying are definitely over. 

And the website says its a maximum stay of 7 days, which to be honest is plenty to see the Ellesmere Port area. 

 

Edited May 11, 2022 by Tony1

[frangar]

25 minutes ago, Tony1 said:

 

Thought it might be worth mentioning for any interested boaters pondering a trip to the boat museum, the cost of mooring has now gone up to £10 per night, and they have set aside six dedicated visitor moorings in the basin, with an online booking system via the CRT website- you have to log in with your CRT account to make the booking and pay for it, and you can even select a particular mooring, e.g. one nearest the basin, that is easier to get in and out of.  

I'm also getting the impression that they are now doing a visual check on who is in the basin every day or two, so the days when some naughty boaters just cruised in and stayed for a few nights without paying are definitely over. 

And the website says its a maximum stay of 7 days, which to be honest is plenty to see the Ellesmere Port area. 

 

I think its a real pity there isnt some pontoons like gloucester in that basin maybe with power/water etc like Llangollen to make it more of a destination....those moorings are right opposite the extraction fans for the hotel and can be really noisy...not to mention the lack of anything to actually tie up to last time we were there.

Edited May 11, 2022 by frangar

[tree monkey]

19 minutes ago, Tony1 said:

 

And the website says its a maximum stay of 7 days, which to be honest is plenty to see the Ellesmere Port area. 

 

7 whole days to see the port, it's not enough not by a long shot, the delights of the port are many and varied, starting with the wonderful elegance of the Westminster Bridge to the...

 

Nope can't do it, 7 days is a long time to spend in the port, trust me I did 18yrs