SUNDAY. Moorings, Top of Marple locks
The 2008 trip thus far: 409Locks; 732.5 Miles; 72 Swing\Lift Bridges. Bus pass journeys 36
We are back to marking time mode. We are awaiting a phone call next Tuesday from Canvas man to let us know when they can fit the new design bent bars for the cratch cover. Not bad really, they measured up for the covers on 10th June. Let us hope that the bars are fitted before we give up boating.
We had a good wander around Marple, following a footpath down to the River Goyt. The path crossed the railway line and then descended slowly alongside the line. At one place where the retaining wall had water seeping through, there was a line of hollow stalactites, known as soda straw stalactites.
We looked at the river and then walked back along a side road which led back to the canal at lock 8. There we spoke to an angler; he was 88 years old and didn’t look a day over 70! He was catching fish with very little gear, he explained that he had to carry it and made do with the bare minimum.
We carried on down to the Aqueduct and the railway viaduct and newly painted bridge.
The Aqueduct took 7 years to complete; is 100 feet above the River Goyt, is 309 feet long and contains 8000 cubic yards of Masonry and was designed by Benjamin Outram.
The adjacent railway viaduct was opened on 5th August 1862 and had cost the line owners, the Manchester Sheffield and Lincoln Railway £80,000 to construct. It had been completed in one year by James Taylor (probably not alone) is 124 feet above the river, 918 feet long consisting of 12 stone arches.
The afternoon was spent reading the weekend papers.
Weather – Dry all day, sunny in the morning.
