Page published 17 May 2023
Day 4 Part 3 - Tuesday 15 July 2003
To learn a little more about this cruise read the Background page. Alternatively, either go to the Day One report and start at the beginning of my cruise with the Tuesday Night Club or go to Part One of Today's Report to start at the beginning of the traverse of the Ribble Link.
Tarleton
In Tarleton Lock
The gates had been open as we arrived at Tarleton lock and the lock keeper had decided not to wait for others making the Ribble Link crossing to arrive, so we were out the other side within five minutes.
Departing Tarleton Lock
Immediately upstream you are immediately in a more familiar environment. Narrow beam craft are in the majority, although there are still one or two yachts to be seen that rather disturb the picture.
Swinging round from the previous view you see narrow beam craft predominate.
A hundred yards further and there are still one or two boats that look out of place on inland waterways.
You then reach the first of the swing bridges that you encounter on the Rufford Branch. It takes us three minutes to pass through that. There are a couple more to negotiate before we reach Rufford, which marks the half way point before joining the Leeds and Liverpool main line.
Approaching Town End Swing Bridge
Leaving Town End Swing Bridge
Rufford
It's 15:25 as we approach Chapel Bridge in Rufford. A few yards south of that is Rufford Lock the first we encounter on the branch.
Barge "Dee" approaching Chapel Bridge (#7), at Rufford
What will become Fettler's Wharf Marina is seen under construction as we negotiate Rufford Lock (#7).
The paddle mechanism at Baldwin's Lock which we passed through at 16:20.
By 15:37 we are in Rufford Lock. Beside the lock I photographed a marina under construction. I am writing this 20 years after the event and see that it has become Fettler's Wharf Marina but, unsurprisingly, it doesn't appear in my 2003 edition of Nicholson's Guide. Neither does St Mary's Marina, which appears on current maps on the opposite side of the canal.
I don't remember seeing anything of St Mary's, but I do recall being surprised by all the weed growth on the jetties that were already in place at the Fettler's Wharf site. It suggested that the project had stalled, perhaps through a lack of finance. However, I recall that there was a sudden flurry marina building, all across the network, at the time, but there was concern about how British Waterways' policies were changing and that was affecting a number of projects.
The Navigation Notes given in Nicholson's Guide for the Rufford Branch mention that those approaching from the Ribble will need to be aware of the need for a padlock key as well as a windlass in order to negotiate the locks on the Rufford branch. In part, this will have been the reason that I took photos of a couple of different paddle mechanisms while travelling the branch. It seems the padlocks were needed as there had been problems with vandals opening paddles and wasting water.
Burscough Junction
Neil's original plan had been to overnight at Burscough on the Leeds and Liverpool main line, but given that our arrival at Lathom's two locks just short of the junction with the main line was at 17:30, it was decided we would press on eastwards towards Parbold.
The padlocked paddle gear at Lathom Lock #2, just before the junction with the L&L main line.
I took photographs of the two swing bridges we passed through on the way to Parbold. The first, Glover's we passed at 17:38 and Spencer's at 18:06.
Glover's Swing Bridge (#38).
Spencer's Swing Bridge (#36). Comparing this view with more modern photos, I see that the neighbouring cottage now has different guttering.
Parbold
We arrived at Parbold at 18:40 and moored just past the bridge. After Martin and I had taken some photos of the scene a shore party was dispatched. It's members reported that "The Stocks Tavern" was still doing food and worthy of a visit, so it was decided that would be our venue for the evening.
You can find Martin's photo of the scene on his Pennine Waterways site.
My Parbold photo shows Martin taking his version of the scene we found.
Neil, however, was somewhat late for the pub, only just making the last food order, as he had some emergency maintenance to complete. While ascending the Lathom Locks the main alternator fan belt, which also drives the water pump, had decided to disintegrate almost completely and throw itself from the pulley. I recall that Martin had an ear infection at the time and he had missed both the red light and warning beeper.
Let's just say that Neil drew Martin's attention to the fact that eventually alerted Martin to the fact that there was no engine cooling going on. At that point the still intact ring of mangled rubber was levered back over the pulleys. Neil had been late to the pub as he had been fitting one of the two spare belts Earnest carried.
But that was not what concerned Neil as he entered the pub. While fitting the new belt he discovered that now two engine mount threaded sections had sheared!
The story continues with my report for Wednesday 16 July 2003. It covers our run between Parbold and Blackburn.