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Liverpool Canal Link


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Agree, the trouble is that they often target multiple topics (17 a few weeks back) so it can be time consuming...the actual posts are automatically removed when the user is marked as a spammer.

Fair point. We need then to remember and go back and edit.

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PLEASE NOTE THAT STOPPING BETWEEN BRIDGE 9 AND SALTHOUSE DOCKS WILL NOT BE PERMITED.

 

Waiting for reply from Wigan regarding the above which is printed on confirmation of booking email from Wigan , not sure if it means no overnight mooring anywhere between bridge 9 and docks or no stopping at all at services / tesco situated in Litherland , the last elsan /water point and i think pump out being there .

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Just a question to people who have done this route, do most people moor up at handcocks bridge the night before to wait for c&rt for the 9.00 start, or do they moor elsewhere & motor in? Swmbo (a native) says its not the best area. We are doing the link in June, if any one else on here is going in on 16 June, please let me know. Cheers.

 

There is nothing much there at Hancocks Bridge. We stopped at Bridge 14a, where there is a pub nearby. We just had to be up a bit earlier next morning to do the last 3 miles or so before 9.00.

PLEASE NOTE THAT STOPPING BETWEEN BRIDGE 9 AND SALTHOUSE DOCKS WILL NOT BE PERMITED.

 

Waiting for reply from Wigan regarding the above which is printed on confirmation of booking email from Wigan , not sure if it means no overnight mooring anywhere between bridge 9 and docks or no stopping at all at services / tesco situated in Litherland , the last elsan /water point and i think pump out being there .

 

Since the unlock Hancocks Bridge, then disappear off in the van to meet you again at Stanley Docks locks, how would they know if you had made a stop at the services/Tesco (provided you didn't take too long)?

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Wigan office say it means no mooring overnight " although it does state stopping" and that all facilities are still available for use at Litherland.

The lads on Stanley lock as far as i can tell are also called on to do other tasks such as repairs ect so i dont know about them getting an early dart once they get you into Salthouse , my lad was offered to go after the job but had no licence to drive which was needed for driving to bridge nine and other places to help boaters through or urgent stuff.

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There is nothing much there at Hancocks Bridge. We stopped at Bridge 14a, where there is a pub nearby. We just had to be up a bit earlier next morning to do the last 3 miles or so before 9.00.

 

Since the unlock Hancocks Bridge, then disappear off in the van to meet you again at Stanley Docks locks, how would they know if you had made a stop at the services/Tesco (provided you didn't take too long)?

If by Hancocks you refer to bridge 9 Wango lane when they let you through that they scoot ahead to St Oswald lane bridge which they also control , more often than not they then keep tabs on the boats at various bridges until Litherland services and they often have a teabreak there while ensuring the boats have not broke down or are stuck behind to far , volunteer lockies were in position on the flight last year to greet the first arrivals at the flight.

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PLEASE NOTE THAT STOPPING BETWEEN BRIDGE 9 AND SALTHOUSE DOCKS WILL NOT BE PERMITED.

 

Waiting for reply from Wigan regarding the above which is printed on confirmation of booking email from Wigan , not sure if it means no overnight mooring anywhere between bridge 9 and docks or no stopping at all at services / tesco situated in Litherland , the last elsan /water point and i think pump out being there .

We are going the same time, it means no overnight stops as they operate a few of the bridges and if your lucky the stanley flight into the dock structure. See you there, is it your first time in ?

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We are going the same time, it means no overnight stops as they operate a few of the bridges and if your lucky the stanley flight into the dock structure. See you there, is it your first time in ?

Been down a few times each year since link opened and the coal and cotton rally along the river to Salthouse , granddaughter who is obsessed with dogs has insisted i get the boat down there for the next visit to see the girl and her dog again , the giant picked her up on the last visit they made and she was probably the happiest girl in the city that day.

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I've been meaning to post this for a while.

 

We went along the link in September. Moored for the night just beyond Bridge 10 and moved down to Bridge 9 in the morning. The paperwork that CaRT issue for the link state that at least two boats are required to be booked for a passage to take place. (Not the exact wording but the gist.) Because of this I was a bit concerned when we were the only boat pointing towards Liverpool when we got there. The CaRT men arrived, said "Is it just you? OK, we'll let the traffic die down a bit and let you through"

 

It felt very strange knowing we were the only boat on that bit of canal. Stopped at Litherland for a pump out. The crew who swung the bridge were there and one of them opened the PO cabinet for us, I don't think it uses a standard BW key. There were volunteers as well as the CaRT men to work the Stanley Locks, they told us to stay on the boat. I found the Stanley Dock a bit intimidating, 11 stories of the Tobacco Warehouse plus the height of the dock wall above and 20 odd feet of water below.

 

The only place where we went wrong was coming into the Prince's Dock. Not sure which side of the bollards to go. We went to the left, the WRONG side! Could see a CaRT chap on the lock in the distance waving us over to the right. The CaRT crew had disappeared when we got to Mann Island Lock. Didn't know if we had to wait for them or work it ourselves. Had a look and it was padlocked so we had to wait. When they arrived they said something about there having been divers down in one of the docks.

 

Something else the CaRT paperwork says is that you stay on your mooring in Salthouse Dock and don't move without permission from the Harbourmaster (again the gist) so we were a bit puzzled when a narrowboat appeared from the south, had a chat with our neighbours and disappeared off to the south again, shortly followed by the neighbours boat. When they came back I asked where they had been? 'Down to the marina and back' they replied. 'But what about not moving from your berth?' I asked. They laughed and said 'Don't worry about that. If anyone asks just say you're looking for somewhere to empty your cassette!' So we took an early evening jaunt down to the marina and back and around the Albert Dock just for fun.

 

We were the only boat on the outward passage too.

 

Can thoroughly recommend the trip. We stayed three days, not long enough.

 

Can also recommend The Hop Vine, up towards the railway station, at Burscough for both beer and food.

 

Hope this helps those planning a trip this year.

 

SAM

Ryde

IOW

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As I said earlier, we are in Salthouse at present. We too read the leaflet as saying you can't move without permission so the first time we needed to empty our cassettes I phoned him in advance and left a message. He never phoned back so we just went. We've met him since and he doesn't seem to be bothered. Of course, it might be different in the summer when the trip boats resume. Our only problem at the moment is the canoes and dragon boats who Don't keep to the right side and seem to like stopping under the bridges.

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The reason for not leaving your mooring without permission is, I believe, that (as an example) a swimming club has sessions in one of the docks, between Salthouse and the marina/Brunswick, and the last thing they need is someone charging through the middle with a boat. We came close when coming in via Brunswick to Salthouse for the water festival, or whatever they called it, a couple of years ago, which replaced the cancelled Liverpool Boat Show, suddenly encountered a load of swimmers in the water & had to tie up for half an hour until they finished. Probably not an issue at this time of year, though!

 

Tim

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  • 2 weeks later...

This is the trip we wanted to do this year. We're hiring from Claymoore at Preston Brook, departing on a Friday. All the timings fit to arrive at Wango Lane bridge for the assisted passage on the Monday Morning, but it's outward only on a Monday ! To make it worse, even if we could have had an inward passage on Monday, we'd need an outward passage on Tuesday to get back in time, and there are no passages at all on Tuesdays ! Plan B was beckoning, which was to go to Rufford as we've never been there, but the boat is too long for the locks, so plan C was invoked - The west side of The Rochdale. Again, we've never done that bit, but again passage restrictions made it difficult, so we're now onto Plan D - Saddleworth. Still some bits we've never done AND two nights in The Station Buffet at Stalybridge ! When I get to plan Z, I'll give up !

I'm sure when you experienced this it wasn't amusing... but on reading it I found it fantastic..I know how you feel because this is the type of thing that happens to me regulary! I thought I was the only one!

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  • 1 month later...

Canal at Lydiate is currently drained while they work on the bridge outside the club.

http://www.mmbc.co.uk/page16aa.html

It was supposed to be finished this week but they were late starting so not due to finish until 4 April so earliest we can go is 5 April which is Grand National day so not sure yet if CRT will let us.

 

There's 4 narrow boats and 3 wide beams waiting now.

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It was supposed to be finished this week but they were late starting so not due to finish until 4 April so earliest we can go is 5 April which is Grand National day so not sure yet if CRT will let us.

There's 4 narrow boats and 3 wide beams waiting now.

Sorry to say its rumoured to be nearer end if April

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There is going to be a lot of disappointed people if that's the case. Poor Colin next to us is booked into the drydock in Runcorn for 14 April. We could always go across to Ellesmere Port I suppose. There is enough of us to make a nice convoy.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Just been sround to the bridge on foot and its still rumoured to be end of April before its passable but i suggest calling CaRT

I sent several emails to Stephanie and Andrea at Wigan to ask for confirmation about the canal reopening. When these went unanswered I then emailed Chantelle Seaborne, the NW Waterways manager, I eventually received a phone call back and an emailed reply back to say that after checking with the contractors on site completion is still on schedule for 4 April. They offered me passage for Sat 5 April despite this being Grand National day.

 

Let's hope they are right. Colin on 'Ascot' next to us is booked into a drydock at Runcorn on the 12th so hell be in trouble if they're not.

 

Regards

Pete

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  • 4 years later...

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