Photos by Peter Hodge: on the map, in Google Earth (KML)

I lived in Burscough until the age of 13. My sister and I in summer used to walk the short distance along the Leeds-Liverpool canal to these locks, which we called "Top Locks" and would sit and watch the canal barges. Great photo - brought back great memories, thank you

This column was built to replace a windmill that mariners used as a landmark after it was destroyed in a gale. The inscription on the column reads :-

THIS COLUMN WAS ERECTED BY THE TRUSTEES OF THE LIVERPOOL DOCKS BY PERMISSION OF JOHN SHAWLEIGH ESQUIRE OWENER OF THE LAND ALSO GRANTED THE STONE FOR THIS ERECTION ANNO DOMINI 1841 AS A BEACON FOR MARINERS FREQUENTING THE RIVER MERSEY AND IT'S FOUNDATION STONE WAS LAID APRIL 16th 1841 BY JOHN SHAWLEIGH ESQUIRE

Hi Ryan, posted 3 temp pics of maghull station. hope these are ok.

Pete

Hi Rachel

Had a good day a week last Friday, went to a lecture by Chris Bonington in the Theatre By The Lake nr Keswick. It was fantastic, I got him to sign a few books that I had and I bought one there. The only thing when I got home and looked at one of the books he had signed which I'd bought at a car boot for a pound there was £3 marked next to his signature, I was a bit mortified. The weather was awful it peed down all day there's nowhere like the Lakes when it rains (only took 1 photo). I don't have work pressure at the moment thanks to our marvelous government & banks, thank god I've payed off my mortgage. Still it's great to be off when the weather is like this.

Best Regards Pete

Note the Unicorns to the right of the clock, if you look close you'll see that the unicorns horn is broken. About 7or8 years ago I went up to replace them but the job was never done because of the cost of the scaffold.

Thanks for the info David

Hi Eric

I done this walk with a club about five years ago I eventually tracked down the chap that was leading the walk on the day for information on the obelisk. Apparently the obelisk was built by the land owner at his expense to enhance the view and nothing more, in my opinion it certainly does this. It must have been exciting to be evacuated here as a kid but must have also been a little distressing to be so far away from your home and your parents.Did your parents ever visit you or did you go back home to visit them during the war years ? have you ever been back here since then?

Regards Pete.

Here's the link

Fajny kanalik:) Look at this:

lost and Babia Góra sunset

Pozdrawiam

Hi Pete - We now live in a large Edwardian house in Putney, but it’s not quite as magical as Top Locks was when we were there and just married. I’ll try and dig out some photo’s from 1960ish and upload them for all to have a look at. I see from the map that some cottages have purchased some of the field at the back and made it into a back garden which was not done in my time. Also I remember when the dry dock was in full use... Tom