PATIENCE AND HER TRAVELS: Friday June 29th, Hebden Bridge

Stranded boat from Todmorden direction

Well, we’re finally on the move again! The boat that was across the canal was removed by a massive crane on Wednesday evening and on Thursday we saw the first boats come down the locks from above the blockage, albeit they did it unofficially. This included the boat that was the focus of so many photographs.

Boat stuck on overspill weir

The owner’s insurance company paid for a crane to move it, but as there was no nearby access to get to the canal, a 300t crane had to be used with a long, long jib. It had to park on the road (done late at night so road coulod be closed) and swing its jib across the river, towpath and, for one of the slings, across the canal and there was a concern whether the weight of the boat at so far a distance from the crane might unbalance the vehicle that proved not to be the case; the only remaining difficulty being that the crane driver in his cab couldn’t properly see what the boat was doing and so had to be guided by walkie-talkie!

Boat being lifted out Wednesday night

An update was posted on Thursday evening on the British Waterway’s stoppage site on the internet to say that the canal was open between Hebden Bridge & Todmorden, but because of the damage caused by the floods, primarily to the towpath, caution had to be exercised at the lock landings as the approaches were likely to be badly affected by debris.

Indeed, two of the locks could only be operated by BW staff as the lock landings were completely out of bounds. These locks were only open between 12 noon and 2pm and, as we were only a mile or so and three locks below, meant a much later start for us.

Heading out of Hebden Bridge

Looking back across aqueduct to Black Pit Lock

Terraces and chimneies at Hebden Bridge

So it was gone 11.00 before we untied and set off up Black Pit Lock in the centre of Hebden Bridge. The canal through the town passes through a mixture of old mills (some still in industrial use and some converted to residential apartments) and terraced housing and is most attractive.

It is only a short distance then to the two locks and pub at Stubbing Wharf. The pub had been as far as boats could initially travel after the floods, but as there was no winding hole above, most stayed where we had been, handily placed for the sanitary station opposite to our mooring. Our friends on the cruiser with whom we had journeyed up from Sowerby Bridge last Monday were tied up here, but they could turn round in the width of the canal and were going to retrace their steps back to the Calder & Hebble.

A major problem hit us below the upper of the two locks here. We had been told the only locks included in the BW escorted passage section were locks 13 & 14, but the gates of this lock – lock 11 were padlocked and there was a notice saying this lock was now included in the escorted passage and a chap from BW would be here at 12 noon. However it was just about 12 noon and 15 minutes later there was still no sign of anyone from BW. It was at this time that the heavens opened and we were treated to a 10 minute torrential rain storm!

Getting rather fed up I rang the BW office at Red Bull near Kidsgrove in the Potteries (the area office for the South Pennine waterways to find out when anyone would be there. Apparently the guy was a bit further up, escorting two boats down.

In the end it wasn’t long before he appeared and removed the chain and padlock and started to work us through. It turned out to be Ray, the Summit lockkeeper who had had to come down to do the escorting. As he told us, he felt like he was “Mr Rochdale” as there was no-one else available!

As we exited lock 11, the other two boats entered for Ray to work them down and then replace chain and padlock. One was called “Yes Dear” – surely one of the best boat names ever!!

Ray left in his car to get lock 12 for us and we settled down for a slow cruise. Slow, because we had been warned that there might be sandbars across the canal in places that they hadn’t yet identified. The damage caused by the floods was soon evident. Lengths of the wall separating the canal from the river had been broken down and the towpath surface had been stripped.

Towpath wall between canal & river broken down

Below Lock 12, Rawdon Mill Lock. Electric cables exposed

As we arrived at lock 12 even more damage was evident with the whole towpath area below the lock having been ripped up, even to the extent that buried electricity cables were now fully exposed. There were stone blocks and rubble everywhere.

After working is through locks 12 & 13, Ray left us. We will see him again in a few days’ time as we recross the summit.

We took the remaining 2½ miles and 5 locks very cautiously indeed. Whilst Elaine would normally have walked between some of the locks that were closer together, the worries about the lock landings and the fact that the towpath was officially closed with wooden barriers across the accesses from bridges, meant that we had to keep slowing down to get her off and back on again to work the locks.

Getting into the sides to let her off was a bit fraught as we didn’t know how much depth there was beneath us, indeed several times the boat’s bottom started to grate as we started to encounter the debris washed into the canal. Getting back on again didn’t prove too much as I could keep the boat in the head of the lock whilst she shut the gate.

Below Rawdon Mill Lock

Rawdon Mill Lock, again

and again........

Each lock had large areas fenced off as the flow of the water had gouged out mini-ravines and craters, moving huge piles of rubble and debris into the canal.

We didn’t encounter any major problems, but we were taking things very slowly. What had taken us just less than 4 hours to cruise going towards Hebden Bridge over a week ago now took us nearly 6 hours.

Lobb Mill Lock

But finally, the mills, factories and houses of Todmorden appeared alongside and we breathed a sigh of relief.

WRONG!

Just between a bridge and the small Baltimore Marina, we ran firmly aground. No amount of reverse and/or poling could budge us, although the bows slowly swung towards the towpath. Fortunately, a young lady from a nearby moored boat took pity on us and was able to take the middle rope which I was able to throw across the gap. With her pulling and me swinging up and down on the “unaground” side, we were able to shift her.

It’s at times like these that you appreciate the helpful nature of most boaters, who are more than happy to go to another boater’s aid. I know, as I’ve done it myself before.

We passed by the mooring of our downward journey. We had asked Ray where he recommended us to moor and he said to tie up on the bollards at the Sanitary Station above Shop Lock, which we moored below over 10 days ago. Whilst on a sanitary station mooring, it is also a 24 hour visitor mooring as well, and we will stay here tomorrow as well as it was nearly 5.00pm when we managed to tie up.

We’re not normally this knackered after cruising, even for 5-6 hours which is more than we usually do. But I think it was the combination of the later start, the frustrating wait below lock 11 and the worry of what we might encounter on today’s journey that all combined to tire us out.

Mooring at Todmorden

Anyway, we’re safely through the flood affected area. We really feel for British Waterways. Perennially hard up for funding, it will take a lot of time, effort and money from them to restore the towpath and dredge the flood affected length of canal between Todmorden & Hebden Bridge.

Thought I'd finish with a few piccies of the floods of the 22nd June....