That Sinking Feeling

Reader's Letters & Queries: NarrowBoat, Summer 2011

Ian Moss’s excellent photographs of the coal traffic to Liverpool (Spring 2011 NB) brought back memories of when I was coming down the Wigan 21 in November 1971 on James Loader, when coal was still being delivered to Wigan Power Station. As I left the bottom lock I witnessed, before my very eyes, one of the boats tied on the outside simply sink in front of me! Perhaps it was the swell of water from emptying the lock that had been the final straw in overtopping the gunwales of what was presumably a very well loaded but leaking boat. The power station was obviously running at full output as the boats were moored three or four abreast, and I do not think it could have been long before the boat would have been raised. To do this British Waterways would have had to lower the long pound between Wigan locks 21 and 22 and Poolstock Top Lock by a good couple of feet. Peter Freakley, Hagley, Stourbridge…