The eastward journey from Standedge

Thursday, 17 June 2010 19:19

First the Marsden Flight

BW escorted us down the Marsden flight of locks. They do this for all narrowboats who continue down the Huddersfield Narrow Canal after Standedge Tunnel. In the past there have been problems with low pounds and flooded pounds, so they prefer to make sure everything goes well.

Leaving Tunnel End

The first lock east is at Marsden beside the station - named appropriately enough Railway Lock (42E). Geoff (BW) met us here and he and John had a natter about the management of the following locks and water.

John and Geoff at Lock 42E

One lock empties, using one bottom gate paddle unless instructed otherwise, as the next one fills. Geoff then went to the end of the Marsden flight (Lock 32E) to work upwards checking the water in the pounds, while Colin (our pilot from the day before) helped us onward.

I shall only mention the highlights here as otherwise you will be reading for ever! There was some amazing scenery, and as expected it is better on the east side than the west!

The pounds were short and some very pretty, like this one between Dirker Lock (41E) and Hopper Lock (40E)

Above Warehouse Lock (39E) there is the remains of a small wharf and the cottage was once the Lock Keeper's, with a warehouse beside it. Warehouse Hill is behind.

Looking back from Warehouse Lock

The area is known as the Colne Valley, as the River Colne flows beside the canal, and occasional glimpses of this could be seen on the towpath side. The transpennine railway continued to follow the valley too, but above the canal.

Locks with strange names came and were worked through by John and Colin: Smugdees Lock (37E), White Skye Lock (36E), Cellars Lock (43E), and Pig Tail Lock (32E).

White Skye Lock and low bridge, we got through - just!

In Moorvale Lock (35E) we had a spot of bother! The towpath-side bottom gate would not open sufficiently as there was something stuck behind it; so Geoff (who had now taken over from Colin, who had gone back up to help the following boat) climbed down and used our pole to remove it and I gave him a ride out of the lock!

A BW "figurehead"!

Some of the pounds were very shallow and needed careful negotiation. I had to concentrate on keeping Epiphany in the centre and had the occasional grounding even then. Leaky gates did not help the low pounds!

Sparth Lock (33E) is beside Sparth reservoir and the view is once again lovely.

Getting to the next lock was fun! Geoff told me that the pound below was extremely shallow and that he would need to "flush" me out of the lock otherwise Epiphany would not get over the bottom cill. So he opened the top paddles fully and I surfed out of the lock on full throttle, scraped over the cill and stuck!

The water gradually came up in the short pound and I was able to inch my way forward but stuck again on the corner. It was a case of patience and allowing the water to float me off. I had to manoeuvre with short bursts, as any speed dug the stern in deeper!

Exiting Sparth Lock

But I got to the next lock!

I am not sure where the name of the bottom lock of the Marsden flight comes from (Pig Tail Lock). However the "tail" was a pretty view!

Looking back at Pig Tail Lock

We said goodbye to Geoff at Pig Tail Lock and continued on unescorted towards Slaithwaite......