Ribble

[DRP]

Well, to get back to this trip by the Ribble:

 

The point of the trip was to be a "fringe" event to the L&L200 celebrations.The aim was to show a loaded short boat crossing the canal,to bring pleasure to those who knew what they were looking at (and lots of people indicated their enthusiasm), and to show the ignorant that canal boats aren't just holiday narrow boats with boxes of flowers on the roof.

 

Massive thanks are due to AC Aggregates for the supply of the sand, and to NW Trading in Goole who loaded the sand.The CRT staff and volunteers we met were all enthusiastic and helpful in the extreme.With one honourable exception, the support of CRT local management could best be described as lukewarm - no that's exaggerating; it wasn't that good.

 

The canal on the Yorkshire side, is mostly very good to good, and we had almost no problems.

On the Lancashire side, it varied from much better than expected from Wigan to Liverpool,to utterly appalling in Blackburn, and on the outskirts of the smaller towns like Rishton, Clayton-le Moors, and Nelson.It doesn't really matter what the indicator boards say, if the bottom of the canal is too near the top!

 

I'll be writing a serious report to CRT, but there has been far too much blather in this topic, so I'll just say if you haven't visited the L&L you must;if you've only got a full length narrow boat, hire or borrow a boat that will fit - you won't be disappointed. But take enough crew with you; a lot of the equipment is heavy.

 

Here are a few pics

 

 

Loading in progress

 

 

Dwarfed by the Aire And Calder locks

 

 

OK not down to the side decks but still looking the part

 

 

Waiting for the 5-rise

 

 

Burnley

 

 

On the Wigan 21. Eat your heart out Hatton.

 

 

Dean Lock

 

 

Top of Liverpool locks.This is as near as we could get to the original terminus of the canal. Ribble is at the CRT yard at Rose Grove waiting to be unloaded before continuing into Yorkshire to join the Kennet's commemorative progress.

 

 

[Guest]

Great post.Saw Ribble coming through Parbold loaded up. Great to see her working. I know Lawsons owned her for some years and moored at Burscough, but this is the first time I have seen her loaded. Took me back a few years to when working boats were still on the L and L

[TheBiscuits]

On 10/10/2016 at 13:28, DRP said:

Ribble is at the CRT yard at Rose Grove waiting to be unloaded

 

I was thinking of you today - there's only 25% of the load left after 4 1/2 years.  Maybe CRT would like a restock - you could do this every 5 years or so as a regular run! 

 

 

 

[DRP]

Thank goodness they've used it at last!

Ribble is in Knottingley convalescing after a bottom transplant, and looking forward to returning home when we're all allowed to move about again.

 

[Mac of Cygnet]

A more recent (2018) pic of Ribble passing Cygnet near the top of the Wigan flight.  She was hosting a travelling art exhibition and I went aboard to have a look,  Not to my taste, though (the art, that is).

 

 

[DRP]

Exhibition went down well with the angling fraternity,many of whom were pictured.

 

Biggest problem was the heat,which meant that people couldn't stay inside for very long.

[Psychalist]

Witnessed Ribble in motion today at Clough Bank on L&L heading for Hapton. It was quite special seeing a proper working boat moving round the bends there.

Had to agree weed is currently a massive problem as we pushed against it for 14 miles yesterday to get there.

[MtB]

3 hours ago, Psychalist said:

Had to agree weed is currently a massive problem

 

Can't help but disagree. 

 

I rather like weed even though it makes me feel ill sometimes, when mixed with alcohol. 

[Pluto]

15 hours ago, Psychalist said:

Witnessed Ribble in motion today at Clough Bank on L&L heading for Hapton. It was quite special seeing a proper working boat moving round the bends there.

Had to agree weed is currently a massive problem as we pushed against it for 14 miles yesterday to get there.

They are heading towards the Aire Valley where they will be the moving base for an arts event taking place over several weeks.