Charity run on the L&L Canal

David Turner and  Paul Willan are about to embark on their toughest challenge yet.  Running the Leeds to Liverpool Canal.  They will be running the canal in blocks of at least 26 miles over a 5 day period, starting off in Liverpool and over 4 weeks, running a marathon a week (2 in the first week) we will run to Leeds.  

Paul says "My charity is Derain House Childrens Hospice based in Chorley, Lancashire.  Derian house is currently building a new teenage wing to provide the much needed continuing care to older children.  The funds I raise will go to the running of the wing."  

"My cousins charity is Martin House which provides provides care and support, free of charge, to families in which there is a child or children with a short life expectancy. Its aim is to provide a home from home with a lively friendly atmosphere where children and their families can enjoy the best quality of life."

Please help them reach their target of over £1000 for these charities.

www.justgiving.com/paulwillan

www.justgiving.com/djturner

Museum Mile Markers

Mile Posts

The Ellesmere Port Boat Museum has some interesting displays. One is a collection of wooden patterns for metal items like lock gate hinges, and mile posts. The milepost pattern is adaptable, the places and numbers could be changed for each mile. 

The patterns were made out of different woods, yellow pine, box wood, lime wood or jelutong. These woods were easy to carve and could be given a sharp edge and a smooth finish. 

The patterns would be usually in two parts and slightly bigger than the size of the finished casting. They would be put into a mould box full of sand and the sand mould created with their impression. 

Mile post pattern with changeable numbers and place plaques

As well as the patterns there are examples of different metal boundary markers and mileposts. 

Mile posts were important for calculating tolls. 

Boundary markers marked out the extent of canal company property. There were often disputes with local landowners or locals using canal property as tracks or for grazing. 

An old original mile marker showing 28 miles to Lancaster, 15 to Garstang and 2 to Preston.