12th August 2016
Big day today with us taking nb Lucy onto the Anderton Lift. We have visited the Anderton Lift s number of times over the years but never had the opportunity to use it until today. Our booking to go down was at 10.50am so we were there half an hour early for safety instruction.
You actually have to traverse an elevated canal to get to the cassette that you are put into.
You are very exposed to the weather elements during this time and especially the wind. We were most fortunate as it was relatively calm.
They put us in with another boat into the cassette.
P+P getting a bird’s eye view.
Looking from our cassette down onto the bottom cassette with one of the large day trip boats waiting to come up.
Starting our 50 foot descent. When we first started it was quite jerky but the further it went the smoother it got.
Looking behind us was the large metal plate holding the water back from the canal that was now above us.
The trip boat passing us by at about half way.
A good view of the ram on the other cassette.
Exiting the cassette at the bottom.
Great view looking back at the Anderton Lift.
This view shows you the lift with all the old gear workings on the top. These are there only for esthetics now. They were part of the original mechanism.
We were now on the River Weaver on our way to Northwich which was only half an hours cruising. Once there the girls and boys split up and Di and P went off to update some larder supplies whilst the boys stayed on board and cruised on a little further down to the Windsford end of the Weaver.
They passed by craft a little larger than what we are used to. The River Weaver has a slight flow but not too noticeable.
A little of the scenery on the way.
Rather a large lock with nb Lucy looking a little insignificant.
One of the sluice gates that help regulates the water for the locks. These locks are for big sea going vessels which unfortunately do not ply this waterway very often now.
These locks have to be manned by the CRT. If you have a close look at the photo you can see the lock gear behind him that gives you some idea of the size you are dealing with regarding these locks.
This is pretty typical of a lot of the buildings in Northwich. Very ornate indeed. Di and P met back up with the boys for a bit of a siesta and catching up of the Olympics prior to heading out for a last supper as P+P are off down south tomorrow for a week visiting family before returning to Canada.
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