The thoughts, fantasies and random ramblings of Ashton Boatman Chris Leah, largely, but not exclusively, connected with his work for the Wooden Canal Boat Society, restoring historic wooden canal boats and putting them to work doing good deeds for the community and the planet.
It's an incredibly mild November. I suppose global warming must have the odd silver lining. "Forget me Not" is now running partly on HVO, a non fossil fuel, waste derived, alternative to mineral diesel fuel.
We had an airbnb booking. We're now doing a lot of these to bring in funds as our lottery funding has finished. To keep the Canal & Rivers Trust happy all Airbnb bookings have to go for a trip, whether they like it or not. This group were a family, two adults and 3 kids from Norwich visiting people in Manchester. They didn't really want a trip, but we arranged to take them through the Asda tunnel and back on Saturday morning. As usual, the kids loved the tunnel. They'd asked for the boat to be left at a nicer spot so, after they left, we towed "Hazel" to Dukinfield lift bridge and tied her there, then me and Aaron took "Forget me Not" to Jet Amber Fields to wind.
This turned out to be more of a struggle than I'd anticipated as the water was 6" down and new obstructions have been dumped in the lift bridge which we struggled to get through. The water was like leaf soup with the Autumn fall. At Jet Amber we found the winding hole partly blocked by the burned out remains of a fibreglass dinghy. On our return trip, passing the Warble moorings, the engine was stalled by a bulk bag full of leylandii offcuts, presumably dumped by a dodgy tree surgeon. As we struggled to untangle it someone on a moored boat told us it had been there for ages (so why didn't he pull it out?).
On Sunday, after the guests left, we repeated the trip with "Hazel" in tow. This was a training opportunity which was taken up by Patricia. Her partner Igor came too, but he is unable to participate at the moment as he's awaiting surgery on his legs.
Before attempting the lift bridge I had a go at clearing it using the keb. I pulled out a car seat and a safe that had been forced open before disposal.
There was plenty more rubbish that I was unable to remove.
We thrashed the pair through the bridge without too much trouble and carried on, the engine producing embarrassing amounts of black smoke as it coped with the leaves clogging the propeller.
Because of the sunken dinghy and low water we carried on past Jet Amber and winded at Hyde, which is easier. On the return trip Aaron steered the motor and dealt with various difficulties. including stemming up on the submerged remnants of a stone wall near Globe Bridge. We tied at the basin as the museum staff were locking up.
At Stalybridge there's a lot to be done to get the boatyard up and running again. The last couple of years of pandemics, my own health difficulties and the chronic lack of volunteers that so many charities have been struggling with have left it cluttered and overgrown.
Today Andrea came to help again, with her son James. They attacked the excessive foliage to open up part of the yard that had become almost inaccessible. In the process they built up a huge pile of brash that I hope will be transported away by boat and then incinerated in a Solstice celebration.
In the front garden we cleared some of the weeds and planted some new plants and lots of wild flower seeds.
I've been moaning about the state of the front garden at Knowl St Heritage Boatyard for ages, and lamenting the lack of volunteers to look after it. Today Andrea and Philip had a good go at cutting back the jungle. They won't be able to do it all that regularly as Andrea returns to work soon, but it's a start.
I visited my brother in Rugby for the first time post pandemic, travelling by train. After spending a night at Rugby with Merv, Sue and my nephew Graham I went by train to Kenilworth, to see my friend David Lee, with a change at Coventry. From Kenilworth, changing at Coventry on to Nuneaton to catch the Crewe service, and thence by a rattly Welsh class 150 on to Manchester and the tram to Ashton. A really pleasant weekend off. I took a couple of photos.
The Leamington - Coventry train arrives at Kenilworth.
A Cross Country Voyager waits to depart Coventry for Bournemouth as a Pendolino for Euston arrives in the backgound.
A couple of our volunteers have hired a boat from Portland Basin Marina. Their plan was to go up on to the upper Peak Forest and Macclesfield canals. That idea was scuppered because Marple locks closed through lack of water. This is partly because of the lack of rain, but mainly because there are two reservoirs that need repair. They then thought they'd go up the Huddersfield Narrow instead. Lack of water, exacerbated by so many leaky lock gates, caused this to close. Ok, they thought, we'll go down the Ashton and on to the Bridgewater.
They worked down the 18 locks of the Ashton canal, only to find that the Rochdale 9 was closed because of gate problems. they tried to go up the Rochdale instead, only to find that that was closed (lack of water, leaky gates). They headed back up the Ashton but got stuck part way up the locks because of a shopping trolley jammed behind a gate. CRT cleared this the next day and I saw them in Dukinfield where they live. They set off ahead of us to enjoy a few days between Ashton and Marple.
A couple who have supported "Hazel" for many years were given a weekend on "Hazel" as a wedding anniversary present. they wanted to go up the Huddersfield Narrow. Now that it's closed they've postponed until next Spring.
This is very frustrating. Apparently the Rochdale 9 is open again with a restriction to narrow beam boats only. I have a feeling that the network is starting to fall apart. I worry that the Canal & River Trust, who run the canals, are losing interest in navigation. To give them their due, the Ashton flight has improved no-end in recent years. There is, of course, a water supply problem this year, but a single badly leaking lock gate will hugely increase the water demand of a canal.
Rant over!
The only place that we can really go with our "Hazel" guests is along the lower Peak Forest as far as Marple Aqueduct. We've just done a trip for a very pleasant family from mid Cheshire. Patricia, Geraldine, Aaron and me took them yesterday as far as the winding hole at Gee Cross. We came back about half a mile to tie among lovely woods beside Apethorn Wood and Haughton Dale https://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/visiting-woods/woods/haughton-dale/
I stayed aboard "Forget me Not". It rained all night and was a bit chilly so I lit the stove in the morning. Aaron arrived early on his bike.
When Geraldine arrived, by 'bus, we had a brew then set out on the return trip.
Our guests met some friends at Portland Basin and went for a look round the museum. They left a glowing report in "Hazel"s visitors book. A lot of people have been under a lot of stress over the last couple of years. It's nice to feel that you're doing a little bit to help.
Recently a volunteer asked me to supply a strimmer to tidy up the Heritage Boatyard. He was finding the amount of weed growth there offensive, I said no, which may seem strange to those who like their plants all lined up like soldiers. However, there's method in my madness.
When we took over the site some local residents objected that we would destroy the wildlife (they wanted to turn it into a car park). There was some merit in this argument as, since the demolition of the railway viaduct, it had been allowed to grow wild.
As we've worked on the area we've tried to do our best to provide some niches for wildlife. Around the edges are areas that we're not regularly using, though we have stuff stored there. These have been allowed to grow wild. Consequently, as we're working, we can enjoy the presence of birds, butterflies etc that would have no foothold in a clinically tidy environment.
Yesterday, whilst moving some recently arrived wood, Kim picked up a bucket that I'd been using to grow potatoes. Inside he found 3 toads, a big one and 2 small ones. I moved the bucket to another location and laid it on its side so that they could get out and carry on with their lives.
Strimmers are indiscriminate in their destruction. If toads or other small creatures happen to be in their path they will just become collateral damage.
At the moment we're a bit restricted where we can go. The Marple flight is closed because of water shortage. Two of the reservoirs that feed the summit are in need of repair and so the only water supplying the upper Peak Forest has to be pumped up from the river at Whaley Bridge.
The Huddersfield Narrow canal is, at the time of writing, still open, but this waterway also suffers from water supply issues. A particular problem for us is the long pound between Ashton and Stalybridge, from lock 3 to lock 4. Because lock 3 leaks so badly (and has done for years) this is constantly low. There are also several places on this stretch where rubbish gets dumped into the water, further reducing the depth. We have offered to remove the rubbish but are not allowed to because we might disturb the wildlife (!!!!???). There have been several occasions when we've spent hours working through this pound, dragging the boats laboriously over old bikes, shopping trolleys etc.
We had a booking for a well being trip for a couple who I had met by chance at the museum. The plan was to go up to Marple and, after winding below the locks, spend a night near the aqueduct, then return to Ashton.
It all went fairly smoothly. Our crew consisted of Aaron Booth, Geraldine Buckley and John Lupton. The winding hole at Marple was, for once, fairly clear of CRT boats. There was quite a concentration of boats moored in the area and we couldn't get in at our usual spot between the aqueduct and Rose Hill tunnel, so, after winding, we had to go back through the former tunnel and tie at the end of the line of moored craft.
On the towpath side here there is a steep wooded cliff dropping down to the trickling River Goyt.
On the outside is a field, virtually grazed out by the raucus Canada Geese that now dominate the canal.
I had always wanted to explore the Goyt valley here but never got round to it. In the morning, after a little pottering in the engine 'ole, I walked along the towpath the short distance to Hyde Bank tunnel then, rather than climbing the steep horse path over the top, I plunged into the untrodden ways of the thick, steep woodland. Back in 2020 I prepared a ghost story for a halloween event that never took place because of the pandemic and this marginal land is the home for one of the characters, Old Mags the witch. Perhaps next year!
This woodland is one of the rare places where nature is allowed to take her course. It is too steep and pathless for an easy stroll. Huge trees dominate, but where there is a gap for light to get through there is a dense understorey of nettles, brambles bushes etc. Although the 2022 heat wave had only just got started the woods were already bone dry. I came upon a carpet of wild garlic, all wilted by the drought. Because humans rarely penetrate, dead wood is not removed. The steep slopes are hard to navigate and several times I grabbed hold of a branch to steady myself, only to have it break off in my hand.
I descended via a dried up side valley to the trickling river, following it upstream. There were paths here but they would suddenly disappear into bushes, presumably they were made by foxes rather than humans. The inevitable Himalayan Balsam enjoyed a waterside foothold.
I climbed up again to rejoin the towpath near a huge oak that had fallen but was caught by its sister trees, continuing to grow vertical shoots from the horizontal trunk.
Beside the canal I met an elderly lady briskly walking. She was slim and brightly dressed. By her accent I took her to be German. We praised together the beauty of nature and the amazing efforts of the canal builders before each continuing in our opposite ways.
Aaron arrived on his bike and Geraldine and John made their way down the towpath from the station. We had a pleasant and uneventful trip back to Ashton in the growing heat.
Our guests thoroughly enjoyed the trip. When we got back to Portland Basin we got "Hazel" cleaned and her batteries charged ready for the next outing. This was a two night booking for Jeff, his daughter Sarah and partner Jackie, all enthusiastic punk rockers. We had promised them a trip up the Huddersfield Narrow, but, I checked the water levels and decided that it was unwise.
We had to make another foray out to Marple instead.
Aaron was unable to join us for this trip as he was on dogsitting duties. Geraldine and John steered the butty while new recruit Steve Shipley made a good job of steering the motor while I sat on the deck supervising.
The rising heat was baking us as we went along. The canal was in many places matt green with a surface scum of algae brought out by the relentless sun. The winding hole at Marple was completely free of CRT boats as the last one, the 'josher' motor "Gailey", had moved to Dukinfield where the team were tracing leaks in the embankment. This time we were able to tie in our preferred spot near to the aqueduct.
Our guests all have mobility issues and were a bit disappointed that there were no pubs or restaurants within easy walking distance. By the time I learned that it was too late to move as our crew were all heading off for the station. I suggested we make a short trip to Romiley the following day, where there are hospitality venues a plenty.
Crewing was a problem as none of the first day's crew were available. I spent the evening on the 'phone and the laptop trying to round up a crew. Luckily Patricia Ekaete was able to join us from Ashton and Mike Heap from Marple. Neither had crewed for some time so it was nice to see them. I was showing Patricia the aqueduct when Mike arrived. He was involved it the efforts to save the structure, and the canal, back in the 1960s.
We had a pleasant journey through the tunnel and past the lovely gardens and woodland of Chadkirk to tie near the main road bridge at Romiley. Having arrived by train Patricia elected to walk home along the towpath.
Our guests went out for a meal at 'Platform One' next to Romiley station. They don't recommend it. I spent most of another evening rounding up the next day's crew. This consisted of Kim Tranter and Dave Evans. Navigating the tortuous bends through Gee Cross in the sweltering heat we were glad of the shade from the mature woodland. We arrived back at the basin mid afternoon, bade farewell to our guests and crew, then put the boats away for the night, ready for another trip, as far as Gee Cross, the next day.
We're gradually getting back to the routine of working at the Heritage Boatyard. There's lots to do as post pandemic it's an overgrown mess. This is not helped by the fact that just pre pandemic someone volunteered to get all our stores re-organised. He spread stuff all over the yard then disappeared.
A few days ago I was at Hyde Reclamation's yard buying wood for renewing "Forget me Not"s deck boards when I spotted a stack of 1" mahogany. The price was not extreme (and unlikely to get any less) so I bought it. Today we stacked it and covered it to keep the weather off it.
Dave and Kim worked on improving part of "Forget me Not"s gear change mechanism. I'm hoping that persons within the normal range of arm strength will now be able to get her out of reverse gear! Kim assembled a couple of new deck boards. Gradually we're getting back on our feet!
