MartinClark

The boats that are no longer trading are shown in grey so that it can be seen that they are no longer trading and not just forgotten to be included! For example, someone looking for 'Bargus' will find the information that 'Halsall' covers the area. I have, however, moved all the boats no longer trading to the foot of the page. I hope you find that more helpful. As for a map, many of the traders change where they operate from time to time so it would quickly become out of date. It's easier to change the text of an entry when someone lets me know rather than to modify a map. But if you would like to create a map, David, I would be happy to include it.

Even more of the North to shut! Following the worsening situation with falling reservoir levels, the locks on the east side of the Leeds and Liverpool are to be closed from Friday 17th August. The navigation closure affects all locks between Skipton and Leeds. The main lock flights, i.e. Bingley Five Rise, Bingley Three Rise, Field Locks, Newlay Locks and Forge Locks will be padlocked closed, with the gates ashed to prevent leakage. The Canal and River Trust says that "measures will be taken to make all locks inoperable" to prevent unauthorised use (e.g. by someone breaking the padlocks). The Canal and River Trust says that it is not known how long the closure will last for but that it’s likely to be throughout August and potentially beyond if there is no significant, sustained rainfall. The towpath will remain open.

You'll never leave...

Rochdale Canal - urgent update: Because of the serious shortfall in water supply, the closures on the Rochdale Canal have been brought forward and go into immediate effect. This involves the closure of all locks between Sowerby Bridge (Lock 1) and Littleborough (Lock 48). This includes the section between Locks 7 and 19, which it had been hoped to keep open on restricted opening times. The Canal and River Trust will liaise with boaters on this section so that they can access vital services when possible, offering restricted, controlled passage. Other than this all locks will be secured and out of use.

The Forget-me-not on the Ashton Canal is definitely a motor rather than a horse-drawn boat. It is the same boat as in the second photo on the cutting posted by Neil40 in post #9.

Really? Mind you, I'm not that surprised.

Forget-me-not is now in Ashton. Photo from the Wooden Canal Boat Society website. See http://wcbs.org.uk/boats/forget-me-not/

Over the last 5 years a great many gates have been replaced, doing a lot to address the leaky gate issue. Some of the stiffer paddle gear has now gone. (A few years ago I broke a windlass on Lock 23e in Slaithwaite, but 2 weeks ago it had new gates and was easy to use.) I can only recall around 3 or 4 paddles not working on the entire canal 2 weeks ago. Earlier this year the Huddersfield Canal Society carried out an inspection of all the anti-vandal devices on the canal and over the 74 locks there were just 6 anti-vandal devices that were fitted but not working. There are offside visitor moorings for 2 boats above Lock 4w in Stalybridge, for 1 or 2 boats above Lock 5w, for around 4 above Lock 6w and a further 2 or 3 opposite Tesco. All are on re-built pounds with vertical wash walls. There are offside moorings for 3 boats above Lock 21w in Uppermill which are deeper than the towpath side moorings there. There are visitor moorings for 3 boats below Lock 24w where we got into the side even with water levels down. There are a number of deep moorings, some with rings, on the approach to Standedge Tunnel at Diggle.

Hebden Bridge is between Todmorden and Mytholmroyd.

Somebody must have been doing one. It's raining in Mossley and Stalybridge.

I know. I wrote that page.

That is an old document created by British Waterways (and originally on the Waterscape website) which had always incorrectly shown the maximum length for the Calder & Hebble as 54ft 9 ins. I eventually gave up trying to get BW to correct it.

It was filled in at Sowerby Bridge and a road built on the line (above what is now the tunnel into Tuel Lane lock), It was filled in near Rochdale and a motorway link road was built across it. It was filled in at Castleton and a motorway was built across it. It was filled in at Failsworth and a supermarket was built across it.

And a failure to deal with the problem with Lock 11 at Marple, which they knew about last year, at the same time as the work at Lock 15?

I must have missed the stoppage notice which said that Marple Lock 11 has been closed again. I only came through it on Thursday.