The theme of today's blog pictures is sign posts, maybe pointing the way for this years cruising?
As signs go that honour great acts of history this one doesn't really declare with bright flashing lights the start of the fantastic canal, and can be easily missed by those cruising past.
We had spent the winter at Fettlers Wharf and our first trip of the year was to Liverpool. We were now at Burscough Junction about to head down the Rufford, heading for the Ribble Link and our first new ground of the year and first new adventure too.
Safely across the Ribble we spent the first couple of days in Preston and then headed north and down the Glasson Dock Branch. We arrived on a dull blustery day and this sign was just by our mooring. We wouldn't have been able to come later in the year as the branch was closed for water conservation.
Once we got to the head of navigation of the Lancaster, or the present head at least, we went for a walk, up into Cumbria so we could say we had been that far. This was Priest Hutton and I liked the redundant 'phone box and cul de sac sign.
Back across and on the main system, via the Mersey, Manchester Ship Canal and Shropshire Union we arrived at Hurleston Junction to head up the Llangollen once again
On the way back down we headed down the Montgomery Canal from Frankton Junction. I do hope we are still boating when they finally complete the restoration of this canal, as it will be one not to be missed.
We also headed down the truncated Prees Branch, all half a mile or so of it. It is a haven of peace and quiet after the hurly burly of the Llangollen hire boats.
After completing the full length of the Shropshire Union Canal we arrived at Autherley Junction, where the Shroppie is connected with the Staffordshire and Worcestershire Canal. It is always a busy junction as it is on the Four Conties Ring. Last year with the Middlewich Branch, maybe not quite so busy as usual.
Having headed down the Staffs. and Worcester just a little further than Kinver we reversed our route and headed back to Stourton Junction and up the Stourbridge Canal heading to the Industrial heartlands, via Stourbridge and my favourite brewery Bathams.
The arm of the sign post lost in the ivy is quite poetic really as it would reveal that Park Head Locks, leading to the Dudley Canal Tunnel was off to the right. It is a lovely quiet mooring if you pass up the three locks. Park Head Junction at Blowers Green is the meeting of the Dudley No.1 and No.2 canals.
Having passed through the Netherton Tunnel we were on the BCN New Main Line. Here at Albion Junction the Gower Brach takes you up the Brades Locks and on to the Old Main Line.
We had friends visit in Birmingham and we took them on a tour of the loops. They are well worth having a run through as there is lots to see. There will be lots of work going on on the Icknield Port Loop as they are starting building the new 'community' there.
ANNUAL TOTAL COSTS
2014 2015 2016 2017 2018
FIXED COSTS 1159-57 1504-09 1668-33 1328-17 1712-57
MOORINGS 1297-88 1524-55 1268-48 2148-82 1771-50
FUEL 1156-66 824-94 721-92 506-51 530-56
REPAIRS 1558-64 321-63 1441-62 1698-50 231-72
EQUIPMENT 678-39 164-22 556-24 503-56 72-70
CONSUMABLES 255-22 454-58 342-24 517-80 139-59
TOTALS 6106-36 4794-01 5998-83 6703-36 4458-64
That is a quite scary total of £28,061-20 over 5 years
Making the average per year £5612-24!
It is interesting to see that the mooring costs make up between 21% and 40% with an average of 29%, which is roughly the same percentage as the fixed costs. Could this be an argument for moving on to the boat full time?
I suppose to be totally correct we should include depreciation of 'Holderness', but boat prices seem to be holding up very well at the moment.
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