Church Lawton to Wheelock

Once the car was returned and we’d both had breakfast it was time to get a move on. We’d like to try and be moored on the Middlewich Branch for bonfire night as we did last year. With the weather report not so good for tomorrow we wanted to get as many of the Cheshire Locks done today. By the time we were ready to push off it was 11am.

The day started well with locks already set in our favour and we very quickly fell into our downhill routine. As I walked up to the first of the Lawton Treble locks I could see a chap lifting a paddle to empty one of the paired chambers, someone coming up. The other chamber had a paddle lifted on it too, but in our favour, so I just had to push it open before returning to let Mick out of Halls Lock. Knowing there was a boat on it’s way up I could leave the gates open for them, which they were very grateful for. They hadn’t seen us coming so hadn’t left the gate behind open for us, but if that was the case who had lifted the paddle for us?

I walked down and had to lift a paddle as the lock had started to leak and the level had dropped. Back up to let Mick out and then leapfrogging him to the chamber below. I thought of mentioning about the paddle still being up, but he always notices. When I returned to lift the second paddle Oleanna had only dropped half way and wasn’t getting any lower. Oops! He hadn’t seen the paddle and was wondering why he was being dragged backwards in an emptying lock. Luckily for those following us the short pound above had only dropped a bit and the by wash was doing it’s best to refill it, so it would recover quickly.

As we approached Thurlwood Lock there were people there so I hopped off to lend a hand bringing their boat up. This is the lock with a gate paddle and a lady whipped this up a bit quickly, I hoped their boat was a long way back. But as I got closer all became apparent there was no boat. They had just started to empty the chamber when they saw us coming so had started to refill it as their boat hadn’t as yet got to the lock from the previous one. We stood and chatted as the lock filled, except it was taking a rather long time. That would be because they hadn’t dropped the bottom paddles fully when they decided to refill it. Mistake spotted and rectified. What was it with today, this was our seventh lock and the third one with a paddle left up. Another member of the crew came up and suggested that I could walk ahead where the next lock would be set for us. I however decided to loiter, just in case.

As we got to Pierpoint Locks there was yet another paddle lifted, not in our favour. I walked down to see what was happening and there was a crew at the lock below preparing to come up. So I swung the gates open ready for them and went down so that they knew they could leave the gates for us. Here there was a chatty lady and chap. She wound the offside paddle up said a few words then walked off to the next lock which was already for them. I stayed and wound the other paddle up, opened the gate. Their boat was put into tick over as he hopped off and wound the off side paddle down and then stepped back on as the boat passed by. We were thanked for our help and informed that the rest of the locks would now be set for us as we were the first boat they’d seen all day.

A bowl of warming soup above Lock 57 restored us for the remainder of the locks down to Wheelock. Sure enough the first lock was just about set for us and just needed topping up. I could see that at the next pair one chamber already had it’s top gate open. This sometimes happens when you close a lock, there’s too much water squeezed in there and when the boat moves off the gate opens up. Nice for us to be able to just go straight in. From here I walked on ahead, saving the time it takes to pick me up and drop me off at locks, with the hope that Tilly would get an hour or so shore leave before the light went.

The next lock also had it’s gate open. Maybe the couple going up left the gate open. Then the next one. Maybe they would leave a gate open when the other paired lock was also full. Then the next one, this was a single lock. All very easy for us and it did speed up our journey down the hill, this was what he’d meant by them all being set for us, but bad practice. Having both sets of gates closed and all paddles closed is better for keeping pounds full. The couple on board should have known better as they were seasoned boaters, maybe they thought that their age gave them an excuse.

Then at the last three locks before Wheelock there were no gates open. They must have set off from around here.

We pulled in at just gone 4pm. Tilly was allowed out for an hour. Except I had to share the towpath! There was this ginger cat who stepped off the boat ahead as I stepped off mine. Both of us looked each other up and down for a while. As neither of us had had chance to claim the towpath yet there was no need to have a stand off. So I went my way whilst he went the other. I did manage to claim quite a lot though as he walked quite a way!

20 locks, 5.01 miles, 4 cases of paddleitus, 6 gates open, 0 soup left, 48% of sontag knitted, 1 hour, 1 pesky ginger!

Red Bull to Church Top Lock

Time to move on as everything had been washed, well apart from the bath mat that somehow clung onto the towel rail to avoid it. We pulled back to fill with water as a C&RT tug came past. Volunteer Lock Keepers appeared from all over, the masses are on the move and lock wheelers were obviously required up the Cheshire Locks.

Only three locks for us today and all but the last one was sat waiting for us. At the bottom of the three locks another C&RT boat was coming up. I recognised the Middlewich Volunteers who were operating the lock and at the helm. As it rose a paddle was dropped with the hope that it would stop the boat from being pulled towards the top gate (this happens a lot of the T&M). The chap at the helm put the boat in gear, but I’m not too sure in which direction as it had no effect on the pull forward. The flat front end of the boat gave the top gate quite a biff! I made a comment to the chap with the windlass that the gates wouldn’t last too long if that happened everytime! 

Once down I opted to walk to where we planned to moor. Passing NB Mellow I got a shot of both boats, but it still isn’t the same as it used to be when we were yellow. The moorings above the next lock had spaces, in the end we opted to moor at the far end away from the busy road for Tillys benefit. Tied up and our days cruising done all by 11.30am.

This afternoon we have had wonderful sunshine. The farmer on the off side has been busy ploughing his field and Tilly has been busy digging up the one next to us.

We are moored right by a footpath to All Saint’s Church at Church Lawton. When we first did the Cheshire ring on a hire boat it had snowed the night before we passed here and a photo I took that day became our Christmas card a couple of years later. Despite the number of times we’ve done this stretch, we’ve never been to look at it, so today we changed that.

Walking in through the gates we were surprised at the construction of the building. To the left was a stone bell tower, but then to the right was a brick built church with arched windows. The two halves obviously built at different times. Rector John Byber left a permanent memorial of his life, he was responsible for the building of the church tower during his ministry between 1530 and 1559. At this time the rest of the church may well have been built in wattle and daub with a thatched roof. Despite being hit by lightening in a storm in 1652, the building remained unscathed even though eleven men died in the bell house. But in 1798 the nave of the church was destroyed in a fire. A decision was made to rebuild the nave in a more substantial way, using stone and brick.

Inside the nave is really quite plain, it felt odd for it to have a flat ceiling. A balcony over looks and houses the organ that goes up into the ceiling void. The place had a good feeling about it and very welcoming.

Outside the large graveyard has head stones from at least 1763. There are references to the canal with a headstone for Hugh Lanyon of Truro 1846, he had been an assistant surveyor for the Trent and Mersey Company. For a small village it was a very big graveyard. I particularly liked the stone which had been corrected.

3 locks, 0.83 miles, 1 full water tank, 1 avoiding bath mat, 1 very big biff, 4 volunteers, 1 church in 2 halves, 1 dead, 3 reduced to 2! 1 week delay hopefully, 18 inches of sontag, 5 hours promised, 3 hours taken, 2 on account!

Red Bull

NB Halsall pulled away shortly before 7am to make it up the locks, stopping at NB Tilly Mint and friend on the way. Martin wanted to be at the tunnel for when it opened this morning, suspect he likes to be first through. We weren’t quite so keen to get out of bed.

The brackets that hold the glass in the door of our Bubble stove have moved slightly, so the glass and it’s seal were in danger of opening up a gap that fumes would come through. This all just needed realigning and tightening up, so the stove needed to go out and cool down, this took most of the day, glad it was warm. More loads of washing went through our washing machine and then all that could be was tumble dried. Everything is now clean again and the dirty linen drawer empty.

I had a walk up the towpath to Tescos to see if there was any veg in the sad gits section to make some soup. The carcass of the chicken had made some rather good stock so that needed to be used. So when I got back parsnips, a Bramley apple and some old potatoes went into a pan and we now have plenty of warming soup to keep us going for a couple more days.

Few boats went past today, only one going up the locks. Just as we’d sat down with bowls of creamy soup there was a tap on our roof. The boat had just come up the locks and they were having engine difficulties, no fuel getting to the engine. One thought they had was that if they had a pump out then the list that had developed would go and fuel might just reach the engine again. To do this they would need to bow haul their boat to the pump out machine, could we move out of the way for them? Of course we could. Once the soup was consumed we untied and pulled out leaving them room to pull their boat up. We then pulled back in leaving them space behind us should the pump out not work and them need a mooring. Looking at their stern the list wasn’t all that bad, so if it had been the cause of their problems they would need to be filling their diesel tank very soon.

A couple of hours later we heard them trying to start up, after quiet a few attempts she obliged. They then carried on up the locks leaving us on our own again.

Mick had a hair cut on the towpath and Tilly spent much of the day coming and going until she’d totally run out of any energy and just had to sleep. This made for a quiet evening in front of the TV, knitting, watching the final of the Great British Bake Off.

0 locks, 100 ft, 3 loads washing, 2 loads drying, 1 Richard Briers, 3 days of soup, 7.5 hours, 4 woofers, 1 bullied! 2 outsides very similar, 1 exhausted Tilly, grade 3, 1ft of sontag, 1 stove sorted, 1 fire relit, 1 good news phone call, 4 glasses of wine to celebrate.

Etruria to Red Bull

The last boat to pull away this morning and we had plenty to do before leaving Etruria. One of our gas bottles had run out about a week ago, so the first port of call was Capital Gas. Here we wanted to see if we could fit a third 13kg bottle into the gas locker. On Lillian a bottle would last us around three months, but that was only for cooking. Now that we have a gas boiler on board it would be good to be able to have extra capacity for the winter should it get really cold.

The chap at the yard brought a full bottle before we returned the empty one, Bingo they all three fitted. We just need to buy a strop to be able to anchor all three together so that she will comply with the Boat Safety. Only down side is that we’ve had to fork out for another £40 deposit on the bottle. Really must start looking out for wayward empty bottles along the way to be able to get some money back.  At least we have saved a bit on the gas. Our last bottle cost us just over £28, but today they were £21.

Mick then walked along the towpath to Andrew Page for some engine oil as Oleanna is due a service very soon. This was also a bargain at under £40 for 9.5 litres. Just need to ring ahead to Kings Lock for filters and we’ll have everything.

With the washing machine on we pootled our way through Stoke, passing all the bottle kilns, old factory sites that are now flattened. Today with the sun in the trees Stoke looked less collapsed and forgotten. Kingfishers  lead the way from tree to tree.

Passing Stoke Boats the navigation was narrower than normal. Mike must be doing some work on this boat from Windermere, it certainly wouldn’t get to Stoke by water as it is too big for the tunnel or locks.

As we progressed quite a few boats were coming towards us. Most were trading boats that had been moored up for the weekend at Westport Lake. All of them now heading off to find places to trade over the winter. When we reached the lake there was a mass of mooring available and the Winter Mooring signs have gone up. One day when we stop here we will walk around the lake and have a proper look at the birds, but not today.

At the south portal to the tunnel there was a line of boats, we pulled in at the back. Up ahead were more trading boats, The Hippy Boat and The Pirate Boat (Heidi’s boat). I walked up to check in with the tunnel keeper and say hello to Heidi. Seven boats in all sat waiting. The keeper said he’d get the first three going through and then come to chat to us. We were lucky as we’d arrived shortly after a boat had come through from the north, so our wait was quite short. At the front were the boats that had left Etruria before us this morning, so they could have been waiting for an hour or so.

Mick wanted to check the weed hatch and remove the top of the chimney before we set off, so we quickly got ourselves sorted, we passed the Emergency procedure test and our light and horn were in working order. Being last to turn up we thought we’d have plenty of time, but Heidi and another boat have smokey engines so wanted to go last. Harecastle Tunnel doesn’t have any ventilation shafts, instead at the south portal large doors are closed across the entrance and huge fans are switched on to drag the fumes through the tunnel from the north. So if you have a smokey engine it’s best for everyone to be last.

All ready with our life jackets on and torch to shine above the cabin roof we entered the tunnel. We’ve not noticed what looks like a TV aerial at the entrance before, it must be for communications. With four engines and stoves lit ahead of us the atmosphere in there was already quite smokey and our torch beam lit up the fumes, it looked like we had our own follow spot. Once Heidi (the last boat) was in the tunnel the doors were shut and the fans turned on. All became noisy and very cold as the air was sucked past us. My toes were numb and I really wished I’d put an extra layer or two on today.

At the northern portal only one boat was waiting, most probably the last of the day. From the 1st November the tunnel goes onto winter hours, passage is only possible if booked 48 hours in advance and only on four days a week, so most people would rather get through before hand.

The trading boats turned left heading up onto the Macc and left us following a hire boat down through the locks to Red Bull. Two boats that had been at the front had pulled in before the last lock. NB Tilly Mint had lost it’s tunnel light at about the 100m mark of the tunnel, south end! Luckily he had a torch to hand so managed to see his way through. Always best to have a back up.

No one else was moored at the services, so we pulled in within reach of the water point. Here we will work our way through our washing mountain, using the tumble drier in the service block. We’ve also timed things very well as NB Halsall stopped here for the night, so Oleanna has been filled up with diesel and we’ve replenished our coal supplies too. Always nice when a plan just comes together.

3 locks, 6.49 miles, 2 straight ons, 2926 yrds of darkness, 3 gas bottles, 9.5 litres oil, 4 bags excell, 128 litres diesel, 1 bag kindling, 7th in line, 5th by queue jumping, 2 nithered boaters, 3 hours, 4 lots of treats, 3 lots of washing, 12 rows unravelled, 1 summer duvet put away for another year.

Stockton Brook to Etruria

It’s getting to that time of year when we recognise a higher proportion of boats that are on the move. Today out of the five boats we came across we knew two from last year, NB Skye who went up onto the Macc and NB Old Tom North who we shared some of the Leicester section with. We smiled to the chaps at the helm and said hello, but without the yellow of Lillian we get a smile but no recognition back. Advantage is that if we miffed anyone off whilst on Lillian they won’t know it’s us.

With the clocks having changed we managed an earlier start than normal. We passed NB Maple Knot just after pushing off, they had picked up someone’s keys at the electric lift bridge that were left in the control panel, they may have belonged to the chap on NB Skye as he’d passed us an hour earlier. Plenty of walkers with their dogs out for a Sunday morning stroll in the chilly sunshine. At the two lift bridges I only managed to hold up 1 golden retriever and his owner, who patiently waited whilst my finger pressed the close button and helped emit the high Ayckbourn squeak.

Once the sun came out it was really quite warm and after working us through Engine Lock I decided to loose a layer. This time I decided to stay on board and not walk my way back into Hanley.

As we got close to Bridge 11, NB Bramber pulled out from the towpath a short distance in front of us. Mrs Bramber walked ahead to operate the lift bridge. Once through we overtook them as the bridge closed. This meant we were ahead for the locks. Just over two weeks ago when we left Etruria we followed NB Bramber up the staircase locks , today we were to go down them in reverse order. As we hadn’t stopped Mick gingerly walked down the gunnel as we cruised along to remove the top of the chimney before Bridge 9, just in case we sat too high in the water now having used most of our coal. Still several inches to spare.

As I walked up to the staircase I could see a lady with a windlass in hand doing things, so I signalled to Mick to pull in. The lady apologised thinking that she’d stolen the lock from us, just because the top chamber was full. Certainly not the case, her boat was already in the bottom chamber before we got there. At a staircase of two you need to have the top chamber full of water and the bottom empty no matter which way you are going through it, so she must have had to empty or fill one of the chambers before they started.

I helped them up and once their boat was in the top chamber with the gates closed behind them Mick lifted a paddle to set the lower chamber for us. By now NB Bramber had also arrived, so he helped us down into the bottom chamber making sure the gates were closed behind us and then filled the top chamber back up for them.

The only boats on the moorings at Etruria were two that had been up at Leek and Cheddleton with us, so we tucked in in front of them.

In the afternoon Tilly had another good explore around the museums (without us!). She didn’t seem too enamoured with the new display that has been put up in the last two weeks. Presumably it is something to do with steam power, but as yet there isn’t a descriptive panel to tell you anything about it.

I climbed my way back up into Hanley to buy a new set of interchangeable needles for my latest project and also popped into Wilko for a cheap mat that I could cut to size to sit underneath the Brompton bike in the bike slot, I’d grown tired of looking at the ratty newspaper it was sat on.

A big roast dinner with that humongous chicken tonight. I think we’ll be eating it for the next week!

4 locks, 6.09 miles, 3 lift bridges, 3 held up, plus 1man and his dog, 5 familiar boats in all, 2 unfamiliar, 5.5mm needles, 75p mat, 14” of cord knitted, 1st Blue Planet 2, 2.2kg chicken, 2 full boaters.

Endon to Stockton Brook Lock 5

The next batch of bags and hats was ready to be sent off this morning, so once they were all labelled and parcelled up I walked the three quarters of a mile to Stockton Brook Post Office.

At Endon Basin the reason for the number of moored boats yesterday became apparent. They were all waiting to be lifted out. A team of chaps in high vis were busy craning boats into the water that had recently been blacked and then filling the spaces with the next batch. I did wonder about asking if Oleanna could be lifted so that we could look at the bowthruster, but I suspect we’d have been far too heavy for the crane as all the boats seemed to be quite short.

At the Post Office I handed over one parcel and received another that was waiting for me. Turquoise and buff wool for a Sontag shawl. When I got back to Oleanna pleased with my trip Mick reminded me that I was also meant to buy our Saturday Newspaper. Fail! I’d totally forgotten, didn’t even notice any newspapers in the Post Office.  So Mick walked to the Co-op which had the right paper, but no colour supplement. So he went to the Post Office where he found a paper with all the extras. Maybe I’ll be relieved of paper duties next week.

Two boats passed shortly before we pulled out, so we took our time before we pushed off as there would only be a queue at the locks.

NB Bounty was just entering the top lock as we arrived. The lady explained that they’d been at the services with the boat ahead and he’d asked if he could pull out first as he was wanting to reach Great Haywood today. Blimey, that’s 18 miles and 18 locks for a single hander! We were all in the opinion that he’d not make it (16.5 hours according to canalplan) especially as he must have left the services at around 1pm. As he was in a rush he had left the bottom gates open and the paddles up, so NB Bounty would have to close everything. He apparently apologised a couple of locks down, but they said that he should carry on, maybe to get a bit more space between them. I had joked that they must be heading northwards to Red Bull, so as to loose the single hander. But I can’t have been heard correctly, they thought we were hoping to get to Red Bull today. Mr NB Bounty must have thought he was surrounded by speeding boaters each with an unrealistic aim for the day, Harecastle Tunnel would be long closed for the day by the time we got there!

I corrected our destination for him, just below the bottom lock, only another 100 meters. We have an empty gas bottle so would like to stop at the Calor Gas place in Etruria and they won’t be open until Monday, so no rush for us. Red Bull by the end of Monday.

Once moored up, Tilly let out to explore the area we settled down for the evening in front of the stove. I worked up a tension square, which turned into two as I needed bigger needles. Sadly I don’t have the right size of circular needles so will be climbing the hill into Hanley again before we go through the tunnel. I really hope Abakhan stocks the size I need.

5 locks, 1.32 miles, 2 parcels, 800gms wool, 2 hanks now balls, 1 impossible mission, 1 way traffic, 1 very windy night, 1 failed paper girl, 1 successful paper boy, 5mm too small, 5.5mm better.

Park Lane Services to Endon

The sun was wide awake when we got up and burnt it’s way through a haze around the canal in no time. The day warmed up so much that it felt like spring.

When the boat behind moved off Mick pulled Oleanna back. Moving the outside whilst I was in it! TWICE!! Now next to the water point we popped the washing machine on and then everything went out on the whirligig to almost dry before we wanted to move off.

With spring in the air I decided that it was time for a bit of a major clean. The galley had a thorough scrubbing down. The fridge even had tape removed from the shelves that must have been there when it was transported to Finesse, I’d not noticed it before. The wine cellar got a good clean too and was reorganised ready for our delivery this afternoon.

I was out for most of the day. There was certainly plenty to explore, but I made sure I came back to tell everyone about the really boggy bit I’d found.

For the first time our Sainsburys delivery was late, by almost 20 minutes. Mick had been out watching for him on the nearby bridge over the railway which gave a great view of the main road. The driver called to say he’d be late, which was at least something. I just felt a little bit rushed to get everything on board. No substitutes, but a few items with short BB dates and a chicken that was much bigger than I’d ordered. On the upside they did have the nice gingery tofu that we like, which is hard to find.

Conscious that we’d now used up our 24 hours we wanted to move on a short distance, which would also get us closer to Stockton Brook Post Office to pick up a parcel tomorrow morning. So we pushed off and cruised around a couple of bends to near Endon Basin. We were surprised at the number of boats moored along this stretch, but there was space for us at the end. Shortly afterwards Alex came past waving from the stern of Tench, wonder if we’ll catch her up in the next couple of days?

0 locks, 0.76 miles, 60 ft reverse, 1 load washing, 1 clean fridge, 2 buffers, 6 pieces of tape, 1 clean cooker, 1 new bucket, 1 full water tank, 2 showers, 20 minutes late! 2.2kg chicken anyone fancy Sunday tea? 7 hours! 2 outsides, 1 leg that’s fine really it’s fine, 2 gloves finished, 1 wine cellar full to the brim.

Basford Bridge to Park Lane Services

Whilst having breakfast this morning a CRT boat came passed pushing a skip boat, the troupes are starting to mobilise for the winter stoppages. The visitor mooring we were on  is opposite a permanent mooring so the gap in between is quite narrow, just ahead is a submerged obstacle, so any boat passing should be going slowly. As the boat reached about a third of the way down Oleanna there was a bump, followed by another. Mick, now leaning out of the hatch was thanking the chap on the tug boat! It took a little while for the chap to hear Mick as his boat was busy scrapping it’s way along the side of Oleanna! At first he didn’t acknowledge what was happening, then he said ‘There’s nothing I could do!’. Well actually there was, he could at least have said sorry! But he obviously wasn’t to blame for not taking enough care whilst passing moored boats. Hopefully it will only be a mark on the gunnel which will get tidied up if the weather allows before winter.

Over at the station an engine was in steam, shunting coaches around up and down the line as we pulled away to head back to the summit pound.

Up the two Cheddleton Locks we passed the CRT boat and Tench still moored where we’d left her a few days ago. The sun was trying to come out, but the grey clouds were winning which gave the air a cold bitter tinge. At the Hollybush the 24hour moorings were still occupied by two boats we’d seen a week ago. Maybe CRT have started the 2 weeks on visitor moorings for winter early this year. We wondered what the pub thought, we might have stopped for at least a drink if we could have moored there, but carried on instead, how many other boats have done the same?

Under the aqueduct with my camera poised in hand just in case the Kingfishers were about, but sadly no. Adam from NB Briar Rose has recently mentioned in his blog about why there are so many Kingfishers around this autumn, a result of mild winters the last few years. We’ve certainly seen more than before and what a treat to the eye they have been.

At Hazelhurst Locks we were soon being followed by the CRT boat. By now the sun was just coming out and drying off the dew in the fields around us. Now with views opening up I got that Bonfire Night feeling, hoping that the stove would be lit this evening to sit next to all rosy cheeked. It’s not that cold yet, but it feels like it should be. Another boat was coming down the locks so we passed between the top two.

Arriving at Park Lane services another boat was already in pole position for the water point. Not in dire need of water we pulled up in front of him, let the cat out and checked that a Sainsburys delivery would be okay here. 25% off again!

5 locks, 3.75 miles, 1 under, 1 straight, 1 long scrape, 0 manners, 24 hrs? 1 last wave to the trains, 1 last wave to Tench, 0 blue flashes, 3 vans, 5 hours! 0 Margees afloat anymore, £79,750 for NB Large Marge, 0 tasty waves to Jaffa.

Consall Forge to Basford Bridge

The cockerel at the pub decided that dawn was at 7.30am, however no matter how he persisted Mick didn’t notice!

We planned to be on the first train of the day through Consall Station, but this wasn’t until 11.28 so we had plenty of time to get ready. No catching up with news on facebook, tv, radio, or phones, we were totally cut off from the outside world. Rather nice. As we leisurely ate our breakfast a steam engine came past twice on it’s own, presumably checking out the line, clearing it of leaves before the Halloween Family Fun Day started.

Being in the middle of the line we didn’t expect there to be many passengers waiting and we were right. Two photographers and one other passenger. We’d not been able to buy our ticket in advance on line (at a discount price) so Mick chatted away to the chap in the ticket office thorough the little glass window. He was a bit surprised that Mick wasn’t 60 so therefore had to pay full price, today the tickets were half the price of those at the weekend, so we didn’t mind. The sun was out and we waited along with the photographers out on the platform. An old refreshments trolley stood with it’s tea urn at the ready to provide the waiting paparazzi with a coffee each, this was also manned by the ticket office chap, he was also station guard, in fact he was the only member of staff at the station.

As we stood waiting a narrowboat came along under the other platform trying to find a space wide enough to moor in. Shame we weren’t on that platform to be able to look down to them. A phone rang in the ticket office and then we got personal platform announcements. Mr Consall Station walked up to the photographers who were already set up waiting for the engine to reverse into the station, then he came to chat to us. The first train of the day was going to be late. This was due to there being too many passengers, the train was already full at Cheddleton and plenty more were waiting at Froghall, so an extra two carriages were being added to the train! In the 21st Century we’d all just be expected to squeeze on and stand, but out here where time stands still you can wait until they provided us all with a seat.

Eventually a bell rang out on the platforms, this meant that the train was on it’s way, four minutes away. As it pulled up to a halt a guard leant out of the window and suggested we get on at his end and walk up a couple of carriages for seats, the train was too long now for the platforms. Carriages were full of families out for the day. Mick and I soon were in a quiet coach at the end away from all the sweats and excitement, not saying that we weren’t as excited as the kids, we just weren’t being as noisy about it. At Froghall the platform was full and the train filled up. We felt rather under dressed as there were Ghost Busters, Witches, Superman, we really should have made the effort.

Here there was a long wait, the engine had to uncouple, reverse up the line and return on the other, fill with water and then head down the line to then reverse recouple onto the now front end of the train. This all took quite some time. Balloon sculptors were on the train, a pirate sword and a teddy bear were made for the kids across the way, the chap not even looking at what he was doing. The carriage soon filled with dinosaurs, flowers and other creations, but he didn’t make any for us!

Passing through the old wire works we could see more missile shaped objects just lying round, according to a comment on the blog these are more likely to be under wing drop fuel tanks. Thank goodness the MOD don’t just leave bombs lying around.

We’d moved to the left side of the train giving us a better view across the valley as we made our way back towards Consall and then onto Cheddleton. The canal for a stretch would be right alongside, then high up, then below. At Cheddleton there were announcements, but it was all a bit noisy to hear what was being said. In the end we found out that another carriage was being added as demand was unprecedented. Last year they had run two Halloween Specials and the uptake was so low they lost money on them, this year it had gone the other way. The time table was now out of the window, nobody seemed bothered by this as the Ghost buster pirate sworded lad fought off Superman and his gang witches armed with laser firing flowers and teddies.

Once on the move again we crossed the level crossing and entered Cheddleton Tunnel before pulling up. Here the engine had to uncouple and rejoin the train behind us. Then we were back into the tunnel, this time without the cabin lights on! Scary!! Back up the line to Consall where we walked back along the train to alight, no being rushed to do so. In fact they stopped the train so more people could get off! We thanked Mr Consall Station and walked out back into the quiet of the trees. A great few hours on the train.

There was time to have lunch before the engine came back, I was stood waiting to take another photo, this time with Oleanna in the foreground. With this done we headed back up stream to find a mooring for the night where Tilly could go out.

Up off the river and through the next lock we decided to moor opposite the station, just as the final train of the day came in. No more trains until the Santa specials in December. The engine shunted carriages around for a while as I had a walk up and down the towpath with Tilly, eventually leaving her to play with the rather rowdy pheasants.

2 locks, 2.19 miles, 30 minute delay, 3 extra carriages, 1 tunnel twice, 0 balloons if over 11! 1 man in charge, 1 full noisy train, 2 people watching the scenery, 150 minutes of train riding, 90 minutes by boat.