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The lost canal junction


Heartland

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We visited there twice in the 80s. In 1981 we overnighted at the start of the inter change arm. No pub then which would have upset my father in law. I can recall walking up the Ridgeacre which seemed to come to an abrupt end. 

Later in the 80s we went up and lunched just through the towpath bridge, possibly the one in the photo. Remember it all too well as a broke a tooth on soup and toast!

No photos I'm afraid as I used 35mm slide film then and rationed what I shot due to cost and weather. Of course, if I known much would disappear then I would but hindsight is great!

Unfortunately it straddles a join in 2 OS maps but this gives an idea.

 

15685607717303203594342685452304.jpg

Edited by pearley
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Back in the mid 70s I was a regular with the BCN Society Work Party Group. One of the places we visited a few times was the Ridgeacre Branch (i.e. to the east of where the spine road now crosses). Then, as now, the watered section of canal ended at the former Coppice Colliery Bridge, where there was a bund across the bridge narrows. Beyond was the dry bed of the canal, with the remains of some wooden day  boats quietly rotting away. One of our aspirations was to rewater the junction with the former Halford Branch, which would have provided a winding hole at the end of the Ridgeacre, and perhaps encouraged more boaters to venture along to the end. Sadly, it never happened.

https://maps.nls.uk/geo/explore/#zoom=17&lat=52.5344&lon=-2.0021&layers=175&b=1

 

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 A useful map is the Ordnance Survey (3rd Edition) which shows both bridges.

 

The filled in canal from here to Dial Lane is now a footpath.

 

 

ballshill7.png

 

The Google Earth image through time c1945 shows both bridges, although now the junction bridge has been removed.

 

ballshill8.jpg

Edited by Heartland
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  • 3 weeks later...
On 15/09/2019 at 22:23, David Mack said:

Back in the mid 70s I was a regular with the BCN Society Work Party Group. One of the places we visited a few times was the Ridgeacre Branch (i.e. to the east of where the spine road now crosses). Then, as now, the watered section of canal ended at the former Coppice Colliery Bridge, where there was a bund across the bridge narrows. Beyond was the dry bed of the canal, with the remains of some wooden day  boats quietly rotting away. One of our aspirations was to rewater the junction with the former Halford Branch, which would have provided a winding hole at the end of the Ridgeacre, and perhaps encouraged more boaters to venture along to the end. Sadly, it never happened.

https://maps.nls.uk/geo/explore/#zoom=17&lat=52.5344&lon=-2.0021&layers=175&b=1

 

This is the only image I have found of the Halford Branch, courtesy of Hugh Potter taken in 1974

HP Halford Br 12.5.74sunk Boat.jpeg

  • Greenie 1
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