Canal Boat — November 2017

52 November 2017 Canal Boat canalboat.co.uk

The final section was once heavily

industrial, but is now increasingly green

and pleasant as it approaches the sturdy

Tame Aqueduct, the useful Portland Basin

marina, and the junction with the Ashton

Canal with its industrial museum (see inset).

This area was the main site of the

‘Ashtac’ big dig of 1972, a major volunteer

working party which launched the

Cheshire Ring restoration. How many of

those 1,000 volunteers would have

thought that not only would the Ashton

and Lower Peak Forest canals be

restored, but also the third arm of the

junction, fulfilling the ‘impossible dream’

of reopening the Huddersfield Canal.

If the northern length of Peak Forest

Canal managed to hide its urban

surroundings quite well, the Ashton

makes no such pretence at being anything

other than a largely urban and industrial

waterway, as its six miles opened in 1796

descend through east Manchester’s

suburbs. It isn’t without its interest,

though, beginning with some fine old mill

buildings plus more modern industries,

various accompanying railway tracks, and

a boatyard specialising in wooden craft,

as it makes its way westwards to Fairfield.

This was the junction for the first of

several branches (which between them

added up to considerably more than the

length of the main line).

The first short section of the

Hollinwood Branch has been restored

and turned into a marina, a restoration

group would like to open more of the

branch, and (with a certain amount of

THE CRUISE GUIDE

Peak Forest and Ashton canals

Furness Vale Marina 01663 745757

New Mills Marina 01663 741310

Portland Basin Marina 0161 330 3133

Ashton Packet Boat Co 0161 301 3972

Droylsden Marina 0161 330 3133

NOTES

Opening bridges: there are seven

opening bridges on the two canals. The

two swingbridges on the Ashton are

operated by CRT ‘Watermate’ (sanitary

station) key, as are the two on the Peak

Forest. The three liftbridges on the

Peak Forest are operated by windlass

and CRT ‘anti-vandal’ (or ‘handcuff’)

lock key.

Marple Locks: as we went to press, a

problem had developed at one lock

which meant that the flight was likely

to be closed for a short time and

restricted to 6ft 10in width for longer.

See news pages and see canalrivertrust.

org.uk for details of all stoppages.

Woodley Tunnel: the roof dips down

inside the tunnel. Remove chimneys

before entering.

BOATYARD SERVICES

Chandlery

Gas

Pump-out

Diesel

Holiday Hire

Repairs

Elsan Disposal

Moorings

Slipway

WATERWAYS

FACTFILE

2 MILES / NO LOCKS

DUKINFIELD FAIRFIELD

Approaching Hyde Bank Tunnel

Industry surrounds the Clayton Locks on the descent into Manchester

HOLLINWOOD BRANCH (RESTORATION PROPOSED)