Updates - February 2015

  
South Pennine Ring - Part 2 of 2
  
Page 14.  Navigation Notes.  Lock 1W, Huddersfield Narrow Canal.
  
We've been made aware of the following  -  "Gone are the nightmare hydraulic gates and paddles.  Nice new easy-to-operate gates and paddles in place."
   
We haven't yet seen this change for ourselves, but the news was posted by reliable Martin Clark. 

Updates - March 2014

 
South Pennine Ring - General
 
Over recent years CRT have been reducing the amount of pre-booking required on the South Pennine Ring.  There are now only two places that need booking for the 2014 season  -  Tuel Lane Lock on the Rochdale Canal, and Standedge Tunnel on the Huddersfield Narrow Canal.

South Pennine Ring  -  Part 1
 
Map 1.  Tuel Lane Lock.  The 2014 hours and booking requirements are as previous years.
 
Pages 30, 32, and maps 7, 8.  The previous requirement to book accompanied passages of the locks in Manchester, and over the Summit, no longer applies.  We are not aware of the locks being padlocked at night, but this may change if circumstances warrant it in the future.
 
Map 4, and p40.  Please note the Bird I'th Hand pub at Warland has closed.
 
South Pennine Ring  -  Part 2
 
Pages 18, 24.  Maps 12, 14.  Bookings for Standedge Tunnel remain as in previous years.  However, there are no longer any restrictions on the Diggle and Marsden flights of locks.
 
Page 21.  CRT Instructions are -
Heading eastwards from Diggle to Marsden.  Boats are asked to be at the Diggle portal for 11.30am on the day of passage.  Once through the tunnel, boats are welcome to moor above Lock 42E for a maximum of 24hrs.  Further mooring space is available below Lock 32E which is between Marsden and Slaithwaite villages.
 
Heading westwards from Marsden to Diggle.  Boats are asked to moor above Lock 42E on the day before passage of the tunnel and not to proceed past the railway bridge until after 4pm.  This is to avoid the trip-boat which will be operating from the Visitor Centre into the tunnel until 4pm.  After 4pm boats can moor at the tunnel entrance ready for their passage the following day.  Passage preparations will start at 8am.
Note that the flight of locks 32E to 42E is no longer manned.
 
Page 32, map 17.  Huddersfield Broad Canal.  Number plates have been affixed to the bridges of this waterway.
 
North Yorkshire Waterways
 
Page 20, map 5.  Boaters' Facilities in York.  There is currently no elsan disposal on the 48hr visitor moorings near Lendal Bridge.  The public toilets in Museum Gardens, which used to house the boaters' facilities, have been demolished.  Planning permission for the new Starr Inn on the site was dependent on these facilities being fully replaced  -  they have not been.  Discussions continue!
 
The good news is that the water-point has been relocated nearer the river.
 
We are grateful to Mike Cadoux, Chair, IWA North Riding for this information.
 
Chesterfield Canal
 
Page 36.  Supplies.  Insert  -  Fennessy Fuels (Retford0 and Grimes Coal Merchants (Newark) will deliver coal and gas to boats.
 
Page 41.  Contacts.  Insert  -  Smokeless fuels, bottled gas.  Free delivery.  Fennessey Fuels, Bolham Lane, Retford DN22 6SU  01777 702428.
G&R Grimes, Willow Farm, Darlton, Newark NG22 0TF  01777 228273.
 

Updates - September 2013

 
Chesterfield Canal - A Richlow Guide
 
Page 12 and Map 2.  Drakeholes  -  White Swan pub
 
With pubs closing and re-opening so often we don't usually include them in the Updates blog.  But the White Swan at Drakeholes has a high profile on the Chesterfield Canal and its recent closure is more significant.  With pleasant moorings across the road, and a popular cruising range from West Stockwith basin, many boaters made it their first/last stop on the canal.

 

Hopefully the White Swan will re-open in the future.
 
 
Lincolnshire Waterways
 
Page 14.  Brayford Pool Visitor Moorings
 
The Brayford Trust has now provided visitor moorings in Brayford Pool.  They are on the south side, immediately after the road bridge across the entrance to the Pool, where Lincoln Marina used to be.  It's necessary to contact the Harbourmaster in advance.  The fee for overnight mooring includes electricity.  01522 521452
 
These facilities are in addition to the CRT visitor moorings, the site of which is unchanged.
 
Page 40.  Slea Navigation - April 2014 Update  -  Open for Navigation
 
The silt barriers, which formed below Taylors (formerly Bottom) Lock preventing boat access, have been cleared by dredging.  So the Slea is open for navigation.  But, April 2014, there is still a silt problem below Cobblers Lock, the current head of navigation, where full length narrowboats have previously been able to turn.
 
Until this problem is resolved all boaters wishing to navigate the Slea should contact the Sleaford Navigation Trust  -  page 57 under the heading "Inland Waterways Groups"  -  to ascertain the latest situation.
 
Page 57. Contacts
 
The telephone number for the Brayford Pool Harbourmaster remains the same.
Lincoln Marina should be deleted.


South Pennine Ring - Part 2
 
Page 9.  Pub List
 
The Tunnel End pub is currently closed for business.  Advisable to telephone to check.
 
Page 24. Moorings
 
Delete the reference to moorings near a pub.  See above.
 
Page 26.  Moonraker
 
Unfortunately the popular Moonraker tearoom-boat has left Slaithwaite, near lock 23E.  We hear it has moved to Lincoln  -  we will check this out in the spring.
 

Updates - March 2013

 
All Richlow Titles
 
Contacts Pages.  CRT Telephone Numbers

With immediate effect the telephone number for all CRT regional offices will be 03030 404040, only.  A central hub will redirect calls to the required region.  Calls to the previous numbers will result in having to redial.  Signs along the waterways will gradually be changed.
 
Direct telephone numbers for lock-keepers, to ascertain tide times etc, will remain in use.
 
 
South Yorkshire Waterways
 
Map 12.  Long-term Towpath Closure, Rotherham
 
From 15 April 2013 to 23 December 2013  -  the towpath will be closed for land-based visitors between Centenary Way Bridge (Rotherham) and Halfpenny Bridge (at the foot of the Tinsley lock flight, Sheffield)
 
The lock-landings at Ickles Lock, Holmes Lock, Jordans Lock, and Tinsley no.11 Lock will still be open for boaters to use.
 
The closure is to carry out major towpath improvements by Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council, to create a cycle route between the town and Sheffield.  A 2.5 metre-wide path, with a waterproof hard surface, will be installed.  Signposts will be installed along the route, and in adjacent areas, to spread awareness of the waterway.
 

  


This the first phase of a project which will eventually lead to more towpath improvements at both ends of this first section. 
 



South Pennine Ring  -  Part 1
  
Page 6.  Summit Pound of the Rochdale Canal
  
First paragraph.  Delete the requirement to book passage of the summit pound of the Rochdale Canal (although CRT do ask that boaters check with them about water supplies after a dry period of weather (oh, if only!!)
 
Page 7.  Summit Passage of the Rochdale Canal.
Page 20.  Summit Navigation Notes
 
From 2013 there is no need to pre-book passage over the summit, between Locks 36 and 37.  Please note, there is strictly NO MOORING between Locks 38 and 44.
 

South Pennine Ring  -  Part 2
 
Page 7.  Standedge Tunnel
 
Final paragraph.  Addition  -  CRT do not allow petrol-powered, or fibreglass, boats to pass through the tunnel.
 
Page 7.  Bookings for the South Pennine Ring
 
Second paragraph.  Delete  -  the summit pound of the Rochdale Canal.
Amend  -  to Manchester 17 Locks.
 
Page 10. Cycling
 
CRT has recently allowed cycling along all of their towpaths unless there are specific "no cycling" signs.  As a result cycling is now allowed on the towpath of the Huddersfield Narrow Canal, however some sections are narrow and there are a lot of low bridges and blind spots.
 
If cycling the South Pennine Ring, we do not recommend using the river bank between Cooper Bridge and Kirklees Locks on the Calder & Hebble Navigation.  It is too uneven, narrow and dangerous.
 
Please be aware, pedestrians have priority on towpaths.
 
Page 20.  Standedge Tunnel
 
Add  -  as above for final paragraph of page 7.
 

Updates - June 2012

 
South Pennine Ring  -  Part 2
 
Map 16, page 28, Huddersfield Narrow Canal
 
Seller's Tunnel (23), Huddersfield (See Navigation Notes, Towpath Notes and Text).
 
On our visit on June 1st, workmen were still completing works to the navigation and towpath. A new lock 3E has been constructed just upstream of Chapel Hill Bridge - this is the third in the history of the canal! Seller’s Tunnel has effectively been abolished and the canal raised to ground level upstream of the new lock. The towpath is now continuous between Chapel Hill Bridge and Longroyd Bridge (25), so walkers now only need to divert between Chapel Hill Bridge and Queen Street Bridge (22).

Important note for boaters - there is still no pedestrian access along the towpath to Lock 2E, so boat crews must be picked up and travel on the boat between locks 3E and 1E.

Looking upstream from Chapel Hill Bridge.  Just behind the photographer are steps leading up from a landing for boat crews.  Beyond the new Lock 3E is a 200ft passing place and the new narrow canal channel which replaces Seller’s Tunnel.  Construction work continues on the new development on the right.

Updates - May 2012

   
South Pennine Ring - Part 2
  
Page 28 and Map 16  Sellers Tunnel
 
We understand the complicated works involving the removal of Sellers Tunnel, and the relocation of locks, have been completed.
 
But we have been unable to check the situation, in order to update the Navigation Notes, because of the wettest April on record and an injured Richlow leg.  On-site checking will take place as soon as we can.
 
So please allow for our frailties.

 

Updates - December 2011

The South Pennine Ring  -  Part 2 of 2
 
Map 16, and text on pages 28 and 30.  Sellers Tunnel.
 
While the canal was derelict most of its route between Longroyd Bridge 25 and Queen Street was filled in.  The site was used industrially and several buildings were built on the line of the canal. As a result the restored canal was built at a lower level in a tunnel, and locks 3E and 2E were moved.  Now the surface site is being redeveloped, the tunnel roof is being removed, the locks resited, and the water level raised.
 
This will make the route more attractive to boaters, and re-open the towpath as a through route.  These major works on still on-going.  When they are complete we will, of course, update the guide-book, but in the meantime we took the following photographs on 27 December - but it is a site closed to the public so we couldn't get as near as we would have liked. And being a Bank Holiday there was no one to discuss things with, which the civil-engineering half of Richlow likes to do.

The roof of Sellers Tunnel removed, just beyond the excavators.

From above what was the "new" lock 3E looking east.  The gates have been removed from the lock, but the tail bridge is still in place.  Beyond, the roof of the tunnel has been removed, and a new waling can be seen on the pile tops which previously formed the tunnel walls.

An emergency access point in Sellers Tunnel - which is actually at the site of the original lock 3E, just upstream (west) of Chapel Hill Bridge.