Manchesterford Bound and a surprise stoppage notice.

 The weather wasn't actually too bad after the weekend so we DID manage to get the blacking on the starboard side touched up down to the waterline.  Having done so, the decision was made to head back down to Marple and go down the flight whilst the weather was nice.

It's only 6.5 miles from Buggy to Marple but they're a "slow" 6.5 due to all the moored boats. Suffice to say, we arrived circa 2pm and (with a couple of libations in us) decided to get Marple done and dusted and moor at the bottom

I think it was the 2nd or 3 lock from the top that had been fenced off due to a void...  they've shoved some muck in it but It's going to need proper attention before long as it's bowing quite badly - HOPEFULLY it'll last until we get back from Liverpool Next month... the last thing we want is getting trapped over here.  Considering the Marple flight was closed for so long in 2018/2019, you'd think it would be in better condition.  Sadly it isn't.   I got caught out by a pisser and soaked before my brain kicked into action.  

Anyways - we did the flight in decent time and there was just enough space to squeeze in at the bottom of the Aqueduct where we over nighted.  We did consider going on to Portland basin for the night but having stayed there a couple of times and never really felt safe, we stayed put.  This of course meant the following day we could have a late start and aim for Droylsden.  Just enough space to moor outside the houses before the top lock - in reach of the water point which was handy.    Also handy was the Tesco a few hundred yards away so I stocked up on heavy stuff.

Whilst filling with water I got chatting with a single-hander  (who we'd apparently moored near the night before ) and he was planning an early start down the Ashton 18 the next day.  That being our plan too, we agreed that Ellis would go ahead so that Dob would backfill the locks and leave the padlocks off to make his life easier.  

7am next morning arrived and we set off.  I'd forgotten how horrible that flight is - nothing in it's favour... loads of locks with only 1 working paddle and just miserable.   That said, we made good progress until lock 12 when we needed to deploy the 'Spanish Windlass' and crowbar technique.

Basically - loop a rope around the end of the gate and bollard, shove a bit of 3x2 through it and twist to crack the lock open enough for the water to come in faster than it was leaking out the other end.  The crowbar being used on the other side to limit to strain on the balance beam

I didn't think to take a photo of it in use... I've long since learned generally to leave my phone on the boat!!!

We waited for the other bloke to arrive as in all honesty, there would have been no way he'd have been able to get through on his own.  

Lock 10 was the next problem... only one working paddle and leaking out the back massively.  Now APPARENTLY CRT had issued a stoppage notice the night before (circa 1600hrs) to say the canal was closed between lock 9 and lock 12 due to aforementioned difficulties HOW do I know this? - well it wasn't from spotting the notice... it was from a very angry crt man who came running down the tow path about 10am (so first thing)  shouting at us to STOP - the lock is closed!  I rather indignantly pointed out that if that was the case, given there is NOWHERE to moor in that flight of locks, shouldn't they have chained up the top and bottom to prevent accidental entry like has happened? ... he didn't like this but it was a very valid point... by which time, by use of said rope and crowbar technique, we had the gate open and were descending.  

To give him his dues, perhaps due to  me pointing out their error the day before my friendly disposition, he and his colleague DID work the other chap through too.

We made it to the bottom lock in about 5.5 hours from starting, which given the obstacles was actually a pretty good time.  Somehow,  the other fella had lagged back a bit but having already said we didn't plan on going down the Rochdale 9 until the next morning, I flagged down a scaffolder and asked him to relay the message to turn left after the last lock into Telford Basin to overnight if he wanted to share the locks next day.

WHICH he did so we spent a quiet night in there... agreeing an 8am departure to get down to Castlefield Basin next day.

Due to the problems a little further up the Rochdale, not as much water as usual was coming down over the gates so we actually made good progress down them.

It never ceases to amaze me that men of a certain type, 'lurk' and perform lurid acts under  here... it's awful NO way could I manage an erection under such conditions. It's vile - certainly no need (in my case) for the signs warning not to do such things!

Canal street brightened up the journey as always and in less than 3 hours we were safely down and moored in Castlefield... quite near a tap initially so I filled up again, did some laundry and we're now near the Hotel.  It can be a bit noisy down here but it DOES feel safe and plenty of CCTV around .  

Until next time...