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M6, L&L, and River Douglas

Gingerbeer

By Gingerbeer
in General Boating

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Gingerbeer

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Does anyone know what they are doing on the right hand side, heading south on the M6, before you cross those two waterways? It started off as small ponds of water dotted all around and over time they have dug it out to be a huge area of water. I only took real notice once I realized it was next to the canal. Is it a new marina or is it just boys digging in the dirt? It seems to sit in the area between the tracks and the canal next to the lock.

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Guest

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I think I know what it is. There was some work done on the river at Appley Bridge recently, but I'm not sure what the purpose of it was. I suspect that this is further works.

 

Edit: Flood management I'll guess:

 

http://a0768b4a8a31e106d8b0-50dc802554eb38a24458b98ff72d550b.r19.cf3.rackcdn.com/genw0309bptq-e-e.pdf

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Doorman Veteran

Doorman

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Further along the canal is Appley Bridge lock and the disused pound along side it. An ideal location for a small marina if only for the rotted lock gates at one end. Stunning views when you stand on the high ground adjacent to the pound.

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Timleech Veteran II

Timleech

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Further along the canal is Appley Bridge lock and the disused pound along side it. An ideal location for a small marina if only for the rotted lock gates at one end. Stunning views when you stand on the high ground adjacent to the pound.

 

That would mean that the locks could not be restored. They must use an awful lot less water than the deep lock, though I don't know how much of an issue that is with limited traffic and water supply needed for the long pound.

 

Tim

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That would mean that the locks could not be restored. They must use an awful lot less water than the deep lock, though I don't know how much of an issue that is with limited traffic and water supply needed for the long pound.

 

Tim

The stupid thing is, they renovated them a few years back and both sides worked again. They were then allowed to fall back into disrepair. There was the remains of a wooden shortboat sunk in the mud when we were kids, though it is long gone. I have often wondered which boat this was.

Further along the canal is Appley Bridge lock and the disused pound along side it. An ideal location for a small marina if only for the rotted lock gates at one end. Stunning views when you stand on the high ground adjacent to the pound.

Very true. We used to spend many hours there as kids.

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Doorman Veteran

Doorman

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That would mean that the locks could not be restored. They must use an awful lot less water than the deep lock, though I don't know how much of an issue that is with limited traffic and water supply needed for the long pound.

 

Tim

Silly me, I meant linear moorings rather than a marina. That way, the two locks could still be used to alleviate holds ups at peak times. Seems an awful waste of potentially functional canal space to me.

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Doorman Veteran

Doorman

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There are boats apparently fairly permanently moored in the entrance to the offside Dean lock, is this official and if so a sign that the lock has been permanently abandoned?

 

 

Tim

I was going to mention that Tim but decided against it as I think the boats in question are meant to be CCers and taking cover from enforcement officers. Happy to be proved wrong though.

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Timleech Veteran II

Timleech

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I don't think the moorings by the disused Dean Lock are official. The now disused lock has never been used since I can remember.

 

Us leaving Dean Lock in 1967:

I can't remember for sure, but we first went that way circa 1966 and I thought both locks were just about useable, quite willing to be proved wrong though.

 

Tim

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I can't remember for sure, but we first went that way circa 1966 and I thought both locks were just about useable, quite willing to be proved wrong though.

 

Tim

I think you may be right there, Tim. In the pic (1967 ish when we started out) there is a crane, and I wonder if that is dropping the stop planks in?

What a nice looking boat....what is it?

It was a Dolphin 19, Martin, made by an aircraft company called Brookland Aviation. All marine ply and beautifully built boats. We had it for years and went all over the place in it, but eventually sold it and got a Dawncraft. My dad's mate had the Dolphin for many years after us. The story goes that Brookland Aviation had aircraft parts delivered in plywood packaging, and started making boats with the leftover material. No idea if that is true or not, but a part of me hopes it is smile.png They went to GRP later but I assume they stopped production in the 1970's, like so many others.

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Gingerbeer

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I found this: http://www.penninewaterways.co.uk/ll/ll78a.htm

which shows the area.

 

As many times as I have gone over that bridge on the M6 I could swear that they are digging where the golf club is. If I remember right in Feb or March there were lots of small islands surrounded by water, now the islands are gone and it is one large pond or small lake, depending on your size definition. I checked the Shevington parish website and couldn't find any project like that being built. Once winter comes and the leaves are off the trees, I should be able to see it better again. There are diggers there and separate piles of dirt and sand. There is a sign that says something but with the leaves, I can't read it anymore.

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  • 4 months later...
gaggle Influencer

gaggle

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The disused lock next to deans lock proper has a small arm going to it and that was once so full of floating weed it may have looked from the motorway that it was solid ground , i can only think that the land you think has been dug out was just this weed blanket and now the weeds have died back you see the water in the small arm , i spent many a day at the lock pulling huge amounts of the weed out from the bypass that could be blocked and holding several inches of water in the pound above deans lock , just a thought.

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Androo Proficient

Androo

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Does anyone know what they are doing on the right hand side, heading south on the M6, before you cross those two waterways? It started off as small ponds of water dotted all around and over time they have dug it out to be a huge area of water. I only took real notice once I realized it was next to the canal. Is it a new marina or is it just boys digging in the dirt? It seems to sit in the area between the tracks and the canal next to the lock.

Do you mean near the Tickle Trout Hotel at the side of the motorway?

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