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| Rare chance to tread the bed of the Leeds-Liverpool canal | Rare chance to tread the bed of the Leeds-Liverpool canal |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| The Dowley Gap aqueduct and twin locks near Bingley are having their first public open day since 1773 when men, sheep and cows trod the empty lining to puddle the clay until it was leak-proof. | |
| Fifty metres of the Leeds-Liverpool canal on the town's border with Shipley, which can actually claim six of the seven segmental arches designed by James Brindley and built by his engineer John Longbottom, will be drained and available to tramp for visitors with wellies or stout boots. | Fifty metres of the Leeds-Liverpool canal on the town's border with Shipley, which can actually claim six of the seven segmental arches designed by James Brindley and built by his engineer John Longbottom, will be drained and available to tramp for visitors with wellies or stout boots. |
| The opportunity from 10am to 4pm on Sunday fortnight, 27 January, with last admissions at 3.15pm, comes as the 240-year-old structure undergoes leakage reduction works. Most of the drips from its cracks and fissures go into the river Aire which runs below, so water is not wasted or much of a nuisance; but without repair, more serious problems would be likely to develop. | |
| The work by the Canal and River Trust, which took over management of some 2000 miles of the UK's waterways last July, also includes two new 3.5 tonne sets of lock gates for the Dowley Gap two-rise flight. Made in the former British Waterways' yard at Stanley Ferry, they will be hoisted into place while grouting and brickwork repairs are carried out, with the locks also drained. | The work by the Canal and River Trust, which took over management of some 2000 miles of the UK's waterways last July, also includes two new 3.5 tonne sets of lock gates for the Dowley Gap two-rise flight. Made in the former British Waterways' yard at Stanley Ferry, they will be hoisted into place while grouting and brickwork repairs are carried out, with the locks also drained. |
| Bits of crockery, bicycles and supermarket trollies which have escaped dredging will also be removed from the grade two listed section of canal, which is part of an echt northern construction that tackles its topography head-on. The Leeds-Liverpool canal has 14 sets of staircase locks on its 204km (127 miles) which run between Leeds' Dark Arches and Liverpool's Pier Head. | Bits of crockery, bicycles and supermarket trollies which have escaped dredging will also be removed from the grade two listed section of canal, which is part of an echt northern construction that tackles its topography head-on. The Leeds-Liverpool canal has 14 sets of staircase locks on its 204km (127 miles) which run between Leeds' Dark Arches and Liverpool's Pier Head. |
| Between Leeds and Bingley alone there are three sets of two-rise; four sets of three-rise and the famous Bingley Five Rise which is a wonder of the world with a very nice cafe in the bargain. Dowley Gap has the Fisherman's Inn and the World Heritage Site of Saltaire is a moderate and lovely walk along the towpath. | Between Leeds and Bingley alone there are three sets of two-rise; four sets of three-rise and the famous Bingley Five Rise which is a wonder of the world with a very nice cafe in the bargain. Dowley Gap has the Fisherman's Inn and the World Heritage Site of Saltaire is a moderate and lovely walk along the towpath. |
| The open day is part of the new trust's winter stoppage programme of heavy-duty maintenance, which will total £50 million this year and include the replacement or repair of 102 other locks. Iain Weston, acting waterway manager for the north west region says: | The open day is part of the new trust's winter stoppage programme of heavy-duty maintenance, which will total £50 million this year and include the replacement or repair of 102 other locks. Iain Weston, acting waterway manager for the north west region says: |
| Over 7,000 people attended our similar Bingley Five Rise event last year and for those who weren't able to make that, here's another chance to see two more of our other remarkable structures. For those that did come, we're offering them something different and unique by being able to open up the aqueduct to the public for the very first time. We hope the local community really get behind this event and take the time out to understand what it takes to keep our waterways running. | Over 7,000 people attended our similar Bingley Five Rise event last year and for those who weren't able to make that, here's another chance to see two more of our other remarkable structures. For those that did come, we're offering them something different and unique by being able to open up the aqueduct to the public for the very first time. We hope the local community really get behind this event and take the time out to understand what it takes to keep our waterways running. |
| Lock gate making and fitting is an extremely skilled and traditional trade and one that remains essential to the waterways. Lock gates are constructed with tremendous strength as they have to control huge water pressures, take the hard usage they get from the thousands of boats which use them each year and survive for a long time underwater and at the mercy of the elements. In order to be waterproof they also need to be built very precisely, fitting tightly to the masonry of the lock walls and to each other. | Lock gate making and fitting is an extremely skilled and traditional trade and one that remains essential to the waterways. Lock gates are constructed with tremendous strength as they have to control huge water pressures, take the hard usage they get from the thousands of boats which use them each year and survive for a long time underwater and at the mercy of the elements. In order to be waterproof they also need to be built very precisely, fitting tightly to the masonry of the lock walls and to each other. |
Vince Moran, trust operations director, adds: | Vince Moran, trust operations director, adds: |
| Repairing, maintaining and caring for the canal and river infrastructure underpins the cause of the Trust. We have 25,000 different assets that we maintain and care for every year, which involves a wide range of expertise across many disciplines including civil engineering, heritage expertise and environmental specialists. | Repairing, maintaining and caring for the canal and river infrastructure underpins the cause of the Trust. We have 25,000 different assets that we maintain and care for every year, which involves a wide range of expertise across many disciplines including civil engineering, heritage expertise and environmental specialists. |
| The winter stoppage programme is essential to enable the canal and river network to be used by boaters, canoeists, cyclists, anglers and walkers. We hope that by showcasing the repair works this winter, we can give people a chance to see the scale of the work we do to ensure that the waterways are preserved for today's visitors and future generations to enjoy. | The winter stoppage programme is essential to enable the canal and river network to be used by boaters, canoeists, cyclists, anglers and walkers. We hope that by showcasing the repair works this winter, we can give people a chance to see the scale of the work we do to ensure that the waterways are preserved for today's visitors and future generations to enjoy. |
| Here's a YouTube clip from the trust. Further details of winter stoppages and open days are online here. | Here's a YouTube clip from the trust. Further details of winter stoppages and open days are online here. |