# Dredging canals



## brianrob1961

A question about dredging canals. I am specifically thinking of the Manchester Ship Canal, but the same would apply to all narrow, canal type waterways.

The other day I was stood on a long abandoned dock of some kind near Cadishead (http://maps.google.com/maps?q=Cadis...3672&hnear=Cadishead,+United+Kingdom&t=h&z=17).

I was wondering if a ship could actually still use it if one wanted to. If so, how is it kept clear of silt? Does the dredger just clear the central channel forming a 'valley' that debris from the side slowly falls into, thus keeping the entire cut in a fairly constant state, or do the unused banks become too dangerous to approach unless they are dredged as well.

Hope this question makes sense.

Brian.


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## bob2bob

If I remember correctly this was the Irlam steelworks berth, which was a deep water berth taking iron ore ships of 26- 27 foot draught.


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## brianrob1961

bob2bob said:


> If I remember correctly this was the Irlam steelworks berth, which was a deep water berth taking iron ore ships of 26- 27 foot draught.


Talking of Irlam steelworks, I was in a pub near Altrincham yesterday and chanced upon a couple of locals who used to work there. They were telling me that in the first phase of closure 4,800 jobs went at a stroke And the rest of the 6,000 plus workforce went at a later date. Shocking to think of so many jobs going at one time. Truly shocking.

Brian.

PS I've just had a look at some old A - Z maps of the area of the steel works. They can be found on my website at http://britishrailways1960.co.uk/traffordpark.html

According to those maps, the berth that I visited was down stream of the Stockport to Glazebrook railway line and thus quite a way from the steelworks. Berths can clearly be seen near to where the steelworks were.


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## Roger S Whitfield

Hello Brian 

I can kill two birds with one stone ! I worked on the M.S.C. Dredging tugs for a short while in 1961 to 63 the Dainty, I then left and went to work on the steel works in Irlam till 66, the iron ore wharfe the ships that came there was in the tonnage of about 10,000 tons and the draft was at least 27ft it took about 48hrs to unload the iron ore .
I was a rigger and worked on the unloading cranes if they broke down or did routine maintaince changing ropes or motors on them plenty of overtime ?.
Ther was a big work force there two steel plants and five blast furnaces and three rolling mills as well as gas plants .
Regards Roger .
If you want any more info just ask .


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## Frank77

brianrob1961 said:


> Talking of Irlam steelworks, I was in a pub near Altrincham yesterday and chanced upon a couple of locals who used to work there. They were telling me that in the first phase of closure 4,800 jobs went at a stroke And the rest of the 6,000 plus workforce went at a later date. Shocking to think of so many jobs going at one time. Truly shocking.
> 
> Brian.
> 
> PS I've just had a look at some old A - Z maps of the area of the steel works. They can be found on my website at http://britishrailways1960.co.uk/traffordpark.html
> 
> According to those maps, the berth that I visited was down stream of the Stockport to Glazebrook railway line and thus quite a way from the steelworks. Berths can clearly be seen near to where the steelworks were.[/QUOTE
> 
> Hi Brian, I think what you were looking was Partington Basin, this just down stream of the Steel Works berth, as far as I know the Basin is still in use with low flash traffic.(LOL)


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## Frank77

brianrob1961 said:


> Talking of Irlam steelworks, I was in a pub near Altrincham yesterday and chanced upon a couple of locals who used to work there. They were telling me that in the first phase of closure 4,800 jobs went at a stroke And the rest of the 6,000 plus workforce went at a later date. Shocking to think of so many jobs going at one time. Truly shocking.
> 
> Brian.
> 
> PS I've just had a look at some old A - Z maps of the area of the steel works. They can be found on my website at http://britishrailways1960.co.uk/traffordpark.html
> 
> According to those maps, the berth that I visited was down stream of the Stockport to Glazebrook railway line and thus quite a way from the steelworks. Berths can clearly be seen near to where the steelworks were.


Hi Brian, I think what you were looking was Partington Basin, this just down stream of the Steel Works berth, as far as I know the Basin is still in use with low flash traffic.(LOL)

Frank.


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## eldersuk

There was also an oil berth at Cadishead next to some disused coaling tips. I went there a couple of times on coasting tankers. Don't know if it's still in use.

Derek


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## bob2bob

Looked again not the steelworks. Partington, Cadishead, and the steel works furthest upstream were between the 2 bridges, Cadishead was on the Cheshire side. If you scan downstream you can see Lancashire Tar Distillers if I remember the only type of jetty from the bridge down to L.T.D. was Bobs ferry however there is no sign of the bungalow that was at the top to give bearings. 
John


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## brianrob1961

Frank77 said:


> Hi Brian, I think what you were looking was Partington Basin, this just down stream of the Steel Works berth, as far as I know the Basin is still in use with low flash traffic.(LOL)
> 
> Frank.


I might have been near Partington basin, but where I was stood looked very disused, with no sign of pipes or anything associated with unloading a ship.

Brian.


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## brianrob1961

Roger S Whitfield said:


> If you want any more info just ask .


Would I ever like to know more?!?!?! lol I find the history of such places totally addictive. BUT, I also find it all VERY time consuming. I'm scared to scratch below the surface ;-)

Joking apart though, a small search on Google didn't find much information about the steel works.

Brian.


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## Roger S Whitfield

Hi bob2bob

I would like to tell you the Cadishead is on the Lancashire side of the canal 
I think you got it wrong Partington is on the South side in Cheshire ? hope that helped you I am from Cadishead born and bread and my Dad worked at Partington tips do not know why it was called Partington its nearer to Cadishead.

Roger S Whitfield


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## Frank77

Hi Brian, Ive had a look on Google Maps, I remember this berth, its made of concrete, I was on the canal for forty years and cannot remember it being used, in other words, it was before my time.

Frank.


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## stoneleigh

Are there many berths on the MSC which frequently take cargo vessels now? I ask that, because I have crossed the canal either by M6 or railway journey many times in recent years, & have never seen very much using it! I get the impression that today, if it does have traffic, it will be mainly at the Liverpool end. A couple of years back on the internet, I noted one or two vessels at the Manchester end which appeared to be laid-up as they never seemed to move.


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## Malky Glaister

Google Irlam steel works and you get a good number of old photos on a number of sites. Fascinating.
I only ever got up as far as Stanlow with Maersk Harrier but intend taking a cruise from Birkenhead to Salford in the summer on a Mersey ferry. £35 for us old uns

regards Malky


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## Rambo

Wasn't Irlam steel works the same wharf that the container terminal is on now?


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## Ron Stringer

Malky Glaister said:


> Google Irlam steel works and ....


..select Images (rather than Search or Maps) and as Malky says, there are lots of nostalgic photos.


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## MXMQ9

Rambo is correct. Irlam Wharf (site of the former ore discharging berth) is now the container terminal used by Peel Ports' barge.


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