Modern Canal Diversions

[Pluto]

L&LC at Greenberfield.

[Chris Lowe]

8 minutes ago, Pluto said:

L&LC at Greenberfield.

Where is that on a map?

[Derek R.]

https://tinyurl.com/yyofzjvs

 

Shot taken in the direction of the arrow. Looks like a new building has been erected since the photo was taken.

 

[Pluto]

The photo is about 25 years old. One owner of the lock cottage has built a garage on the line, but the bridge is still used as a storage space. Part of the canal below the lock, there was a two-rise above it which is why the locks were replaced, is still in water, but not connected.

[Chris Lowe]

Must have been some while ago this is the 1894 25 inch map.

 

[Scholar Gypsy]

On 11/09/2020 at 08:53, Athy said:

There's one at the top of Banbury which was, I think, realigned in conjunction with a dual-carriageway scheme, thus creating an "old arm" which is still used as moorings.

And the aluminium lift bridge there (Grimsbury, the site of the Alcan factory of course) is now at the end of the Somerset Coal Canal.  The road there was upgraded when the M40 was built, as it's now part of the main access route to the junction. 

[Scholar Gypsy]

I'm not sure Limehouse counts. Originally the cut went to the Thames, then it was connected to the basin (1854) and the orginal lock fell into disuse, then they re-built the second lock and closed the link to the basin (1868), then they went back to square two (in 1960), but with a different alignment (hence the nasty 90 degree bend near Limehouse.  

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Limehouse_Cut

[GUMPY]

2 hours ago, Scholar Gypsy said:

I'm not sure Limehouse counts. Originally the cut went to the Thames, then it was connected to the basin (1854) and the orginal lock fell into disuse, then they re-built the second lock and closed the link to the basin (1868), then they went back to square two (in 1960), but with a different alignment (hence the nasty 90 degree bend near Limehouse.  

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Limehouse_Cut

The new link doesn't replicate the old link, so it is a diversion.

[Cas446]

The K&A at Avoncliff when the railway line was built, perhaps Dundas as well? And at the top of the Bath locks for the same reason.

[zenataomm]

The Wyken Arm on The North Oxford just before Hawkesbury was lengthened and diverted to accommodate the building of The M6 which dissects it about half way down.

Looking at the map you can see the yellow line (original canal line) coming off the now Oxford main line from the right would have required a longer diagonal tunnel.

Although the achieved tunnel/bridge is much shorter by passing under the M6 at right angles it required  extending alongside the motorway and then a savage right angle even for small boats.

[ditchcrawler]

G&S only a few years ago for a new bridge.

 

[Pluto]

18 hours ago, buccaneer66 said:

Must have been some while ago this is the 1894 25 inch map.

 

It dates from circa 1817, after Rennie reported on the canal's water supply. The riser locks were always a problem, but the two rise at Greenberfield was the only one to be converted.

[magpie patrick]

19 hours ago, Cas446 said:

The K&A at Avoncliff when the railway line was built, perhaps Dundas as well? And at the top of the Bath locks for the same reason.

Not sure that really counts as "modern", and Greenberfield ( @Pluto) certainly doesn't!

 

I can't see any scope for a realignment at Dundas as the junction with the coal canal was fixed. In theory the K&A could have had a more gentle curve off the aqueduct prior to the railway, but it would still have needed to connect to the coal canal.

3 hours ago, Pluto said:

It dates from circa 1817, after Rennie reported on the canal's water supply. The riser locks were always a problem, but the two rise at Greenberfield was the only one to be converted.

First time I've seen it spelt "Greenber Field" - two words

 

I'm guessing the rise locks downstream of Bingley never ran short of water with the five rise at the top of the sequence

[Pluto]

2 hours ago, magpie patrick said:

I'm guessing the rise locks downstream of Bingley never ran short of water with the five rise at the top of the sequence

There were problems as traffic through five-rise was much less than that further towards Leeds. Only around one tenth of the boats passed over the summit, and that number is similar to the number of pleasure boats today. Most commercial traffic was at either end of the canal. Coming up from Leeds would be very busy, particularly with boats carrying wool from Hull for Bradford and Shipley. There was also a considerable traffic in coal for mills and household use.

[PeterScott]

Rochdale in a number of places for the restoration.

See Pennine Waterways here  including this one

Edinburgh Way
At Edinburgh Way in Rochdale, the A627M motorway was built over a section of the original canal route. The restored canal was diverted through a new tunnel beneath the busy road junction. The new quarter-mile section of canal has no towpath so a detour is required along roads, as shown in the map below. There is a light-controlled pedestrian crossing to allow walkers to cross Edinburgh Way safely

[David Mack]

Rochdale Canal:

Edinburgh Way, Rochdale

 

M62 Crossing

 

M60 Crossing

 

Failsworth Town Centre

[Pluto]

In 2002 during construction.

Edited September 14, 2020 by Pluto

[SteveCourty]

On 11/09/2020 at 13:57, buccaneer66 said:

Planned diversion for the wilts & Berks & North Wilts canals.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The first is the Melksham link And it’s still awaiting EA approval and has been for some time. An official complaint is on hold from the wilts and berks trust. 
 

the second was the link from just before the collapsed Stanley Aqueduct (which closed the canal) to the River Avon which drops near to my house in Monkton Park (I can’t wait to see boats on the river!) this is to replace the old chippenham branch which went to the now Bus station. This was dependent on a large housing estate on the eastern side of the town which was refused but with the new road this will hopefully be revived. The tunnel is filled in and almost all of the route is built on. The first section to the brickworks is planned for restoration depending on the route of a new road planned to bypass the south of the town. 
 

The third is just outside of

Royal Wootton Bassett at the canteen timber yard, once Vastern Wharf. The quite successful business obviously needs to be bypassed.

 

The fourth is the swindon section, the trust have been trying to get a grant to go under the M4 at a slightly different location to the original course and was recently put back a Little by decisions but they are still hoping to get funding. The main southern section of the canal here is mainly paid for by developers and those bits not dug are due at a certain amount of houses. The south east Section I’m not sure about but that would need to be leased or acquired by the trust I believe. The eastern section is all due to be redeveloped so hopefully will be paid for and in plans with the massive swindon eastern extension. 
 

Can’t say much about the wastage section.

 

the last picture is dependent on a reservoir. The original line is heavily built on at Abingdon so a new connection was dug a few years back but the rest has stalled as the route runs through an area that has contentious plans for a reservoir which were dropped but revived (I believe) I think the reservoir is good news for the canal trust as that would mean a lot of work being done for them.