What hazards & dangers Rugby -> Stoke-on-Trent -> Marple -> Huddersfield?

[Emerald Fox]

Plotting & planning for our upcoming epic adventure to the Roof of England, the windswept stone-walled sheap-bleating Pennines.

 

Are there any sagely warnings for the northern Oxford, Coventry, T&M, Macclesfield and Huddersfield Canals? Are there marinas or boatyards with bad reputations? How about the stone-throwing Yoofs of Stoke-on-Trent which I have read here within the past year?

(for Stoke we have a cunning plan of slipping through in the very early hours of the morning and then hiding in Harecastle Tunnel).

 

I'll look up Harecastle & Standedge Tunnels seperately; for this thread I was wondering about additional protocols. Iffy unsafe spots? Awful pubs?

Our first time in this territory.

 

Brinklow - at All Oaks Corner, to the south of Easenhall Lane Bridge No.34, is that private mooring or free-for-all? Boats can be seen there clearly in the Pig & Pineapple video on Youtube (Hillmorton to Stretton) and in the video on Youtube called 'A Flight Over Brinklow Castle' at 4min36sec.

(the thought came to me looking at quadcopter videos, have any boaters used one to film themselves ploughing up & down the waterways?)

(Pig & Pineapple also have Stretton-Hawksbury, Hawksbury-Atherton & Atherton-Fazely videos all of which have been helpful for practice runs for me whilst following canalplanner and OS 1:50 000 maps at the same time).

 

Whilst here on canalworld, will get this in at the same time:- Our tiller arm bearing needs replacing. Not urgent, but would like to get it done ASAP. Can narrowboats be reversed into dry docks so that just the rear end (stern?) is exposed for a quick fix, whilst the rest of the boat wallows in the canal, or is it always so that the whole boat has to be taken in? Are there boatyards along the above route that may be happy to sort out our bearing with a minimum of fuss? Boat was blacked last year so we don't want a song-n-dance about docking for 5 days and having it blacked at the same time whilst they fiddle with the bearing... just want the bearing done. No idea what it looks like, have never seen our boat out of water.

[Arthur Marshall]

Well, I've done the north Oxford, T&M through Stoke and the Macc many times and have never had any trouble - i don't think you need to worry much. There's a nice mooring half an hour south of the Harecastle at a lake which is perfectly safe if populated with somewhat noisy ducks. Or possibly geese. I've never had any trouble with Yoofs of SoT but I stil wouldn't moor up in the middle of any built up area if i could avoid it, but that's probably because I prefer the company of trees.

[Phil.]

I can only help you as far north as Fradley at the moment. All Oak Wood is a free for all, just beware it get full early. Easenhall bridge I believe is due for a long repair/rebuild soon so expect delays there. Hawkesbury plenty of mooring both sides of the stop lock. Atherstone if you want shops stop between locks 5 & 6. Then there is mooring in the long pound 2 locks from the bottom. After that Hopwas has good mooring after the bridges and then the stretch between Hopwas and Fradley has lots of rural mooring. All a bit close to the mainline railway but is not overly intrusive.

Edited April 25, 2015 by Phil.

[PeteS]

All Oaks corner is a 'free for all', moored there last year. Very peaceful

[Flyboy]

Never had any problems with the places you mention, not been on the Huddersfield though. Don't forget to visit Bugsworth basin & Whaley bridge if you are going through Marple, well worth a visit.

[ditchcrawler]

I can only help you as far north as Fradley at the moment. All Oak Wood is a free for all, just beware it get full early. Easenhall bridge I believe is due for a long repair/rebuild soon so expect delays there. Hawkesbury plenty of mooring both sides of the stop lock. Atherstone if you want shops stop between locks 5 & 6. Then there is mooring in the long pound 2 locks from the bottom. After that Hopwas has good mooring after the bridges and then the stretch between Hopwas and Fradley has lots of rural mooring. All a bit close to the mainline railway but is not overly intrusive.

Whittington Bridge where the Coventry and B&F meet is as far away from the canal as you get on that stretch. You can see all the places I moor on my blog.

[dmr]

Its generally accepted that mooring at the North portal of Harcastle is not wise, but its fine past the junction with the Macc.

Main danger with the North is that the lower price of beer leads to excess consumption.

Can't help with the Huddersfield narrow though, sadly we are too long, too wide, and probably too deep.

 

............Dave

[Flyboy]

Its generally accepted that mooring at the North portal of Harcastle is not wise, but its fine past the junction with the Macc.

Main danger with the North is that the lower price of beer leads to excess consumption.

Can't help with the Huddersfield narrow though, sadly we are too long, too wide, and probably too deep.

 

............Dave

If we are going North on the T&M we usually moor at the Harecastle tunnel South portal so as to get the 1st. passage in the morning. We've never had any problems mooring there but I would definitely not moor at the North portal, preferring to stop at Red Bull.

Edited April 25, 2015 by Flyboy

[twbm]

Dry docks are a bit all or nothing, very hard to get a seal around the boat if you only want to put half of it in .... you may find someone who will pull the back up a slipway though.

[Dave_P]

Its generally accepted that mooring at the North portal of Harcastle is not wise, but its fine past the junction with the Macc.

Main danger with the North is that the lower price of beer leads to excess consumption.

Can't help with the Huddersfield narrow though, sadly we are too long, too wide, and probably too deep.

 

............Dave

If you're too long and wide for the Huddersfield Narrow, how do you manage the Trent and Mersey? The dimensions are the same for the stretch you mention.

[dmr]

If you're too long and wide for the Huddersfield Narrow, how do you manage the Trent and Mersey? The dimensions are the same for the stretch you mention.

 

I really really want to do the Huddersfield and am struggling to find out exactly what the dimensions are. I believe there is one (or maybe two) difficult locks plus we have to be measured for the Tunnel. I have read the lock is 70 foot and 2 inches maximum (we are more like 70 foot 9). Also our back 10 feet or so are 6 foot 11 and a half inches so not sure about lock or tunnel guage.

T&M is fine as long as we use the wider locks, Napton also fine, and Hurlston OK as long as we go up backwards!

 

............Dave

[captain birdseye]

If you are a standard modern narrowboat you won't have any problems on the Huddersfield. The Macclesfield is great, a bit limited for moorings as the sides are a bit shallow. Congleton and bollington are our favorite stops. Kidsrove and marple for shopping. People comment on stopping in stalybridge but we have never had any problems mooring near Tescos. Call in at the Labour Club over the road. Camra discount on their real ales. Uppermill is a good stop before tackling Diggle and the tunnel. On the dark side, slaithwaite and Marsden both have good pubs.

Edited April 25, 2015 by captain birdseye

[Bunny]

Last time I was there, admittedly a year or so ago, their stock of chimneys appeared to be as paltry and limited as any other small canalside chandlery.

 

Nor did the quality look any different from the standard cheap Aquafax chimneys all chandleries seem to sell.

But you don't, John, so which parts of Paul's post do you reckon are nonsense? I reckon he's on dodgy ground with the statements in his opening paragraph but the rest looks sensible enough.

Nicholsons quote for the Huddersfield narrow length 70ft beam 6ft 10 inch draught 3ft 3inch headroom 6ft 2inch. From experience we found the headroom ok , but were were ploughing alot of the time and we have a 29 inch draught ( 62 ft length) . Also because of the lack of water there is signage requesting that if you are not going through standedge to moor at uppermill , to conserve water . As a 62footer we cant cruise the Huddersfield Broad ( quote 57ft6 inch ) . So we moored and walked up to gaze at the Standedge entrance . If you moor in Stalybridge , lock up tight and moor under the cctv at Tesco. Be prepared to visit the weed hatch . We caught a carpet and a blanket and the boat behind ( 18 inch draught) got a duvet . Bunny

[b0atman]

I have beat you as already at Marple only problem encountered is lots of bits of trees in the water from the high winds .The Puss in boots pub at Macclesfield £14:45

Pate starter 8oz Rump steak main Blackberry crumble dessert fantastic pontoon moorings after the bridge.Oakgrove pub closed

and one below the aquaduct also closed.

[Roadsteam]

Rose Narrowboats have a slipway which would probably be cheaper than a dry dock and from your route you are passing right thro the yard.

[MtB]

 

Whilst here on canalworld, will get this in at the same time:- Our tiller arm bearing needs replacing. Not urgent, but would like to get it done ASAP. Can narrowboats be reversed into dry docks so that just the rear end (stern?) is exposed for a quick fix, whilst the rest of the boat wallows in the canal, or is it always so that the whole boat has to be taken in? Are there boatyards along the above route that may be happy to sort out our bearing with a minimum of fuss? Boat was blacked last year so we don't want a song-n-dance about docking for 5 days and having it blacked at the same time whilst they fiddle with the bearing... just want the bearing done. No idea what it looks like, have never seen our boat out of water.

 

There are two rudder bearings. One below the rudder on the skeg, the other above the rudder, above at counter level. If it's the top one you mean by "tiller arm bearing" I don't see any reason to dock the boat!

 

MtB

[Emerald Fox]

 

There are two rudder bearings. One below the rudder on the skeg, the other above the rudder, above at counter level. If it's the top one you mean by "tiller arm bearing" I don't see any reason to dock the boat!

 

MtB

 

A mechanic looked at our rear end at Braunston Marina and said we have just one bearing at top, the other end of the stick just sits in a cup. We haven't met anyone (have asked about 6 other mechanics already) who has seen what we have before, but all say it needs to be done from beneath. No desperate urgency, and will probably get done Summer 2016 when I have a go at blacking it myself, when we'll book a poly-tunnel or somesuch for a week, to give the blacking proper time to dry/cure. Think I'll make a list of workshops on our route and see what they say about the tiller bearing - it just annoys me a bit with its clanking.

 

To all repliers - many thanks - have copied replies onto WORD for future reference.

[Emerald Fox]

Oh - this might interest someone? Quadcopter buzzing around Napton Locks (Youtube clip):

 

[alan_fincher]

No desperate urgency, and will probably get done Summer 2016 when I have a go at blacking it myself, when we'll book a poly-tunnel or somesuch for a week, to give the blacking proper time to dry/cure.

 

Your blacking will only dry well in a poly-tunnel if there happens to be either a dry dock or a slipway beneath it!

[furnessvale]

 

A mechanic looked at our rear end at Braunston Marina and said we have just one bearing at top, the other end of the stick just sits in a cup.

Every (ex) working boat has this arrangement.

 

George ex nb Alton retired

[Roadsteam]

Its all i have ever seen and that includes modern boats.

[Flyboy]

 

I really really want to do the Huddersfield and am struggling to find out exactly what the dimensions are. I believe there is one (or maybe two) difficult locks plus we have to be measured for the Tunnel. I have read the lock is 70 foot and 2 inches maximum (we are more like 70 foot 9). Also our back 10 feet or so are 6 foot 11 and a half inches so not sure about lock or tunnel guage.

T&M is fine as long as we use the wider locks, Napton also fine, and Hurlston OK as long as we go up backwards!

 

............Dave

Standedge info. inc dimensions. https://canalrivertrust.org.uk/media/library/8217-standedge-boaters-guidelines.pdf

[Timleech]

Its all i have ever seen and that includes modern boats.

 

A few 'modern' boats have been built with bearings at the top and at the bottom of the counter, plus the usual cup in the skeg.

They can be a pain in the a*se, because sooner or later the rudder post will get bent, even if only slightly, and the bearings will become tight.

 

Tim

[Catrin]

Brinklow - at All Oaks Corner, to the south of Easenhall Lane Bridge No.34, is that private mooring or free-for-all? Boats can be seen there clearly in the Pig & Pineapple video on Youtube (Hillmorton to Stretton) and in the video on Youtube called 'A Flight Over Brinklow Castle' at 4min36sec.

Don't moor too close to the car park on the bend. It seems remarkably busy at night, other than that, very peaceful.

[alan_fincher]

Don't moor too close to the car park on the bend. It seems remarkably busy at night, other than that, very peaceful.

 

"Busy?" - How very discretely expressed!