Victor gets a bad start

FRIENDS Janet and Steve took the boat for us to Middlewich so we could have an easy cruise around the Four Counties.

And allow of course for a few possible stoppages!

Not a good start

But alas it wasn't a good start and did not portend a good trip. We took over at the official moorings at Bridge 166  on the Trent & Mersey just out of town to set off the following morning to discover we were well and truly grounded.

As you can imagine we have had lots of experience at grounding and well knew the way to get un-grounded.  Glancing at the watch at the start it took exactly nine minutes. with the stern well and truly stuck, as of course the low pound had become even lower during the night with the leaking King's Lock being the cause and a bottom gate open.

And then the reason why—to discover a paddle on the top gate was only half way down and just would not go any lower. Here's a picture of it letting water in whilst we are attempting to let it out! Eventually we escaped, with a worthless telephone call to Canal & River (don't) Trust.

The problem then is when closing the gate it does so with a crash from the force of the water, that can then be responsible for the gates being battered and failing.

For the rest of the cruise on the Middlewich Branch, meeting only four boats on the way with many very slow sections due to the lack of dredging.  With only a 21 inch draught it makes me wonder how those deep-draughted boats manage—very slowly indeed I should imagine and keeping well from the sides.

Five seconds penalty

The following day our esteemed Editor, Thomas, took off at the front of a boat coming up behind and earned himself a five seconds penalty from She Who Must Be Obeyed then she demanding he gave up a place. So then poor Thomas having to wave the boaters past into Venetian Lock! You will have gathered Jan is a F1 fan...

The boaters that were let through the lock were a couple attempting the Four Counties in a week, doing around nine hours a day and even 12 hours in one day—but they were new to it.  Been there—done that!

It was some 15 years since we passed Venetian Marina when Brian Holmes was helping the Shropshire Union Canal Society with getting boaters through the lock to raise funds, and one thing I remember, there certainly were not the number of moored boats that are now along both sides of the waterway virtually up to the junction.

Taken over

Another thing is that the hedges have really taken hold in the past few years, care of CaRT, with them now covering the neglected waterway.  And that excuse about protecting insects really does not wash—especially as you can see, the foliage from the towpath  that harbour such insects has been cut away.  But not the offside trees to allow boats through!

So off on the main line of the Shroppie and what a difference from the Middlewich Branch, its depth made it so easy going with no sudden slowing down meeting a bridge from which there had been no dredging, as with the Middlewich.

And there was not the long lines of boats, but approaching Audlem we discovered why, for a new, to us, marina going by the name of Over Water Marina that was massive, easily the largest we have ever met. Packed with boats, with caravans and shepherds huts by its side.

27 years since first tackled

So to the Audlem Flight, it being, I have calculated, 27 years since we first tackled it on our first boat on our first cruise to Llangollen of course, like so many of you. Starting early we met a few boats coming down that made it easy for our somewhat aged lot!  I can't remember the condition of the locks compared to now, but they were easy to operate and stayed shut when closed, though perhaps a bit battered.

Then it was to Adderley Flight and another comment from 'She', that it was rather forlorn and forgotten compared to Audlem, with just one one lock having any attention, but left with its bottom gates that would not stay shut to allow it to fill.

Methinks it must be the same contractors who attended Bagnall Lock at Alrewas and left that with the bottom gates not staying closed. I just wonder if they know what they are doing?

Don't want boats

As we were getting ready for some shopping we were worrying somewhat if there would be any mooring available at Market Drayton, to have a shock indeed—the long moorings were completely empty, ner a boat in sight!

Then we espied the the notices—''No mooring between 10am and 4pm'!  So Market Drayton definitely does not want boats during the day. But why on earth not?

What is rather worrying is that they are Canal & River Trust notices. So what can we make of that?

Anyway, it was time for shopping, and as Morrison's are a mile up the hill it was the case of a call for a taxi. But alas, no way José!  We rang in the afternoon of our arrival, the evening and then the following morning to the five listed—but now't. No answer to the telephone or a machines with no one ringing back so it was a climb up the hill.

We have done this in our younger days following the signs on the bridges, but this time took the path by Bridge 64 up by the houses that was certainly a quicker way, and the trolley came in handy. That could be handy for some of you.

Handy for unlike most supermarkets this Morrison's had no taxi phone, and so it was a trek back as well, but at least the shopping was on wheels!

So be warned, should you not want the hassle.

Good depth of water

It was good progress on the wide Shroppie and with a good depth of water and we enjoyed being back on the waterway, so the bad start turned out okay!  Progress was extremely good.

But not too good on Tyrley Locks as the top gate of four of the five locks swung open, pictured above, that of course when going up you are having to close them when following another. So some more workers that really did not know what they were doing when fixing.  Mind you I expect it's swings and roundabouts as handy if going up with the gate open.

So on to Woodseaves Cutting that was a mess and extremely precarious it now having had many landslides and with more most certainly in the offing.

In the days of British Waterways there were wire 'boxes' installed along the cutting filled with stone that held the banks back, but now the trees are just chopped and left in the water cutting down the width with no chance of two boats passing.

But this is no longer done so the banks are continually slipping into the waterway and stopping navigation.

When the cutting has collapsed on the towpath side the soil and trees are simply left and the towpath closed as seen in the picture.

In fact the towpath is completely closed in many places, due to various factors and very muddy in cuttings as many of you will well know, no matter what time of year.

This above picture shows one of the landslips that are becoming more frequent as the soil around the tree roots gets washed away in the rain.

Many embankments in the cuttings now have badly leaning trees towards the waterway as more and more rain washes away the ground between their roots, and no few more liable to fall over before too long. 

As can often be seen the banks in the cutting are cut from solid rock, so just do not give the trees security as they grow larger and much heavier with the tendency to lean towards the descending bank and eventually fall into the canal.

Getting heavy equipment into the cutting to remove the trees will prove the hell of a problem—unless someone is clever enough to trim the huge trunks and float them out!

As I have noted the navigation is wide and fairly deep with progress good but the one thing that is always a problem is the stone ridge the sticks out about 12 inches just below the water line and makes it difficult to moor and use a fender as the boat is too far from the bank.

No speeding cyclists

But the very good thing is the grass towpath, pictured, out of the cuttings and all the way so far with just a few slow cyclists and none of the speedsters, as it just won't allow it.  How much safer is that, eh?

We went two days without seeing a speeding cyclist of any description.  Heaven!

One thing that struck us was the number of ducks on the water, something that in recent years we have seen the lack off, especially on the Trent & Mersey. This was after those idiots released all the mink from mink farms that have decimated wildlife both in and around the canals and the reason for those fences around fishing ponds. The silly sods just do not have the sense to realise the results of their actions, that have decimated that which they proclaim to protect!

Fun again at Wheaton Aston Lock, where there is always a wind and boats in trouble coming down, this time a poor hirer having his stern blown into the weir and being unable to get free until a strong boater following climbed along the gunnel to tell the steerer what to do and then helped the two with the middle rope. The boater then coming into the lock so precariously watching each side.

So slow that when coming out he was caught by the strong bywash and slung into the bank then the wind caught him again and into a moored boat on the offside, where he certainly did not want to be as wanting to take on water.

With this lock it needs quick action, that we obviously used to get up through, otherwise the wind or the swift water will get you!

Then a most unusual steerer indeed, for this boater was not stood on the back deck as is normal but had constructed a shelf on which he was standing below the line of the deck behind his boat hanging on the stern rail!

No reason could be seen only that there did seem a deal of clutter on the deck—so perhaps there was no space for him. As to the stern fender? And perhaps he leaves the boat when locking up otherwise he could get squashed!

Towpath closure for miles

Then it was to a usual mooring at Avenue Bridge 10, but not this time, as the towpath was a swamp and for the second time a length of it was closed off as a part of it had broken away with the towpath closure stretching for miles through many bridges. The state of the fencing proves it has been closed for many weeks.

We are on our eighth day through our cruise, and though many moored boats, moving ones were few and far between, having not followed one for the entire period. This surely shows the navigations are becoming a place for holiday 'cottages', or more likely cheap housing, that never moves. Often there are moored boats with so much around them they were obviously permanent dwellings.

At the end of the Shroppie and still waiting for the views of the fields and distant hills that was the attraction of that canal, but alas they never appeared, except in very short glimpses between the high hedges and trees that now encase the whole waterway. What a great pity.

And everything now looking so neglected and worn, for to me, the one person that had the waterway kept tidy and its structures all looking so well painted and fresh was Brian Holmes. He of the Shropshire Union Canal Society who spent the summers on his boat Thursdays Child travelling from his base on the Ashby Canal to cruise up and down the Shroppie, and whom we often met with a paint brush in his hand making sure everything was looking fresh as it should be.

Alas he is obviously there no more as the whole canal is tatty, and as can be seen the seats in poor order.  And though I don't want to suggest other members of that society don't do anything, his work was outstanding in keeping the waterway spick and span throughout the entire summers.  What has occurred I do not know, but the Shroppie is definitely worse  for wear for his loss.

After the hassle in attempting to get a taxi to a supermarket in Market Drayton, Jan was in trepidation as she attempted it at Autherley Junction when we arrived. Having to us what was a strange occurrence in getting to a supermarket in Wolverhampton.  But it worked! As usual, Jan rang for a taxi and for us, for the first time, Jan was met by a recorded voice asking where she was, answering this she was automatically asked her destination, that she told and the automated reply was the taxi is on its way. And it arrived within a few minutes!

It taking us to Morrisons, then the same procedure on the return, and there again within a few minutes.  Clever, eh?  But a bit off-putting in the first instance and all new to us, without a human voice.

Staffs & Worcs

So on to the Staffs & Worcs, and to anyone who is interested, there is a great walking area just North of the junction with large grassed areas 'sprinkled' with woods and no objection to dogs off leads provided controllable.  It's been a must for us for many a year.

At the risk of upsetting, I only too often see boaters mooring with us who have dogs, yet don't seem to give them exercise, but did actually see a couple of ladies with their dogs walking the towpath by the side of their moving boats, that Jan does daily using bridges for getting off and on. A full grown Rhodesian Ridgeback needs a lot of exercise.

You will no doubt have seen the photographs of the rotten lock beams on the Staffs & Worcs taken by Thomas  so perhaps like us, wonder how long this sort of maintenance will last, for those three were by no means the only ones up to Tixall, and here's another one.

In addition there were bottom gate paddles that were extremely difficult to wind, with me daring to mention many were too hard for Thomas, so a change of our system was needed! But twice I saw others who just could not managed them having to call someone off their boats to take over. None of an elderly two could open either of the bottom gate paddles, with a walker coming to their aid before Jan could get there.

It was exactly two years ago that we last cruised the Staffs & Worcs Canal and the the off-side top gate ground paddle was all wrapped-up and so out of action at Teddersley. And there we were at the lock again and it is still well wrapped-up, even more so as the picture shows. 

Two years schedule

But worse! There was a crew of CaRT men at the lock waiting for their boat coming up so Thomas asked about the ground paddle to be told—'they are on our 'two years schedule'. So now we know why so many stoppages are put down to broken paddles, as there is only one of a pair actually working!

What were the fellas doing? 'Looking for fish' told they!

And looking back over the cruise brings a few more with wrapped-up paddles. All waiting for the remaining one to break and most likely boaters getting the blame!

One thing about the bottom gates on this canal though, they were so worn that they were very easy to swing, as perhaps the dreaded contractors had not been let loose on them.

Then to our 'home ground' of the Trent & Mersey and the easy Haywood Lock, where a poor sod was having great trouble maneuvering a 70ft boat off the moorings and into the lock, with boaters giving what help they could.

Only a 70ft available

Then he told me why he had the maximum size boat and I felt most sorry for him. He had ordered a short boat for three people from the Stone hire company but they told him they only had a 70ft available, and the three had to take it and struggle, not being used to such a long length of narrowboat.

The reason the hire company could not supply the boat they ordered?  It was stuck with others on the Macclesfield after the Canal & River Trust decided on a stoppage!

Then on to a right mess at Colwich Lock—often known as Cow Shit Lock, due the cows passing over its track and leaving deposits. And yet another lock with only one top gate paddle working, with five boats waiting to go down. With just one paddle working it taking exactly 19 minutes, for the bottom gates were of course leaking, making it worse.

Luckily. the boaters waiting, me included, soon stopped the 'one ratchet at a time' merchants coming up, telling there was a long queue waiting and then opening the paddle fully. I can never understand those opening paddles so slowly, for once at the front of the lock the back-swell keeps the boat firmly on the top gate and safe.

Of course there was no stoppage notice of this, and one has to wonder if this too will  be on the 'two years schedule' of work to be done..,

And now for those crazy seats with only half a back that litter the Trent & Mersey around Branston, having counted five and discovered were designed at great cost, with further cost of planning then of installing.

I reckon they are Marina & Howard seats!  Where perhaps you, who, like us, are favourites of that evergreen television comedy Last of the Summer Wine.

I will let you sort it out. 

Though we had no lock queues on either the Shroppie or the Staffs & Worcester, we are certainly getting them on the Trent & Mersey, it happening again at Woodend Lock where we pulled-up behind one boat that went through the lock with another coming up. When it eventually arrived after much procrastination, not helped with the bottom gate swinging open and they not knowing what to do, with a woman closing it three times  then dashing to a top paddle but to no avail as the gate beat her every time, until Jan calmly opened a top paddle to keep the gate closed, that caused even more consternation!

Eventually the boat arrived with its crew telling that as there were two boats together they had to let the water out of the lock for that boat to join them and we could not therefore use the lock to go down!  They were put straight in no uncertain way and down we went, noticing that by then there were five boats now queuing to use the lock.

A most interesting horse we met along the way, perhaps reminiscence of days gone past—as it seems to be straining as if pulling a boat. Sorry but not sure where Thomas took the picture as I was inside scoffing and only saw it much later!

Not being there so early in the morning we managed to take advantage of the volunteers at Fradley, that was most welcome, but noticed again that there were none on Hunt's Lock below the junction and this time asked a lady volunteer why not—'the paddles are too stiff' she told, adding that she could not wind them and others found them difficult so gave the lock a miss.

Away past Barton Turn's Lock CaRT would do well to erect a couple of its blue signs it is so fond of, showing that there is rubbish disposal ahead which just cannot be seen through the vegetation until you pass its entrance, that has a somewhat useless blue sign. Then there is no mooring either side to slip off and go back with your rubbish.  We have remembered it and found it useful, so pulled up to find very little rubbish in the couple of bins—obviously why!

Having a couple of narrowboatworld signs on the sides of the boat we received quite a lot of 'keep up the good work' and the like and involved with many a conversation at locks and when moored, many telling there is only us who publish the problems of Canal & River Trust, with many adding that Towpath Talk never tells a bad thing about it but only how good it is!   And the Inland Waterways Association should care more for its boaters. (Let's see if our Thomas publishes that!  After all it is what he is told!) I could go on, but had better not. eh?

So back to our moorings at Mercia Marina and a very pleasant surprise. The marina had negotiated a better charge with its electricity suppliers, and had passed it on to its boaters—at a third less!

Victor Swift—telling tales for 24 years