Locks and Bridges - a canal journey

[Ed Sutton]

With the mosslands being quiet over winter and needing a change of scene and subject I nicked an idea from someone I follow on Twitter who has been putting up photos of all the bridges along the Lancaster canal. I've taken photos along my local canal for years and have always had it in the back of my mind that there could be a project to be found. These last couple of weeks, often in inappropriate weather, I've photographed every bridge and lock on the Rufford Branch of the Leeds and Liverpool canal. It's only seven miles long and about ten minutes walk away for me to the sea lock, so not very challenging. I didn't start at one end and work my way along, but shall post the pictures in bridge and lock numerical order. Starting with number one for both.

 

[Ed Sutton]

Lock 2, bridge 2, lock 3.

 

[Ed Sutton]

Bridge 2A, lock 4.





Lock 5 and bridge 3.

 

[Ed Sutton]

Lock 6 and Bridge 4.











Bridge 5.



Bridge 5A - both a rail and farm bridge with a level crossing!

 

[Ed Sutton]

Bridge 6.







Lock 7.







Bridge 7.

 

[Ed Sutton]

Mystery constriction. It looks like the site of a bridge but I haven't managed to research its origins yet.



Bridge 8.





Bridge 8A





This is the weather I've been up against -on my way back from lock 7 on the same day as the shot above!



Bridge 9.

 

[Ed Sutton]

Bridge 10.



Bridge 11.



Bridge 12. The houses are built on the site of a former weaving mill.







And finally, lock 8.







If you've got this far, thanks for looking.

 

[tijuana taxi]

Well done Dave under the circumstances, weather really has been foul lately.
I like all canal architecture so found it interesting, projects like this are always fun.
Have you researched the missing bridge yet?

My current project is tracing the course and left overs from a railway that closed in 1959
Combining photography with research can be good fun, thanks for posting these photos.

What next?

 

[Ed Sutton]

The weather hasn't helped, and when the sun has shone it's been in the wrong place! The canal runs roughly north/south so the sun was always in my face looking south. I might have another go when the days are longer and the sun moves around a bit more.

No more progress on the mystery bridge. The earliest map I've found so far shows it but with no indication as to what it is/was. I'll keep digging.

There's an old railway course near me which I've thought of taking a look at. There are a few architectural and other remains still extant. It is interesting delving into historical remains. I fish a small clay pit which has some brick 'stumps' with threaded iron in them. Looking at old maps they turned out to be what's left of an aerial conveyor system connected to the demolished brickworks by the railway station. I've tried to photograph them but they too overgrown to show clearly.

What next? Not sure. I might carry on looking at the canal and photograph other features like mile posts and culverts. Or possibly close in on small details.





If it wasn't for Covid distancing I might have had a poke around the two marinas which are a fairly recent development.



But it's people who use the canal I'd really like to concentrate on.

 

[Boots]

Great project Dave! As a canal neighbour myself I may, ahem, borrow it!

I am really drawn to Bridge 5A, both from an engineering perspective, but also visually interesting.

I fear your research on the "Mystery Bridge" may be a tall order. Canals were built with lots of accommodation bridges, as the landowners could demand to not be inconvenienced. A simple swing bridge such as you show the abutments for, would cost little and, if left open, would not inconvenience traffic on the canal. If the landowner did not actually use the bridge, it would have been allowed to fall into disrepair. In a relatively short time there would be little left, apart from what you see.

 

[Ed Sutton]

Great project Dave! As a canal neighbour myself I may, ahem, borrow it!

Feel free. As I said, I 'borrowed' the idea myself.

I will probably revisit bridge 5A and get up on top (there's an unofficial path) to record the crossing. I'll leave it until a Sunday when there are no trains.

The mystery bridge would have crossed to the grounds of Rufford Old Hall, so possibly for access to some of the hall's lands in times past.

 

[Ed Sutton]

Views from the top of bridge 5A. Maybe should have taken a wider lens.

 

[Boots]

Views from the top of bridge 5A. Maybe should have taken a winder lens.

Hmm! It looked more interesting from underneath! But thanks for going back for the other angle.

 

[Ed Sutton]

Hmm! It looked more interesting from underneath! But thanks for going back for the other angle.

I'll admit I was underwhelmed.