Photo-a-Day  (Saturday, 7th April, 2012)

Thoughtful photo Mick, background is the remains of an old industry, foreground could be the remains of somebodies dreams.

i get a sinking feeling when i look at this piccy.

What type of boat is this? Can`t be very wide, it`s long and the mooring fixtures are quite subantial.

I can see the old Eckersley Mill, Pity
they dont turn it into luxury flats. Like the ones in Bolton. They are huge and would certainly help with the housing shortage. I worked there as I know thousands of others did from around Wigan. Shame if they dont do something with it besides taxis.
Would the boat have been one of the working barges to haul goods along the canals? Interesting shot Ken.

maggie is the user name I have for this site, that is why I call myself the real maggie. The boat was almost certainly a goods carrying one, it was narrow enough to enter other canals besides the L/L which has wider locks. This could quite easily have travelled along the Bridgewater canal and others.

The boat is one of British waterways dustbin boats thats on its last legs.

I was passing by this spot a bit earlier - and I think you're right, Mick - it's a mud-hopper. It's double-ended so that it could be taken up and down the canal by a tug between the dredger and wherever the dredgings were being off-loaded. Technically, it's a wide boat - wider than the 7' of a narrow boat, and narrower than the 14' of a barge. That's probably to allow it to sit alongside a working dredger without blocking navigation.
The 'hold' of the hopper is between flotation chambers, which enable it to be filled with muddy dredgings without sinking. The one in view obviously isn't working!
British Waterways has sold off most of its maintenance fleet - and this boat appears to be carrying an ordinary licence plate, which may indicate it's in private hands, whether a waterway contractor, or a private individual. Either way, there's no reason why it shouldn't be refloated for further work, or conversion.

Thanks Rev David-I almost addressed my earlier comment to you !!!

Surprised the Tinkers haven't stolen it fro scrap. Mind, there is time.

Ive just put a couple of photos on Photos of Wigan of these being used in Appley Bridge a few years ago.

My thoughts are exactly the same as Ken R. What a sad sad picture.Everything looks so neglected and forgotten.Wonder what stories the boat could tell?

Is the factory not used anymore then?

Insurance stats in the USA (where I live) show that 80% of boat sinkings occur at the dock, when their owners are not there to notice. Of these, half are from failure of underwater fittings, but a third are from rain and snow. Has it been raining in Wigan lately? As Rev. David says, this vessel can be pumped out and put back to work.

Jean f(wales)The mill has varies uses from taxis to car repairs,bed and mattress sales also a gym.Parts in use and parts going into decline.If you look at thr sign on the photo you can just make out some of the uses for the mill and outbuildings

Mick, can`t find the 2 photo`s. Which section of Photos of Wigan are they in?

Thankyou PeterP for your reply...much appreciated...What a waste of a lovely building but i suppose its better than standing empty. You must have a lot better eyesight than me peter to be able to read names on there ! Cheers.