Wednesday 4^th December 2019

We had really enjoyed our stay above the flashes although we didn’t quite have the mooring all to ourselves. Last night another boat moored at the far end of the moorings. We almost begrudged them.

It was still cold when we left the mooring, although the ice had cleared. Or so we thought. Just after the railway bridges we came across patches of ice right across the canal which we had to break through. While only thin, it will still remove the blackening.

We passed through Stanthorne Lock and moored shortly after, right above the site of the 2018 breach at the River Wheelock Aqueduct.

The breach in the canal occurred on the night of 15/16^th March 2018. The section that breached carried the canal over the River Wheelock on an embankment approx. 50 feet high and about 50 feet of the embankment completely disappeared, taking with it numerous trees including three big Oak trees. There were several theories as to how the breach occurred, including vandalism, with the paddles being opened at Stanthorne Lock above the breach and a massive badger set that was directly under the breach site.

Remarkably, CRT had the breach fixed, the canal in water and boats moving by 21^st December 2018, a mere 9 months. The repair cost £3 million, 4,000 tonnes of stone, hundreds of volunteers and two major civil engineering companies.

Middlewich Canal Breach – Before and After

The aqueduct itself is a very impressive structure that, like most on the canals, would be rarely seen by the majority of people unless they took the trouble to climb down to see it. In the past, it was easy to walk down to the aqueduct but, since repairing the breach, there is now a fence preventing access. I did however, climb down to photograph the scene, now devoid of trees but, rather worryingly, the badgers are back!     

River Wheelock Aqueduct, Middlewich and the Breach Site now devoid of Trees

We had a walk into town, picked up the brass round-head screws from Middlewich DIY, used for the brass canal plaques and Brenda calling into Jack’s, the old, or new, Tesco’s, for the first time.

Back on the boat, Chris called in on us after one of his runs and we started to clip Harvey. Of all the things we took on when we moved onto the boat, this has been the most challenging. None of us particularly enjoy it and it takes about 3 days to complete. Much more in one sitting and the dog becomes too stressed. He’s a pussy cat at heart, not descended from wolves at all.

Weather: clear but cold. 

Day Total: 1 lock; 2 miles; 0 Tunnels; 0 Swing Bridges; 0 Lift Bridges; 0 Boat Lift; Day’s running hours 1.1             

Overall Total: 853 locks; 1468 miles; 53 tunnels; 61 Swing Bridges; 17 Lift Bridges; 2 Boat Lifts; total engine running hours 929.0