Day 13 Friday 3 October - Stoke-on-Trent to Hassall Green

Our journey today took us along a section of the T&M canal that we had never been to before & through the scary Harecastle Tunnel; I am told that the tunnel monsters get extra hungry on a Friday!

We left our overnight mooring at the Black Prince Marina in Festival Park, Stoke-on-Trent just after 9 as there were some noisy workmen who woke us up before 7 this morning & the first part of the journey was through another industrial part of the city & past some potteries.

Middleport Burleigh Pottery on the edge of the T&M Canal

Middleport Burleigh Potteries Bottle Kiln

Restored Bottle Kiln at Longport on the T&M Canal

After re-fueling & getting some more gas we were ready to head to the tunnel...

The Harecastle tunnel on the Trent & Mersey canal is 2675 meters long & the tunnel we travelled through today was built by Thomas Telford in 1827.  We've been through a number of tunnels which are almost as long as this but this tunnel has doors that close on the southern portal once boats are inside & this is the first time we've been in a tunnel like this!  This was the reason that we have done the Four Counties Ring in this direction as I wanted to head towards the light & have the closed door behind us.
For more information on the Harecastle Tunnel click here

Boats emerging from the Southern Portal Harecastle Tunnel T&M Canal

 We arrived at the tunnel & I went over to the tunnel keeper to book our passage & he then came over & gave us some safety information & checked Eos was good to go through the tunnel.  We had to show our headlight & horn worked.  Sadly a man died whilst travelling through Harecastle Tunnel back in May as he hit his head on the low roof & fell backwards overboard so the tunnel keeper explained to us that the roof varied in height.  He told us that we had about 30 minutes to wait as there were 4 boats currently coming through the tunnel & the picture above shows them as they were just about to come out.  Once they came out it was our turn to go in

Eos entering the Harecastle Tunnel T&M Canal

The chains hanging at the entrance show the profile of the tunnel. Once you are about 20 metres into the tunnel the doors slam shut & massive fans start to remove fumes

Looking back at the southern portal of the Harecastle Tunnel T&M Canal

 We followed one boat through & it was just the 2 boats travelling through & the picture below shows the other boat almost back out into the sunlight again after 40 minutes in darkness

Almost out into the daylight again!

Northern Portal Harecastle Tunnel T&M Canal

The  water in this area is rusty in colour which is the iron ore which it's believed is coming from the older Brindley tunnel which is no longer in use

Northern Portal of Harecastle Tunnel showing both canal tunnels

Within a short distance of the Harecastle Tunnel we reach the junction where the Macclesfield Canal goes off to the left & the T&M drops down the first 2 locks of "Heartbreak Hill" before the Macclesfield Canal crossed the T&M on a aqueduct,

Boat turning onto the Macclesfield Canal

The picture above shows a historic working boat that we followed through the Harecastle Tunnel, It's rare to see a boat of this age; a narrowboat's registration number shows it's age & this one is numbered 584 - Eos is 520334.  When this boat was used for transport the front uncovered section would have been loaded & the back covered section would have been when the boatman & his wife (& maybe even family) would have lived.

Pool Lock Aqueduct where the Macclesfield Canal crosses the T&M

This section of the T&M canal is called Heartbreak Hill as there are 26 locks in 7 miles.  As this canal was used for commercial traffic many of these locks were built in pairs to ease delays, many of these pairs are still in use today.

This evening we are moored at Hassell Green, in the countryside with open fields to either side of us but we can clearly hear the M6 where the traffic moves much faster than we do!

Eos moored just south of lock 57 T&M Canal

As I have just arranged to meet up with my Brother for lunch on Sunday at the junction with the Middlewich branch we now know we have about another 7 hours boating to do tomorrow but it is due to rain hard so I will be testing my new waterproof coat!

Glimpses into the Past

As we travel along the canals we often see evidence of times gone by.  Above I photographed a historic working boat which was probably built in the 1930s but before that boats were pulled by horse & around the canal system you often see signs where ropes have been.  Earlier this week we showed split bridges which allowed ropes through & the other day I showed you a changeover bridge but below you can see the edge of a bridge which has metal on the corner which has grooves in it which have been worn by towropes.

Rollers fitted to sharp corners

Today we have travelled for about 7 hours though 16 locks & a long tunnel!