Advice Needed - Castlefield to Marple

[Mr B]

Having got caught the wrong side of the T&M breach, we’re just about to set off from Preston Brook back to Aqueduct Marina via the Cheshire Ring, a ring we have avoided in the past because we thought it might be too strenuous for us.

 

Would like to know if there much suitable mooring fairly near to the bottom of the Marple Flight or is it better to travel from after the lift bridge not long after the Dukinfield Junction?

 

Secondly, roughly how much time does it take to go up the Rochdale 9 in realistic terms, rather than suggested Canal Plan times? I know I could be asking how long is a piece of string, but some idea is better than none. It will be only me operating the locks as Mr B has a disability and should not be working locks at present (on medical advice), so we are not quite single handed!!

 

From reading other posts on here, are we right in thinking it is safe to moor in Thomas Telford Basin at Piccadilly Village or on the pontoons, seen on Google Earth on the off side, just after turning onto the Ashton Canal. We’re asking this as most guide books suggest not starting the 18 locks on the Ashton Canal after 10.00am. and we don’t think we will be up the Rochdale 9 by then.

 

We were only out for a comparatively lock free cruise up the Bridgewater!

 

Marian (Mr B’s wife)

[Ray T]

Answer to one of your questions: We stopped at the bottom of the Marple flight about this time of year, a few years ago and had no problems at all.

 

We woke to this:

 

]

 

 

[Derek Porteous]

Hi Marian,

 

There is room for about three narrowboats at the bottom of the Marple flight. We have always found them to be excellent moorings and just a short(ish) walk into town.

 

I would allow three hours for the Rochdale nine. Some of them are very hard work as they have restricted area for the pushing, pulling and general heaving. I also guess that with all the rain the water will be cascading over the top of the lock gate which makes it a bit tougher. Ideally if you would pair up with another boat, that would be better.

 

The Thomas Telford Basin is perfectly safe, but you will not have access to the street from the mooring. This means either do the Rochdale Nine in the afternoon and waiting overnight for an early start on the Ashton, or be prepared to wait out the rest of the day until morning.

 

Alternatively carry straight on over the Ashton. I believe the situation is greatly improved (no doubt other members will be on with their views), but you should be prepared to cruise right through to Portland Basin.We have never had a problem on this stretch, but have always completed it by early afternoon.

 

Hope this helps,

Derek

[alan_fincher]

Having gone the other way through the Ashton this August my strong feeling was that the "don't start it after mid-morning" advice is probably over the top these days.

 

Of course it is easy to say that if you have had no problems, but despite the warnings, at no point did it actually feel like somewhere you would have - or at least if you are moderately sensible about the day you do it.

 

Several people have since commented that it is no longer often like the reputation it has earned in the past, and stories of current problems are exaggerated.

 

However, because of the "usual" advice, and because we knew no better, we did the whole of Dukinfield through to Castlefield as a single day, which although only under 8 miles, does feature 27 locks, including the Rochdale 9. Despite some of these locks being hard work, I have recorded the whole 27 took us less than 7.5 hours, but we had an active crew of three for a lot of it, so maybe not a lot of help to you - it would take a lot longer with only one paddle winder and gate pusher.

 

As "wussie" Southerners, not used to locks on the Pennine canals we found these locks rather different from our more normal cruising places. I don't know if it helps, but our account of the trip, (albeit the other way to which you want to go), is here......

 

Link to our blog page.

 

We didn't stop there, (obviously!), but we met someone who said they had spent two days at Picadilly with no problems, whilst they visited attractions in Manchester.

[John Holden]

 

roughly how much time does it take to go up the Rochdale 9 in realistic terms, rather than suggested Canal Plan times?

 

Depending on how much water is coming down, most boats seem to manage the flight in 2 to 2.5 hours. If you'd like a hand with the nine shout, but not Wednesday.

 

From reading other posts on here, are we right in thinking it is safe to moor in Thomas Telford Basin at Piccadilly Village or on the pontoons, seen on Google Earth on the off side, just after turning onto the Ashton Canal.

 

They aren't actually pontoons but rather rickety landing stages with no access or egress apart from climbing over a high fence! Go for TT basin.

[Keeping Up]

 

 

<Snip>

 

The Thomas Telford Basin is perfectly safe, but you will not have access to the street from the mooring.

 

<Snip>

 

 

It is definitely a good, and very safe, mooring. When we stopped there overnight a couple of times, the residents came out of their houses in a race to see who could be the first to tell us the combination to the locks on the gate which gave access to and from the outside world.

 

If your boat is full length you will probably not be able to moor inside the basin, but there is good mooring for a couple of boats outside the basin too (it is offside, and is also inside the secured area)

[benfordboy]

We left New Islington around 10-10.30am on our trip this year coming down the final 2 locks before the left turn onto the Ashton , so a little shorter than coming up the nine !

 

The Ashton takes a little more time than most Narrow beam locks due to the anti-vandal paddle gear, we had a longish day which included a detour up the Huddersfield Narrow to ASDA for shopping , but made the Bottom of Marple flight by 8.30pm.

 

Once past the Etihad stadium you do start to feel you are leaving the city behind, we had no problems at all along any of the Ashton or indeed the Rochdale.

[Capt Col]

We where in Manchester at the weekend and there was lots of water flowing down the Rochdale 9, so much so that we tried to help a chap to open the bottom gates on the last of the locks but there was that much water flowing over the top gates the level in the lock wouldn't drop fast enough through the paddles to enable us to open the gates.

However at other times of the weekend they where fine, a Claymore boat set off up them about 08.00 on Monday morning.

 

If you can get to go up with some one else it would make it easier, there will be plenty of people heading that way.

 

Please be very careful around the locks, especially the ones with high buildings around them, the surfaces are very slippy.

 

Colin, nb Emma Maye, the wool boat

[Ian Mac]

Going up the Rochdale 9 - I would allow over 2 hrs as someone else has already said. The record according to Harold Williams the old lock keeper, now sadly deceased, was 35mins "with a steamer" and my personal best is 45mins (mob handed). The art of working the 9 is always use all paddles, fully open, this is particularly true when emptying a lock, if fact its sometimes quicker to run with ALL! paddles open to start with ie all four paddles, both top and bottom open, to drop the top pound below the top gates first, otherwise you could be in for a long wait, you have to make an assessment at the time, about just how much water is coming in over the top gates. The gates are heavy due to each gate being 9ft wide so you need to be almost level before you can push them open. The original gates had bigger paddle holes, but these are deemed unsafe these days, and use to cause flooding anayway. Going up paired make life a lot easier. Do watch out for slip hazards and the stupid landing stages at lock 86 which has no towpath access, in a vain attempt to stop Darwin awards being posthumously handed out. Caused by erecting a glass partition to stop the drunks falling in, which they now sit on top of!

We just moor up in Dales St or Duice St. No.2 basin, before the aqueduct and have never had problems, the Jolly Angler pub is worth a visit (on Duice St. - just outside, right and right ) especially on a Monday night, folk night.

The Ashton has several nice flights of locks, however some of the locks are quite deep. If its raining it would be very unusual to have any problems, if its fine these days ditto, but you do get some youths around. We just stopped in the lock and went to the Strawberry duck at lock 13. The Swing bridges can be a little tricky, between 16 & 17. As can the one just up the lower peak.

We have moored in Hyde and had no problems, can't speak about Ashton. Then we have also moored at Romily and Chadkirk a visit to the Chadkirk capel is well worth it and of course there is the bottom of Marple.

Marple locks are a total bugger, they have very heavy bottom paddles. Polish the brass plaques on the seats as you pass - tradition!

Don't come through on the weekend of the 13/14 of October as the Manchester IWA are having a canal clean up centred on Dukinfield junction, so there will be lots of people dragging stuff out of the cut. Its just over 40 yrs since OP ASH when 1000 people turned out to start the restoration of the canal.

 

Got the st. name wrong whoops! Jolly is on Duice St.

Edited October 2, 2012 by Ian Mac

[Mr B]

Thank you for your time and effort in giving such comprehensive answers.We now have far more knowledge about how to tackle this part of our journey, and what challenges we might face.

 

With regard to the Rochdale 9 C&RT told us on Monday 'we will be endevouring to have an increased presence of volunteer lock keepers available on this stretch and our water controllers will be available to ensure water levels are optimum'.

 

Will keep you posted!

 

Marian & Barry

[Cheshire cat]

Manchester is not a Getto. I suggest you moor in Romiley or in the woods beyond and everything will be fine.Romiley is the posh side of Manchester. As Mancunians we have cruised up the Wolverhampton flight and along the main line and wondered why we were afraid. Never saw any portent of trouble but people are always asking where it is safe to moor.

 

In my experience as an adopted Mancunian I have seen some trouble at the top of the Ashton flight BUT NOT MUCH. Kids wanting a ride mostly and then only in summer.

 

Enjoy your decent in to Manchester and also enjoy what Manchester has to offer.

 

Andy

[mayalld]

Having got caught the wrong side of the T&M breach, we're just about to set off from Preston Brook back to Aqueduct Marina via the Cheshire Ring, a ring we have avoided in the past because we thought it might be too strenuous for us.

 

Would like to know if there much suitable mooring fairly near to the bottom of the Marple Flight or is it better to travel from after the lift bridge not long after the Dukinfield Junction?

 

There is a fair bit of good mooring space at the foot of the Marple Flight.

 

As others have said, 3-ish wonderful moorings at the foot of the flight. There is space for about 3 more boats between the Aqueduct and the bridge below the bottom lock (a bit noisier with the railway line, a couple between Rose Hill Cutting and the Aqueduct, and loads between Hyde Bank and Rose Hill.

 

Having gone the other way through the Ashton this August my strong feeling was that the "don't start it after mid-morning" advice is probably over the top these days.

 

Whilst it is very true to say that the reputation of the Ashton is now largely unwarranted, it is still worth a modicum of caution, and the key to your experience is that you were doing it the other way.

 

Things have improved to the extent that there are now locations (Wal-Mart for example) along the Ashton that are reasonably safe for an overnight mooring in a pinch, and the majority of the canal is now pretty much OK right through the day. The remaining "problem" area is around the Strawberry Duck in Clayton, and you are well advised to be clear of this by mid afternoon.

 

Going down into Manchester this is easy, because you will pass it early in your journey from Ashton. Coming up from Manchester, it is over 20 locks from Castlefield, and tends to be later in the day.

 

I would suggest that the OP might want to do the Rochdale 9 one day, and moor at Picadilly Village, then do the Ashton 18 and run on to Marple the next day.

[Richard10002]

You will probably make it to Castlefield from Preston Brook in a day but, if you start late, and it's getting dark, the moorings by The Watch House Cruising Club at Stretford are very safe. I have a narrow mooring on the off side, so often spend a few nights a week on the towpath side. Mooring rings are available, and the club is open Wednesday Nights in the week.

 

It's just after the M60 motorway goes over the canal, you will see the cub moorings on the off side, and the club is the old white building on the towpath side.

 

Castlefield is about 90 minutes beyond the Watch House.

[alan_fincher]

I would suggest that the OP might want to do the Rochdale 9 one day, and moor at Picadilly Village, then do the Ashton 18 and run on to Marple the next day.

Yes,

 

In view of your obviously beter local knowledge that sounds eminently sensible.

 

Not just because of the usual concerns about this canal, but also because they have explained they only have one lock worker.

 

I think its the best advice in their case.

[PhilR]

Going up the Rochdale 9 - I would allow over 2 hrs as someone else has already said. The record according to Harold Williams the old lock keeper, now sadly deceased, was 35mins "with a steamer" and my personal best is 45mins (mob handed). The art of working the 9 is always use all paddles, fully open, this is particularly true when emptying a lock, if fact its sometimes quicker to run with ALL! paddles open to start with ie all four paddles, both top and bottom open, to drop the top pound below the top gates first, otherwise you could be in for a long wait, you have to make an assessment at the time, about just how much water is coming in over the top gates. The gates are heavy due to each gate being 9ft wide so you need to be almost level before you can push them open. The original gates had bigger paddle holes, but these are deemed unsafe these days, and use to cause flooding anayway. Going up paired make life a lot easier. Do watch out for slip hazards and the stupid landing stages at lock 86 which has no towpath access, in a vain attempt to stop Darwin awards being posthumously handed out. Caused by erecting a glass partition to stop the drunks falling in, which they now sit on top of!

We just moor up in Dales St or Duice St. No.2 basin, before the aqueduct and have never had problems, the Jolly Angler pub is worth a visit (on Duice St. - just outside, right and right ) especially on a Monday night, folk night.

The Ashton has several nice flights of locks, however some of the locks are quite deep. If its raining it would be very unusual to have any problems, if its fine these days ditto, but you do get some youths around. We just stopped in the lock and went to the Strawberry duck at lock 13. The Swing bridges can be a little tricky, between 16 & 17. As can the one just up the lower peak.

We have moored in Hyde and had no problems, can't speak about Ashton. Then we have also moored at Romily and Chadkirk a visit to the Chadkirk capel is well worth it and of course there is the bottom of Marple.

Marple locks are a total bugger, they have very heavy bottom paddles. Polish the brass plaques on the seats as you pass - tradition!

Don't come through on the weekend of the 13/14 of October as the Manchester IWA are having a canal clean up centred on Dukinfield junction, so there will be lots of people dragging stuff out of the cut. Its just over 40 yrs since OP ASH when 1000 people turned out to start the restoration of the canal.

 

Got the st. name wrong whoops! Jolly is on Duice St.

 

That is great advice from Ian. As Ian said the water is likely to be well above the top gates after this heavy rain (there are no by-washes on the Nine) so it is safer, and quicker, to run off plenty of excess water from the pound above before entering the lock.

 

It is hard to believe it is 40 years since OP ASH and ASHTACK ............... happy days!!

[MartinClark]

There seems to be some confusion about Thomas Telford Basin!

 

This is the little basin off to the right in the Piccadilly Village apartments complex, after Store Street Aqueduct. There is space for 2 or 3 boats. Access to the street is via a locked gate, but residents are happy to give boaters the code for the keypad.

[Link to Google aerial view of basin.]

 

The "rickety landing stages" on the right just at the start of the Ashton are not Telford Basin. You can moor here but there is no access to the street.

 

There is also a mooring pontoon on the Rochdale Canal between Lock 84 and the junction with the Ashton, or moorings on the car park side opposite and just past the junction.

 

It is then recommended to go from Manchester to Ashton on the same day. There are moorings on the Peak Forest Canal between Portland Basin and the lift bridge, with further mooring 150 or so yards after the lift bridge.

 

I have seen boats mooring on the rural stretch between Hyde and Romiley. There are a number of mooring opportunities between Hyde Bank Tunnel and Marple locks.

 

You may wish to have a quick read of answers 8 and 9 of my "Frequently Asked Questions" page.

 

Got the st. name wrong whoops! Jolly is on Duice St.

 

Ducie St. akcherley!

Edited October 3, 2012 by MartinClark

[Ian Mac]

 

With regard to the Rochdale 9 C&RT told us on Monday 'we will be endevouring to have an increased presence of volunteer lock keepers available on this stretch and our water controllers will be available to ensure water levels are optimum'.

 

I believe that if you would like help on the 9 that you should be contacting the Red Bull office well beforehand, so that they can plan their use of volunteers.

Red Bull office is on 01782 785703 normally they require a minimum of 48 hours notice when passing the controlled locks, so I would give much more notice if possible.

[curzons246]

Hi Marian,

i've sent you a PM with a contact telephone number - basically we can provide lock crew if you can be here ( Castlefield )in next couple of days - Cart are trying to arrange crew for the the Ashton if not we can see you through Ashton and Marple as well. Any others in the same situation please ring Nilam and Cart Redbull 01782 785703 she is trying to pull things together for us. Bill and Denise NB Indulgence

[NickF]

Having got caught the wrong side of the T&M breach, we’re just about to set off from Preston Brook back to Aqueduct Marina via the Cheshire Ring, a ring we have avoided in the past because we thought it might be too strenuous for us.

 

Would like to know if there much suitable mooring fairly near to the bottom of the Marple Flight or is it better to travel from after the lift bridge not long after the Dukinfield Junction?

 

Secondly, roughly how much time does it take to go up the Rochdale 9 in realistic terms, rather than suggested Canal Plan times? I know I could be asking how long is a piece of string, but some idea is better than none. It will be only me operating the locks as Mr B has a disability and should not be working locks at present (on medical advice), so we are not quite single handed!!

 

From reading other posts on here, are we right in thinking it is safe to moor in Thomas Telford Basin at Piccadilly Village or on the pontoons, seen on Google Earth on the off side, just after turning onto the Ashton Canal. We’re asking this as most guide books suggest not starting the 18 locks on the Ashton Canal after 10.00am. and we don’t think we will be up the Rochdale 9 by then.

 

We were only out for a comparatively lock free cruise up the Bridgewater!

 

Marian (Mr B’s wife)

 

 

 

Just west of Marple Aqueduct is one of my favourite spots. Just after the narrows and before the Aqueduct and the locks. It's worth scrambling down to the River to loook up at the aqueduct from below.

Nick F

[Mr B]

We have certainly made use of the advice given in response to our original post – thank you. We’ve made it to Marple and well beyond! Particularly want to thank Denise and Bill NB Indulgence and their friend Maisie, without their help we would not have got up the Rochdale 9.

Yesterday we went from Piccadilly Village to the bottom of the Marple flight, 9 hours cruising. Amazingly only one boat came passed in the opposite direction and that was 10 minutes before we moored up for the night, where is everybody?

Looking forward to getting home now.

Marian & Barry

[MartinClark]

Amazingly only one boat came passed in the opposite direction and that was 10 minutes before we moored up for the night, where is everybody?

 

All travelling in the same direction as you?

[Jim Riley]

re high water levels on the 9, I found that sometimes the bywashes where cluttered with plastic bags etc, one in particular runs thru a small tunnel with metal bars there specifically to collect stuff and raise the pound level by 6" or so. So if you are having trouble check the bywashes. I've stayed both in the main basin and the moorings on the right as you enter the ashton, there is a small gap in the fence to get in and out.