Rochdale Stoppage - now re-opened

There is an emergency stoppage at lock 49, Moss Upper Lock, on the Rochdale Canal.

This is due to the head gate paddle which requires replacement.

British Waterways will issue re-open notices as soon as the work has been completed.


Photo shows Moss Lower Lock, with Moss Upper Lock in the background.

Boats can be winded below Lock 50 or below Lock 48.

For enquiries about the stoppage, contact British Waterways on 01942 405700.

Update: May 27th 2008
The gate paddle has been replaced and the canal has now re-opened to navigation.

Trees Block Leeds and Liverpool

Strong winds in the area have resulted in the Leeds and Liverpool Canal being blocked in two places near Adlington by fallen trees.

One fallen tree has blocked the towpath and navigation near Ridding Bridge (number 74).

A second tree has blocked the navigation 3 miles nearer Wigan, between bridges 64 and 65 (between Adlington and Red Rock).

British Waterways will issue re-open notices as soon as the blockages have been cleared.

For enquiries about the stoppage, contact British Waterways on 01942 405700.

Update: May 27th 2008

The tree near Riddings Bridge has been removed and the canal has now re-opened to navigation. The tree between bridges 64 and 65 is expected to be removed on Wed 28th May.

Update: May 29th 2008

The tree between bridges 64 and 65 has been removed and the canal has now re-opened to navigation.

New photos of work on Liverpool Canal Link

Work on the Liverpool Canal Link at Pier Head is nearing completion, along with a new channel through Trafalgar Dock. Work has started on a new channel from Canning Dock.

Five pages of new photographs have been added to Pennine Waterways, starting at:

http://www.penninewaterways.co.uk/ll/liverpool-link15.htm

Here is one of the photos as a taster....

Limited Hours at Salterhebble Guillotine Lock

Passage through Salterhebble Guillotine Lock on the Calder and Hebble Navigation is now possible again, following last week's closure, but the lock is only open during restricted hours.

The Guillotine Lock will be operated by BW staff during the following hours only:
• 9.00 - 10.00 am
• 12.00 noon - 2.00 pm
• 4.00 - 6.00 pm

A further statement is expected on 30th May.

The gear box on top of the guillotine broke a week ago, rendering the lock inoperable.


This restriction will affect boaters on the South Pennine Ring, those crossing the Pennines via the Rochdale Canal and some hirers of boats from Shire Cruisers, based nearby at Sowerby Bridge.

For enquiries about the stoppage, contact British Waterways on 0113 281 6860

Meet the Boss!

Boaters, anglers, walkers and other canal users are to get the chance to meet the boss of British Waterways and to air their views.

Robin Evans, BW's Chief Executive, is to take a nationwide tour to give customers an opportunity to discuss issues relating to the management of the waterways. The 20 meetings are in addition to the regular user group meetings held in each area.

Robin describes the meetings as being useful for generally understanding and responding to customers' concerns. "Hearing and exchanging views at first hand will help develop the right policies for the future."

In the north, meetings will take place at the following locations -

Thursday 5th June:
• Dukinfield Town Hall, SK16 4LA, 9.30 - 11.00 am
• The Orwell, Wigan Pier, WN3 4EU, 6.00 - 7.30 pm
(to attend, contact Denise Bradshaw on 01942 405793)

Tuesday 29th July:
• The Pastures Lodge, Mexborough, S64 0JJ, 9.30 - 11.00 am
• East Riddlesden Hall, Keighley, BD20 5EL, 5.30 - 7.00 pm
(to attend, contact Linzi O'Neill on 0113 281 6861)


Robin Evans at Marple, 2006
Photo: Chris Smyth

Salterhebble Guillotine Lock Closed

The Calder and Hebble Navigation is closed at Salterhebble until further notice, following a breakdown of Salterhebble Guillotine Lock.

The gear box on top of the guillotine has broken, rendering the lock inoperable.

British Waterways expect it to be at least a week before the canal can be re-opened at this point. A further statement is expected on 23rd May.


This will affect boaters on the South Pennine Ring, those crossing the Pennines via the Rochdale Canal and some hirers of boats from Shire Cruisers, based nearby at Sowerby Bridge.

For enquiries about the stoppage, contact British Waterways on 0113 281 6860.

Horse-drawn to Huddersfield (2)

The Horseboating Society has once again re-enacted the passage of a boat along the Huddersfield Narrow Canal by horsepower. The historic wooden narrowboat Maria was towed from Ashton to Huddersfield and is currently on its return journey.

The highlight of the journey was when the boat was legged through Standedge Tunnel.

Maria was previously legged through Standedge Tunnel in 2006, when she was the first boat to have been legged through for around 60 years. [See report]

Local Oldham East and Saddleworth MP (and Defra Minister) Phil Woolas travelled aboard the boat from Uppermill to Diggle, where an enthusiastic crowd turned out in spite of heavy rain.

Ashton-under-Lyne MP David Heyes, in whose constituency the boat is based, joined the boat at Diggle and helped to leg through the tunnel.

The passage took just under 3 hours, so no records were broken!

Maria will pass back through Standedge on Wednesday as part of a normal convoy, continuing from Uppermill to Ashton on Thursday.


Legging through an easy brick-lined stretch of Standedge Tunnel. Some sections are of uneven rock, making the legging more difficult. (Click image for larger version)

Breakthrough on Manchester Bolton and Bury Canal!

A "breakthrough" was celebrated today on the Manchester Bolton and Bury Canal.

British Waterways engineers, construction workers from Volker Stevin and members of the Manchester Bolton and Bury Canal Society were on hand to witness the breaking through of the new Margaret Fletcher Tunnel in Salford.

The new tunnel beneath the Inner Relief Road and Manchester to Liverpool railway is named after Margaret Fletcher, the late chairman of the Canal Society, who successfully secured funding for its design and construction. The tunnel will emerge into a new deep lock replacing the original staircase locks leading from the River Irwell.

Two lines of concrete piles were sunk into the ground before construction of the relief road started. The sandstone rock between the piles was then excavated from beneath the finished roadway to form the tunnel.

The canal through the tunnel could be open to navigation later in 2008. It will lead to the restored Lock 3 and a stretch of canal as far as Oldfield Road. The canal will become the centrepiece of the Middlewood Locks development.

More photos of the work will appear on Pennine Waterways in the next few days. Please check back.

The excavator has broken through and construction workers from each side of the tunnel meet with a traditional hand shake!


Inside the new tunnel, looking towards the deep lock. There will be a landing on the right, with steps leading up to the lock side.

Horse-drawn to Huddersfield

Members of the Horseboating Society are going to re-create the past of the waterways in May when they take the horse-drawn narrowboat Maria across the Pennines from Ashton to Huddersfield and back.


In addition to the boat being towed all the way by horse, it will be legged through Standedge Tunnel in the traditional manner!

The boat sets off from the Ashton Canal on Thursday May 1st, through Stalybridge to Mossley. The following day it will continue along the Huddersfield Narrow Canal to Uppermill, where it will be on show during Saturday.

On Sunday the boat will ascend the Diggle lock flight to Standedge Tunnel, to co-incide with the Diggle Canal Festival, alongside the top lock, where there will be traditional rope skills demonstrated, games, stalls, etc. Saddleworth MP Phil Woolas will help the boat up the locks.

Ashton MP, David Heyes, a member of the Parliamentary Waterways Group, will help to leg the boat through Standedge Tunnel. Energetic members of the public will be able to join the boat horse on a guided walk "over the top", across the moors to Tunnel End, Marsden.

Standedge Tunnel is the UK's longest canal tunnel, at more than 3 miles. The legging will take around 3 hours and will be done by pairs of leggers taking turns. The tunnel was built without a towpath and "legging" was the traditional means of propelling boats through tunnels.


"Maria" will be on show at Tunnel End on Bank Holiday Monday. The boat will continue its horse-drawn journey to Slaithwaite on Tuesday and to Huddersfield on Wednesday.

The return from Huddersfield to Slaithwaite will be on Saturday 10th May. The boat will climb the Marsden lock flight on 13th May.

On Wednesday 14th May, "Maria" will return through Standedge Tunnel, this time as part of a normal convoy, before continuing to Uppermill. The following day the boat will carry on to Staybridge and Ashton.

"Maria" is the oldest surviving wooden narrow boat, built at Marple in 1854. The horse being used for this journey is Bilbo Baggins. "Maria" was previously legged through Standedge Tunnel in July 2006 - the first boat to have been legged through for around 60 years! [report here]

Towpath Improvements in Lancashire

Improvements are under way on the towpath of the Leeds and Liverpool Canal near Burnley.

Two-thirds of a mile of towpath between Hapton and Shuttleworth Hall are having the pathway widened and finished with a waterproof stoned surface. This will improve safety and appeal to walkers and cyclists.

The £27,000 work is being funded by Lancashire Environmental Fund and Lancashire County Council.

The towpath work will add the finishing touches to a major repair programme along this stretch that has included strengthened the embankment.

Boaters have not been left out, as the works have included vegetation clearance and new mooring bollards.


The photo is looking eastwards towards Hapton from Shuttleworth Hall.

Monster Fish on Rochdale Canal!

The Middleton Guardian reports that a monster fish has been striking terror on the Rochdale Canal to the east of Middleton. [Read article]

Fisherman saw a large pike grab a duck near Scowcroft Lock, under the railway bridge known locally as the Iron Donger.

They threw stones at the pike and rescued the duck, which was then taken care of by a local woman.

The fishermen are warning youngsters not to dip their toes into the water or to jump from the bridge, as the pike has "piranha-like teeth" and can be vicious.

The photo shows a boat near the "Iron Donger" bridge.

Development Manager for Rochdale Canal

The Waterways Trust is to appoint a Development Manager for the Rochdale Canal.

The trust is looking to appoint "a talented professional to re-establish the canal as a community resource and catalyst for social and economic regeneration".

They are looking for someone who will "deliver projects that encourage people to value, care for and use their local waterway". This may be a challenging goal in some areas along the canal.

The Development Manager will build partnerships with a range of local organisations and provide stakeholders with regular progress updates.


The Waterways Trust took over ownership of the canal from the Rochdale Canal Company following the completion of the canal's restoration in 2002.

Details of the position may be found at The Waterways Trust website.

Wall Collapse blocks HNC Towpath

A retaining wall collapsed onto the towpath of the Huddersfield Narrow Canal yesterday.

The towpath is closed between Locks 16w and 17w near Mossley until further notice. The canal remains open for navigation but crew operating locks will need to board their boats to pass the obstruction.

Walkers using the towpath will need to divert between Manchester Road Bridge and Division Bridge via Manchester Road and Calf Lane.

A wall collapse in March blocked the towpath of the Macclesfield Canal.

Yet Another Restriction at Plank Lane

Boaters face yet another restriction at trouble-hit Plank Lane Lift Bridge on the Leigh Branch of the Leeds and Liverpool Canal.

As a result of an electrical fault, the bridge will be operated manually by BW staff. There will be just 3 opening periods each day until further notice:
• 9.00 - 10.00 am
• 12.00 noon - 1.00 pm
• 3.00 - 4.00 pm


Boaters arriving at the bridge are required to moor up and notify the bridge keeper of their presence and await further instructions.

The restrictions will continue until the essential repairs can be carried out. A further update notice will be issued once the contractors have assessed the structure.

In March, the bridge was closed to boat traffic for around 24 hours after a barrier was damaged. In 2006, the bridge was closed for some time after the counterweight fell off. [see report and photos].

Enquiries about the current restrictions should be made to BW on 01942 405700.