IRA attack on the L&L Canal

ON January 12th 1939 the Army Council of the IRA sent an ultimatum to the British Foreign Secretary, Lord Halifax. They received no reply so on Sunday January 15th they declared war on the United Kingdom
The Irish Republican Army launched its S-Plan or Sabotage Campaign against England in 1939. The targets were the UK civil, economic and military infrastructure. The plan was created by Seamus O'Donovan, Sean Russell and Joseph McGarrity. Most of the targets were civilian, post offices and railway stations.

On July 27th 1939 Liverpool was attacked. In the early hours there were three bomb explosions. The first of these was at the swing bridge at Green Lane on the Leeds & Liverpool Canal in Maghull. The bridge, Methodist Swing Bridge (today's bridge number 15) was seriously damaged. The explosion was heard 3 miles away and the windows of the surrounding houses were shattered.

I have recently bought some press photographs from 1939 showing the aftermath of the attacks. The first is taken looking West towards Canal Farm.

Later the same morning in Liverpool city centre a post office and a letter box were attacked.

The campaign was not a success for the IRA, it was criticised by the German military and Seamus O'Donovan himself said "It brought nothing but harm to Ireland and the IRA".
In all there were 300 explosions, 96 injuries and seven deaths during the S-Plan.

Canal Walk: Bootle to Maghull 9 miles

It is hard to believe that it is November tomorrow, the sky is blue and the sun is warm. Quite a lot of our summer days werent as nice as this. Altogether a perfect day for a walk on the canal.

We got the train from Liverpool Central to Bootle New Strand and walked to the canal, joining the towpath by the 3 miles milepost.

a complaint about poor education standards maybe.

The towpath is in very good condition here, a compact gravel which looks like flapjack. It must be ideal for cycling. The only problem is the amount of dog poo on it. But despite the poo the towpath is a big improvement on when I was last here.

a missing information plaque

the docks at Litherland seen from the towpath

The canal through Bootle and Litherland passes by a mixture of derelict factories and the relatively new buildings which have replaced them. At Litherland the new Tescos next to the BW depot is nearly finished. It will be a handy stop off for boaters on their way to and from the dock link in Liverpool.

BW Boats at Litherland

Cycling sign in Netherton

The canal at Aintree

We had a good look for milepost number six but I think it is definitely missing. Milepost 7 was there, milepost 8 has been repainted.

Tigger at Maghull

Spikes on Pipes

On the way we met lots of dogs but only one pit bull dressed as a pumpkin! Passing Aintree we left the conurbation of Liverpool behind. The canal leaves Aintree on an embankment, crossing the River Alt on an aqueduct.

A locked lock on a swingbridge

At Maghull we left the canal and walked the short distance to Maghull Station where we got the train to Liverpool.Maghull Station has a park and ride carpark for rail users and the Great Mogul pub is nearby for those thirsty from a towpath trek.

Photos will soon be online here: http://www.towpathtreks.co.uk/LLC/bootle_melling.html

Canal Walk: Maghull

After a visit to the Pierhead to check on the dock link construction, I went to Maghull for a short walk. I parked on the road in the residential streets near to bridge #17, Dicconson's Bridge. Stood on the bridge you can see the boats of the Mersey Motor Boat Club, the first leisure boating club on the canal. I went down to the towpath and headed towards Liverpool. It was a lovely sunny day and there were lots of people on the towpath enjoying the canal.
This stretch of canal has enough swing bridges to mke a boater wonder whether its worth geting back on board. There were a grand total of three boats on the move today. A cabin cruiser, a narrowboat and one of the tradtional converted lifeboats. At one time most of the boats belonging to th MMBC were these converted lifeboats.
There was a fishing competition but no one had any trouble getting past their poles. It is posible for cyclists walkers and anglers to use the towpath together.
I havent been down this stretch for a while and wanted to re-photo the blockhouse by the railway bridge 12 miles oout of Liverpool. The blockhouse is different to the one at Heatons Bridge, it only has loop holes on the upper level. It would have given a view of the fields opposite the canal, alongside the railway embankment. It turned around before the canal reached the M58, and headed back.
Its worth having a look at the boats of the MMBC, there are a couple of intereting ones as well as the classic cruisers. There were two converted lifeboats, one of which was manovering with a very musical engine.
This is a popular place for walkers and cyclists and is, in part, a bit of the traspennine trail.