Water levels at Wigan??

[hullygully]

Hi guys n gals...

 

Were just on the Bridgewater at Worsley and have just been told by another boater that the water levels beyond wigan are way down and that boats are aground. 

 

We were planning on going up onto the Ribble link, but again there seems to be a shortage of water on the rufford ?? 

 

This is proberbly all due to the breach at Liverpool I know, but we now need to revise our plans, so my question is does anyone know what if theres enough water at wigan,or better still is anyone heading up the Wigan flight in the next couple of days, we could double up with........

 

Cheers  Hullygully.......

[PaulJ]

I am at Wigan at the moment. Wigan junction ( between 85 and 86) is very low but  a couple of boats went through heading towards Leigh earlier. Dont know how far they got though.

I am planning on going through in the morning -I am overnighting before 86 as its got a bit more water in it .

Unless you have the beam of a canoe I couldnt share..

Edited June 18, 2018 by PaulJ

[rgreg]

I came down the Rufford branch on Sunday and it was low only between locks 6 & 7 but navigable. I arrived in Wigan this afternoon and was informed by another boater who wanted to go south today that he was advised not to due to low water levels; apparently somebody tried and grounded. So we are waiting to see what tomorrow brings.

Edited June 18, 2018 by rgreg
Got my days wrong!

[PaulJ]

Not long spoke to the CRT chappies who came to sort it out- they are running water down to try and fill it back up. May or may not be ready in morning

Chap came through from Poolstock about an hour and half  ago but he got stuck for a while-the pair of boats that went through earlier obviously made it through alright!

 

[hullygully]

Cheers PaulJ.... thanks for the info...I think we'll be there on Wednesday..give it a while to get some water down??

[PaulJ]

Youre welcome. Tell the truth I was oblivious to all the goings on until I read your post and went and had a look. Me and the Behemoth would have been ploughing through it all in the morning possibly just to find all the gates still padlocked at the bottom of the flight. ?

[rgreg]

52 minutes ago, hullygully said:

Cheers PaulJ.... thanks for the info...I think we'll be there on Wednesday..give it a while to get some water down??

So are you no longer planning on doing the Ribble Link?  Wigan to Tarleton is not a problem.

 

 

 

[Mac of Cygnet]

I'm at Burscough now. Water levels absolutely normal.  Where was that picture taken?

[Nightwatch]

Even so slightly off topic. We're on the Oxford at Thrupp presently. Water levels all the way from Oxford are about 8" lower. We are travelling with another boat with a deeper draft (draught) than us and it was dragging the bottom nearly all the way. They actually got a lump of rope around heir prop at one Bridge hole.

[Pie Eater]

3 hours ago, Mac of Cygnet said:

I'm at Burscough now. Water levels absolutely normal.  Where was that picture taken?

Mac

 

The picture is of the Leigh branch junction.

[rgreg]

All ok now at Wigan. It's down a bit but navigable.

[ditchcrawler]

22 hours ago, hullygully said:

Hi guys n gals...

 

Were just on the Bridgewater at Worsley and have just been told by another boater that the water levels beyond wigan are way down and that boats are aground. 

 

We were planning on going up onto the Ribble link, but again there seems to be a shortage of water on the rufford ?? 

 

This is proberbly all due to the breach at Liverpool I know, but we now need to revise our plans, so my question is does anyone know what if theres enough water at wigan,or better still is anyone heading up the Wigan flight in the next couple of days, we could double up with........

 

Cheers  Hullygully.......

There is a Facebook group for the Wigan Volockies

 

There has just been a stoppage notice issued for Wigan poolstock Lock 

 

Notice Alert

Leigh Branch (Leeds & Liverpool Canal)Starts At: Lock 2, Bottom LockEnds At: Lock 2, Bottom Lock

Friday 22 June 2018 08:00 until Friday 22 June 2018 12:00

Type: Navigation Restriction Reason: Maintenance

Original message: Navigation at Lock 2 at Poolstock on the Leigh Branch will be unavailable between 8am and 12pm on Friday 22 June as our teams are completing works to reduce leakage through the gates.
Please follow any guidance given by representatives of Canal & River Trust and on site signage.

[PaulJ]

Not sure what sort of boat you have Hullygully but I had a mare of a journey up the flight today on the Behemoth. To be fair all those ahead had no problem though.Took me about 3/4 hour ploughing through the silt just to to get into the flight and then it was OK up to about lock 72 where it all ran out of water. Lockies and volockies sent loads of water down and generally kept things moving-took me 9 hours non stop (that does include a foray down the weedhatch though) !

[hullygully]

Bloody hell.....9 hours that's an ordeal

We have a 60'narrow boat and she draws 2'9" so could be in for some fun and games

Moored at Leigh tonight... giving crt a call in the morning regarding the Ribble crossing...there telling me first available date now is August...but that's not what they told me a few weeks back.........

[rgreg]

26 minutes ago, hullygully said:

Bloody hell.....9 hours that's an ordeal

We have a 60'narrow boat and she draws 2'9" so could be in for some fun and games

Moored at Leigh tonight... giving crt a call in the morning regarding the Ribble crossing...there telling me first available date now is August...but that's not what they told me a few weeks back.........

Yes, a couple of weeks ago there were still a few slots for "up" crossings in July. The first available date currently is 9th August, but it's worth making the call in case of any cancellations.

[hullygully]

Sounds about right....I was basically told give us a ring when you're near and we'll sort something out...no problem....I said I'll call mid week re any cancelled slots.... still hoping ??

[PaulJ]

The Behemoth is only supposed to be 24-27 inch draught but it is 57 x 12'8" . It got stopped dead in its tracks more than a dozen times today- sometimes taking 15 minutes  to get the rear end into the lock after the bow had entered- and that was with the ground paddles open to give me some water! Enjoy lol.