Weaver Navigation

Keywords....   Northwich, River Weaver, Navigation, Waterways, British Waterways, W.J.Yarwood & Sons, shipping, Brunner Mond, Brunners, ICI, Mersey, shipbuilding, shipyards

British Waterways - River Weaver Navigation

I used to go out with a girl from Davenham, which is an odd thing, that I should preserve the ICI ship of that name, Phyllis Griffiths, worked in Brunner House of ICI too. We used to walk along the Weaver...derelict cobbled yards in Winsford, anglers dangling the Hartford bridge bit, a scene on decay at Hunts Locks. But I took no notice of anything like Pimblotts and Yarwoods who were still going then.

By another weird coincidence when I discovered canals after steam trains were gone, I bought my first wreck in Barnton, Northwich, although I had not been here in 30 years. The restoration went well, and my friend John Tackley suggested a venture together - not canal, but Weaver based. Hence the move from the Muddy Ditch, which would have taken an hour via the Lift, or three days via the Shroppie, the Port, MSC etc. The Lift was in bits forever (never say never!).

It was an experience you should try, mixing it with 100,000 tonners on the Ship-Cut. Two hours of that and the Weaver was like an idyllic backwater. It became a way of life. I spent my life running conducted tours of the Navigation and became quite well known as a local historian, and living on the Waterway as well.

Pete Shaw sees us through Vale Royal Locks	Breathe in...	Flash floods were a problem
Acton Bridge Boat Club	Hayhurst Yard was the NW narrowboat depot for Waterways	In the cavernous Vale Royal Lock
An emergency exercise carrying Sodium	Dial 999 "Hazchem Mayday"	Our crew died
And this was the real crew. Kermit, John Tackley, Carl Brierley, Richard Ferris, Colin Tinker, John Stowell	Where else to look for a bigger, better boat but Amsterdam's "interesting" avenues.	And we brought this back
Yarwoods dock	Carl Brierley was our engineer
Town Basin with the Floating Hotel	Following StKearan at Dutton
The Dutch Barge had to fit under Northwich Town Bridge	Castle Juniors 1988 river trip	Mike Noble ran Hunts Locks
	Past the Lift	at Saltersford
We showed them the Lift which was always closed for repairs	All-day trips to Frodsham were popular	Once we asked Hugh to let us onto the Ship Canal, but they all felt seasick
so got off at the lockside thereafter	And this is me	Go on then....Look at the real historical pictures of the Navigation

If you just parachuted into the Unofficial Minehead Website run by Bethany Junction Guest House, press the button to put up the Front page for accommodation, Minehead website, Churches and Steam Railway

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