Visitor moorings on the Dee branch at Chester

[frangar]

Just wondering if anyone has gone through the lock in Tower Basin in Chester onto the Dee branch and stayed on the moorings? The ones next to the road say private mooring but there isn't any signage on the bank below the basin...you would obviously need to reverse either in or out and it looks a bit weedy but there's rings and steps leading down....

 

Now the flats are finished on the Telfords Warehouse side there seems to be a possibility to moor there as well but again no signage either way... again there are rings...plus the little basin through the swing bridge looks a bit sad with no boats!

 

 

[Paul C]

Would be interested in this, at first I thought there would be no space to moor but on double checking google maps there's space for probably 2-3 boats and since nobody uses the lock and swing bridge, nothing really to obstruct there.

[frangar]

20 minutes ago, Paul C said:

Would be interested in this, at first I thought there would be no space to moor but on double checking google maps there's space for probably 2-3 boats and since nobody uses the lock and swing bridge, nothing really to obstruct there.

The basin has rings round the edge but might be a bit tight to get in or out if more than one full length Boat was in there. Sadly on further checking the bridge isn’t secured with a CRT padlock but it does have a shiny new CRT sign with the new logo saying how to operate it! 

 

Theres nothing to stop you going down the locks...apparently it’s quite silted up below the second Lock. 

 

I might check the depth tomorrow....I like a challenge....

Edited July 31, 2018 by frangar
Checked padlock! Not a CRT key!

[Señor Chris]

2 hours ago, frangar said:

Just wondering if anyone has gone through the lock in Tower Basin in Chester onto the Dee branch and stayed on the moorings? The ones next to the road say private mooring but there isn't any signage on the bank below the basin...you would obviously need to reverse either in or out and it looks a bit weedy but there's rings and steps leading down....

If you mean the basin below the first lock, I think it is private both sides. There was a sign when I checked a few months ago.

 

[frangar]

21 minutes ago, Señor Chris said:

If you mean the basin below the first lock, I think it is private both sides. There was a sign when I checked a few months ago.

 

The Dee branch only seems to have sign one side now.....

 

There is another small basin opposite the dry dock by the new flats...sadly padlocked off. 

[matty40s]

We looked below the lock recently and you would need a chainsaw and ginormous spade type thing to get out if you could get someone to take the stop planks out. 

[Quaffer]

I am planning to navigate down the Dee Branch next week as part of the Silver Propeller challenge,going as far as I can before reversing back out.Has anyone else done this recently ?

 

If so any wise words of advice ? Are any of these locks or moveable bridges locked up with anything other than a standard CRT key ?

[Quaffer]

On 27/07/2019 at 11:50, Quaffer said:

I am planning to navigate down the Dee Branch next week as part of the Silver Propeller challenge,going as far as I can before reversing back out.Has anyone else done this recently ?

 

If so any wise words of advice ? Are any of these locks or moveable bridges locked up with anything other than a standard CRT key ?

To answer my own question this is how far I got.The bottom lock has a small boom above the top gates and is stanked off below by chunky boards. However no restraints on getting this far,although there was a lot of water coming down the flight.

[frangar]

Out of interest what length boat are you? I’ve heard it’s tight to wind there but I do like a challenge! 

[matty40s]

40 feet for that Hancock and Lane 70692

[Quaffer]

18 hours ago, matty40s said:

40 feet for that Hancock and Lane 70692

Yes that's me but I was unable to wind just above the bottom lock ,so reversed through the lift bridge and went around in the wide below the second lock.