The first passage through Vale Royal Locks is at 10 am and we moved down from the mooring in good time - the holding pontoon only takes one boat! However, as we were waiting, the other boat that had moored at the same place last night came down and had to 'breast up' whilst we waited.
At the appointed hour the lock keeper and his assistant arrived and set about preparing the lock. After a while were allowed in and secured ourselves ready for the twenty minute descent. At least the other locks do not take so long.
Sometimes the River Weaver is disparaged but we found it most pleasant, although there are few facilities. It is best to come prepared for the duration. As it happened, we were close to our normal re-fuelling level - actually this is just below half way but in the wake of last year's disaster, and other difficulties, we try not to run the tank too far in case we draw too much sediment into the fuel supply.
As a result, we felt that we needed to get back to Anderton by the end of the day, even if we had to wait until morning for the next available slot. We continued back down the way we came yesterday - a number of rowing coxed fours and coxless pairs were out practising. Just before Northwich there is a boatyard with a number of larger vessels although it seems unlikely that Proceed will be doing very much of that!
After Hunts Lock - the two friendly staff were on duty again - we stopped at Northwich Services for the usual processes. Christine popped into the town centre for a paper - we failed to find a shop yesterday as as result of the Winsford disappointment. Northwich is much better served and more attractive than Middlewich so we might like to try here again in the future. Many of the houses are timber framed as it was discovered so time back that they withstood the salt subsidence better than other methods of construction. One, near the Town Swing Bridge and now a solicitor's office, was built as late as 1881. Another seems to have had an earlier role as a garage, now a cafe.
After setting off once more we returned to the visitor moorings below Anderton for a lunch break. Another of Christine's soups had been on the brew all morning.
At this stage we decided to go some way down stream, but leaving enough time to make the last lift of the evening - at that stage there was still room. A couple of huge chemical works stand on the river bank just below Anderton, but otherwise it was very pleasant rural scenery.
Saltersford Lock (only one seems to be in use here as well) is mechanised and is another huge affair. As it happened, shortly before we arrived another boat had penned and was almost about to be dropped down when the keeper spotted us arriving and re-opened the gates so that we could travel at the same time.
After about another half an hour we turned around in a wider section of the river just above Acton Swing Bridge and began our return trip. On several occasions, including the return passage through Saltersford, we met up with a hire boat with ten young people out for a birthday celebration weekend. They had been to a fancy dress party just before leaving, dressed as fairies, but only one of the men kept to his costume!
We moored up below Anderton just as the 4:15 lift was loading up. As Mike turned and moored the boat, Christine went to make enquiries and returned with the news that we could travel on the five o'clock lift, the last of the day. She also had pleased the lady who takes the bookings as she remarked that we had met her husband at Hunts Lock where he is one of the seasonal keepers! In fact, it turned out that we were on our own for this ride.
Once the boat is safely tied up inside the caisson and the gates shut, the water between the gates has to be pumped out before the lift can commence. At the top, similarly water is pumped up from the river below to fill the corresponding gap at the other end to release the pressure from the gates. The 2003 restoration - the third form of engineering in the life of the structure - now means that the two caissons can operate independently but this is much more expensive than when they counterbalance each other. However, if one is unavailable for maintenance it does mean that passages can be continued. Both caissons are lowered at night to rest on pads, removing some of the strain on the hydraulic rams. We make no apology for the extra pictures of this structure but it really is amazing and a tribute to the engineering ingenuity of former generations.
By the time we had completed our ascent it was too late to find fuel tonight so we moored at the entrance to Uplands Marina ready for their 8:30 opening in the morning. Alas, trees were between us and the tv satellite!
No comments:
Post a Comment