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The Tuesday Night Club on Tour
Tour 2003
28 - Goole to Huddersfield. Aire and Calder Navigation, Calder and Hebble Navigation and Huddersfield Broad.
Saturday 26th July 2003
We were late up for the last morning of freedom - Linda is arriving soon! Much
inside boat fettling. Linda arrived a bit early at 11:15 and Bob and Julian soon departed for home in the Passat. After a late water fill up the
"family" crew shoved of at 12:45 - brilliant weather- destination unknown -
other than we had to be at the bottom of the Marsden Flight at 13:00 on the 29th.
After water fill up the "Family weeks" of TNC On Tour started...........these, of course, are always planned as a gentile
interlude.............but leaving Linda in charge, normally has the effect of a somewhat "competitive" couple of weeks.
We left Goole at 12:45, now rather dull windy day. Past New Junction Junction at 14:30. We seemed to miss any traffic on the
Aire and Calder and cranked all the locks ourselves. Past Bank Dole Junction at 16:25.
Linda was somewhat intimidated by the large barge she met, so then crept through Knottingley with son Peter as lookout on bow. Stopped at
Castleford Visitor Moorings at 18:10 as we only had to get to Huddersfield the next day.
Sunday 27th July 2003
We shoved off at 07:25 after Linda's dog walking session. Another day that
started off OK, then deteriorated into being dull and blustery. This section of navigation was new to
Linda and she rather liked the interesting Calder and Hebble, with it's constant changes from cuts to river sections.
With the Commode D' Or relieved of steering duties, he was able to do all the hand
spike paddles that were left on this section of the Calder and Hebble up to Cooper Bridge Junction. Some ground spikey paddles slipped at the start, but
a quick insertion of the windlass handle behind the wooden rack backing pushed the rack against the pawl and operation was restored.
Just as we had turned the sharp corner back down the River Calder at Cooper Bridge Junction (15:35) and entered the bottom Huddersfield Broad lock,
there came a toot and a NB - Gelibean coming down from Sowerby Bridge entered with us.
The Broad locks are somewhat short and Earnest needed to go in first, swing over against one closed gate, then tuck in behind this to
enable the 45ft Cruiser NB Gelibean to enter. This tidy little boat was only a matter of months old, yet had a good few battle scars. The lady did most
of the steering, but seemed more interested in listening to the DAB Capital Radio
Top 20 that was blaring out of a large waterproof speaker pod than thudding into the lock wall and fortunately closed gate that was protecting
the rear end of Earnest.
Still we managed a fairly spirited assault on the Huddersfield Broad, mooring up on the
Sainsbury's moorings at 18:00. Neil had been in contact with Steve Haywood, who had come over the top of the HNC earlier. NB Justice was in Slaithwaite
and Steve, Moria and Moira's mum were going to try to get to Huddersfield that night.
Later that evening Neil and Linda went out for a dog walk, up the HNC to try to find Martin Clark's secret route to the new Lock 2E, in case we had to
let some water down. This was found by going through some flats private car park. It is totally ridiculous that there is no boater access to this lock
from the bank, seeing as it must be quite often that water has to be let down.
As Neil was examining the lock a gentle thudding was heard from Sellar's Tunnel and a tunnel lamp came into view...............well, it could only be
one boat..........and Neil got a nice piccy of NB Justice exiting the tunnel. Steve was rather taken back that we should have come out to meet him
on a canal "locked" lock!
Neil and Linda had a quick introduction to the crew of Justice, then Neil carried on back down on Justice, while Linda wandered back, setting Lock 1E.
Well, what can I say..............Justice's ancient 1933 ex GPO generator JP3 installation was as quiet and vibration free as Julian T's JP3 (MARINE!)
in his old NB Idleness and it showed NO smoke except when it was revved up.......sorry Cap'n Beeky, I could almost live with this one!
Justice moored up behind Earnest on the Sainsbury's moorings and Steve got further in the dog house by slipping out with Neil for a few jars in the
Aspley. Amazingly at 21:50 Steve also managed to catch last food orders. A serious chin wag ensued, one of the topics being the James Griffin / John
Chapman - NB Ocean Princess trip to Lands End. After Neil promising to get some piccies of the two boats together we departed company
at kicking out time, seeing as we were going to leave early to have the HNC to ourselves.
Linda in charge at Goole. Aire and Calder Navigation.
Broad Cut Top Lock, where we removed the rams head, only a matter of weeks
before. Calder and Hebble Navigation.
The Perseverance pub at Thornhill Lees. Forge Lane Bridge ahead. Calder and Hebble
Navigation.
Looking back at Thornhill Cut, we have just gone back onto the River
Calder. Calder and Hebble Navigation.
The Aspley at Aspley Basin - the end of the Huddersfield Broad Canal.
Lock 1 E. Huddersfield Narrow Canal.
The knocked through old Lock 2 E. Huddersfield. Huddersfield Narrow Canal.
Approach to Bates Tunnel. Huddersfield. Huddersfield Narrow Canal.
Looking out from Queen Street South Bridge No 22, as we wait for the rain shower
to finish. Huddersfield. Huddersfield Narrow Canal.
Steve Haywood, steering NB Justice arrives at Coal Wharf Lock No 2 E.
Huddersfield. Huddersfield Narrow Canal.
NB Justice and NB Earnest at Sainsbury's visitor moorings in Huddersfield.
Huddersfield Broad Canal.
NB Justice and NB Earnest at Sainsbury's visitor moorings in Huddersfield.
Huddersfield Broad Canal.
NB Justice and NB Earnest at Sainsbury's visitor moorings in Huddersfield.
Huddersfield Broad Canal.
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