TNC On Tour 2003 17 - The Lanky and Leeds and Liverpool (XP)
Neil Arlidge
We past the Ribble Link at 13:45 and carried on down to Lancaster, unaware
of what we would find at the end. Having been advised NOT to moor in the
holding basin overnight.
At 14:20 we arrived at the end, having drifted into the rush and silted up
cut-off route into Preston, after having past the private - Arleen Hire
Cruisers Ashton Basin. We could have moored here, but it would have cost us.
The moorings in the silted up stub beyond, did not look too salubrious, so
we decided to wind in the basin entrance and go back to the out of town
Sanitary Station Visitor Moorings - 15:00.
The Sanitary Station moorings looked fine, a local boater had his boat on
the end of the moorings, doing some work close to home and said that these
moorings were OK, with a free
shower and a lock-in gate (cuff key) after hours. I think virtually
everybody took
advantage of the free BW shower. Earnest was filled with water and a
provisioning party found the nearby Booth's supermarket. A BBQ was chosen as
the evening meal, as we decided to stay locked in. A very pleasant evening
was had by all, nice quiet secure moorings and a beautiful evening
weatherwise.
Tuesday 15th July 2003
The evening before Earnest refused to stop, it was an old fault - the stop
solenoid links had vibrated themselves loose again. When Neil did the manual
stop, down in the engine compartment he noticed that one of the two rear -
none business end engine mounts was knackered, the threaded section at the
top, used to adjust the engine in and up or down direction, was sheared off,
just below the under engine mount lock nut. There was not much could be done
about this at the moment and must have occurred on the Mersey thrash, while
escaping over the sands to the Garston Channel. At this time Neil did note a
new noise, while in the boat cabin, but at this time put it down to the
changing tidal effect. Steve at Beta was contacted
At 07:45 we shoved off from Preston and arrived at the Ribble Link holding
basin (08:45), just as another "down" Link boat was arriving. "Meandrine"
was a Stowe Hill Trad and reversed into the top staircase lock (08:45), to
avoid the nasty turn in the basin below, to do the dog leg to get through
the existing road and rail bridge. Neil decided to follow suit and did the
rare perfect wind and reverse.
With plenty of crew we were soon down the link and waited on the final
pontoon above the rotating sea lock. During conversation with the Day's we
found that they had a parrot on board. "Jasmine" was an Amazon, had reared
by the owners from an orphan chick they were given while out in South
America. The Day's told us a funny story, concerning their parrot. One of
it's favourite phrases, when it knew it's owners were leaving was "Help!
help!, let me out". While moored up at the end of the canal, you can guess
what happened on their return from a walk...........a local do gooder came
up to them an said that they had been reported to the NSPCC for leaving a
young child, locked up and unattended for a couple of hours.............!
Eventually, following a slight inrush of water, we were given the green
light, by the BW crew on the sea lock and we were all off (12:15). Owing to
late arrivals mooring up to us we were, as was getting the norm, the last
out. It was interesting to watch the other boats come out of Savick Brook,
into the full force of the flood tide coming up the Ribble. All of the other
boats seemed to struggle getting stuck into the flood and swung round and
went backwards for a while before getting stuck into the flood. We managed a
somewhat sharper turn (but still missing the sand banks at entrance to
Savick Brook) and soon dispatched the first couple of the five boats going
down the Link.
By the time we got down to Asland Lamp, entrance to Tidal River Douglas, the
tide was still flooding so after the wide turn (13:10) we still had the
flood, nearly all the way up to Tarleton. Arrival was at 13:55, somewhat
ahead of the other four boats, so Harry's crew locked us up singularly and
we were soon on our way up the Rufford Branch (14:05)
Owing to an earlier arrival than Neil had planned, it was decided to go
further than Buscough Bridge and push onto Parbold. The junction was past at
17:30 and at 18:50 we arrived at Parbold, just past the bridge. A quick
reccy of pubs still doing food revealed that "The Stocks Tavern" was to be
our venue for the evening. Neil was somewhat late for the pub, just making
the last food order, seeing as during the Lathom Locks, at the top of the
Rufford Branch, the main alternator fan belt WATER PUMP as well! had decided
to mostly disintegrate and throw it's self from the pulley. After Neil
eventually alerted our rather deaf Martin C to the red light and warning
beeper and the fact that there was no engine cooling going on, the still
intact ring of mangled rubber was levered back over the pulleys with a large
screwdriver. That evening Neil fitted one of the two spare belts. During
this operation it was noted that now TWO engine mount threaded sections had
sheared!................
Wednesday 16th July 2003
We were now going to try for a fairly quick Leeds and Liverpool passage,
seeing as we would loose a half a day for engine mount replacement, so at
06:05 departure from Parbold ensued. As we past through Crooke moorings, Roy
Fawcett popped out of his boat, but unfortunately we did not get much of a
conversation in, as we were predictably in a hurry and Roy had to get his
kids off to school..................maybe next time!
At 09:30 we were past the Leigh Branch and started the Wigan Flight proper
at 09:30. Rev David Long had been contacted and after his morning service,
would come out to join us, for his customary bike assisted lock wheeling. We
shared the whole flight with a together couple - The Jackson's on NB Verity
Ann. David popped up at around 10:30 and got stuck in helping us up "his"
flight. David showed us the pre production "Sankey News".........which had a
lot of pictures of Earnest during it's "Engine mount and propshaft
destruction cruise" on the nether regions of the Tidal Mersey. The Commode
D' Or declared the 3 hour trip up the Wigan Flight "acceptable and we
clanked off out of the flight at 12:30. David did manage a quick "bless" of
the wreck that was Earnest as we departed.
A futile 15 minute stop at White Bear marina - Adlington ensured that they
did mot have any Metalistic flexi engine mounts. 15:50 saw us start
Johnson's Hill Locks, in company with a Pennine Cruisers hire boat. Nice
evening as we past through the outskirts of Blackburn, no trouble at all at
Cherry Tree bridge. Limited swimming going on in Blackburn Locks (start
19:00), but kids friendly, especially as we were leaving the locks full.
Onwards we trundled to arrive at the first deep, TNC approved moorings out
of Blackburn, by the now somewhat popular Bridge 106 (20:50). Well timed
meal from courtesy of Molly - a rather nice, prepared from scratch chicken
casserole had been scoffed by the crew, while the captain attempted his at
the same time as steering and missing the rather large Blackburn trolley
shoals. Rather knackered, so early to bed.
Thursday 17th July 2003
06:15 start from our Bridge 106 moorings. A rather nasty overcast start to
the day, which did not improve, eventually ending up in rainstorms. There
was a Morrison's provisioning stop at Nelson. The off-side supermarket had
turned it's back on the canal and there were no moorings provided. A new
towpath wall hole was in the process of being created and the provisioning
party had to clamber round this. 11:50 to 12:25 stop.
We did not meet up with anyone on Barrowford Locks and arrived at the top at
13:40, just having missed the Foulridge Tunnel timed passage (**:30 to **:40
northbound). The handy water point was made use off and at 14:15 a local
boater took off, so we followed him up, arriving at the tunnel entrance at
14:30, just as the lights turned green.
The local boat winded at the other end, so yet again we were off on our own.
The next section was during a large rainstorm, the captain made haste below
and left Molly and Trevor to brave the elements. At 16:10 we were at the top
of Greenberfield Locks, where there was a brief respite in the rain. Beyond
this over the beautiful East Marton pound, the weather was foul, too bad for
even the shortest of photo shots.
At the top of Bank Newton Locks Neil decided to get wet during the lock
wheeling, so attired in minimalist attire - Linda's flip flops, some old cut
down jeans and a dirty T shirt. Upon trying to alight the boat with Nikon
camera half stuffed in pocket, disaster struck, the Captain slipped on the
grass bank and went in, to half way up his shorts. The previously injured
Greg (don't ask!) helped Neil out in rather a hurry to limit digital camera
immersion and to ensure Linda's still attached flip flops were not lost.
(The outcome was that within three days the camera had been dried out
enought to work perfectly, apart from whenever the batteries are changed, a
slight whack is needed to get it to come on. The lens / CCD assy was
fortunately untouched, apart from initial fogging. The CF card is also OK)
By the bottom of Gargrave the rain had eased off. The now completely
showered Commode D' Or took over while the rest of the soggy crew showered
and dried out. Arrival at Skipton (only space left, was the naff one under
the footbridge) was at 21:15 and we all quickly departed for a sit down (in
the shop section) fish and chip supper at the still excellent Bizzy Lizzies
chippy. The Commode D' Or was feeling somewhat miffed at this point, so
retired early, the crew not long behind. No pubs were visited............
Friday 18th July 2003
Greg Chapman jumped ship to collect his car from Lancaster, as we left at
08:40 and would then be joining us later at around Bingley. The Brompton was
got out for Trevor to have a go at swing bridge opening, eventually Neil
took over at Kildwick and cycled to Bingley, opening all the bridges as the
boat appeared. After an aborted Greg meet up, we eventually all met up at
the top of the Five-rise (12:40).
The famous Barry was in attendance and we agreed to start down in around
half an hours time, after a needed water fill up, lunch and cakes from the
stables cafe.
Neil steered, Barry directed and we were soon at the bottom (13:40) We were
surprised at the Three-rise as a BW bod was conducting operations there, a
new development for us. On we clanked towards the "No go" areas of deepest
Kirkstall. We stopped for the night at Rodley, a bit up from the Swing
Bridge, on untaken Long Term moorings, just below Owl Swing Bridge No 216.
"The Railway" was our chosen venue for the night. OK bar food and beer. Bob
Wood was coming up overnight by coach, then meeting up early in the morning,
so positions were exchanged for around a 07:00 arrival for Bob.
Saturday 19th July 2003
Neil inspected the engine mounts and found that only ONE threaded section
was left unsheared.............after this the engine would become somewhat
wayward and decide to take a walk forward until it hit the bulkhead,
probably taking a good few hoses and wiring with it. Something had to be
done, so Neil decided to gingerly steer the hulk to Leeds and sort something
out there. Beta had bu&&ered the delivery of the mounts, the invoice having
arrived a day before, but NO sign of the four new mounts.
Bob foned up from Rodley Swing Bridge No 217, just as we were thinking of
leaving, so we started off at 07:15 and met up with Bob there. At the swing
bridge another two narrowboats appeared, so we let them through. A bit of
swing bridge "leap froging" then happened and we all arrived at the top of
Newley Three-Rise at 07:45, for the BW lockies to appear at 08:30.
Lockies were on time, so we started down first, followed by the pair. By
11:15 we were moored up on Granary Wharf, just above River Lock. Trevor and
Molly jumped ship soon afterwards...........the Commode D' Or was by that
time deep in the bowels of Earnest, having removed extraneous junk from the
engine compartment. The easiest broken mount was first removed, rather
easily seeing as we had the Porto-power Hydraulic wedgie, to hand.
Some relief at last.......the threaded top mount of the Metalistic Flexi
mount was a separate threaded bar, locked into a bonded in cage nut by a
rather THICK lock nut (potential for joining bar together here!) A friendly
BW bod helped out by looking for some threaded bar in the BW stores, under
the side arches, beside Office Lock. No luck, but he thought that Spencer's
in Armley was open on Saturday afternoon. After a fair hike Neil was
rewarded by a closed sign, so legged it back to do the already thought of
ultimate TNC bodge. The first bodged engine mount was soon reassembled,
using a couple of car park edging blocks as a vice. Because the locked
together stud would have to use the face of the nut locking the bar sections
together as the under engine mount lock nut, adjustment could still be
achieved by the amount of bar screwed into the mount. All went well with all
THREE broken mounts, seeing as the fractures were clean breaks on hardened
stud.
By 18:00 all was back together, with reasonable engine height adjustment.
This would be impossible to achieve, seeing as the stern tube was now so
worn, so hopefully the bodge will last until back at home port, when a
spring trip up the slipway will have to be undertaken. At this time the
WHOLE lot of rear end rotatey bits will be replaced, ready for Earnest's
"retirement"
That night we went to the famous "Whitelocks" alley pub, then to that still
excellent and rather eccentric "La Comida" Italian, just up from the station
approach railway bridge.
Sunday 20th July 2003
A nice morning, so we left Leeds at 06:55. The Granary Wharf moorings can be
noisy from the station and the new club under the arches, but we still think
it is more secure than the Armouries moorings below River Lock. The
Armouries moorings were much depleted, due to much building work taking
place and no boats were present. Nice run down the Aire and Calder, no
working boats seen, apart from one crane barge which we overtook. Ed gave
Earnest quite a thrashing, to prove that bodged engine mounts were up to the
tidal Trent. Apart from the all the worn shaft induced noises, all was well.
Castleford Junction was past at 10:25 and Bank Dole (down to Aire / Selby
Canal) at 11:50. As we approached New Junction Canal Junction (14:15) a
narrowboat and a cruiser entered from Goole, so we hacked on, to catch up
with them for some leap froging bridge and lock operation down the New
Junction Canal. Bramwith Junction was past at 15:50 and we turned, yet again
down the Stainforth and Keadby Canal. Amongst the maze of boats present
there no one seemed to be going down, so went down on our own.
Neil's least favourite place - Thorne was given the thumbs down as we had
decided to push on to Keadby, seeing as the now rather good "The Aulde South
Yorkshire" was doing food on a Sunday Evening until 08:45. A good few kids
doing bridge diving from the large swing bridges, Neil told crew to
completely lift the bridges and totally ignore the kids, who have been up to
these tricks for years.
We moored just above the Vazon Swing Bridges (20:00), due to the Railway
slide bridge being poorly and only having limited opening hours. the next
day operations would start at 07:00, for am period until 10:00. There were a
good few other boats moored here and come the morning an another couple of
narrowboats had arrived.
After a short route march to the "Aulde South Yorkshire" we sat down at
20:15. Excellent and rather large starters and main courses, washed down
with a nice pint of York Brewery Bitter.
Monday 21st July 2003
At 07:40 there was a mass exodus through the Vazon Swing Bridge, ready to
hassle the railway bridge keeper and Jarvis Rail operatives. Apparently the
fault with the bridge (collapsing support pier) had been given a good,
almost TNC style bodge and the restricted hours were soon to be removed. The
Rail Bridge was swung soon after and at 08:10 we were at the end of the
Keadby Visitor Moorings. The mass exodus at Keadby was soon over seeing as
all the other craft anted to go up to Torksey or beyond. Neil sauntered off
to the locky and said we still did not want to go until at least 12:00,
seeing as we could always make up a bit of time and wanted to arrive at West
Stockwith at High Water.
After a good water fill up we had just put away the hose, had lifejacket
drill and put the cratch cover down when at 12:00 the swing bridge beepers
and lights started flashing and we cast off into the waiting lock. At 12:05
we were out into a still well flooding Trent. It was near Neaps, but there
was quite a serious breeze, coming down stream, creating choppy conditions
due to wind over tide. Bob Wood steered most of the way, mainly due to us
all deserting him after a sudden violent rainstorm. At least this was after
the salty flying about water bit and washed off the muddy Trent water.
Arrival was hung out, but we still arrived at West Stockwith with the Trent
in flood at 13:40. Neil was at that time in control and we winded up stream,
then steadied ourselves against the flood, coming close to the down stream
piles, which is in the lee. The locky (Sue was not on duty) took the bow
rope and we managed a none touchy sides entrance. By 14:00 we were out of
the lock, heading straight up the Chesterfield.
Just below Shaw Lock Ed shouted out that he had just seen the bow of a Small
Woolwich, could it be Fulbourne?........Neil though that Fulbourne was still
laid up, so Ed then said..............."Oh it must be Bath
Then"...............well it of course was Bath. Ed knew Dave Turner, who
said the last bit of the Chesterfield up to Norwood Tunnel is wonderful and
that we would have no trouble getting up there.
--
Neil Arlidge - NB Earnest
Follow the travels of the TNC at http://www.tuesdaynightclub.co.uk
Molly
Mon, 21 Jul 2003, Neil Arlidge <ne...@tuesdaynightclub.co.uk> wrote:
>Trevor and
>Molly jumped ship soon afterwards
After a week which we all (with the exception of the Commode d'Or, who
was understandably concerned about the stability of the engine, let
alone the stability of the crew) thoroughly enjoyed.
I am so very grateful to Neil for allowing me to join the crew for that
week. Whichever waters we had been on, I would have loved it; but I do
have to say that I think that anybody who doesn't do the Leeds &
Liverpool is out of their minds. Even during the Day of Horrendous
Weather[1] it was superbly beautiful, but there were so very few other
boats around. (Every other day that the DoHW was almost too hot, but
thankfully Neil lent me a baseball cap which made a superb Fashion
Statement.)
[1] Neil didn't describe this properly in his trip report because he was
snugly below decks most of the worst time. The entire day was wet; the
morning (during which I was safely below) was mere drizzle, but after we
emerged from Foulridge to leave Lancashire for Yorkshire it turned
really nasty. What had become steady rain was enlivened by torrential
downpours(3) which flattened one's best attempt at a breaking wash, a
hailstorm(1), which left pinpoint bruises, and thunderstorms (estimated
at 3, situated simultaneously and roughly equidistantly all around us).
After some hours of this, I told Neil (who was lurking well inside the
rear doors) that the moment I left the tiller I would be removing all my
clothes[2] and it would be up to all the menfolk to remove themselves.
He blenched.
[2] No comment required from martinp.
--
Molly
Sarchasm: The gulf between the author of sarcastic wit and the person
who doesn't get it.
Tim Lewis
>From: "Neil Arlidge" ne...@tuesdaynightclub.co.uk
>Date: 21/07/2003 05:27 GMT Daylight Time
>Message-id: <bfh4gp$em9lc$1...@ID-27576.news.uni-berlin.de>
<snip>
>Just below Shaw Lock Ed shouted out that he had just seen the bow of a Small
>Woolwich, could it be Fulbourne?........Neil though that Fulbourne was still
>laid up, so Ed then said..............."Oh it must be Bath
Fulbourne is presently in .... Bath
*************************
Tim Lewis
Home e-mail: t...@timlewis.org.uk
Web Page: http://www.timlewis.org.uk
NB Fulbourne: http://www.fulbourne.org.uk
Home phone: 020 8367 6227
Mobile phone: 07802 518094
****************************