After Lady’s smock had been stuck in Droylsden in the suburbs of Manchester and moved to Anderton for the winer 2023-2024, we moved the boat back to the midlands.
This was not without Incident!
Not the sort of trip we had planned
Suzie was going to supplement our crew, we had planned a leisurely 5-6 weeks on the Peak Forrest and then the Caldon before moving back to Fazeley. However due Susie to taking a tumble in Anderton Marina car park she instead spent 2 1/2 weeks in hospital in Crew. Meanwhile Mary and Laurie spent a short time on the Weaver and then navigated to Church Minus and back to Anderton in order to stay within commuting distance of the Leighton Hospital where Susie was.
Where is all the water coming from?
We discovered that the hot water tank (Calorifier) had a leak. This had clearly been happening since Droylesden in 2023, or before. the trip from Droylesden to Anderton had been so wet (See here) that it had not been possible to determine if water was entering the bilge from other sources. We managed to find a recommended local boat plumbing expert to deal with the complete replacement of the tank. The tank replacement was no mean feat given the location of the tank below both a kitchen cupboard and the boat rear access steps.
A Marina to call home
Hot water tank replaced, Jean planned to join us for part of the journey from Anderton to Fazeley. However on arrival at Fazeley Mill Marina, our normal home, Jean discovered the marina had changed ownership and was no longer part of the ABC franchise. As we valued the ABC sister marina arrangements and had used them on a number of occasions, we decided to find a new ABC marina. A few quick phone calls and we managed to secure a place at King’s Orchard, which incidentally only 1.5 miles from where Laurence grew up in Lichfield Trent Valley.
Underway at last – to our new home
Jean joined us for the first part of the journey including the Middlewich Locks, Heartbreak Hill, and the Stoke Locks before leaving us in Stone. Mary and Laurie continued to Kings’s Orchard where Lady’s Smock was moored fro the Winter.
The Map of the trip with stops and dates
https://www.google.com/maps/d/edit?mid=1vJfDKEpZHIq6MDrFRuqQ60acE3tHhRc&usp=sharing
Use map legend to view stops
Click fullscreen to view in google maps
| Date 2024 | Overnight | Onboard | Miles | Locks | End Hours | Engine hours |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 21st Jul | Uplands Marina | L, M, S | 5558 | |||
| 22nd Jul | Uplands Marina | L, M, S | - | - | ||
| 23rd Jul | Anderton Marina (Service) | L, M | - | - | 5558 | 0.5 |
| 24th Jul | Boat lift Mooring (Lower) | L, M | 1 | Boat Lift | 5560 | 2 |
| 25th Jul | Boat lift Mooring (Lower) | L, M | - | - | ||
| 26th Jul | Acton Swing Bridge via Sutton Rail Bridge | L, M | 16 | 3 | 5565 | 5 |
| 27th Jul | Anderton Nature Park | L, M | 4.5 | 1 + Boat Lift | 5567 | 2 |
| 28th Jul | Anderton Nature Park | L, M | - | - | ||
| 29th Jul | Bramble Cuttings | L, M | 8 | - | 5570 | 3 |
| 30th Jul | Bramble Cuttings | L, M | - | - | ||
| 31st Jul | Middlewich (-) | |||||
| 31st Jul - 2nd Aug | Church Minsul | L, M | 7.5 | 6 | 5575 | 5 |
| 3rd Aug | Hoolgrave Bridge | L, M | 3 | 0 | 5577 | 1.5 |
| 4th Aug | Hells Kitchen Bridge | L, M | 8 | 6 | 5581 | 5 |
| 5th Aug | Uplands Marina | L, M | 8 | - | 5584 | 3 |
| 8th Aug | Uplands Marina | - | - | 5585 | 1 | |
| LAYOVER | ||||||
| 16th Sep | Uplands Marina | L, M, J | - | - | 5587 | 1.5 |
| 17th Sep | Bramble Cuttings | L, M, J | 8 | 0 | 5590 | 3.5 |
| 18th Sep | Wheelock Wharf | L, M, J | 8 | 9 | 5595 | 5 |
| 19th Sep | Rode Heath | L, M, J | 4 | 14 | 5599 | 4 |
| 20th Sep | Red Bull (-) | L, M, J | 2 | 9 | 5602 | 2.5 |
| 21st - 22nd Sep | Plume Of Feathers | L, M, J | 12 | 9 | 5608 | 6.5 |
| 23rd - 24th Sep | Whitebridge Lane Moorings | L, M, J | 2.5 | 4 | 5611 | 2.5 |
| 25th Sep | Stone Visitor Moorings (M&S) | L, M | 1 | 4 | 5614 | 3 |
| 26th Sep | Weston Saracens Head | L, M | 6 | 2 | 5617 | 3.5 |
| 27th Sep | Wolseley Bridge | L, M | 5.5 | 4 | 5621 | 3.5 |
| 28th Sep | Fradley Junction | L, M | 9.5 | 1 | 5625 | 4 |
| 29th Sep | King's Orchard Marina (-, *) | L, M | 3.5 | 2 | 5627 | 2 |
| TOTALS | 118 | 74 | 5627 | 69 |
(*) Diesel Full
(+) Diesel Part Fill
(-) Pump Out