Except the Leeds and Liverpool canal. The latest stoppage information from Wigan office is that the canal could remain closed until Saturday 5th June. We are supposed to be going down into Liverpool on the 13th of June. If we miss our booked slot, then it is hard luck, BW will not allow travel on another date.
We could be heading for plan Z; there are 8 boats booked down every day for the month of June. We will make a decision on Monday, by then we should know a bit more.
I am pleased to be told by BW that it is the lack of rainfall causing the problem, rather than their failure to address the leakage of the summit level of the canal, or the leakage through the locks caused by the lack of maintenance.
After the weather, here is the news. We said our goodbyes to Fred at Dutton lock and Bryn at Saltersford on Monday; I am now the proud owner of two first editions, each signed by the author: Fred has written two novels and is working on his third.
Here is the plug: http://www.qquoin.com/ for full details!
We moored above Saltersford, as we were going shopping in Northwich on Tuesday and then going up the lift on the next available slot which we managed at 11.45am with Duncan and Pauline sharing the caisson.
We moored Tuesday evening above Dutton locks and moved off this morning in time to enter Preston Brook Tunnel at 8am. Whilst waiting for the tunnel time, a man approached on the towpath with a small black dog, fine, a scene enacted on canal towpaths all over the country. However, most dog walkers are not accompanied as was this one, by two shaggy goats. You see life in all of various forms on the canal in the early morning.
I stopped at Midland Chandlers Preston brook for some tubing to repair the header tank connection on the engine and get some Elsan fluid.
Duncan had gone on ahead and phoned to tell us that all the moorings were taken at Lymm where we had intended to stop. We managed to tie up to the railings front in only, long enough to eat fish and chips.
We all moved off to the River Bollin aqueduct, where we have been sitting out all afternoon and most of the evening.
