Memories of the Weaver Viaduct

Working the Waterways: NarrowBoat, Spring 2026

Tom Chaplin

Tom Chaplin shares recollections of working on the Weaver in 1971, including narrowboat traffic

Then and now Last year, we took our boat down to Weston Point and were surprised how green and lush the Weaver now is. The mounds of PFA have been landscaped and planted to such an extent that only the mid span of the motorway can be seen. Unfortunately, the swing-bridge leading into Weston Point Dock is fixed and low, so we were unable to enter. BW sold the dock in the early 2000s to Eddie Stobart, but last year it was sold on to an aggregate company which now brings in sea-washed sand and gravel from the Mersey. It is good to see the Manchester Ship Canal and a small section of the Weaver again being used commercially again.…