Rotherham

We awoke to rain! Well, at least it was a very gentle drizzle which stayed with us off and on for most of the morning - after that the afternoon was grey but dry. We made a prompt start just after eight o'clock to give us more flexibility over arrangements for looking at the tiller arm.

River Don Navigation

Cadeby Quarry Wharf

Phone calls dominated the day as we coordinated arrangements with RCR. It seemed that the nearest option was Tulley's Marine Services in Rotherham and we estimated that we could be there for 2 pm.
We were still on a river section and the trees lining the banks softened - almost hid - any remaining signs of the industrial past of the area. The occasional remnant of a loading wharf gave brief glimpses of how the waterway was once used.

Conisborough Viaduct

Conisborough Viaduct

 The huge high level former Conisborough Viaduct gradually came into view as it strides across the valley. Passing underneath it is amazing to think just how many bricks had to be laid by hand, one at a time, to construct the pillars and arches.

Conisborough Viaduct

Conisborough Castle

Conisborough Castle - sad to say we had not heard of it before today - stands in the centre of the town some way above the river level so we only caught a glimpse of its 12th century keep through the trees.

The locks are huge! They were re-built and extended as recently as the 1980's in an attempt to revive water-borne freight and make few concessions to leisure users in 'tiny' narrowboats. Often the only place where it is possible to land below the lock is quite a walk from the first set of gates. (Lock landings are much closer above the locks).

Mexborough Low Lock

It is usually only possible to restrain the boat in the lock using riser lines. Mike found that, despite it looking as if the boat was close to the side, it could easily be just out of reach. By the time the day was over, he had developed his technique and was much more comfortable locking through.

Mexborough Top Lock

Leaving these locks, the other end seems a long way off. After all, they are more than one and half times the length of an Olympic swimming pool.

Mexborough New Cut

From Mexborough, the next five miles are a canal section and the outlook is very different, as the canal was constructed on flat land.

Waddington Lock

We stopped at Waddington Lock long enough to use the sani station  - but then had to manoeuvre around the Waddingtongs barges moored just below the lock. Their main base is above the lock in what was the end of the former Dearne and Dove canal, closed in the 1940's as a result of mining subsidence.

Kilnhurst Flood Lock

Kilnhurst Flood Lock was shut - we had hoped that as it is a flood lock it would be open but it protects the canal section from the river which we now re-joined. A former lock can be seen alongside. The rise was perhaps 300mm!

We now passed through the Parkgate Works - once a major iron and steel works but now substantially demolished although some parts are still operated as part of the Indian Tata company - formerly Corus and before that British Steel, but with a long history of important projects. Only some buildings are a reminder of how important the navigation one was including a large loading wharf.

Goole Princess in Aldwarke Lock

We arrived at Aldwarke Lock with a red light showing, which should indicate that a keeper is in attendance. However, nothing seemed to be happening so we pulled into the landing stage to investigate. The boater-operated panels were disabled with the top gates open. We called the emergency line and were soon called back by Dave the Lockie who promised to send someone out to help. Just then the keeper arrived soon followed by the reason: a large oil barge on its way to Goole. The keeper had set the lock before going off to meet the barge at another lock (a keeper has to shadow the barge all the way as none of the locks are now permanently manned). This one is scheduled to arrive at Goole by 8pm today!

Oil Barge Below Aldwarke Lock

Meanwhile, Christine had made a trip to the adjacent Asda and returned with some very tasty bread  - however it had to wait as we needed to press on to Tulley's.

Eastwood Lock

The last lock today was Eastwood - just above is another former Waddington's yard in what was the start of the former Greasbrough Canal, built to serve local mines but superseded by new fangled railways in the 1840's.

A little further and we reached Tulley's Marine Services - a line of moored boats obscured the tiny gate to the office in a small portacabin that had seen better days. The man who runs the site took a look at our tiller but concluded that he did not know how to fix it so it was back to RCR for Plan B.

Christine walked into the centre of Rotherham for some milk (which she missed at Asda). By the time she returned we had a call from Thorne marina who had been contacted by RCR. They cannot come to us until tomorrow morning. rather than stay where we were, moored doubled up, we opted reverse a short distance to a wide turning area and from there back to the proper visitor mooring above Eastwood Lock.

10.8 miles - 6 locks