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Modern Canal Engineering


Heartland

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1 hour ago, matty40s said:

Previously mentioned viaduct and the new Campbell Park bridge

20191202_130007.jpg

20191202_142457.jpg

One of those two signs was stolen within just a few days.

 

I was involved with the building of the Grafton Street Aqueduct. The contractors original plan was to close the canal for a year. When I protested they honestly said they would happily pay for "Diversion" signs to be erected, and asked what was the best alternative route. They were genuinely amazed when I said it was via London Oxford and Braunston and would take a boater about 2 weeks to complete it. They agreed to maintain a single channel with traffic lights.

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5 hours ago, David Mack said:

Something I' m not quite getting here! The top image shows a post tensioned concrete beam, whereas the photograph looks to show a fabricated steel trough aqueduct. Neither of these would come from a foundry.

A 48m length may have been the longest practical length for transport, but it is not at all uncommon for the final assembly of long steel spans from shorter sections to be done on site adjacent to the final location, using either bolted splices or site welds, with a large crane only required for the final placement. And sometimes bolted splices are completed in situ while one or more sections are hanging from the crane.

Picture of the inside of the trough:

 

 

Neath 1.JPG

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9 minutes ago, Tim Lewis said:

Picture of the inside of the trough:

 

 

Neath 1.JPG

Ta - By chance today I've had to refer to a report that I wrote in 2002 when we were proposing this aqueduct so it was built mid-naughties not mid-nineties

 

The report covered the whole of the Neath, Tennant and Swansea Canals so none of it was in the much detail - others took this forward but I did get phone calls asking questions from time to time and attended the odd design meeting. 

Edited by magpie patrick
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When a replacement aqueduct on the North Circular Road as part of the widening works in the 1990's was required the new twin trough concrete  structure was constructed alongside the existing one. On completion the old aqueduct was demolished and the new one slid into place and reopened in what was supposed to be  an eight week operation. Due to problems sealing the new aqueduct this part of the project overran and BW were obligrd to crane boats around the stoppage as part of an agreement reached after the IWA objected to the original proposals for long term stoppages to carry out the works.

 

ncr.jpg

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30 minutes ago, Pluto said:

Hapton in May 1982 during construction of the M65. The stone bridge disappeared under the motorway.

Hapton K May 1982.jpg

Hapton B May 1982.jpg

Lost all our of drive on our hire boat whilst passing through the M62 works. Blamed the contractors at first until I realised the coupling was turning but the shaft wasn't. All the bolts in the coupling had fallen out.

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There is another project in the Stoke area for the future that may well draw on engineering expertise. This is the Burslem Port Trust, who envisage making a new junction, a single boat width concrete lined section and a reinstatement of the basin at the end of the branch near Furlong Mill. Their last web site post was in 2019 and in our present lock down situation, it would be of interest to see how they intend to progress.

 

In fact despite the years it is difficult to see what has been done, apart from the consultations and the early investigations made by the IWA Waterways Recovery Group.

 

There also seems to be a lack of historical content. There is some on their website, but after the lengthy time of inception, there could be more.

 

Take for example the image they show, which shows the Shropshire Union Warehouse, a building, which still remains.

 

   

Burslem.jpg

Edited by Heartland
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Some very good photos of Galton Tunnels being built, and of the canal diversions needed for the M5 and M6 in the hNBOC published book of Philip Weavers photos of the BCN.

N

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