Standedge all done and dusted and going back up....backwards!

Today was the day. Standedge tunnel in reverse. We did it from Diggle Portal 2 years ago in around 1 hour 50 with some damage to our paintwork so today we were hoping for no damage.  I gave quite a long post about that passage so if you fancy a read click here

C&RT arrived around 7. 30am which prompted me to get up, having enjoyed a bit of a lie in. Awake very early though, like 5.30am because the trains run almost within spitting distance of the canal and with Marsden station a stones throw away, the squeal of those breaks were ear piercing. Anyway we were met by John, who was to be our guide, bringing all the paraphernalia that was necessary for the journey, in a plastic box. I'm hoping most wont be needed. Hard hats (for us all) yes. Life jacket for Ian (Steering the boat), yes. Lamp, yes. First aid kit, yes. Fire extinguisher and air quality tester....oh 'eck hope not!!! Then out came the measuring stick. Dead on 6' 2" at our highest point, the tiller pin!

 A phone call was needed from one of the C&RT guys waiting at the first Adit ( cross tunnel) before we could leave. We were the first boat and before leaving I was given a safety talk by John...Keep head, arms, legs, hands and what ever else might be sticking out (what ever did he mean??) inside the boat at all times, and then we were off.

See I did wear the hard hat.

Notorious S bend

Another adit with escape ladder (top) and the bottom photo. The only place to see trains from this tunnel

The adits where we had to stop so John could phone in. Gave me a chance to take a photo of Ian (or tried to)

Top photo. Looks like blood but is a form of red mineral. Bottom photo. It was bolts like these that did the damage to our paintwork last time.

The light at the end of the tunnel

Daylight at last.

Time was much quicker, 1 hour 37m

Caught the corner and hand rails this time. But that was nothing to the damage this boat had.

We wanted to moor on the visitor/tunnel mooring before lock 32W but three boats waiting for passage and two moored boats took up all the space. So we descended that lock and tried to moor in the next pound. Got into the side okay but couldn't hammer in the pins.  So another quick look above the lock and two of the boats had disappeared. For only the second time in my cruising life (first was on the Lancaster) I reversed FS back into the lock and went up backwards! Such a popular spot at Grandpa's Ice cream parlour that Gongoozlers were out in force. But I did a perfect reverse into the lock and a perfect reverse straight into the space behind Oakapple. Anne and Jeff had taken one of those spaces having come through the tunnel after us but room in plenty. After the excitement of today we decided on a BBQ later. Only worry is the amount of people still walking the towpath including children and dogs. So a sharp eye will have to be kept on those embers with them dogs and kids (especially those cocking their legs) dogs I MEAN not the kids!!!

Going down

Looks like FS will be having another wash again tomorrow

Moored back at the top.

Back down this lock in the morning.

And the wildlife today,