Success and New Territory

First thing this morning I walked to Asda to buy Jan’s weekly magazines (new on a Wednesday), four carrots and two zucchini's.  On my return Jan hurt her sides laughing at my purchase of two cucumbers and last weeks magazines.  Well how was I to know?  At least I got the carrots right!

After a heart stopping five minutes, when it appeared the external 12V socket wasn’t working I realised the bright sunshine was preventing me from seeing the illuminated green LED on the plug.  We can finally plug the gps into the cockpit and eliminate the extension lead which needed to go back into the cabin. Having to run an extension lead into the back cabin made it very difficult to close the cabin doors in inclement weather.

A clear plastic bag over the gps prevents it from getting wet when raining.

A couple of photos for our cousins in the Big West Island of NZ.

The sign writer was even able to paint Australia so it can be read by those in the Antipodes.

Today’s cruise was new territory for us.  There was quite some anticipation as we approached the Manchester Ship Canal (MSC).  This is where the Bridgewater Canal passes over the MSC in a swing aqueduct <Barton Swing Aqueduct>. The aqueduct is a cast iron trough, 100 metres long which swings 90 degrees from and artificial island in the middle of the MSC.  It was opened in 1893.  The aqueduct is hydraulically moved (water) and was originally driven by two steam engines which we subsequently replaced in 1939 by electrically driven pumps.

The aqueduct trough holds approximately 800 gallons of water and has gates at each end to prevent water loss when in motion.

The Manchester Ship Canal

The control tower operates both the aqueduct and adjacent road swing bridge.

The Bridgewater Canal was commissioned by the Duke of Bridgewater to transport coal from his mines at Worsley to Manchester.  It was opened in 1761 and was an immediate success dramatically reducing the cost of coal in Manchester.  It’s considered to be the first “true” canal in England and was the precursor to an age of English canal building.

I believe the above photo may show the location of the entrance canal to the Duke’s underground coal mines.  There is an arm to the right of the Tudor style house.  Incidentially, the house is for sale if you are interested!  Not much further on is another, more recent, interesting building.

Could we be getting near the ocean?

Leaving Worsley we wandered further west through rural countryside before arriving at Leigh around noon. Along the way we appeared to pass a relic of the areas industrial past.

The town has quite a large shopping precinct with a new(ish) Tesco and Aldi close to the canal.  Bill, I managed to buy some of those paint brushes in Wilkinsons that you had recommended!

On the far side of Leigh was a rather large barge which reminded us we were on a wide canal.

With rain forecast for tomorrow our plan was to stop in a rural environment in the vicinity of Plank Lane.  Just prior to reaching the area we came upon a moored boat with a familiar name.

wb Millie Maize.  No sign of Lois & Tim

We’re now moored at Plank Lane and will carefully watch the weather before deciding to move off to Wigan tomorrow.