TNC On Tour 2003 Page 30

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The Tuesday Night Club on Tour

Tour 2003

30 - Stalybridge to Whaley Bridge. Huddersfield Narrow Canal, Lower and Upper Peak Forest Canal.

Thursday 31st July 2003

Neil started to depart somewhat from the published time table (which had held up so far) and do a Staly-Whaley ie Stalybridge to Whaley Bridge. Linda did a short shop in Tesco's and at 07:35 we started off.................just as it started to rain!
At 09:20 we were at Dukinfield Junction and did the sharp turn onto the Lower Peak Forest. Another, now rare new bit for Earnest, a piece of canal Neil has not done since 1995. Everything seemed much greener than Neil remembered, but around Hyde the amount of crud in the cut exceeded the HNC!
Hyde Bank Tunnel was a bit of a killer, low in places, it would be possible to scrape handrails. A bit of traffic the other way, but as we started the Marple Flight at 12:00, we caught up with NB King Coal. Mrs KC certainly did NOT want any help and shooed the rather keen Martin Clark away from HER paddles (this was just dropping tailgate paddles and closing these gates).
They somewhat warmed to Martin as he recounted the earlier Marple Flight dog poo incident, where an unauthorised deposit was not cleared up. Upon querying this Martin was greeted with "Sorry I have not got a
bag".......rather strange seeing as there were bag dispensers on the flight!!!
There was something missing from the Marple Flight....and it only dawned upon us later.............NO BOATWASH!!!............the Marple geysers had finally been silenced by the recent grouting of the massive stone block walls.
We were finally on the Upper Peak Forest at 14:25. Again a bit of canal Neil has not done since 1995. Just as we started off from the locks, another NB (Water Lilly - a rather new Louis and Joshua Boatbuilders NB) pulled out of the Macc. We swing / lift bridge hopped the four such structures and came out in front, just as well as there was one 57ft 6ins mooring left at Whaley Bridge Basin and one 60ft. Water Lily was 57ft 6ins...........and Earnest was not!
Just as last time Bugsworth Basin was closed (of course Ed Mortimer was recounting the time that Sue Day forced him to pole one of her butty's into every part of the basin when it was briefly open for a few months a few years back) Also different was the new Tesco's and access bridge at the start of the Whaley Bridge Arm.
We tied up after winding at 17:00. Watering waited until the next day. That night we ate in.

Morning departure from Stalybridge...........and it has just started raining!

Lock 5 W.............in the rain.

Lock 4 W.

Approaching Dukinfield Junction. Ashton Canal.

We have just turned onto the Lower Peak Forest Canal at Dukinfield Junction.

Dukinfield Railway Bridge. Lower Peak Forest Canal.

The bottom half of the Lower Peak Forest Canal, clings to the Tame Valley. Lower Peak Forest Canal.

Looking back at Dukinfield Railway Bridge. Lower Peak Forest Canal.

Lift Bridge No 1. Lower Peak Forest Canal.

Railway Bridge No 1 A. Lower Peak Forest Canal.

Ashton Street Bridge No 2. Lower Peak Forest Canal.

Dukinfield Hall Bridge No 3. Lower Peak Forest Canal.

Warble Boatbuilders. Lower Peak Forest Canal.

Newton Hall Bridge No 4. Lower Peak Forest Canal.

Mills as you enter Hyde. Lower Peak Forest Canal.

M 67 Bridge No 5. Lower Peak Forest Canal.

The sharp corner and old basin as you pass under the M 67. Lower Peak Forest Canal.

Hyde Bridge No 6. Lower Peak Forest Canal.

Hyde Bridge No 6. Turnover towpath bridge tacked onto this side of the bridge. Lower Peak Forest Canal.

Mills in Hyde. Lower Peak Forest Canal.

Footbridge No 6 A. Hyde. Lower Peak Forest Canal.

Moorings in Hyde. Lower Peak Forest Canal.

Captain Clarke's Turnover Bridge No 7. Lower Peak Forest Canal.

Footbridge No 11. Woodley. Lower Peak Forest Canal.

Woodley Bridge No 12 in the distance. Lower Peak Forest Canal.

Woodley Railway Bridge No 12 A. Lower Peak Forest Canal.

Woodley Tunnel. Lower Peak Forest Canal.

Gilbert Bank Bridge No 13. Lower Peak Forest Canal.

Top-O-The-Hill Railway Bridge No 13 A. Lower Peak Forest Canal.

Footbridge No 13 B. Romily. Lower Peak Forest Canal.

Holehouse Fold Bridge No 14. Lower Peak Forest Canal.

Chadkirk Aqueduct. Lower Peak Forest Canal.

Romiley. Lower Peak Forest Canal.

Sudden encounter with another narrowboat at the entrance to Hyde Bank Tunnel. Lower Peak Forest Canal.

The low Hyde Bank Tunnel. Lower Peak Forest Canal.

Hyde Bank Tunnel. Lower Peak Forest Canal.

Rose Hill Bridge No 15 A. The narrows beyond are the opened out Rose Hill Tunnel. Lower Peak Forest Canal.

Rose Hill Bridge No 15 A. The narrows are the opened out Rose Hill Tunnel. Lower Peak Forest Canal.

Marple Aqueduct over the River Goyt. Lower Peak Forest Canal.

Marple Railway Bridge. Bridge No 16 in the distance. Lower Peak Forest Canal.

Looking back at Marple Aqueduct. Lower Peak Forest Canal.

Marple Bottom Lock No 1. Marple Flight. Lower Peak Forest Canal.

Looking back at Bridge No 16. Lower Peak Forest Canal.

Marple Bottom Lock No 1. Lock No 2 beyond. Marple Flight. Lower Peak Forest Canal.

Lock No 2. Marple Flight. Lower Peak Forest Canal.

Looking back at Lock No 1. Marple Flight. Lower Peak Forest Canal.

Lock No 3. Marple Flight. Lower Peak Forest Canal.

Lock No 4. Marple Flight. Lower Peak Forest Canal.

Lock No 5. Marple Flight. Lower Peak Forest Canal.

Lock No 6. Marple Flight. Lower Peak Forest Canal.

Lock No 6, looking back at Lock No 5. Marple Flight. Lower Peak Forest Canal.

Lock No 6. looking up at Lock No 7. Marple Flight. Lower Peak Forest Canal.

Looking back at Lock No 6. Marple Flight. Lower Peak Forest Canal.

Lock No 7. Looking up at Lock No 8. Marple Flight. Lower Peak Forest Canal.

Bridge No 17. Lock No 9 beyond. Marple Flight. Lower Peak Forest Canal.

Horse boat towrope roller on Bridge No 17 parapet. Lock No 9. Marple Flight. Lower Peak Forest Canal.

Lock No 9. Bridge No 17 beyond. Marple Flight. Lower Peak Forest Canal.

Lock No 9. Looking up at Samuel Oldknow's Warehouse and Lock No 10. Marple Flight. Lower Peak Forest Canal.

Looking back at Lock No 9. Marple Flight. Lower Peak Forest Canal.

Samuel Oldknow's Warehouse and Lock No 10. Marple Flight. Lower Peak Forest Canal.

Lock No 10. Marple Flight. Lower Peak Forest Canal.

Lock No 10. Looking down to Lock No 9. Marple Flight. Lower Peak Forest Canal.

Looking back at Lock No 10. Marple Flight. Lower Peak Forest Canal.

Lock No 10. Looking up at Lock No 11. Marple Flight. Lower Peak Forest Canal.

Lock No 11. Looking back at Lock No 10. Marple Flight. Lower Peak Forest Canal.

Lock No 12. Marple Flight. Lower Peak Forest Canal.

Posset Bridge No 18. Lock No 13 beyond. Marple Flight. Lower Peak Forest Canal.

Lock No 13. Lock No 14 beyond. Marple Flight. Lower Peak Forest Canal.

Lock No 13. Marple Flight. Lower Peak Forest Canal.

The dinky little towpath tunnel by Posset Bridge No 18. Marple Flight. Lower Peak Forest Canal.

Lock No 14. Marple Flight. Lower Peak Forest Canal.

Lock No 14. Looking up at Lock No15. Marple Flight. Lower Peak Forest Canal.

Lock No 15. Looking down at Lock No14. Marple Flight. Lower Peak Forest Canal.

Looking down at Lock No15. Marple Flight. Lower Peak Forest Canal. Lower Peak Forest Canal.

Top Lock No16. Marple Flight. Lower Peak Forest Canal. Macclesfield Canal to the right, Upper Peak Forest Canal straight on.

Looking back at Marple Junction. Upper Peak Forest Canal.

Marple Boat Club moorings. Upper Peak Forest Canal.

Brick Bridge No 19. Upper Peak Forest Canal.

Looking back at Brick Bridge No 19. Mr BW workboat drove up the bank to let us all pass. Upper Peak Forest Canal.

Looking back at Hill Top Footbridge No 20. Upper Peak Forest Canal.

Upper Peak Forest Canal.

Rawton Walls Bridge No 21. Upper Peak Forest Canal.

Turflea Lift Bridge No 22. Upper Peak Forest Canal.

Stanley Hall Bridge No 23. Upper Peak Forest Canal.

Looking back at Stanley Hall Bridge No 23. Upper Peak Forest Canal.

The canal clings to the side of the Goyt Valley. Upper Peak Forest Canal.

Wood End Lift Bridge No 24. Upper Peak Forest Canal.

Linda walks on the short distance to Higgins Clough Swing Bridge No 25. Upper Peak Forest Canal.

Higgins Clough Swing Bridge No 25. Upper Peak Forest Canal.

Dryhurst Bridge No 26. Danebank. Upper Peak Forest Canal.

Green's Hall Bridge No 27. Upper Peak Forest Canal.

Upper Peak Forest Canal.

Matlows "Swizzles" sweet factory. Glad to see that there is still some "old" industry about! New Mills. Upper Peak Forest Canal.

Thornsett Road Bridge No 28. New Mills. Upper Peak Forest Canal.

Anglo Welsh New Mills Marina - once an old Ladyline base. Upper Peak Forest Canal.

Looking back at Thornsett Road Bridge No 28. New Mills. Upper Peak Forest Canal.

Looking over the Goyt Valley. Upper Peak Forest Canal.

The main part of New Mills is across the other side of the Goyt Valley. Upper Peak Forest Canal.

Bankend Bridge No 29. Upper Peak Forest Canal.

Carr Swing Bridge No 30. Upper Peak Forest Canal.

Furness Vale Boat Club moorings. Upper Peak Forest Canal.

One for Mike Stevens - who did the cat motif first? Furness Vale Boat Club moorings. Upper Peak Forest Canal.

Furness Bridge No 31. Upper Peak Forest Canal.

Footbridge No 32, once a swing bridge here. Upper Peak Forest Canal.

Greensdeep Bridge No 33. Upper Peak Forest Canal.

New A6 Bridge No 34. Upper Peak Forest Canal.

A 5044 Bridge No 34 A. Junction with arm to Buxworth Basin to the left, just beyond bridge. Upper Peak Forest Canal.

Looking down the arm to Buxworth Basin. Upper Peak Forest Canal.

Coming into Whalley Bridge. Upper Peak Forest Canal.

New Bridge No 35 to Tesco store. Boater access being created by fencing. Upper Peak Forest Canal.

Looking back from Whaley Bridge. Upper Peak Forest Canal.

Whaley Bridge winding point and sanitary station. Basin and terminal warehouse beyond. Upper Peak Forest Canal.

Whaley Bridge. Basin and terminal warehouse. Upper Peak Forest Canal.

Whaley Bridge. Upper Peak Forest Canal.

Whaley Bridge. Terminal warehouse. Upper Peak Forest Canal.

The Tour Continues...

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