Last night was a little strange as about 2130 there was a loud knocking on the roof of the boat. My immediate thought was that the Bridgewater bailiff was warning us about moving on soon! It turned out to be a CPSO who told us that we had to immediately evacuate the boat!! I went back in and told Helen and out we went. It seems that at the boat astern there was a 'situation'. I had seen the couple arguing earlier but it seems it had escalated and the woman had ended up dousing her self and the boat in petrol and was holding a cigarette lighter!! The CPSO was very chatty but time dragged as it got cooler and I was asking which church hall we would be sent to. They sat us in the back of a police minibus, alongside the guests of the 'Duke' and 'Duchess' hotel boats. There were police, firemen and ambulance staff there before the police negotiators arrived. About an hour later, 2300, the situation was diffused and the poor women was led to the back of the ambulance, and we could get to bed.
Everything seemed to have been sorted and we were going to pen back down to Salford Quays at 0800 in the morning. This is the boat that was astern of us that had the trouble last night.
We had seen the hotel boats in Liverpool and they had caught us up having come via the Leigh Branch with a full 'load' of 6 passengers. They had a memorable end to their holiday.
Helen was very pleased that we turned left at Dukes Lock rather than heading up the Rochdale 9. She hates those locks with a passion. Next time we pass this way I will be doing the locks I'm sure.
The trip boats just by the junction seem to keep busy.
There are a few short canal arms in the short stretch of the Bridgewater canal, but not nearly as many as one would see in Birmingham. Maybe this is due to the industry not being right next to the canal, long wharves being used instead, or that there wasn't the short traffic like in Brum. where goods were moved from one factory to another for processing.
Opposite the arm in the previous photo is the disused Hulme Locks Arm. This was built in 1837 to preempt a move by the Manchester and Bury Canal to connect with the Rochdale Canal via a branch canal and locks to the River Irwell from close to Oxford Road Railway Station. It did happen in 1839 and came out near where the Marriott Hotel is today. The Hulme Lock closed in 1991 and was replaced by Pomona Lock where we are heading today.
I quite like these flats as on this side you will have the canal, and on the other will be the River Irwell. It must be nice to wake up and watch a Heron fishing before heading off to work too.
We were sharing our passage down the lock, and to Ellesmere Port, with Neal and Valerie on 'Meander'. We had passed them moored up at the Coal Wharf just getting ready for the off. The top gates were unlocked so we went in and waited for the staff to arrive, which they did at about 0745.
I don't remember ever having seen paddle gear like this that have a friction brake to prevent the paddle dropping in a rush. It seems a good idea for the past when working boatmen wouldn't bother with winding them down. Too much for present days when time is not money.
'Meander' leaves and lurking outside are some narrow boats that are waiting to pen up on to the Bridgewater. This is the 'Shad' that was built in 1935 and is one of the collection at Ellesmere Port Canal Museum.
Next to pass us was 'Saturn' that is the last Shropshire Union Fly boat I believe and was built in 1906. Alongside is the butty 'Buckden', not spring chicken as it was built in 1937. They are on the way to the Lion Salt Works on the Trent and Mersey and have to take the route from Ellesmere Port due to the damage caused to Weston March Lock caused by the 'Daniel Adamson' that we had seen when last in Liverpool.
No comments:
Post a Comment