Newark canal drained as restoration work takes place

[Alan de Enfield]

Newark canal drained as restoration work takes place - BBC News

 

 

Canal enthusiasts have a rare opportunity to delve deep into a local landmark this weekend.

The Canal and River Trust is investing about £330,000 to restore old lock gates at a site in Newark, with the new eight-tonne gates needing special cranes to be put in place.

Dams were built to allow the lock to be drained, with visitors able to go into the waterway while it remains dry.

Work on the site began in January and is due to be completed in March.

 

[peterboat]

I read about this yesterday, I seem to remember reading somewhere that it used to used as a drydock at some point in the past?

[Alan de Enfield]

31 minutes ago, peterboat said:

I read about this yesterday, I seem to remember reading somewhere that it used to used as a drydock at some point in the past?

 

No, these are the lock - the old dry dock (biggest dry dock on the inland waterways) is alongside the lock.

 

The dry dock is the one with a huge 30 metre long sign attached to it telling the history of the dock and explaining all about how they used to cork the boats.

 

I have spoken to the local C&RT Office and explained that whilst they may have drunk a lot of wine, it is more likely that they 'caulked' the boats - however - no corrections or amendments were made to the sign.

[George and Dragon]

1 hour ago, Alan de Enfield said:

used to cork the boats.

I think the usual spelling is caulk

[Alan de Enfield]

17 minutes ago, George and Dragon said:

I think the usual spelling is caulk

 

Did you read the last paragraph of my post ?

[Naughty Cal]

That trip boat is a bloody nuisance.

 

It is unbelievably slow, especially if it is trying to push a bit of flow on the river, so is always causing traffic on the river around High Bridge.

 

[Alan de Enfield]

1 minute ago, Naughty Cal said:

That trip boat is a bloody nuisance.

 

It is unbelievably slow, especially if it is trying to push a bit of flow on the river, so is always causing traffic on the river around High Bridge.

 

 

 

??????

 

Wrong thread ?

[Naughty Cal]

14 minutes ago, Alan de Enfield said:

 

 

??????

 

Wrong thread ?

Yep.

 

Not sure how that happened. Posted it on the right topic now!!

[Heartland]

I have spoken to the local C&RT Office and explained that whilst they may have drunk a lot of wine, it is more likely that they 'caulked' the boats - however - no corrections or amendments were made to the sign.

 

Perhaps, Alan, humour is lost on some. 

But I am curious as to why the dry dock is considered the largest on inland navigation and what are the other large docks?

 

[Alan de Enfield]

7 minutes ago, Heartland said:

I have spoken to the local C&RT Office and explained that whilst they may have drunk a lot of wine, it is more likely that they 'caulked' the boats - however - no corrections or amendments were made to the sign.

 

Perhaps, Alan, humour is lost on some. 

But I am curious as to why the dry dock is considered the largest on inland navigation and what are the other large docks?

 

 

I do not know if it is the largest, but that is what the C&RT sign says.

 

The cut to the dry dock just a few yards upstream of the top-gates of 'Town Lock' ......................

 

 

 

 

 

Edited February 28, 2022 by Alan de Enfield

[TheBiscuits]

6 minutes ago, Heartland said:

But I am curious as to why the dry dock is considered the largest on inland navigation and what are the other large docks?

 

CRT quote it as being the largest on the inland waterways on their website.

 

Anyone know how big it actually is?

 

The one that instantly sprang to mind as a candidate was Sharpness:

 

Sharpness Shipyard and Drydock Ltd provides drydocking, repair and general maintenance facilities for vessels of up to 103 metres in length, 14.6 metres beam and 4.7 metres draft.

 

http://sharpnessshipyard.com/

 

 

https://www.google.com/maps/place/Sharpness+Shipyard/@51.7188023,-2.4803287,139m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m13!1m7!3m6!1s0x4871a30d1a31dc11:0xdc68e7b1f5781f72!2sSharpness,+Berkeley+GL13+9UD!3b1!8m2!3d51.7179758!4d-2.4789566!3m4!1s0x4871a30cc580215b:0x8cfdf55c57e65c92!8m2!3d51.7186908!4d-2.4799768

[Alan de Enfield]

3 minutes ago, TheBiscuits said:

 

CRT quote it as being the largest on the inland waterways on their website.

 

Anyone know how big it actually is?

 

The one that instantly sprang to mind as a candidate was Sharpness:

 

Sharpness Shipyard and Drydock Ltd provides drydocking, repair and general maintenance facilities for vessels of up to 103 metres in length, 14.6 metres beam and 4.7 metres draft.

 

http://sharpnessshipyard.com/

 

 

Looking at the pictures I posted I reckon Newark may just have the edge - certainly on beam, but personally I wouldn't say that Shapness is an 'Inland Waterways' dockyard.

[Heartland]

The Newark dry dock does appear to be of relatively modern construction

 

[TheBiscuits]

1 minute ago, Alan de Enfield said:

 

Looking at the pictures I posted I reckon Newark may just have the edge - certainly on beam, but personally I wouldn't say that Shapness is an 'Inland Waterways' dockyard.

 

It's on an inland navigation - it's above the tidal lock on the Gloucester and Sharpness Canal.  Admittedly at that size (and price) they probably don't get as many narrowboats as Saul Junction do!

[MrsM]

We visited yesterday. There was a great atmosphere and large numbers of volunteers. Wish the dry dock was available to the public but I expect the insurances etc would be too much.

[Heartland]

Lookin at CRT records at Ellesmere Port, on line, it would seem that the new dry dock at Newark was constructed in 1956.

I wonder if the talented engineer Ernest Eagle had any involvement in the design ? 

[TheBiscuits]

2 hours ago, Alan de Enfield said:

I reckon Newark may just have the edge - certainly on beam

 

Not convinced by this.  The dock basin is certainly wider, but the entrance gate is just over 6m which makes sense considering where it is.  It looks designed to take 3 Trent-sized boats at once but can't take anything wider than the locks

 

A quick measure on Google Earth makes Newark look ~18m wide by ~45m long at the biggest points.

 

Here's a photo of a CRT widebeam workboat in Sharpness Dry Dock I took a few years ago

 

[Heartland]

Sharpness or Newark that does seem to be the question as to the largest dry dock

 

Regarding Newark Town Lock, this was improved in 1952, but a section of waterway through Newark was still owned then by the Newark Navigation Commissioners who lease the their section of navigation on a lease to expire in 2000. Do they still exist ?

 

Edited February 28, 2022 by Heartland

[mykaskin]

The lock can be seen in construction in the 1955 Film Bridge of Song. Only clip I can find is this:

but is available on DVD.

Edited February 28, 2022 by mykaskin