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The Police disappeared and we made it to Castlefield Basin
(see previous blog for explanation)
So we took a bit longer to get down the Rochdale Nine, but despite the hold up at Princess Street Lock we were moored up by lunch time! I was not doing any of the "hard work" as we had our marvellous crew and Dot and Derek from Gypsy Rover going through the locks too.
Our crew deserves a special mention. Firstly, Carolyn, our resident crew member since I came out of hospital, who has been an absolute Star. The other Star in our firmament today was Rich (Richard Carpenter) who came to help, rising at an early hour to be with us by 8am. We are so lucky to have such good friends; I can't say that enough!
I will just put up a few of the photos from today, with a few comments. However if you want to follow our trip virtually have a look here in our photo gallery to give you more of an idea of the "Rochdale Nine".
Infamous or not, they did not give us too much trouble.
Junction with the Ashton Canal at Ducie Street
Rich enjoying his "work"
Piccadilly Lock (85) buried under Piccadilly tunnel
This tunnel burrows under the modern buildings of Manchester's Piccadilly and one has to wonder at the engineering involved. The atmosphere is a bit spooky and BW has blocked off some of the cavernous areas to the side to make it less intimidating. There is even a mural to try and lighten the atmosphere!
Chorlton Street Lock (86) has a new pontoon beside it for locking through, but it's not yet "in use". There is no towpath through this section and there have been problems over the years with drunks falling over the low wall that runs along Canal Street and Manchester's "Gay Quarter". A new fence has been put on top to prevent this, at great expense - but I bet the bars didn't pay for it!
Lock and pontoon
Diving under Chorlton Street Bridge I was cheered by signs of life!
At Sackville Street Bridge there are remains of an old access
It was here we had our two hour stop for the Police to investigate the incident at Princess Street Lock, moored to the boat at Eden Restaurant. Rich was our liaison with the Police as we waited!
 
Princess Street Lock and Bridge
The next section took us through tall buildings on either side, but opened up briefly at Tib Lock (89). Palm trees and modern architecture now line what was the old junction with the Manchester and Salford Canal. There is a small private basin now - Bridgewater Road basin.
  
We did not have many locks left and the sky above had fluffy clouds and the sun began to appear. It was good timing as I was able to take a photo of The Hilton Hotel from Albion Mills Lock (90). They are still developing the area here; it does not seem much further on than when we here in late Spring!
The Hilton, once Manchester's highest building
Deansgate Locks were next, perhaps the best known of the Rochdale Nine. The canal cuts through near Manchester's Oxford Road Station, Deansgate Metro station and under Deansgate in a tunnel. Deansgate became famous for the location of Usain Bolt's 150 metre record in May. 14.35 seconds is a bit faster than we could manage in Epiphany!
In Albion Mills Lock (90), note lack of left paddle spindle!
Deansgate Lock (91)
I noticed that this lock has another name. Now who is right, Nicholson or BW. The latter I suspect! Looking back there are two tiers of bars between the two locks and footbridges crossing at intervals.
 
Deansgate Tunnel immediately after the lock
There is a very striking Railway Bridge after the tunnel and then we were at our last Lock, Duke's Lock, with its attractive Lock Keeper's Cottage.
Railway Bridge
In the Lock and milepost 
We had done it - the Rochdale Nine - without too much trouble. As we left the lock and went under Castle Street Bridge, we entered the Bridgewater Canal.
 
Gypsy Rover went right to the Sani-station and we turned left to moor in Castlefield Basin, almost in the same spot as we had in May! It is an attractive spot and more photos are on our gallery at the end of the "Rochdale Nine" album.
 
Rochdale Canal, Ducie Street Junction to Castlefield Basin - 2 hours 21 minutes, 1.29 miles, 9 locks
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That's exactly where we moored last month (except we turned first, so we were pointing the other way). We loved Castlefield, but the Rochdale 9 are hard work!