Back to Uplands

It was a damp, drizzly sort of morning but before we set off we walked down to Dutton locks - we had thought about this yesterday evening but it was a bit late and not very pleasant weatherwise.

The path led down the hill across one field to the access road at the bottom which passed over a very new bridge over the weir stream. After taking a look at the locks - only the large one is currently in use and is mechanised - we spent some time chatting to the lock keeper, a retired sea captain! No doubt he would have kept us all day and he certainly had plenty of interest to say about the river, local industry and waterways in general!

He explained the history of the rusting hulk which lies forlornly just above the weir stream. Until the early nineties it was in use as a passenger cruise ship, up and down the river and locally via the Mersey. He had an old brochure showing the layout with five passenger cabins.

However, the company ran into financial difficulties and gradually the ownership of the vessel became unknown and it lay for some time in Western Dock where it was used by the 'ladies of the night' as it was explained to us. In the end the navigation authorities, still unable to dispose of it, moved it up to its present location where it is gradually falling to pieces, thus saving the expense of intentional scrapping!

Back at the canal, looking down on the river, we eventually set off and passed through the two tunnels - at the first we had about 12 minutes to wait for the open time and at the second (which has no specific times) a similar wait whilst one boat came through in the other direction. By the time it had cleared the tunnel there was a queue of four boats waiting to go south!

It was lunch time when we arrived at out planned overnight mooring (just outside Uplands Marina) and close to the bus time for Mike to travel back to Kidsgrove to collect the car. So he took his rolls with him - which he ended up eating on a bench by the bus stop: it was nearer and easier to find that he had allowed for.

The journey involved a bus trip, three train rides and a half hour walk along the canal at the far end (Mike later discovered he could have done the last but by bus!) It only remained to navigate the road network back to the mooring - made a bit easier by having come into the railway station by bus so he could re-trace its steps.

The rest of the evening was then spent in servicing and loading up the car ready for a prompt start in the morning as we have to call at Penkridge to discuss boat painting.