Bridgewater diversion

[CD261]

Hi everyone Happy new year.

 

This is a plea for advice, We are currently moored in Gargrave on the Leeds Liverpool. We are planning to travel South. We planned to go through Wigan onto the Bridgewater canal to Preston Brook, then South on the Trent and Mersey.

Due to the breach we now plan to go through Manchester via the Ashton canal to the maccelsfield canal.

Two Questions-

1 Is this a safe route

2 Do you think this route will become busier as a result of the Breach.

 

We look forward to any views you may have about this. CD261

[IanD]

1 hour ago, CD261 said:

Hi everyone Happy new year.

 

This is a plea for advice, We are currently moored in Gargrave on the Leeds Liverpool. We are planning to travel South. We planned to go through Wigan onto the Bridgewater canal to Preston Brook, then South on the Trent and Mersey.

Due to the breach we now plan to go through Manchester via the Ashton canal to the maccelsfield canal.

Two Questions-

1 Is this a safe route

2 Do you think this route will become busier as a result of the Breach.

 

We look forward to any views you may have about this. CD261

It's safe (some care needed with moorings though) but rather harder work because of the number of locks. Also note that currently Marple locks are only open for assisted passages (which must be booked with CART) on Tuesdays. It will become busier but there's not much traffic at this time of year, shouldn't be a problem (except perhaps Marple, see above).

[PCSB]

It also depends on when you are planning to travel as there are planned closures on Macc from 6th Jan and the Peak Forest in Dukinfield from 20th Jan. Best checking on the CaRT closures Notices and stoppages | Canal & River Trust

[CD261]

Thankyou you for your feedback.

 

I was thinking that as boaters we could organise away of making the passage safer, As i am sure there will be many more boats wanting to go that way, With the Bridgewater closed for I would guess along time!!!

[Arthur Marshall]

54 minutes ago, CD261 said:

Thankyou you for your feedback.

 

I was thinking that as boaters we could organise away of making the passage safer, As i am sure there will be many more boats wanting to go that way, With the Bridgewater closed for I would guess along time!!!

If a lot of boats come down via the Macc I can see Bosley being on severely restricted opening in the summer. Again.

[dmr]

2 hours ago, CD261 said:

Thankyou you for your feedback.

 

I was thinking that as boaters we could organise away of making the passage safer, As i am sure there will be many more boats wanting to go that way, With the Bridgewater closed for I would guess along time!!!

 

Its pretty much a safe passage, the Ashtons bad reputation is mostly historic though the usual inner city precautions should be taken, try to avoid afternoons in the school holidays etc. and don't be rude to people who show an interest 😀 Droyslden is a good overnight stop, you just might get a spot in the marina but outside should be fine.  The Rochdale 9 can be hard work, maybe stop at the top to make an early start on the Ashton 18.  Its a nice route, Marple locks are very nice, and its actually not that much longer than the Bridgewater route as you cut out "heartbreak hill".

[Cheshire cat]

I did go and have a look at the problem at Marple. As far as I could see the culvert in question is actually a bywash. I suspect it needs assisted passage to prevent overtopping and potential flooding of downhill properties.

[alan_fincher]

6 hours ago, CD261 said:

I was thinking that as boaters we could organise away of making the passage safer,

 

I'm not sure why you would consider it unsafe.

Historic concerns about a passage on the Ashton now seem largely irrelevant.  Our experience have been of well to do people using the towpath for running, and we have never felt threatened on there in any way at all.

[PCSB]

3 minutes ago, alan_fincher said:

 

I'm not sure why you would consider it unsafe.

Historic concerns about a passage on the Ashton now seem largely irrelevant.  Our experience have been of well to do people using the towpath for running, and we have never felt threatened on there in any way at all.

Indeed. We did the Ashton last year without any trouble. A couple of challenging locks but otherwise fine. 

[dmr]

Its still a tiny bit dodgy up past the Strawbery pub place, but no worse than lots of other canal places like Stoke on Trent. A boater recently reported getting followed by a group of lads, but then a boat going through locks does get attention, a family followed us all the way up Marple one year 😀.

 

It is mostly all sports things and a big arena now.

[ditchcrawler]

23 minutes ago, alan_fincher said:

 

I'm not sure why you would consider it unsafe.

Historic concerns about a passage on the Ashton now seem largely irrelevant.  Our experience have been of well to do people using the towpath for running, and we have never felt threatened on there in any way at all.

30 years ago I think BW stopped the assisted passages, that is when you had to pay to fight your way down the Rochdale 9 

[junior]

What about going down Pomona lock onto the MSC and then onto the Weaver and up the boat lift?

[matty40s]

MSC requires loads of extra payments and insurance apparently, this could be an ideal time to get this removed or simplified given the long term implications of the "disaster".

Imagine going for a cruise over the New Year and not being able to return for 5 years.....

[junior]

18 minutes ago, matty40s said:

MSC requires loads of extra payments and insurance apparently, this could be an ideal time to get this removed or simplified given the long term implications of the "disaster".

Imagine going for a cruise over the New Year and not being able to return for 5 years.....

Yeah would be good to have a temporary suspension of the additional certificates required, even if they did a regular assisted passage to minimise the risk of things going wrong.

[ditchcrawler]

2 hours ago, junior said:

What about going down Pomona lock onto the MSC and then onto the Weaver and up the boat lift?

Have a read here Narrowboat Briar Rose: North West Passage: Day 18

[Alway Swilby]

2 hours ago, junior said:

What about going down Pomona lock onto the MSC and then onto the Weaver and up the boat lift?

The lift is closed ATM and a long term closure for refurbishment is happening soon

[ditchcrawler]

Just now, Alway Swilby said:

The lift is closed ATM and a long term closure for refurbishment is happening soon

There is always Ellesmere Port  and Chester 

[Donny85]

12 hours ago, junior said:

Yeah would be good to have a temporary suspension of the additional certificates required, even if they did a regular assisted passage to minimise the risk of things going wrong.

Doubt they’d want a lot of ‘toy boats’ on the MSC so unlikely.

[Pluto]

ISTR that after the 1971 breach, a 'flotilla' was arranged in each direction to allow boats to get back to their home moorings. However, the Ashton and Peak Forest have opened since then, so such an operation may not be seen as so important. Regulations may have been watered down for the trip as there were several safety boats accompanying. Others may be better informed.

[CD261]

Thankyou again for all of your feed back.

 

We feel much more reasured about the passage through Manchester. We have to get past the Wigan flight first, NO MEAN FEAT.

 

We will let you know how the trip went.

 

Regards CD261

[Cheshire cat]

The ship canal is not in much better condition than the Bridgewater. The only cargo coming up to Manchester these days is cement from Limerick. Swami is the ship that usually brings it. She got stuck several times last year due to bridges that wouldn't swing. Not that they would need to be swung for narrowboats.

[magnetman]

Would an ordinary pleasure Boat insurance policy cover use of the ship canal? 

 

 

[ditchcrawler]

2 minutes ago, magnetman said:

Would an ordinary pleasure Boat insurance policy cover use of the ship canal? 

 

 

I don't see why not.

[agg221]

6 minutes ago, magnetman said:

Would an ordinary pleasure Boat insurance policy cover use of the ship canal? 

 

 

Yes.

 

All you need is to meet some fairly simple criteria and have a certificate of seaworthiness. The latter isn't too hard to get for most boats, although we may have to make some modifications due to low level openings (not quite sure yet). The main issue is probably cost - for the certificate and the passage would probably be £350-400 depending on where you need to get from/to, which is quite a lot for a single passage.

 

Alec

[ditchcrawler]

1 minute ago, agg221 said:

Yes.

 

All you need is to meet some fairly simple criteria and have a certificate of seaworthiness. The latter isn't too hard to get for most boats, although we may have to make some modifications due to low level openings (not quite sure yet). The main issue is probably cost - for the certificate and the passage would probably be £350-400 depending on where you need to get from/to, which is quite a lot for a single passage.

 

Alec

I didn't think it was anywhere near that, a couple of years ago we were all set to go from Ellesmere to the Weaver when the lift was broken