wigan flight

[Mister Allnut]

We are hopefully attempting the Wigan Flight on Thursday. Any hints, tips, rumour, solid information you can provide please (solid information preferably). We are quite inexperianced but keen. Sogno is 57 foot long so she will go through, It's details would be helpfull i.e how long will it take, will there be queues, ooooooh anything gratefully accepted

[Troll]

Go early as theres lots to do, and the kids off school like to hang around and swim in the locks and sit on the gates, they are ok, but theres a lot of them.

[Smelly]

We went up with a friend a few years back and it was very hard work as the locks have subsided a bit so they tilt a bit and the gates are heavy. A long handled windlass would be a good move.

Edited August 18, 2008 by Smelly

[DHutch]

Not to bad, there might be some BW people about too to help, although i dont know when they work.

- Otherwise just leave enought time and plod though it, have fun with the endless anti-vandal keys on there* .

 

*have a handcuff key

 

Good pub and water point at top (leave boat on water point, go to pub...)

 

 

 

Daniel

[steelaway]

We are hopefully attempting the Wigan Flight on Thursday. Any hints, tips, rumour, solid information you can provide please (solid information preferably). We are quite inexperianced but keen. Sogno is 57 foot long so she will go through, It's details would be helpfull i.e how long will it take, will there be queues, ooooooh anything gratefully accepted

 

 

Hi There

 

We did it solo in 4-5 hours with our 57 foot - but try to pair up - it a loooong stint

Some of the pounds can become very low - keep in the middle

There is a rest stop half way down for lunch and shops - 5mins walk away.

No problem with kids.

No locky's to be seen.

Good pub after turning left - a further 2 locks and 1 hour

 

Alex

[MartinClark]

Good pub after turning left - a further 2 locks and 1 hour

That sounds as if you mean the Dover Lock pub, if you mean turn left after going downhill. It is a good pub, but I understand that it has recently shut.

[Pie Eater]

You don't say if you are going up or coming down. There are overnight moorings at the top of the flight and a newish sanitary block and water point. The nearest pub is a couple of locks down the flight but the shops are about half a mile away on the main road.

 

At the bottom of the flight there are overnight moorings between the junction of the Leigh branch and Henhurst lock. Local pubs are JD's (aka Beer Engine) near Poolstock lock and the Honeysuckle near Wigan Dry Dock. Opposite the Honeysuckle there is a newsagents/off licence.

 

I assisted Maffi down the locks when he first got his boat and it took us three and a half hours. BW lockkeepers are sometimes available to assist you.

 

Ring BW at Wigan (01942-405700) to see if the service is available on Thursday.

 

Steve

[Matthew Dowson]

Try and spot others who may be doing it, and ask them if they are, night before or keep your eyes open in the morning - we did that up and down this summer and it made it very easy. Its not a big deal we came down in 3 hrs, up in 4. The environemnt is pleasant and we had no hassle, but as others have said knock it off ealy in the day not in the afternoon. We had a little help from the lockies but not much. No queues, after all this is the L&L. If you're approaching from below theres pleasant moorings down by the lakes, usually theres a few boats moored up but one of the lakes closer to the 2 locks before the flight has a lot of gulls on it - a bit noisy.

[Maffi]

I assisted Maffi down the locks when he first got his boat and it took us three and a half hours. BW lockkeepers are sometimes available to assist you.

Steve

 

 

So you did and I am eternaly greatful!

[JohnEW2912]

Done it quite a few times now over the last 5 years, the last time two weeks ago. It always seems to take us about 4 hours for the full flight, no matter how many crew or how the locks are set. We don't find it particularly hard at all, but then we're moored on the Rufford branch and the Wigan flight is easy after those locks. There should be BW guys around helping - I understand the extra Summer staff are off on Mondays and Tuesdays - unless there's a more deserving case on the flight as well.

 

Plenty of good safe rural mooring spots at the top if you're coming up, but if you want worldly pleasures I would recommend Adlington - excellent collection of pubs, two Indian restaurants, a Bistro, several take-aways and a handy Co-op. Good moorings on the offside alongside the park. Lots of boats seem to stop at the Crawford Arms at Red Rock. I haven't been in for years, when it was dreadful and I was told it was no better by a hire boat crew two weeks ago.

[Theo]

Done it quite a few times now over the last 5 years, the last time two weeks ago. It always seems to take us about 4 hours for the full flight, no matter how many crew or how the locks are set. We don't find it particularly hard at all, but then we're moored on the Rufford branch and the Wigan flight is easy after those locks. There should be BW guys around helping - I understand the extra Summer staff are off on Mondays and Tuesdays - unless there's a more deserving case on the flight as well.

 

Plenty of good safe rural mooring spots at the top if you're coming up, but if you want worldly pleasures I would recommend Adlington - excellent collection of pubs, two Indian restaurants, a Bistro, several take-aways and a handy Co-op. Good moorings on the offside alongside the park. Lots of boats seem to stop at the Crawford Arms at Red Rock. I haven't been in for years, when it was dreadful and I was told it was no better by a hire boat crew two weeks ago.

 

NO one has yet mentioned the very leaky top gates. the steerer should wear wellies and if you have a cruiser stern tape up the gaps inthe engine hole boards and the bottom of the doors if you have a trad stern. Going up make sure that the scuppers for the well deck are clear or you have the cloths up.

 

N

[Mister Allnut]

Thanks for the help and tips. Weather here is horrid so might lay up untill it improves. Must say it does'nt sound as daunting as I was thinking. Keep the info coming. Moored at Bootishall bridge at present, and very nice too.

[Pie Eater]

Weather forecast for Wigan is showers today, rain tomorrow, sunny spells and showers on Friday.

 

Steve

[Night Hawk]

What's the maximun boat length for the Wigan Flight....It says 60ft in the Guide but can longer boats squeeze in at an angle?

 

Why is the Poolstock pound always soooo empty?

[Pie Eater]

The Poolstock pound always looks empty as there is a 6 foot+ drop to the canal on the towpath side. Plus vandals sometimes drain it overnight.

 

Steve

[Mister Allnut]

Moored up right at the start just past the junction to the turn to go down to Liverpool. Rain is driving in but the plan is to start tomorrow and go as far as the pausing place (between 77 & 78?) then do the rest next day. One benefit, the reception here is brilliant. TV on digital with the arial folded down and the Tmobile as fast as I've had from cable! Plus full batteries and hot water. Had a pint in the Orwell, even as a Londoner I got a welcome.

[JohnEW2912]

Moored up right at the start just past the junction to the turn to go down to Liverpool. Rain is driving in but the plan is to start tomorrow and go as far as the pausing place (between 77 & 78?) then do the rest next day. One benefit, the reception here is brilliant. TV on digital with the arial folded down and the Tmobile as fast as I've had from cable! Plus full batteries and hot water. Had a pint in the Orwell, even as a Londoner I got a welcome.

Not sure it's a great idea to moor overnight in the middle of the flight. I don't think the BW guys will be keen on you doing that either. You should be up to the top in no more than 4 hours and then you have a peach of a canal for miles.

[Mister Allnut]

Well not to worry folks. By way of information, the BW blokes don't seem to object where you moor and between 77/78 there is a rare longish pound. We bit the bullet and did the whole flight. Hard work but lucky with the weather and a glourious days boating! Some locks a real pain, barely able to open lower gates as the water came in quicker than it went out (hyperbole!) but a great experiance and a good mooring just round from the top lock. Water! Showers! Toilets!!! Day off tomorrow to lick wounds, grease abrasions and get drunk. Memsahib drove with precision and elan. I heaved gates.

[gaggle]

Go early as theres lots to do, and the kids off school like to hang around and swim in the locks and sit on the gates, they are ok, but theres a lot of them.

well we never seen them yesterday , started to come down 11.40 am and took it nelson , got to wigan peir garage about 4pm

[Yakbird]

I did it about a week ago in a 60ft NB, some of it by myself, some tied to another boat. Started about 2pm and was out the top lock by about 8:30. That included getting grounded in one of the locks (despite it pouring with rain all day) and having to drain water down from the top, causing a bit of a flood in the process. Other than that, didn't notice any particular problems with the equipment or anything. Quite satisfying getting to the top.

 

The lock-keeper was around for a while, btw, and he said it was fine to moor overnight in the pound above the 8th lock from the bottom (can't remember the number), but not in any others.

 

P.S. Pretty sure the BW lock attendant is around every day (weekdays at least) until 4pm.

Edited August 21, 2008 by Yakbird

[Yakbird]

Ha, just realised it IS Thursday, and you've no doubt already done it!

 

Ah well... hope it went well.

 

Steve.

[Zoro]

I did it about a week ago in a 60ft NB, some of it by myself, some tied to another boat. Started about 2pm and was out the top lock by about 8:30. That included getting grounded in one of the locks (despite it pouring with rain all day) and having to drain water down from the top, causing a bit of a flood in the process. Other than that, didn't notice any particular problems with the equipment or anything. Quite satisfying getting to the top.

 

The lock-keeper was around for a while, btw, and he said it was fine to moor overnight in the pound above the 8th lock from the bottom (can't remember the number), but not in any others.

 

P.S. Pretty sure the BW lock attendant is around every day (weekdays at least) until 4pm.

 

 

Can confirm the full time keepers on the Wigan flight are doing more maintainance and painting work this year. The two seasonal staff are working Wednesday to Sunday. Monitoring the water levels and giving assistance to boats wherever they can. They may not always seem to be available but there are 21 locks over 2 miles and cant be with everyone all of the time. I found them very helpfull.

[Mister Allnut]

Can confirm what zoro said. The BW blokes are very friendly and helpfull. Especially the one who floored me by saying "Read your post on Canal World Forum last night". Hi if you're reading this, thanks for the help and chat, pint otr wo in the Boat Yard tonight.