Old sign on the Oxford canal

[Felshampo]

Found this sign on a bridge parapet on the Oxford canal near Braunston. Wondered what the line " 24 25 vict cap 70" was about.

I'm sure one of you will know. 

Thanks. 

[IanM]

I think it refers to an Act of Parliament.

[BEngo]

It is a reference to  Acts of Parliament when Victoria was on the throne.  I think the 24 and 25 bit mean that the Acts were assented to in the 24th and 25th years of her reign, so about 1861 or 1862 ish.  Can't remember the rest.

 

It was an Act for Regulating the Tolls on Road Locomotives etc. etc.  It comes up as a pdf on legislation.gov if you google the reference on the sign.l

 

N 

[John Brightley]

I didn't know myself, but found out from Wikipedia that this is a reference to the Locomotive Act of 1861, the 70th Act passed in the parliamentary session that started in the 24th year of the reign of Queen Victoria and finished in the 25th.

[Felshampo]

Excellent work people.

From looking at the above a realised I had seen this way back on a coal post on the GU. 

Every days a school day. 

Thanks again. 

[Pluto]

There are some cast bridge notices on the L&LC, but they also used printed ones:

[Felshampo]

Can anyone clarify the meaning of cap? 

The coal post had cap 42 on it. 

Does it refer to clause 70 or section 70? 

Any ideas. 

[IanM]

Commons Act of Parliament maybe??

[Scholar Gypsy]

Cap 70 refers to Chapter 70 (Latin?). I suspect this is the Chapter of the bound record (definitive) copies of legislation that is held in the Palace of Westminster  (on vellum, until recently - now on archival paper whatever that is).

https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/Vict/24-25/70/introduction/enacted

Sadly none of this Act is still in force - you can toggle between "enacted" and "in force" versions on this wonderful website.

https://commonslibrary.parliament.uk/research-briefings/cbp-7451/ on vellum

https://archives.parliament.uk/online-resources/legislation/  has more

 

An image of the 1867 Reform Act. Sadly the Locomotive Act does not appear to have been scanned in.

 

https://archives.parliament.uk/collections/getrecord/GB61_HL_PO_PU_1_1867_30and31V1n309

https://iiif.collectionsbase.org.uk/GB61/GB61_HL_PO_PU_1_1867_30and31V1n309/e5tD3#?c=0&m=0&s=0&cv=2&xywh=-690%2C0%2C2565%2C1006

 

Section 6 of the original

 

Use of Locomotives restricted over Suspension and other Bridges.

It shall not be lawful for the Owner or Driver of any Locomotive to drive it over any Suspension Bridge nor over any Bridge on which a conspicuous Notice has been placed, by the Authority of the Surveyor or Persons liable to the Repair of the Bridge, that the Bridge is insufficient to carry Weights beyond the ordinary Traffic of the District, without previously obtaining the Consent of the Surveyor of the Road or Bridgemaster under whose Charge such Bridge shall be for the Time being, or of the Persons liable to the Repair of such Bridge; and in case such Owner of the Locomotive and Surveyor of the Road or Bridge, or Bridgemaster, shall differ in opinion as to the Sufficiency of any Bridge to sustain the Transit of the Locomotive, then the Question shall be determined by an Officer to be appointed, on the Application of either Party, by One of Her Majesty's Principal Secretaries of State, whose Certificate of Sufficiency of such Bridge shall entitle the Owner of the Locomotive to take the same over such Bridge.

[Felshampo]

Thanks Simon. 

Capitulum. Just looked that up. 

All that from an old bit of iron bolted to a bridge. A real treat, when I found it, while walking the dog this morning. Still in its original place after over 150 years!

[Scholar Gypsy]

19 minutes ago, Felshampo said:

Thanks Simon. 

Capitulum. Just looked that up. 

All that from an old bit of iron bolted to a bridge. A real treat, when I found it, while walking the dog this morning. Still in its original place after over 150 years!

I have very strong memories of the diamond shaped signs on bridges in the Banbury area. 

[Pluto]

52 minutes ago, Scholar Gypsy said:

Cap 70 refers to Chapter 70 (Latin?). I suspect this is the Chapter of the bound record (definitive) copies of legislation that is held in the Palace of Westminster  (on vellum, until recently - now on archival paper whatever that is).
 

Each session of Parliament is given a title, hence Vict 24-25, the session in the 24th and 25th years of the reign of Victoria, with the Chapter number indication the order in which Acts became law in that session, so this was the 70th Act which received Royal Assent in that Parliamentary session.

[Scholar Gypsy]

2 minutes ago, Pluto said:

Each session of Parliament is given a title, hence Vict 24-25, the session in the 24th and 25th years of the reign of Victoria, with the Chapter number indication the order in which Acts became law in that session, so this was the 70th Act which received Royal Assent in that Parliamentary session.

The current position, according to Wikipedia: 

"Acts passed since 1963 are cited by calendar year,^[1] as opposed to the convention used for earlier Acts of citing the regnal year(s) in which the relevant parliamentary session was held.^[2] Each Act passed in a respective year is given a chapter number (abbreviated "c."), denoted by Arabic numerals in the case of public general acts, lowercase Roman numerals in the case of local acts, or italicised Arabic numerals in the case of personal acts. These run as separate series.^[3] "

[David Mack]

10 minutes ago, Scholar Gypsy said:

Acts passed since 1963 are cited by calendar year,^[1] as opposed to the convention used for earlier Acts of citing the regnal year(s) in which the relevant parliamentary session was held.^[2]

With the previous system regnal years were measured from the date the monarch ascended the throne, so any parliamentary session was almost always going to cover two regnal years, hence the 24-25.

[Pluto]

Sessions were just as often in one year as two, as you can see from the list of all navigation legislation I compiled and which can be found here https://rchs.org.uk/waterway-legislation-list/. The list almost certainly has a few mistakes, but gives a useful insight into when canal Acts were passed, together with other Government papers.

[Heartland]

Traction Engines were often heavy. As can be seen from this image.

 

In the good old days of the Birmingham Science Museum they had an annual procession around the surrounding streets.

 

 

 

 

[Stroudwater1]

On 11/05/2023 at 18:02, Heartland said:

Traction Engines were often heavy. As can be seen from this image.

 

In the good old days of the Birmingham Science Museum they had an annual procession around the surrounding streets.

 

 

 

 

 

Indeed they did, it was rather fun driving a 10 ton roller into central Birmingham, though I couldn't fit on sadly. . Pulling onto the A38 by Pebble Mill was exceedingly challenging even in the 1970s, as a Midland red bus found, all nearside sheets were ripped off, minimal damage to the Aveling.  Fortunately it only occupied by the driver of the bus. 

 

That looks like one of the latest rallys, or is it just Busy Bee coming out from the museum? ? The rallys must have happened for a number of years, I have images from the late 1960s era, very well attended.

 

Busy bee is a bit of a lightweight TBF at 5 ton. The 10 ton roller used to regularly cross the bridge on the W&B at  Bittel resevoir when it was a main road. 

Edited May 23, 2023 by Stroudwater1

[BuckbyLocks]

A Fowler Ploughing Engine was often parked on the canal bridge outside the Museum for the Annual Rally. This picture was clearly taken on a non rally appearance, possibly on its way to another rally as Busy Bee did attend several rallies up until the mid 90s. I recognise the TA (Technical Assistant) standing by the rear wheel as Andy but cannot see enough of the rest of the crew to be able to date the image. The Rally ceased to be held in the mid 90s and the Museum closed to the public in 97. I think I arranged the last outing that BB had but can't remember the date now. It was driven from the Museum to Margaret Street for the opening of the People's Choice Exhibition in the Gas Hall.

[Hudds Lad]

I do like an old steam vehicle, reminds me of all the agricultural shows i got dragged to as a kid (grandad was a top rabbit judge). Just the noise and the smell takes me right back  

Only one i've seen near the canal is this truck in Brewood five years ago.