Where I am

[beerbeerbeerbeerbeer]

The engineer is Isambard Kingdom Brunel, who set up the Swindon Works by the canal.

I can’t find his father’s contribution to a canal improvement in 1829.

Unless it was his tunnelling shield?

[BEngo]

Marc Isambard Brunel discussed the new Harecastle Tunnel with Telford, post construction to lend his support when the T&M Managing Comittee were getting fractious about the extra over from Telfords first cost estimate.

 

N

[David Mack]

5 hours ago, David Mack said:

I think that canal is now associated with these characters.

And for those who didn't make the connection, the NLS side by side map shows Drove Road Bridge and Swindon Wharf, now occupied by the Magic Roundabout.

[Heartland]

Well Drove Road Bridge was NOT one of the two images, but I suppose Zebedee was close

 

Marc Isambard Brunel, as I mention in my book Silent Highways submitted plans for the Oxford Canal shortenings, although the work was conducted in house by the Oxford Canal Company. Copies of Marcs plans, if I recall, are at Warwickshire Records Office. Anthony Burton in his book regarding Marc and Isambard suggested that the Oxford Canal Company used Marcs plan as a base for their new route, although I believe it was their own engineering staff that decided the final form.

 

If anybody is a worshipper of the Great Western Railway, then Mr Burtons book is a good read.

 

The lift bridge, on the Wilts and Berks Canal at Swindon is of particular interest

[David Mack]

1 hour ago, Heartland said:

Well Drove Road Bridge was NOT one of the two images, but I suppose Zebedee was close

I said the canal was associated with the magic roundabout, not the particular locations in your images.

Anyway, this is Drove Road Bridge. The towpath looks to be much better used than the canal.

[Heartland]

It would appear Frank Blackmore has a lot to answer for!

 

Some years ago Martin O Keefe and myself organised a Waterways History Workshop at Hemel Hempstead that also has a roundabout like Swindon, except there are six smaller roundabouts instead of 5 and it is also called the Magic Roundabout and so anybody considering this title might think the images were Grand Union Canal.

 

Still a nice image of the disused canal still with boats-and no doubt that was Swindon Wharf on the right.

 

Edited August 4, 2023 by Heartland

[Heartland]

To keep things going so to speak, here is another location to ponder on.

 

Firstly there is no connection to the BCN, Grand Union, Weedon or Wllts and Berks.

It is at what was once a historically significant site. On one side of this bridge were the sidings of a joint railway and on the other an early tramway, now a road. It is a swing bridge over a canal, but I have yet to find out if any canal boat has been there recently and if any canal boat every went up this waterway to this point. Certainly wider craft did. The craft that came this way would have relied on sail and had one of the most difficult routes to reach it in the UK!

 

 

[David Mack]

23 hours ago, Heartland said:

It is a swing bridge over a canal, but I have yet to find out if any canal boat has been there recently and if any canal boat every went up this waterway to this point.

Paging @Neil TNC!

Edited August 7, 2023 by David Mack

[davidg]

Lydney

Edited August 6, 2023 by davidg

[Heartland]

It is remarkable the depth of knowledge there is on this forum

 

Yes, it is Lydney at the point where the Canal meets the Harbour. The joint line was Great Western & Midland, later GWR/LMS, Severn & Wye.

 

It started as a plateway opened in 1810, and was 3ft 6 in gauge, then 3ft 7 in and then 3ft 8 in gauge- quite a variety

 

[Jen-in-Wellies]

On 04/08/2023 at 13:58, David Mack said:

I said the canal was associated with the magic roundabout, not the particular locations in your images.

Anyway, this is Drove Road Bridge. The towpath looks to be much better used than the canal.

CaRT's vision for the future of the waterways has a historical precedent I see. A well used, nicely surfaced towpath alongside a weed filled shallow ditch and no moving boats.

[beerbeerbeerbeerbeer]

3 hours ago, Jen-in-Wellies said:

CaRT's vision for the future of the waterways has a historical precedent I see. A well used, nicely surfaced towpath alongside a weed filled shallow ditch and no moving boats.

The future’s already here 

 

not quite a muddy ditch, but certainly not for boats

Edited August 6, 2023 by Goliath

[BuckbyLocks]

But more or less on the line of a previous waterway. The right hand side building was originally alongside the Whitmore Arm and still in use until the big freeze of 63, when the Museum ceased using coal for the boilers.

[beerbeerbeerbeerbeer]

That is now a very very fancy bar,

taking only bookings for a few guests at a time.

 

 

 

For a bit of reading,

Here’s a good link https://theironroom.wordpress.com/2020/11/23/the-lost-arm-of-william-james/,

 

 

 

Edited August 6, 2023 by Goliath

[oboat]

11 hours ago, Heartland said:

To keep things going so to speak, here is another location to ponder on.

 

Firstly there is no connection to the BCN, Grand Union, Weedon or Wllts and Berks.

It is at what was once a historically significant site. On one side of this bridge were the sidings of a joint railway and on the other an early tramway, now a road. It is a swing bridge over a canal, but I have yet to find out if any canal boat has been there recently and if any canal boat every went up this waterway to this point. Certainly wider craft did. The craft that came this way would have relied on sail and had one of the most difficult routes to reach it in the UK!

 

 

That looks very spick & spam, almost did not recognise it. When was it taken?

Below May 2010. It was in a very bad way then with much debate on it & the basins future.
Fascinating area.

[Heartland]

With regards to Goliath post, the Whitmore Arm (James Level) lacked a towpath, although at the very first when Caroline Colmore instigated the branch there was a short section. And I recall Buckby Locks pointing out the wharf that was there when the Museum first opened.  However this arm served various industrial premises including the Elkington Factory and the building on the right comprised part of the Elkington Works.

 

As to the Lydney Swing Bridge Saturday 5th August 2023.

 

[magnetman]

On 04/08/2023 at 13:58, David Mack said:

 

 

Was this image taken in the past or the future?

Is it part of the CRT making life better by water campaign? Where are the electric bikes?

Edited August 7, 2023 by magnetman

[Francis Herne]

While we're on swing bridges, how about this little one?

(ok, so I did post it in another thread a while ago)

The coal bag is so the bow of my canoe will fit under it.

Edited August 7, 2023 by Francis Herne

[oboat]

Are we adjacent to MSC ?

 

[Francis Herne]

12 hours ago, oboat said:

Are we adjacent to MSC ?

No. Only narrow canals around here.

[David Mack]

8 minutes ago, Francis Herne said:

No. Only narrow canals around here.

And far removed vertically from the MSC!

[oboat]

On 06/08/2023 at 13:00, David Mack said:

Paging @Neil TNC!

Following the opening of the Lydney Canal in 1813 the existing Pidcock's Canal which had connected ironworks at Upper Forge and Lower Forge, to an inlet from the River Severn called Lydney Pill, was connected to the Canal instead of the river at Lydney Pill.
Some of the original Pidcock's Canal is supposed to have survived but I have never got to it. 
So yes, it would seem that small boats did come this way. On the way to the forge area.

Upper section of Lydney Canal, an old landing and the point where the railway went over part of it. 
Needs more exploration to confirm the connection

. On my list to go back!

Going back to the s/bridge.
I love this detail.
Hope it has serviced the restoration.

5 minutes ago, oboat said:

Following the opening of the Lydney Canal in 1813 the existing Pidcock's Canal which had connected ironworks at Upper Forge and Lower Forge, to an inlet from the River Severn called Lydney Pill, was connected to the Canal instead of the river at Lydney Pill.
Some of the original Pidcock's Canal is supposed to have survived but I have never got to it. 
So yes, it would seem that small boats did come this way. On the way to the forge area.

Upper section of Lydney Canal, an old landing and the point where the railway went over part of it. 
Needs more exploration to confirm the connection

. On my list to go back!

Going back to the s/bridge.
I love this detail.
Hope it has serviced the restoration.

 

5 minutes ago, oboat said:

Following the opening of the Lydney Canal in 1813 the existing Pidcock's Canal which had connected ironworks at Upper Forge and Lower Forge, to an inlet from the River Severn called Lydney Pill, was connected to the Canal instead of the river at Lydney Pill.
Some of the original Pidcock's Canal is supposed to have survived but I have never got to it. 
So yes, it would seem that small boats did come this way. On the way to the forge area.

Upper section of Lydney Canal, an old landing and the point where the railway went over part of it. 
Needs more exploration to confirm the connection

. On my list to go back!

Going back to the s/bridge.
I love this detail.
Hope it has serviced the restoration.

 

Edited August 8, 2023 by oboat

[Chris Lowe]

At the moment this is the best that I have managed to map Pidcocks canal.

 

[Heartland]

Contemporary documents refer to Pidcock's canal at Pidcock & Company, it principally connected Lower and Upper Forge and there was a warehouse at Lower Forge and Lydney Pill was the mode of getting traffic to the Severn. In those days the Gloucester & Sharpness Canal was not open to Sharpness and so the barges, trows and other coastal vessels used the treacherous tidal waterway from Gloucester.

 

With the map reproduced above the plateway of the Severn & Wye Railway and Canal Company is shown as is the navigation through to Nass Point. That navigation was opened in 1813 - the same year when Pidcock & Co gave up the forges, rolling mill and a furnace.

 

The Pidcock family had various interest in glassmaking and iron working in the West Midlands, begin with a dynasty founded with John Pidcock Senior, glass maker of Stourbridge.

 

Some accounts refer to the Pidcock &  Co canal as having three locks  

[Chris Lowe]

48 minutes ago, Heartland said:

Some accounts refer to the Pidcock &  Co canal as having three locks

I'm still looking, but yet to find a map confirming the locks, the route to middleforge is on early OS maps though.