Saturday 4^th April 2020

Harvey was walked this morning along the Hurleston Lock Flight that joins the Llangollen Canal to the Shropshire Union. A flight of four locks that raises the canal 34’ 3”, the bottom lock had been suffering for a number of years from the sides gradually moving inwards, such that some older, working boats could no longer use the lock.

There had been a massive reconstruction of the lock chamber over the winter. The lock side was completely dismantled and rebuilt, necessitating a huge hole having to be excavated beside the lock. The flight had only reopened a few days ago, but we found the lower pound to be completely dry. A CRT operative was investigating and reckoned the sluice tunnel that bypasses each lock and so fills the pound below from the pound above, was blocked. I was horrified to see this guy, working on his own, climbing down narrow vertical shafts and crawling along the tunnels to find the problem. 

                           

                               

                                                                                               Hurleston Locks

Dry Pound between Locks

Plum, who supplied our solar panels and Barry, a Kiwi that used to sell home brew kits from his boat were moored nearby and I went to chat with them before we moved off.

We cruised slowly through Barbridge Junction and back onto the Middlewich Branch, stopping to top up with water above Cholmondeston Lock. After filling with fuel at Venetian Chandlery, buying the last two bags of coal and some logs and catching up with Susan’s canal news, we moved just a couple of hundred yards beyond the railway bridge and moored on the long, open and exposed straight.

And here we will sit until we next need to move for water. We are probably in the best position for servicing just now. Ahead of us, 8 miles and 3 locks away, is Middlewich. The shops are close to the canal but few facilities for boats, there is water, but no rubbish disposal or Elsan facilities. Behind us, just above the lock, is a water point. 3 miles away is the service point at Calveley, but no shops other than a petrol station on the road beside the canal, or, 5 miles away, is Nantwich, with shops and a service point, although the shops are some distance from the canal. 

It was a gorgeous night. Clear skies and an interrupted view of the stars.

Day Total: 1 lock; 3 miles; 0 Tunnels; 0 Swing Bridges; 0 Lift Bridges; 0 Boat Lift; Day’s running hours 4.5

Overall Total: 906 locks; 1599 miles; 53 tunnels; 61 Swing Bridges; 17 Lift Bridges; 2 Boat Lifts; total engine running hours 1077.8