TNC On Tour 2002 Page 23

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The Tuesday Night Club on Tour

Tour 2002

23 - Manchester to Acton Bridge - Bridgewater Canal and Trent and Mersey Canal.

Friday 19th July 2002

This was a free day in Manchester. We went to the East Lancs Railway via the Manchester tram in the morning, coming back early afternoon, so we went to the Museum of Science and Technology. Tremendous rain storm, where we got stuck in a pub! When it subsided we went down to Harry Ramsden's for our evening meal.

Saturday 20th July 2002

07:45 start from Castlefield, after a water fill up, direction Anderton on the Bridgewater and Trent and Mersey Canals. A final load of washing was then started on this lock free section, seeing as it was crew change time. We were booked down Anderton Lift on the Monday morning, so only had to get to Anderton for around mid day Sunday for the crew change.
We have not done the Bridgewater for a while and was more pleasant than remembered. Waters Meeting Junction, with the Leigh Branch up to the Leeds and Liverpool Canal was passed at 08:25. The new King's Ransom pub by Sale Bridge was a welcoming looking stop point.
At Bridge 29 the straight boring sections through Stretford and Sale give way to open country. It was not far passed here we had a bit of rowing canal rage............accusing us of going too fast. He came by for a second pass, but got an earful of abuse back from Neil, who by was by that time waving his GPS "Speedo" at him - 3.8MPH!
We stopped at Hesford Marine for diesel (10:40 to 10:45). While Neil was paying he had a wander through their chandlery and came out with a couple of rusty tins of Earnest's very obsolete International Papua Red - quite a find. Just beyond the boatyard is the offline Barn Owl Inn.
The next bit of habitation is through Lymm, right through the centre with some handy 24 hour moorings. Thorn Marine in Stockton Heath is threatened with closure, the prime site next to the bridge being turned into smart residences. Beyond Lower Walton the scenery opens out, with good views across the Ship Canal and Mersey.
Being somewhat ahead of our selves we decided to give the Runcorn Branch another visit. We started down at 14:15 and got to the basin at 15:35. After a quick bit of shopping, we set off back at16:00 getting back to the junction at 17:15. We were in a bit of a hurry as we wanted to make the one way working Preston Brook tunnel within it's working time (on the half hour southwards and on the hour northwards - for 10 minutes). We got to the tunnel just at half past, after snapping at the heels of a slow hire boat we picked up at Claymoore Navigation.
Once through Dutton Stop Lock No 76 (18:05) we carried on, deciding to make Acton Bridge our stop and go the previously visited "Horns" pub. Neil knew that the mooring was bad near the A49 Bridge, No 209, because of the towpath side Black Prince boatyard moorings, so we stopped on a previously visited quiet deep spot above Bridge No 210 (18:40). We walked down to the "Horns", a lovely clear evening. Unfortunately being a Saturday night the pub was very busy, the beer a bit suspect, the food cold after an interminably long wait at our table. If they were having trouble coping we wish they would have said, then we could have tried the Leigh Arms, which looked as though it had gone up in the world.

Kenworthy Arm. Castlefield. NB Frogmoore II and NB Cutworks on central mooring. Bridgewater Canal.

Kenworthy Arm. Castlefield. Earnest on the waterpoint, which is at the base of the viaduct pillar. Bridgewater Canal.

Castlefield. Bridgewater Canal.

Castlefield. Castle Quay. Bridgewater Canal.

Castlefield - Potato Wharf under the arches. There is still believed to be diesel available here, but you have to phone Egerton Narrowboats in advance - 0161 864 1066. Bridgewater Canal.

Hulme Hall Bridge. Bridgewater Canal.

Coming down to Old Trafford - Rail bridges. Bridgewater Canal.

Approach to Pomona Lock down to the Manchester Ship Canal and new tram bridge. Bridgewater Canal.

Pomona Lock. Bridgewater Canal.

Old Trafford - Manchester Ship Canal visible beside the Bridgewater Canal. Throstle Nest Bridge in the distance.

Tram station next to Pomona Dock. Bridgewater Canal.

Throstle Nest Bridge and Manchester United's Old Trafford Ground. Bridgewater Canal.

Rather good bit of corporate graffiti. Bridgewater Canal.

Old Trafford. Man U's stadium, A5081 and 94A Bridgewater Boulevard Bridges. Bridgewater Canal.

Waters Meeting Junction. Right to Leigh Branch, Left to Runcorn. Bridgewater Canal.

Waters Meeting Junction. Bridgewater Canal.

Watch House Cruising Club - entrance to Stretford. Bridgewater Canal.

The interminable linear moorings through Stretford. M60 Motorway bridge in the distance. Bridgewater Canal.

The Bridge Inn, Sale, by Bridge No 36A. Bridgewater Canal.

The new King's Ransom pub by Sale Bridge. Bridgewater Canal.

Sale Bridge. The characteristic Bridgewater Canal stop plank crane.

Looking back at Sale Bridge. Bridgewater Canal.

Marshland Road Bridge. Sale. Bridgewater Canal.

Timperley Bridge No 33. Bridgewater Canal.

Looking back at Timperley Bridge No 33. The tram uses the old rail line route to Altrincham and is just beside the canal all the way through Stretford and Sale. Bridgewater Canal.

Coming out of Sale. Bridgewater Canal.

Dunham Town. Bridgewater Canal.

Crossing the River Bollin valley. Bridgewater Canal.

Hesford Marine. Bridgewater Canal.

Barn Owl Inn in an old boat yard building at Hesford Marine. Bridgewater Canal.

Looking back at Hesford Marine. Bridgewater Canal.

Lymm Boat Club. Bridgewater Canal.

Lymm Bridge. Bridgewater Canal.

Looking back at Lymm Bridge. Bridgewater Canal.

Lymm. Bridgewater Canal.

Brookfield Bridge. Lymm. Bridgewater Canal.

Thorn Marine. London Road Bridge. Stockton Heath. Bridgewater Canal.

Looking back at Daresbury Laboratoies. Bridgewater Canal.

In the distance the Runcorn Arm (This was of course the original main line down to the Mersey) Skirts round Norton and Murdishaw. Bridgewater Canal.

Runcorn Arm to right, Preston Brook straight on. M56 cuts through. Bridgewater Canal.

Looking up at Claymoore Navigation hire boat yard. Bridgewater Canal.

Crossing over Keckwick Brook Aqueduct. Runcorn Arm, Bridgewater Canal.

Looking back at Keckwick Brook Aqueduct and junction. Runcorn Arm, Bridgewater Canal.

Norton Arm to left. Runcorn Arm, Bridgewater Canal.

Entering Runcorn - The Expressway Bridge. Runcorn Arm, Bridgewater Canal.

Delph Bridge. Runcorn. Runcorn Arm, Bridgewater Canal.

Bridgewater Motor Boat Club moorings and clubhouse. Runcorn Arm - Bridgewater Canal.

Bridgewater Motor Boat Club dry dock. Runcorn Arm - Bridgewater Canal.

The walled up bridge in Runcorn is being repainted. Beyond this the mainline of the canal went down the 10 Runcorn Locks to the Mersey. Runcorn Arm, Bridgewater Canal.