# Traffic on the Manchester Ship Canal.



## brianrob1961

OK, so in another thread we have established a few places where ships on the MSC can hunted down with a camera. And we have also established the truth of sods law, that these best places are mostly where there are least ships, upstream from Runcorn.

So what actually goes upstream towards Manchester? OK, WD Mersey probably goes up there pretty regularly for dredging, but isn't there other stuff? What goes to Partington, if anything, these days? Does anything get as far as Eccles? Wasn't there a dock for loading cement there not so long back? And what about the traffic that Tesco were supposed to be moving along the cut? Wine, wasn't it? Do ships still go to the dry docks near the War Museum? I know some are there, but they never seem to move. So is it an active business?

And on the subject of the dry docks, I was round there a few months back and I was looking at the layout of the railway tracks that still remain. Now, I know a bit about railways, but I could not work out what was going on there UNLESS there were two gauges in use sharing three rails. Anyone got any idea?

Brian.


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## Tony Shaw

Hello Brian/
Well,ferry boats !! Actually, there are quite frequent petrochemical vessels moving in and out of Cadishead (Partington) and I think the odd 'grain boat' goes up to Brown and Poulsons. Last year, doing one of these ferry boat runs we came across a couple of container barges under tow. I worked as lockmaster at Latchford Locks for a few years from 1967 onwards and the writing was on the wall then, especially when Manchester Liners left. I remember the canal in the fifties and it was teaming with traffic.
Tony


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## brianrob1961

Tony Shaw said:


> Hello Brian/
> Well,ferry boats !! Actually, there are quite frequent petrochemical vessels moving in and out of Cadishead (Partington) and I think the odd 'grain boat' goes up to Brown and Poulsons. Last year, doing one of these ferry boat runs we came across a couple of container barges under tow. I worked as lockmaster at Latchford Locks for a few years from 1967 onwards and the writing was on the wall then, especially when Manchester Liners left. I remember the canal in the fifties and it was teaming with traffic.
> Tony


There is actually a tanker in Latchford locks now. The Happy Falcon. Bit late to go looking for it though!

Brian.


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## Allan Wareing

Tony Shaw said:


> Hello Brian/
> Well,ferry boats !! Actually, there are quite frequent petrochemical vessels moving in and out of Cadishead (Partington) and I think the odd 'grain boat' goes up to Brown and Poulsons. Last year, doing one of these ferry boat runs we came across a couple of container barges under tow. I worked as lockmaster at Latchford Locks for a few years from 1967 onwards and the writing was on the wall then, especially when Manchester Liners left. I remember the canal in the fifties and it was teaming with traffic.
> Tony


Hello Tony,
you bring back memory's of the 'Big Ditch'. I worked at Latchford Locks as telephone boy as a 14 and 15 year old in 1935/36 before going deep sea. I lived at Wolston Weir where my father was Weir master. I've been back a few times, and one time, I think it was about 1997 I visited the locks and the lockmaster let me have a look in the original brick office where my desk used to be. Big changes, The office was filled with T.V screens etc and Irlam Locks and all the bridges were in view.
I made the ferry trip from Manchester to Liverpool in .about 2001 I think. A great ride.
Regards, Allan


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## TOM ALEXANDER

brianrob1961 said:


> And on the subject of the dry docks, I was round there a few months back and I was looking at the layout of the railway tracks that still remain. Now, I know a bit about railways, but I could not work out what was going on there UNLESS there were two gauges in use sharing three rails. Anyone got any idea?
> 
> Brian.


Can't say for sure, but here in Canada sometimes on curves, or bridges, or other places of more than the usual danger, they install a third rail so if a train, or part pf a train, does de-rail the extra rail can help keep the unit from completely running amuck.


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## Pat Kennedy

brianrob1961 said:


> OK, so in another thread we have established a few places where ships on the MSC can hunted down with a camera. And we have also established the truth of sods law, that these best places are mostly where there are least ships, upstream from Runcorn.
> 
> So what actually goes upstream towards Manchester? OK, WD Mersey probably goes up there pretty regularly for dredging, but isn't there other stuff? What goes to Partington, if anything, these days? Does anything get as far as Eccles? Wasn't there a dock for loading cement there not so long back? And what about the traffic that Tesco were supposed to be moving along the cut? Wine, wasn't it? Do ships still go to the dry docks near the War Museum? I know some are there, but they never seem to move. So is it an active business?
> 
> And on the subject of the dry docks, I was round there a few months back and I was looking at the layout of the railway tracks that still remain. Now, I know a bit about railways, but I could not work out what was going on there UNLESS there were two gauges in use sharing three rails. Anyone got any idea?
> 
> Brian.


Quite often on docks and quays, there are rail tracks and quayside crane tracks superimposed, which, after the cranes are gone, can look confusing.
Regarding getting info on shipping in the canal, I am a member of a Yahoo group which shares information on this very topic. I get several e-mails daily from the group advising of movements, and of expected visiting vessels.
The group is at;
[email protected]

Easy to join, and you will find dozens of like minded MSC enthusiasts.
Regards, 
Pat


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## brianrob1961

Pat Kennedy said:


> Quite often on docks and quays, there are rail tracks and quayside crane tracks superimposed, which, after the cranes are gone, can look confusing.
> Regarding getting info on shipping in the canal, I am a member of a Yahoo group which shares information on this very topic. I get several e-mails daily from the group advising of movements, and of expected visiting vessels.
> The group is at;
> [email protected]
> 
> Easy to join, and you will find dozens of like minded MSC enthusiasts.
> Regards,
> Pat


Cheers, Pat. I am very new to the shipping side of the transport hobby, so it is all new to me. I shall join.

Brian.


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## Rambo

Hi,
There are occasional tankers to Carrington / Cadishead but these are around once a month. Other than this, we get scrap metal contracts drawn up for export to Spain. So coasters (usually Arklow) come up in ballast to Irwell park wharf at Eccles to load. These are no more than one a week but when they contract runs out there can be none for up to three weeks !
Push tug and barge Daisy Doardo regularly comes up to Irlam container wharf (where the steelworks was).
Other than this there is a grain barge called Trafford Enterprise which does a trip to Liverpool once a week and brings back grain for the Rank Hovis mill at Trafford park. They unload in the former dry docks but this land is soon to be re developed so they could end up unloading further down canal sometime the the future. 
Regarding the dredging. WD Mersey rarely comes to the upper reaches. I think she's not been above Latchford since 2009 which is a sad state of affairs. I would have thought there is some serious silting up in some parts especially the depth around Salford Quays and the Mersey outfall at Irlam.


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## brianrob1961

*MSC traffic*



Rambo said:


> Hi,
> There are occasional tankers to Carrington / Cadishead but these are around once a month. Other than this, we get scrap metal contracts drawn up for export to Spain. So coasters (usually Arklow) come up in ballast to Irwell park wharf at Eccles to load. These are no more than one a week but when they contract runs out there can be none for up to three weeks !
> Push tug and barge Daisy Doardo regularly comes up to Irlam container wharf (where the steelworks was).
> Other than this there is a grain barge called Trafford Enterprise which does a trip to Liverpool once a week and brings back grain for the Rank Hovis mill at Trafford park. They unload in the former dry docks but this land is soon to be re developed so they could end up unloading further down canal sometime the the future.
> Regarding the dredging. WD Mersey rarely comes to the upper reaches. I think she's not been above Latchford since 2009 which is a sad state of affairs. I would have thought there is some serious silting up in some parts especially the depth around Salford Quays and the Mersey outfall at Irlam.


Very interesting. Thanks for that. Now the hard part lol

I hate disagreeing with someone who obviously contains more knowledge in his little finger about a subject than I will ever know, but....

Within the last few months I have tracked a dredger on the live shipping thingy going up and down Manchester Docks. I remember watching it and wishing that I had the time to cycle down. And I only discovered the site recently. I didn't look at the ship's name at the time, but I assume it was Mersey. It has been a niggle of mine ever since that it's track was displayed perfectly, yet everything else heading up stream seems to slip off the system somewhere around Partington.

Oh well. Thanks anyway. If anyone spots a middle aged man carrying a camera and lurking around the various parts of the greatest creation of the Victorian age in the spring/summer of 2012, it will be me 

Brian.


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## Rambo

Hi Brian,
You could be right. But certainly a far cry from even 5 years ago when WD Severn used to spend weeks up the top end..

John.


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## brianrob1961

Rambo said:


> Hi Brian,
> You could be right. But certainly a far cry from even 5 years ago when WD Severn used to spend weeks up the top end..
> 
> John.


WD Mersey is on the upper reaches now and has been up as far as Salford. I agree it is rare though. As I type she can be found at http://www.marinetraffic.com/ais/ Click on 'Go to vessel' and type in her name to find her, then click on the click and click 'Show vessels track' and it shows her route today.

Brian.


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## brianrob1961

*Eastham*

Went out to Eastham yesterday with my girlfriend. What a fabulous spot to take pictures of ships going to and from the MSC! Also one amazing pub near the viewing point called The Tap. Best real ale I have drunk for a while. I swear, I had to hold back to stop myself quaffing the first pint before I had been given my change!

Shame there were no ships though! lol

So a new question for all you experts: how dependent on tides is the entry/exit to the canal and the dock at Eastham? I already knew it was going to be low tide when we were there, so I was half expecting to see nothing. Is that always likely to be the case?

Brian.


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## Pat Kennedy

Brian, 
That pub, the Tap, was until fairly recently, an annexe of the adjacent and much larger, Eastham Ferry hotel, and the whole pub as such, was spoken of as the longest bar in England. It is now the haunt of bikers.
The Eastham Ferry Hotel, on the other hand, because of its secluded location, was always known as the Co-respondents Arms,(in the days of contested divorces) 
At the back of The Tap, hidden away amongst the trees, is a very pleasant cafe, which does a nice line in homemade cakes.
Its well worth taking a stroll through Eastham woods at the rear of the pub, it covers several acres and has in the centre a bear pit dating back a couple of hundred years.
best regards, 
Pat(Pint)


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## Trader

*Eastham locks*

I have had many a pint in that pub years ago when I was on Manchester Liners. We used to tie up at Eastham awaiting the tide and made the dash up the road. Wouldn't be able to do it nowadays with all the drinking regs. in force on ships.

Brian, the locks are manned four hours before High Water and four hours after so any arrivals and departures will be within these hours.

Alec.


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## Pat Kennedy

Trader said:


> I have had many a pint in that pub years ago when I was on Manchester Liners. We used to tie up at Eastham awaiting the tide and made the dash up the road. Wouldn't be able to do it nowadays with all the drinking regs. in force on ships.
> 
> Brian, the locks are manned four hours before High Water and four hours after so any arrivals and departures will be within these hours.
> 
> Alec.


Alec, 
Thats a good long walk from the locks to the Eastham Ferry hotel! I dont think I would have bothered, but there is a bus service these days, with a bus stop outside the QEII dock, and it delivers you right to the doors of the pub!
Pat(Pint)


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## Trader

*Eastham hotel*

Hiya Pat,

Just had a look on Google earth, it is quite a walk but we were in our 20's and it was a doddle then. Couldn't do it now though. The pub looks quite up market from the street view, a bit different from 50 years ago.

Alec.


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## Tony Shaw

Hell Brian/

Yes, outward traffic usually departed before high water, then the 'biggies' for the canal started entering on high water and beyond. Years ago it was common to see 3 or 4 'tug jobs' in the Eastham channel all lined up ready to come in at the beginning of the ebb. As a 'Dad's Army' man with Harrisons, I quite often joined a Harrison Liner, sometimes at 3 in the morning !, to relieve the 3rd mate for the canal passage. As I didn't drive I used to get a lift with the pilot. I lived in Warrington and they used to pick me up opposite the Stag Inn !!


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