Leaving Liverpool

 Saturday 17th August 2024 at Lydiate.

A rather overcast morning. As arranged, we were all ready to set off at 7:30am. However, all did not go as planned because Lazy Bee's overheat alarm went off as soon as Harley pulled away from the pontoon. Harley brought Lazy Bee back to the pontoon and added some antifreeze as the liquid level in the engine was low. This seemed to cure the problem for the time being so we set off again together, resolving to check in more detail later when we stopped.

As we left, we looked back on our moorings 15 and 16, now empty. It has been an incredible week and we are all four very sad to be leaving but have a wealth of marvellous memories to take with us.

The bridge that spans the channel between Salt House Dock and the Albert Dock commemorates the beginning of the redevelopment of the docks in 1985. At this early hour, the quayside was almost deserted so no one to wave to us as we left.

M was always fascinated by the chimney of the Old Pump House with its beautiful intricate detailing around its top. The Victorians always made things look good as well as work well. We admired the juxstaposition of the Pump House and the modern Hilton Hotel in the background. Bit of a contrast!

A sentiment that we agreed with. We would love to return one day. Who knows? Maybe?

This building close up is very dramatic and not a little intimidating. It is currently the temporary location of the Tate Liverpool Museum while its normal home in Albert Dock is refurbished.

In the first flood lock on our way out on the Liverpool Link, we found that someone, clearly a hooligan with nothng better to do, had thrown one of the emergency life rings into the canal and it was stopping the gate from opening. R climbed on to the front of Lazy Bee with Shelley watching attentively from above, while Harley gently manoeuvred so that R could climb on to the gate to retrieve the ring and the long cord attached to it. (note from M: what a hero!)

Sid, from the C&RT, was very appreciative that we had retrieved the ring and went off to replace it in its proper place. Very sad that some people think that it is "fun" to throw things like that into the canal.

As we left, we looked back towards the Royal Liver Building and the two Liver Birds, wondering when or if we might return.

On our way to the bottom of the Stanley flight of locks, we passed the new Everton Stadium. So far, it just seems to be known as the "Everton Stadium" without a proper name. Maybe it will be named when it is first used in the 2025-6 season, replacing Goodison Park. It certainly looks very impressive from the water.

With the help of the super C&RT volunteers, we soon reached the top lock and the end of the Liverpool Link and so rejoined the Leeds & Liverpool Canal.

We had decided to try to make good progress today on our way towards Burscough and to get past the leaking canal, which for the time being is still open but liable to be closed at some time to try, for the second time, to repair the leak.

All went well until we came to Holmes Swing Bridge.  It looked innocuous enough....

M went ahead and released the lock but couldn't move the bridge even when joined by R, Shelley and a passer by. This bridge has a chain attached to the bridge on the towpath side so, if it is open, a person can pull it closed to get across. Someone had pulled the chain out of the water on to the bank so that when the bridge was last closed, the chain became jammed between the end of the bridge and the bank. 

Robin to the rescue again (says M!). It took a mooring spike, a lump hammer and a lot of brute force to hammer the chain out from between the bridge and the bank to free up the bridge so at last it would open.

Soon after, we moored up for some lunch opposite playing fields being used for a football match and a cricket match. Since it is almost the end of the cricket season and the start of the football season, it felt strangely appropriate that the two should be playing side by side.

When we came to leave there, Lazy Bee's engine alarm went off again, so R and Harley decided to investigate. The engine was indeed very hot and the temperature guage indicated the same. After gaining access to the engine room, we found that the skin tank, that cools down the engine, was stone cold. Not a good sign as it should be full of hot coolant.

We undid the skin tank bleed valve but nothing came out. With the bleed valve open, Harley kept filling the engine coolant and the coolant kept disappearing. Eventually, after pouring several litres of coolant into the engine, the bleed valve started to overflow. It became clear that the skin tank had been almost completely empty of coolant and just full of air. No wonder the engine got hot!

With that problem solved, we continued on for a while, not least on account of a nearby wasps nest (!) and then moored up for the night on some welcome bollards at Lydiate Bridge.

Today: 16 miles, 6 locks, 8 swing bridges and 7.4 hours.

Trip: 192 miles, 91 locks and 96.0 hours.