From round the propeller came 3 handfuls of plastic
Nearly had my derrière considerably thinned by that Discovery as I was bending over the back of the boat photographing my beloved down the engine bay. Later on I'll show you the houses where the Audi and disco came from,
We cast off at 9.30 and in less than 100 yards were heading into the Barnton Tunnel. Barnton and Saltersford Tunnels were dug by hand and opened in 1777.
The tunnel exit
Canal side cottages
Soon we were moored up before the Anderton Boat Lift. We walked down the towpath to the Boatlift info centre, passing the aqueduct to the lift.
Upon reaching the info centre entrance we were caught and surrounded by a bus load of geriatrics who looked just like us (well, maybe a little neater and cleaner - still haven't come across a laundromat). We were herded into a queue and waited and shuffled and waited and shuffled, only to be told when we reached the counter that we'd been mistakingly herded into the trip boat line and that to book a boat passage we had to go downstairs. The young staff were very apologetic and we were booked on the next available passage at 11.30 and told that we had to be on the holding mooring at 11.00am so we went back to AL and got her ready for river travel and cruised down passed the holding mooring, winded, and moored up with 10 minutes to spare.
Anderton Lift was built 1872-75 to link the River Weaver with the Trent and Mersey Canal. Before the lift was built goods were transported between the river and the canal by a tram road and by chutes down which salt was tipped into Weaver Flats (barges)
The lift operated hydraulically with 2 wrought iron caissons working side by side in an iron framework, lifting boats 50 feet. The caissons weigh 240 ton filled with water, supported by iron Rams moving vertically in hydraulic presses and worked by removing water from the lower caisson. It is connected to the canal by a wrought iron aqueduct 162' long. It was converted to be worked with electricity in 1908. The lift closed in 1983 and was reopened in 2012.
Guillotine gate raised and ready for AL to enter the aqueduct
Looking down to the river while waiting in the aqueduct
Now we waiting in the caisson
The roof of the trip boat as it rises in the other caisson as we second in ours
Remember the grey haired geriatrics - well here they are
The underneath of their caisson rising past us
Nearly down
Departing the lift
Amazing Pics and description Margy!
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