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The Tuesday Night Club on Tour

Tour 2013

8 - Diggle to Slaithwaite - Huddersfield Narrow Canal.

Friday 26th April 2013

A lazy start, seeing as were booked for the afternoon passage through the tunnel (East to west in the morning). Neil was collared by the bod on the other boat, we had missed a call from CaRT, no passage east to west, so if we were ready they would be along at 10:00. NA readied NB Earnest, cratch board, cover and top board removed and stowed inside. Front cabin side navigation lights removed (a bit prone and BW advised their removal on past Standedge passages). The CaRT lads arrived just after 10:00, the legendary Fred Carter was about doing some training. as he is soon to retire. As we were ready he jumped aboard, armed with reflective waist coats and protective hats (we had our own life jackets, but CaRT would have loaned these). After a brief safety talk, the tunnel doors were swung open and off we went at 11:00.
MC said that CaRT had supplied powerful rechargeable lights on previous passages he had undertaken, but not with Fred...he just had his miners light! I would recommend other boaters with 240v ac available to get a couple of cheapo 300w halogen site lamps, it really would have made our passage a bit easier! Not too bad a passage, for first time self steer. Fred expertly guided us through the tight bits and the notorious dog leg unlined section. NA lost it at one point and bounced off the wall one side in to the path of a sticky out rock bolt. We subsequently found that this would have annihilated the RH navigation light, but as it was it just caught the front cabin side handrail, then hit the front toe step, blowing off the bottom bolt. No damage to paintwork, as NA had recently repainted behind toe steps and fitted some blue plastic gaskets (made from an old plastic industrial tray, found in the Soar at Leicester!) Seeing as the tunnel tug / passenger module was doing trips in and out of the tunnel from the Marsden visitor centre end, we had to stop at the last two adits, for Fred to fone up and check their progress. We were aware of the tug...as it had it's lights blazing in our direction! We exited at 12:40, after saying our farewells to Fred and getting our "Tunnel Certificates" we were off at 13:00. A couple of boats about, just making passage up to summit, but not going through tunnel. Rather uneventful passage down to Slaithwaite, had a bit of trouble getting a level with the guillotine bottom gated Shuttle Lock No 24E, either seals had gone, of something stuck under it. We arrived Slaithwaite at 16:50, mooring up on the "Fire Station" moorings just above Waterside Lock No 21E. NA had managed to reassemble the cratch while in / waiting for locks, brass toe step was a bit bent, so towpath repair utilising sledge hammer! That night is was a short walk back to the very good Monsoon Indian restaurant.

Side adit. Standedge Tunnel.
Huddersfield Narrow Canal.

Standedge Tunnel.
Huddersfield Narrow Canal.

Marsden Portal. Standedge Tunnel.
Huddersfield Narrow Canal.

Exiting Standedge Tunnel at Marsden. Neil and Fred, all togged up.
Huddersfield Narrow Canal.

Standedge Tunnel. Marsden.
Huddersfield Narrow Canal.

MC chats to Fred Carter. Standedge Tunnel. Marsden.
Huddersfield Narrow Canal.

Standedge Visitor Centre. Marsden.
Huddersfield Narrow Canal.

Straightening toe step, bottom bolt blown off by rock bolt!
Huddersfield Narrow Canal.

Standedge Tunnel. Marsden.
Huddersfield Narrow Canal.

Looking back at Marsden portal.
Huddersfield Narrow Canal.

Marsden.
Huddersfield Narrow Canal.

East Summit Lock, Railway Lock No 42E. Marsden.
Huddersfield Narrow Canal.

Looking back at the visitor moorings above Railway Lock No 42E. Marsden.
Huddersfield Narrow Canal.

Bridge No 58. Marsden.
Huddersfield Narrow Canal.

Looking back at Bridge No 59 and Railway Lock No 42E. Marsden.
Huddersfield Narrow Canal.

Dirker Lock No 41E. Marsden.
Huddersfield Narrow Canal.

Hopper Lock No 40E. Marsden Flight.
Huddersfield Narrow Canal.

Warehouse Hill Lock No 39E. Marsden.
Huddersfield Narrow Canal.

Exiting Warehouse Hill Lock No 39E. Smithy Holme Bridge No 56. Marsden.
Huddersfield Narrow Canal.

Looking back at Warehouse Hill Lock No 39E. Smithy Holme Bridge No 56. Marsden.
Huddersfield Narrow Canal.

Smudgees Lock No 37E, looking down to White Skye Lock No 36E. Marsden Flight.
Huddersfield Narrow Canal.

Smudgees Lock No 37E, looking up to Colne Lock Lock No 38E. Marsden Flight.
Huddersfield Narrow Canal.

White Skye Lock No 36E. Marsden Flight.
Huddersfield Narrow Canal.

Moorvale Lock No 35E. Marsden Flight.
Huddersfield Narrow Canal.

Exiting Moorvale Lock No 35E. Cellars Lock No 34E beyond. Marsden Flight.
Huddersfield Narrow Canal.

Looking back at Cellars Lock No 34E. Marsden Flight.
Huddersfield Narrow Canal.

Sparth Lock No 33E. Marsden Flight.
Huddersfield Narrow Canal.

Looking back at Cellars Lock No 34E and Moorvale Lock No 35E. Marsden Flight.
Huddersfield Narrow Canal.

Sparth Lock No 33E. Sparth Reservoir to left. Marsden Flight.
Huddersfield Narrow Canal.

Pig Tail Lock No 32E. Sparth Reservoir to left. Marsden Flight.
Huddersfield Narrow Canal.

Fishers Footbridge No 53.
Huddersfield Narrow Canal.

Looking back at Pig Tail Lock No 32E. Marsden Flight.
Huddersfield Narrow Canal.

Booth Lock No 31E.
Huddersfield Narrow Canal.

Huddersfield Narrow Canal.

Looking back at Booth Lock No 31E.
Huddersfield Narrow Canal.

White Hill Lock No 29E.
Huddersfield Narrow Canal.

Looking back at Bank Nook Lock No 30E.
Huddersfield Narrow Canal.

Mill Pond Lock No 27E.
Huddersfield Narrow Canal.

Mill Pond Lock No 27E. looking back at Waring Bottom Lock No 28E.
Huddersfield Narrow Canal.

Skew Bridge Lock No 26E.
Huddersfield Narrow Canal.

Looking back at Mill Pond Lock No 27E.
Huddersfield Narrow Canal.

Shaw Carr Bridge No 48 and Skew Bridge Lock No 26E.
Huddersfield Narrow Canal.

Looking back at Shaker Wood Lock No 25E.
Huddersfield Narrow Canal.

Shuttle Lock No 24E. Slaithwaite.
Huddersfield Narrow Canal.

Looking down to Dartmouth Lock No 24E. Slaithwaite.
Huddersfield Narrow Canal.

Looking back at Shuttle Lock No 23E. Slaithwaite.
Huddersfield Narrow Canal.

Dartmouth Lock No 23E. Slaithwaite.
Huddersfield Narrow Canal.

Bridge No 44A. Slaithwaite.
Huddersfield Narrow Canal.

Britannia Road Bridge No 44. Monsoon Indian Restaurant. Slaithwaite.
Huddersfield Narrow Canal.

The Marhaba. In a previous existence as the Zam Zam, it gave us sustenance at a late hour of arrival.
Huddersfield Narrow Canal.

Looking back at Britannia Road Bridge No 44. Slaithwaite.
Huddersfield Narrow Canal.

Slaithwaite.
Huddersfield Narrow Canal.

Pickle Lock No 22E. Slaithwaite.
Huddersfield Narrow Canal.

Looking back at Pickle Lock No 22E from the Fire Station moorings. Slaithwaite.
Huddersfield Narrow Canal.

Fire Station moorings, Waterside Lock No 21E beyond. Slaithwaite.
Huddersfield Narrow Canal.

The Tour Continues...

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