Manchester mooring on River Irwell

[Simon Salt]

I am looking for anyone who has used the mooring on the River Irwell that sits next to the Mark Addy Pub, known as Ralli Quay, shown in the picture and here http://www.penninewaterways.co.uk/manchester/m71.htm
This is the only area in the city centre that boaters can moor up and has been used as such since the site was developed in the 90's but there is now an intention by the building tenants to block public access to this area. As this has been freely available to use for the past 20+ years it can be considered a public right of way, but evidence is needed of its use.

So I am looking for anyone who has any photos etc of the quayside being used to moor boats or any use in general, the older the better and people who are willing to sign a statement saying they have used the landing over x number of years would also be great.

The closure isn't certain at the moment but if it is I would like to be able to push for a right of way claim to keep it open to the public.

thanks

[billh]

Not recent, but have moored there when it was the old Ralli Building , there was a projecting canopy  roof over the bank and river.Also there was an IWA boat gathering in  1980 when boats were moored along  the full length of the building. More recently we have moored at the Mark Addy , though even that was perhaps twenty years ago! Going back to 1980, we seriously looked into running horse-drawn boat trips on the Irwell and this length was part of the original towpath which was  then continuous from Mark Addy to Pomona and public access available. This does not imply a public right of way , just like most towpaths, so I'm uncertain what the position is now.

Bill

[Simon Salt]

Hi Bill,

thanks for your message, I'll get in touch with the IWA, if you have any pictures that would be great.

Most towpaths have access granted through permissive path agreement which prevents public right of ways forming, that doesn't exist here so there is a case for an application.

Simon

[Tim Lewis]

Will look for more but below is a picture from the IWA national Rally partly held on the Irwell in 1988

[billh]

Link to a picture of the river and Ralli building:

http://collections.canalrivertrust.org.uk/bw197.2.21.14

Unfortunately no boats moored there, but there certainly had been earlier in the month when  the picture was taken (August 1980).

[StephenA]

5 hours ago, Tim Lewis said:

Will look for more but below is a picture from the IWA national Rally partly held on the Irwell in 1988

I remember it well.... was on the committee.....

 

[billh]

I looked at this site yesterday. There appeared to be person(s) camping out at the upstream end of the walkway, a tent, back packs, rubbish and a barbecue were all visible . Therefore it isn't surprising that  the building proprietors wish to close off this area. Until we can solve the problem of Manchester's "homeless" then I'm afraid we may lose more of these mooring places. 

Connected with this, I noticed the boat that has been moored on the old Co-Op arm on the bottom pound of the Rochdale Canal has  been on fire & sunk. Again, there were tents and rubbish in evidence nearby. This in the area of Castlefield, a tourist hot-spot, people come to Manchester from all over the world to see burnt out boats and tents.......

 

[Heartland]

I suppose the Irwell Navigation belongs to Peel Ports, perhaps somebody can confirm. The old warehouses seen in the 1988 view have undergone some transformation now. I also suppose the building of the Chord railway may have an impact nearby. Yet mooring in this area. How practical is the lock up to the basin on the Manchester, Bolton & Bury Canal?

[Simon Salt]

Peel are the harbour authority up to hunts bank, the quayside I'm referring to is owned by property investment company and it's the tenants, HMRC, who are proposing closing the riverside to public access.

The area from Ordsall Chord down to Irwell St bridge is going to have some work down maybe next year by the developers of the New Bailey area to make it more boat friendly. I think the basin on the bolton and bury is being down up as part of the residential development there, not sure if they are going to have working lock back into the Irwell or if it will be freely available

[Liam]

10 hours ago, billh said:

Connected with this, I noticed the boat that has been moored on the old Co-Op arm on the bottom pound of the Rochdale Canal has  been on fire & sunk. Again, there were tents and rubbish in evidence nearby. This in the area of Castlefield, a tourist hot-spot, people come to Manchester from all over the world to see burnt out boats and tents.......

 

Yes a very sad sight. Unfortunately the boat, well at least the front half has been burnt out with quite bad buckling of the steel on the cabin sides and cabin top. I believe the cause of thr boat fire is under suspicious circumstances.

The owner spent a short time living alongside his wreck of a boat in a tent but sadly was found dead recently.