Kennet Leaving Liverpool

Thursday 16th August the Kennet left Liverpool after spending time in Salthouse Dock. Having nothing better to do I went down to take some photos. Kennet was due through the locks at 9am but I was late so only caught up with them as they were leaving the lock into Princes Dock. The weather wasn't great, not quite raining but threatening to. 

Kennet in Princes Dock

Kennet in Princes Dock

With Kennet on its way to Stanley Dock I went ahead by bike to get photos from the Bascule Bridge. As i was waiting the rain started but it wasnt cold and it was still better than being in work. Kennet came and passed underneath the bridge and into Stanley Dock, then under the road to the locks. I followed on my bike.

Kennet in Salisbury Dock

Kennet at the bottom lock.

Kennet leaving the bottom lock

Kennet

Kennet under the railway

Kennet in the sunshine

Kennet at the top lock

Kennet leaving the locks

I followed the Kennet up the locks to the main line of the Leeds and Liverpool Canal. As it passed under the railway line the sun came out. The Kennet was heading off to Burscough and I headed back home.

Pauline

The Museum of Liverpool

This week the Museum of Liverpool finally opened, just a year late. It is still not yet fully open but it is well worth a visit. There were lots of people there today, this being the first week it has been open to the public. We got badges and a little flag, something for eBay in 20 years time. It was nice to walk into a museum in Liverpool and not know which way to go or where anything was or even what was there. The city's other museums are brilliant but I have been round them a lot.

The view from the Museum of Liverpool (huge photo)

The museum was so busy it was hard to get around and see everything, and we had a pram with us. We managed to see most things I think. I liked the model of Gerard Gardens, being a fan of Art Deco tenements and currently living in one of the surviving examples. 

Gerard Gardens (huge photo)

Inside the Museum of Liverpool

I will be back when the rest is open and its a bit less busy.

Canal Cruise: The Stanley Dock Branch and Dock Link

Today Albatross sailed from Eldonian Village to Salthouse Dock. I walked down in the morning to meet them at Eldonian Village. On the way I passed the Green Man, made famous by the Boys From the Black Stuff. Its about the only pub on this road that is still in business as a pub.

The boat and crew had survived the night intact. Troy had put his life jacket on, it means he cant bend in the middle but also makes him easier to see and grab hold of. He doesn't mind it but it isn't his favourite outfit.

We were early for our trip down the locks so we went for a walk up the canal a little way. The bridges have been repainted and now look very smart in black and white. The area around the canal and the junction with the Stanley Dock Branch has been done up.

We were very early for the trip down the locks, Troy had a sniff round the locks. We thought another boat was coming with us but they had only come to Eldonian for the night and gone back again. So it was just us today.


The two BW men turned up on time and we set off down the locks. There is a whole world of slime on lock walls. Some of the walls have leaks which you have to watch out for. The new gates hold the water very well compared to some on the system that leak like a fountain. It didn't take long to go down the locks, the wind blew us about a bit but there were no problems.


I have walked down the locks many times before, this is the first time I have been down them in a boat (that I recall). Out of the locks and into the docks. The scale changes and suddenly the canal boat is in a different world of huge warehouses and wide expanses of water.


Through Stanley Dock and under the lift bridge (which is being demolished sometime). As we headed towards the clock tower the batteries in my camera died, and so did the spares. So I switched cameras (photos to follow later).

There isnt much of a view up to Princes Dock, some landscaping is in order! We arrived at the lock in the dock at the same time as the BW crew and were soon locked through into the first tunnel. I have watched this tunnel being built so it was good to finally be sailing through it. There are stalactites already.

My sister arrived on cue to film us sailing in front of the 3 graces. Through the tunnels and on to Mann Island. The last lock into the south docks looks a bit different to the usual locks. Above it massive new glass buildings are being constructed.

Out of the lock and it was a short trip through the Albert Dock to our mooring in Salthouse Dock.

Liverpool Dock Link

The lock in the dock is looking almost finished. The wooden decking looks very nice but I wonder what it will be like to walk on in the wet or frost.


The south basin is now complete and open for people to look around. It looks very nice but the varnish from the wooden seats has already stained the stonework.

It cant be long before the whole pier head is open.
The museum is nearing completion but it will take some time to fit out the inside and sort of the exhibitions.

Canal Walk: Liverpool Circular

It was a sunny Sunday today, well at least until the barbeque was lit this afternoon. I wanted to walk the route of the third of my walks I have written for people to download from www.towpathtreks.co.uk. I wanted to check the walk was easy to follow and see how long it took. And if there was anything interesting along the way I could add it in.
The walk starts at Old Hall Street but we parked at the large car park by the Echo Area. The aim was to get back to the car within 2 hours to save me paying another £2. I had thought about parking on the road but opted for the car park.
We walked from the Albert Dock to Old Hall Street. The Pierhead was busy. Here were lots of football fans about, blues, reds, and quite a few Newcastle fans here for the last game of the Premiership season.
Old Hall Street has seen a lot of change recently. There are new office buildings which makes the small brick building that is the remains of Clarkes Basin look all the more anachronistic. As last nights hen party got into their taxi we looked at the information panels on the girder out side the hotel. At the end of Old Hall Street we turned right on to Leeds Street. Leeds Street was widened and some of the canal terminus buildings were lost as a result. A car show room now stands where the canal headquarters once were. I had a quick look behind the canal warehouses. The basin is now a carpark but the large stones of the edge of the basin are still there. Back on Pall Mall a woman was clearing up the glass from her broken car window. I was glad I parked in the car park. Past the remains of the boatmen’s mission we turned right into Chisenhale Street and over the old canal bridge which remains in good condition considering the canal underneath it was filled in 40 years ago. There are buildings on both sides of it so unless there is a disaster there is slim chance of the canal being restored.
Over the bridge it was a short walk up Chisenhale Street then left onto Vauxhall Road. The Green Man pub is still standing. It featured in the last episode of the Boys from the Blackstuff. The Boys drink there before crossing the road and walking through the Tate and Lyle works as they are being demolished. These days the Eldonian Village estate is over the road. We went across the carpark of the village hall and down to the towpath. Eldonian Village was built for a community. Mothers were actually stood talking over the garden fence while their children played on the towpath. This is a redevelopment that has worked. Compare this to the empty blocks of luxury apartments built along the Regents Canal.
We walked down the Stanley Dock branch, through the doorway and across Great Howard Street to the Heritage Market. The market has had trouble because of the large amounts of fake goods sold there. They claim to have stopped this and are hoping to promote the market as an attraction. I chose not to buy a DVD of the new Indiana Jones film (not yet out at the cinema) and walked through the market to exit on the other side.
We walked up the dock road to Princes Dock. There are two new temporary bridges across the dock while the old bridges are changed to allow boats to pass under them. HMS Bulwark was visiting the new landing stage and drawing a big crowd. The new canal lock is nearly finished and you can see where the gates will go. The canal link across the front of the Three Graces looks close to completion. We managed to get back to the car with a few minutes to spare. The whole walk took about 2 hours without any stops at quite a quick pace.

Dock Link Update

Just a brief visit to the dock link today. It's a shame my back has put me out of action, no trekking this weekend despite the sunshine. I got to go behind the barricades and saw the foundations and water tower of the new museum and the canal channel which will link the south basin and mann island basin.
Stopped off to photo the bridge on Chisenhale Street. Looking from the side you can still see the blue metal work of the bridge but no sign of the towpath or channel. Also took a photo of the pub nextdoor.

Dock Link Work

It was a sunny morning in Liverpool and the docks are host to the clippers getting ready for the round the world race. Despite it being a Saturday morning and both Liverpool teams having early kick offs the work was progressing. The building rubble is still being cleared and sored into huge piles. The foundations of buildings which once housed fans for the underground railway can be seen. There are notices about the excavations and finds.
On the link itself, the culvert which will run under the lawn in the centre of the pier head is having its roof put on. Its looking like a tunnel at last rather than a hole in the ground. It will be covered over when finished.

Liverpool Dock Walk II

After hearing about the test digs for the canal dock link I went to see if there was any evidence of building work. The holes of the test dig have been filled in now. North of Princes Dock work is being done to prepare for the new lock from the Princes half tide dock to the River Mersey.


This photo (above) shows the earth dams and drainage in preparation for the new lock.


The orange sand in this photo could be from the channel being cut through the infilled dock to the north.
the whole project was at one time proposed to be completed by spring 2007. Doesn't look like it will be. Hopefully work will start before the end of this year.

Photos of the canal under construction.