Wigan Flight

[Top cat]

We are thinking about going on the L&L this year which means a descent of the Wigan flight to get home.

I've heard bad rumors about this flight being very hard work and the locals being hostile.

 

So what are peoples experiences ? any truth in the rumors ?

 

Any advice to make the trip as pleasant as possible ? good moorings nearby ?

 

Thanks

 

TC

[The Hunky Dory]

We've done it a dozen times without any sign of trouble, including weekends. We moor opposite Haigh Hall the night before when going west, and at Dover lock when heading east. Best of you travel as a pair, but not essential. Great views of the Douglas Valley. Enjoy it!

[The Bagdad Boatman (waits)]

Used to be three good pubs at top. Red Rock and Top Lock! set off early and hope for rain to avoid the "dear ones" do not get into verbles, lock the front doors aim to take all day as you will be tired, we used to find a pie shop halfway down, then moor up and visit Wigan Market. Steak and Cowheel Pies Loverly grub. Pre book and you may get assistance. If you team up with another narrowboat the work is halved

[haggis]

We are thinking about going on the L&L this year which means a descent of the Wigan flight to get home.

I've heard bad rumors about this flight being very hard work and the locals being hostile.

 

So what are peoples experiences ? any truth in the rumors ?

 

Any advice to make the trip as pleasant as possible ? good moorings nearby ?

 

Thanks

 

TC

 

We did the Wigan flight for the first time many years ago when neither of us was feeling very well and it was awful! The anti vandal locks on the paddles were awkward and it was just a hard slog to the top.

However, we came down the flight a few years ago and it was a dream! We travelled with another boat , both with a crew of two and we had someone working ahead all the way down. We flew down the flight and enjoyed it. On neither trip did we see any locals but I think we did both trips in the morning.

If you can meet up with another boat, life will be so much easier and I wouldn't let the prospect of doing the flight affect your plans.

 

haggis

[BargeeSpud]

I've done it several times without any problems both as a pair & singly. Obviously locking as a pair is better & quicker if you lock 1 lock ahead by setting it as you operate the one you're in.

 

The only worries I did have, involved kids jumping off bridges or into the locks, but found that if you talk to them, explain what you're doing & how they can keep safe whilst you navigate past them you're unlikely to have a problem. By doing that, we were able to navigate past them with minimal interference in what they were doing & they seemed to appreciate that.

[RichardH]

We have never had any bother.

 

It is hard work though as many of the gates are extra heavy and take extra anti-vandal keys just in case one goes splosh.

[mrsmelly]

Hi

 

Stock up on Dum Dum bullets for your GPMG and you should be fine

 

Tim

[Pie Eater]

We are thinking about going on the L&L this year which means a descent of the Wigan flight to get home.

I've heard bad rumors about this flight being very hard work and the locals being hostile.

 

So what are peoples experiences ? any truth in the rumors ?

 

Any advice to make the trip as pleasant as possible ? good moorings nearby ?

 

Thanks

 

TC

The flight should take about 4 hours and it is very rare to have any problems with the locals but if you travel during the summer holidays in hot weather the kids use the locks as swimming pools.

 

A lot of boaters moor overnight near the services at top lock and set off first thing the following morning.

 

When you decide let me know and I will assist you with the locks if I am available.

 

Steve

 

Steve

[by'eck]

We are thinking about going on the L&L this year which means a descent of the Wigan flight to get home.

I've heard bad rumors about this flight being very hard work and the locals being hostile.

 

So what are peoples experiences ? any truth in the rumors ?

 

Any advice to make the trip as pleasant as possible ? good moorings nearby ?

 

Thanks

 

TC

 

No probs whatsoever. Scenic moorings at the top with good pub two locks down.

 

Secure mooring outside C&RT offices at bottom, one lock below main flight (Chapel Lane), just after Leigh branch turn off. If intending to take this branch later, back through this last lock so you are pointing in right direction.

 

If at the bottom on a Sunday, visit Trencherfield Mill working steam engine, short walk by Wigan Pier.

[Matthew Dowson]

Its a blast as long as you team up with someone - we breasted up which freed me to go ahead and set locks, but not everyone would want to do that, though it did make life a lot easier. We then travelled with Steve and Eileen Rayner on Sophie for the next 3 days we got on so well. Moor as close to the top as you can, easier to get a partner for the next day. And don't expect to see any CRT staff around to help, and some of the middle pounds often run low so I ran water down from the top lock - half a paddle open on each lock for 8 or 9 locks which was fun.

[bizzard]

Send an aeroplane ahead to do a reccy first.

Last time I went down them was in I think 1992 coming from the IRA boat festival at Wakefield to Stoke-on-Trent delivering a boat with a little old Lister SR2 in it with my cousin. No problems at all, we got down them non stop in about 2hrs 45mins. We actually did Wakefield to Stoke in 7 days, younger then though.

[Ian Mac]

Wigan like all broad flights is far easier if your boat fits, so assuming your a narrow boat find a partner, it really does make life so much easier. In my experience most of the problems at Wigan are not the locals, but other boaters, who do daft things such as not shutting paddles properly, accidentally draining pounds, etc., this is then normally blamed on the locals, who in my experience have always been very friendly and helpful. Depending on how efficiently you and your crew work, it can take anything from under 3hrs to all day, in days of yor I have worked it single handed with a shortboat in well under 4 hrs, with the whole flight agin me, and that was in the days when you had to have a different windlass or two for each lock.

If the pub at Dover locks (there are no locks there now!) is still going, hard to know the state of any pub these days! its as good a place as any to start from if your heading uphill.

I've never had any problems at the top either but remember it is an urban area, so do not leave temptations in place.

Wigan is a fine place to visit so you may want to stop there a while. The Market is well worth a visit and you must try one of the many pie shops, there is a really good one just round the back by the drydock at trencherfield.

--

Cheers Ian Mac - who spent some of his honeymoon on the boat in Wigan - many years ago - made the local press.

[Top cat]

Thanks for the advice folks we will make extra efforts to find someone to pair up with.

 

We often breast up on broad flights, I heard rumor that one of the locks is too narrow for that, subsidence or something. We might be traveling with a friend on his 60' boat would that preclude breasting up ( we are 58')

 

Steve thanks for the offer of help much appreciated we are currently thinking we would be there on the 22nd of May but plans may well change by then.

 

Regards

 

TC

[Guest]

We've done it a dozen times without any sign of trouble, including weekends. We moor opposite Haigh Hall the night before when going west, and at Dover lock when heading east. Best of you travel as a pair, but not essential. Great views of the Douglas Valley. Enjoy it!

Much the same.

[Ange]

We went up the flight for the first time in 2009 and were horribly unprepared. We arrived quite late in the afternoon and decided in our inexperienced wisdom that we'd get it over with straight away. The whole thing was a disaster. There was only the two of us, no boats were travelling at that time of day and then we ran out of water. Dave had to walk ahead quite a few locks leaving me to guard our boat, which was aground in the lock, in the twilight. We ended up reversing down one lock and mooring up for the night mid flight.

 

When we went back down we were better prepared. We put a call out on the forum in the "crew swap" section and arranged for family members to come and help. We travelled with another boat who couldn't believe their luck when lockwheelers arrived from all directions! We had crew working two locks ahead and mum on board providing refreshments - it was a great experience.

 

As for trouble, there were a few kids swimming in the locks when we went up who happily vacated when I explained that I'd have to refill the lock to get the boat up, and a gang of youngsters gathered when I was guarding the stranded boat and loudly discussed boarding the boat, but that was just talk. No trouble or hint of trouble on the way down.

 

Be prepared and it's a great experience, definitely easier going down than up as well!

[Midnight]

We've done it a dozen times without any sign of trouble, including weekends. We moor opposite Haigh Hall the night before when going west, and at Dover lock when heading east. Best of you travel as a pair, but not essential. Great views of the Douglas Valley. Enjoy it!

 

Agree with Hunky Dory entirely.

 

We have done it many times without any sign of trouble. It's more tedious than hard work but going down is probably easier than going up. Last year we teamed up with an experienced crew and got down in three and a half hours despite at least one paddle out of action on the majority of locks.

 

The vandal locks are all spring loaded so relatively easy to work.

 

If you don't meet anyone else along the way it's a very good idea to wait at the top to see if another boat comes along and perhaps use a bike to work between locks. Lifting a few paddles on the ones in front saves a lot of waiting time I usually work 4 at a time unless someone is coming in the opposite direction.

 

When you get near to the bottom they are not as close together but the sense of achievement/relief makes them seem easier.

 

Dover Bridge has a decent pub and there are also nice quiet moorings albiet a bit remote opposite Ince Moss but we had to fish around to find a suitable depth.

[Mac of Cygnet]

Went up it singlehanded last summer on a sunday. No probs whatsoever except totally knackered when I got to the top! (Took 6 1/4 hours). The locks were a dream to work after being used to the Rochdale, C&H and Huddersfield Narrow. Natives friendly, only met one boat coming down (which actually delayed me, as they had a large crew setting locks ahead, therefore against me). Only 1 pub near the top of the flight now, but a much better one down the road from Springs Bridge.

 

Edited to say I was several times helped by passers-by closing gates after me when requested. There was a generally very pleasant feel about the whole sunny sunday scene.

Edited January 7, 2013 by Mac of Cygnet

[Matthew Dowson]

Send an aeroplane ahead to do a reccy first.

Last time I went down them was in I think 1992 coming from the IRA boat festival at Wakefield to Stoke-on-Trent delivering a boat with a little old Lister SR2 in it with my cousin. No problems at all, we got down them non stop in about 2hrs 45mins. We actually did Wakefield to Stoke in 7 days, younger then though.

Surely 3.45 Bizzard? - You'd be flying to do it in that time.

[bizzard]

Surely 3.45 Bizzard? - You'd be flying to do it in that time.

It was around 2hrs 45mins, we were flying, only boat on the flight, so only one gate needed, held the boat steady in the locks with engine ''no ropes'' and me running ahead to set the next lock whilst cousin drove boat out and closed the gates, all pretty normal stuff really.

[starman]

We've gone down twice: once with another boat plus our fit and enthusiastic son-in-law lock-wheeling. Took three hours and our partner boat pretty much got a free ride.

This summer we (Starwoman and me) reached the top of the flight at 4.30pm where a few boats were already queuing for the next day. No son-in-law this time; no partner boat and a completely enpty flight but we decided to go anyway. Took four hours (including a pause to report a stuck paddle to BW).

No problems at all, in fact the whole area was pretty quiet. A bit of banter with a few passers-by, a helping hand here and there, that's all.

It's hard work and much easier with two boats (and a helpful son-in-law) but perfectly do-able.

[Midnight Lady]

Did it last year - no trouble (other than dealing with a boat full of dozy teenaged boys working their way down with me who kept leaving paddles up, and a horrible dead fox that was in the top lock).

 

At Blackburn lock someone has nicked the metal mooring bollards before, in and after the lock(a right pain if you like me are single handing). Maybe they have been replaced by now......

 

The pub at the top of Johnsons locks is ok for a sandwich (even better was the lemon and garlic steak being cooked by some drunk people just sat by the lock - they gave me a bit and it was lovely).

 

Moorings - I moored overnight in Chorley on the way down. Can't remember exact place (bridge 76?) but there was a fabulous pub if you crossed the canal and went up a hill a little way. Really really good food and let me charge my mobile while I was there.

 

At Wigan one or two of the locks in the middle of the flight are leaking badly from the side - had a mad panic as water shot into the side of my boat hard enough to tip it. Recommend going into the lower side (ie the downhill bit) if it has been raining heavily. All the lock gates leaked too so stay well back.

 

About three locks up from the bottom the sluice was blocked with rubbish and the pound had flooded. I had to clear it (took ages) and wait until it went down enough to get the gates open. Looks as if it may happen regularly.

 

I vaguely remember having to avoid something horrible sticking out of the side of the canal when I got to the bottom of the flight and headed left towards the Leigh Branch - either a bit bit of dumped metal or a bit of the canal side that had broken. It looked solid and substantial and sharp so I went round it.

 

I moored at Dover Bridge on the Leigh - nice boaters there and a decent pub.

 

Hope this helps!

 

ML

 

Thanks for the advice folks we will make extra efforts to find someone to pair up with.

 

We often breast up on broad flights, I heard rumor that one of the locks is too narrow for that, subsidence or something. We might be traveling with a friend on his 60' boat would that preclude breasting up ( we are 58')

 

Steve thanks for the offer of help much appreciated we are currently thinking we would be there on the 22nd of May but plans may well change by then.

 

Regards

 

TC

 

I did the flight with another boat - no trouble fitting us both in the locks although I am 52 foot and the other boat was about 40 foot

[Night Hawk]

Our boat is 62 foot long and we've kind of avoided that stretch of the waterways.

 

Is it true that we could do the flight provided we did the locks diagonally as a single boat?

 

Andrew

[BargeeSpud]

Our boat is 62 foot long and we've kind of avoided that stretch of the waterways.

 

Is it true that we could do the flight provided we did the locks diagonally as a single boat?

 

Andrew

Yes it is true, if you want to risk it.

[by'eck]

Yes it is true, if you want to risk it.

 

But there are locks further up where there are tighter fits. Barrowford top lock for example, which is tight for a 60 foot boat.

[BargeeSpud]

But there are locks further up where there are tighter fits. Barrowford top lock for example, which is tight for a 60 foot boat.

Yes, that's true about Barrowford, I remember it now you've mentioned it.