Philip

Thanks for the info. If I go for it, I've decided I'll book the up passage 3 weeks before the down passage and take separate annual leave weeks. It'll still give me about 7 days cruising on the Lancaster and hopefully there'll be a marina somewhere where I can leave the boat for the remaining couple of weeks before returning to the L&L. If I decide to take 2 days for the up passage and make use of Preston marina, do you think I should be ok going under my own power rather than booking the tow? That'd be my preference, I don't mind having to use Preston marina if I give myself enough time, just want to be sure I have enough power to make headway whilst punching the tide!

Just a few questions about this, I'm thinking about doing this trip but the dates I have in mind would mean making the return 'down passage' along the link towards Tarleton 5 days after the 'up passage' (towards Preston). Would this be enough time to do all of the Lancaster and the Glasson Branch, assuming 9-12 hour cruising days? Also, after the down passage date towards Tarleton which I have in mind, the next available down passage date is a couple of weeks later. If bad weather means they don't operate the down passage on the date I'm looking to book, would I be stuck on the Lancaster for 2 weeks or do they normally postpone the passage to the closest day with suitable weather conditions? Finally, my boat has a 16hp engine with a rather small prop (12x8), meaning it struggles to go above 4mph on shallow canals. When I went upstream on the Severn in green conditions last June (after dry weather), it was a struggle to go above 3mph without the engine getting too hot. I've heard that there is a tow available to book for the Douglas-Ribble tidal bit, so based on this would it be advisable to book the tow?

None of the locks on the northern Staffs & Worcs are fitted with a top gate paddle, whereas they're fitted on all of the locks on the southern section. Does anyone remember gate paddles north of Gailey and when/why they were removed? I've seen old photos of gate paddles on most of the Llangollen locks, does anyone remember these still in evidence in the 60s or 70s? Also the two locks at Hack Green are interesting, as the SU narrow locks south of Nantwich still have gate paddles on locks which retained their wooden top gates through the steel era in the 60s/70s, all except Hack Green that is; neither have had steel gates fitted but there are no gate paddles either.

How would people rate the different canal routes out of Birmingham & Manchester? So for Birmingham: Grand Union B'ham new mainline Old mainline Birmingham & Fazeley (via Aston or Garrison) Tame Valley Worcester & B'ham Manchester: Bridgewater to Worsley " " Altrincham Rochdale Ashton Manchester Ship Canal

There seem to be contrasting views between the experiences of cruising through Manchester & Birmingham; there is still a lingering negative perception of Manchester because of the Ashton & Rochdale Canals, even though a lot of the 'horror stories' date back to the 80s and the Ashton especially has greatly improved since then. Birmingham on the other hand tends to be thought of favourably, even with a bit of rose-tinted press, perhaps because it is the centre of the network and the many miles of canals it has. I do think the scene around Gas Street Basin beats Castlefield hands down, and Farmers Bridge is a lot more pleasant to work through than the Rochdale 9, but aside from these, is the perception towards Manchester a little unfair nowadays and vice versa does the Birmingham canal network get a rather cushy press? I've done both the Ashton and the run into Birmingham via the Grand Union and in my opinion the Ashton is a far more pleasant experience throughout; don't think I've experienced a more unpleasant stretch of waterway than Tyseley to Bordesley Jn on the GU. I haven't done the Rochdale above the 9 so perhaps this is worse than the Ashton and comparable with the GU? Also don't think going out of Manchester via the Bridgewater (either towards Sale or Worsley) is worse than the BCN new mainline or the Worcester & B'ham, the bit between Trafford Park & Worsley is a particularly interesting stretch. Last year at Brades Jn on the old mainline I was harassed by a group of youths who wanted a ride on the boat. I politely said to them that I wasn't insured to carry passengers, but they wouldn't leave me alone and threatened to chuck stuff at the boat and went under the bridge to try and jump aboard (I turned round in the end as this was on a detour). Couple of years ago some lads threw a stone at the boat at Autherley Jn, again because I didn't want to give them a ride. I wasn't unpleasant towards them in either case before anyone thinks I provoked them. I know these are only two examples and others may have had similar problems in other cities, but so far I haven't experienced these kind of problems when going through Manchester. I like the experience of cruising through both of these cities; one is the birthplace of the Industrial Revolution canal network, the other is the central hub. Does Manchester have an unfair reputation though and is some of the Birmingham network overrated?

Do you have any photos of the top lock when it was a lock by any chance, please?

Can you access other collections like Ian's through the RCHS website?

Did traffic at busy lock flights seem heavier and more common in the 90s compared with the last 10 years?

From when leisure boating really took off in the late 70s through to the present day, when would you say the peak level of leisure boating was? I know there are probably more boats on the canals now more than ever, but many are in marinas for long periods and sometimes don't go far when they do venture out, so what era (ie within roughly a 5-year timeframe) would you say that the canals and locks were at their busiest with boat movements, from your own experiences and observations?

I think you're right. It only seems to be on this gate though, looking at photos, but was more common years ago which makes me wonder how old the gate is. Thanks for this, may I ask which part of the RCHS collection this is in please? I had a look at the website and the B&LJ bit of the Shropshire Union but couldn't find this photo?

Here's one...one slightly unusual feature is the rectangular cut-out bit of the balance beam, to the right of the gate paddle; it has a separate piece of wood or metal bolted into the wood. I don't know its purpose and I haven't seen this presently on other wooden gates along this stretch but old photos show quite a few narrow SU top lock gates had it, between around the 50s-90s. I think this lock also has a bigger middle paddle sluice than the others as the spray enters more directly, and from memory it didn't have a gate paddle in the 90s but one was fitted around late 90s/2000 - the listed status usually prevents this from happening. Just makes me wonder if it's a very old gate that has lasted well, albeit in a tatty state now.

This is a long shot but I was wondering if anyone can remember the current Adderley lock 4 top gate being fitted or if anyone knows when it dates from? I know from old photos that it was the same gate in 2000 as now but don't know more than that. There are a few subtle curious features; it doesn't have a date plaque or evidence of where one used to be. There are some other finer curious details but perhaps a bit too anorakish to go into them!

Well I'm not going to be priced out of boat ownership, something that is of a great interest and passion for me, just to keep the canals navigable as a rich person's game. Why shouldn't the license fee be means tested?

Because that wouldn't be fair on people who can't afford it but want to boat, simple. Either ensure it is affordable or close it for all and instead have it as something to enjoy from the towpath.

I agree that the license fee is rather generous as it is and realistically it needs to increase, but it shouldn't be such that boat ownership becomes something only the wealthy/rich can afford, whether it's residential or just using the boat for leisure.