Back on BW waters.

0 Locks, 4½ Miles. Now moored by Plank Lane Swing Bridge.

After an enjoyable stay at Astley Green it was time to push on across the coal fields of Lancashire. We are certainly not seeing the level of activity on the canals around the North that we would expect to see on Southern waters.

A quick stop at Leigh for some supplies and a look see around the town. We were interested to see the Edwardian Baroque town hall built 1904-07. From the outside the building has an unusual look about it but walking inside to stain glass windows and marble pillars was a surprise.

Leigh Town Hall, Lancashire.

Heraldry shields in Leigh Town Hall.

There was also a tiled mural which had been rescued from an outside wall of a street corner building prior to demolition. The demolition was bought about for street widening (what else) and the street is aptly named Spinning Jenny Way. The mural celebrates a local gentleman by the name of Thomas Highs who is one of two disputed inventors of the Spinning Jenny. 

Spinning Jenny mural in the foyer of the Leigh Town Hall.

The mural had suffered nearly 80 years of exposure to the weather and industrial smog and smut, lovingly restored , it now takes pride of place in the town hall foyer. Its worth a look if you pass through Leigh.

We initially moored up at bridge 9 with an amazing view over the Pennington Flash which is a 70ha lake or flash set in a 200ha nature reserve. Presumably like the flash’s on the river Weaver the lake/flash has come about through mining subsidence. After Dot went for a walk and chatted up the Plank Lane Bridge Keeper (She is getting into a bit of a habit chatting up strange fella’s) we decided that it would be safer to move up closer to the Plank Lane bridge which we have since done.

Plank Lane lift bridge, Leeds & Liverpool Canal.

1714 locks, 3564½ miles, 66 Tunnels, 52 swing bridges and 52 lift bridges since Nov 2006