Canals 1982 - The Big Ring

Many month's planning went into this one, and we hired two 50' boats from Middlewich to do the Big Ring via the Leeds & Liverpool and back up the River Trent and T&M. The calculations showed that with around 9 or 10 hours' cruising, we should make it easily. However, a couple of weeks before we set off, Preston Brook Tunnel collapsed and we had to start out via the Macclesfield and Rochdale canals. With a severe water shortage, we repeatedly found ourselves missing lock opening times, such that it was the Wednesday of the first week before we reached the Leigh branch of the Leeds & Liverpool. Barton Swing Aqueduct then shut for its 2 week maintenance, so we were obliged to carry on round. This we did, and even had half a day to spare for a run up the Leek branch of the Caldon. Not a trip I would repeat as we were setting off at 06.00 and not stopping until 21.00, often without a lunch break.

Please click on any picture to enlarge.

	In Johnson's Hillock Locks September 22, 1982
	In Johnson's Hillock Locks September 22, 1982
	Burnley Embankment September 23, 1982
	Burnley September 23, 1982
	Burnley Embankment September 23, 1982
	Barrowford Locks September 23, 1982
	Muke "Nutty Noah" Hanscombe in Barrowford Locks September 23, 1982
	Barrowford Locks September 23, 1982
	Mike Hanscombe & the late Mike "PC Plod" Thompson at Greenberfield Locks September 23, 1982
	Greenberfield Locks September 23, 1982
	Greenberfield Locks September 23, 1982
	Greenberfield Locks September 23, 1982
	Greenberfield Locks September 23, 1982
	Greenberfield Locks September 23, 1982
	Greenberfield Locks September 23, 1982
	Below Greenberfield September 23, 1982
	Leaving East Marton after a quick one in the "Cross Keys" September 23, 1982
	Between East Marton & Bank Newton September 23, 1982
	Between East Marton & Bank Newton September 23, 1982
	Between East Marton & Bank Newton September 23, 1982
	Between East Marton & Bank Newton September 23, 1982
	Between East Marton & Bank Newton September 23, 1982
	Between East Marton & Bank Newton September 23, 1982
	Between Gargrave & Skipton September 23, 1982
	Between Gargrave & Skipton September 23, 1982
	Swing Bridge September 23, 1982
	The Swing Bridge party hoof-it across the fields to the next one September 23, 1982
	? and find someone has built a by-pass in the way September 23, 1982
	Skipton By-pass September 23, 1982
	Still plodding on September 23, 1982
	Class 40 heads for Skipton with a freight September 23, 1982
	In Riddlesden we caught a car on a swing bridge! September 24, 1982
	Bingley 5-rise September 24, 1982
	Bingley 5-rise September 24, 1982
	Bingley 5-rise September 24, 1982
	Bingley 5-rise September 24, 1982
	Bingley 5-rise September 24, 1982
	Leaving the old Lemonroyd Lock (?) before the major breach occured into the opencast workings on the right September 25, 1982
	Passing a workboat in Castleford Lock September 25, 1982
	The unloading gantries at Ferrybridge B Powerstation September 25, 1982
	Loaded barges waiting the grabs at Ferrybridge A September 25, 1982
	Leaving Ferrybridge September 25, 1982
	My version of the famous groupshot at Whitley Bridge September 25, 1982
	Adrian's famous groupshot at Whitley Bridge September 25, 1982
	Coming up the Trent near Nottingham September 27, 1982
	On the Trent near Nottingham September 27, 1982
	On the Leek branch of the Caldon near Denford September 30, 1982
	The Hollybush (alongside the Caldon mainline) viewed from the Leek branch September 30, 1982