Caldon Cruise: Day 4

We were booked on the steam train at 1030 from Froghall Station, so we had no reason to rush this morning.  We had plenty of time to get the clippers out so Adrian could give me a hair cut, and I went to pick some more wild garlic, as there’s masses of it a little way down the canal.  Then we walked down to the station where our train was waiting.

We had booked the Breakfast service, as it’s only £8.50 more than the standard ticket.  It’s very nicely done, with the dining cars at the back of the train.  You’re welcomed by staff on the platform and shown to your seat.  Once under way, tea and coffee is served, and breakfast arrives.  We’d booked the Old English, which comes with a Staffordshire oatcake.

And excellent it was too.  We were impressed by the quality of the ingredients, and the service is very friendly.  The train trundles along quite slowly, and it went further than when we did the trip in 2017, going all the way to Ipstones, where the engine changes ends for the return journey.

The whole trip took more than two hours.  We’ve done quite a few heritage railway journeys in our time, and we reckon this is probably the top one.  On the way back, after Consall station where the railway and canal are close together, we passed a couple of boats.

Back at the boat, we set off at about 1.15.  Some of the sections on this part of the canal are very narrow.

Just through Cherry Eye Bridge we met the trip boat returning to Froghall.

We passed Consall Station for the third time of the day.  The trains there are described as awaiting restoration, which is a polite way of describing the state they’re in.

The Black Lion pub was very busy with people in the garden.  We stopped at Consall Forge on the water point, where the tap has the most amazing pressure.  We started the washing machine, and it hadn’t even finished the wash part of the cycle before the tank was full.  We carried on up the river section and then back onto the canal.  At Wood’s Lock there were two boats ahead of us, but one stopped to meet someone before the two Cheddleton Locks.  There we swapped with a boat coming down the top one.  At the top, the level of the pound was very low, which seemed odd because it’s a long pound, all the way to Hazlehurst locks.  It took ages to find a place where we could kind of get into the side to moor.  Later, some CRT people walked past, and told us the level was currently 6.5 inches down, which is an inch better than it was earlier.  She said by 8am tomorrow, things should be a lot better.

5 miles, 5 locks.  (22 miles, 22 locks)

Caldon Cruise: Day 2

We enjoyed our lovely quiet mooring above Engine Lock.  This morning we set off at 9am, with Adrian bringing the boat while I walked up to the first bridge, an electrically operated lift bridge.

I carried on walking to the next lift bridge, which still needs to be wound up and down with a windlass, and then onto the Stockton Brook Locks.  The bottom lock was full and needed emptying.  All the locks on this canal seem to be in quite a poor condition, and clearly have big voids behind the walls, with the water then leaking back into the lock.  Some also have flows of water down the towpath when they’re full.

There was a tremendous flow down the bywash from the bottom lock, which made getting into the lock a bit tricky.

A boat then came down the second lock, but by the time I got there it had half filled again.  Above it is a bridge carrying a disused railway line, which still had all its track in place.

The pound above the third lock was very short of water — probably 18 inches down.  I went and emptied the lock above, and ran some water down.

The old stables next to the top lock is a house, and has been very nicely extended.

Before Enron Basin is the obstruction in the middle of the canal, which used to carry a swing bridge.  Then there’s the basin itself, with the canal going off to the right.

We stopped at the services at Park Lane, doing water, washing, and rubbish.  As we filled up only a couple of days ago, it didn’t take very long.  A little further along we reached Hazelhurst Junction; the Leek Arm goes off to the right, but we were going down the locks.

As we went into the top lock, a big floating island of reeds came in with us, and it was so big it actually stopped the boat.  I had to reverse out, so Adrian could tackle it with the boat hook.

A boat was going down in front of us, so all three locks needed turning.  At the bottom, the canal goes underneath the Leek Arm Aqueduct.

We carried on and moored before the Cheddleton Flint Mill, and had lunch.  It was trying to rain but looked as if it would be worse later, so we decided to go for a walk.  At the Mill, the buildings were all open and the water wheels were running, even though it wasn’t one of their open days.

We met a volunteer who told us he’d opened up for a special group, but didn’t mind us having a look.  As he was just shutting everything down, when Adrian asked hi how he stopped the wheel, he offered the chance for him to do it.  Upstairs, there was a big handle which shut off the sluice to the wheel, and everything gently stopped.

We walked up the road towards the village of Cheddleton, most of which is on a major road.  But up a side road is the old part of the village and the very imposing church.  It has some Pre-Raphaelite stained glass windows, one installed by the William Morris company, and this one designed by Edward Burne-Jones.

The rain was coming down now, so we retreated back to the boat to do various odd jobs, including consideration of pension options.  

6 miles, 8 locks.  (12 miles, 12 locks)