Sloping paddle gear

[Heartland]

When did canal companies use paddle gear made on the slant. What were the advantages of such a practice?

[Tracy D'arth]

The weight of the water bears down on the paddle holding it against the culvert inlet rather than hanging vertically if that makes any difference.

[Pluto]

Sloping paddles are illustrated in Maillard's book on canal building. His designs were based on visiting English canals in 1795. Sloping the paddles could ensure that the seal will be better over time as the paddle will not leave the wooden runners and so less likely for rubbish to interfere with the seal.

[magpie patrick]

Dating these things is difficult, and it's interesting that Maillard observed this in 1795. From memory there aren't that many with a pronounced slant, and the ones I particularly remember are on the HNC at Diggle, although from memory a couple of other HNC locks (Uppermill?) also some Trent & Mersey locks. That said those look like they're falling over, but some may have a much less pronounced slope. 

[BEngo]

The Ham Baker  paddles on the Napton  to Knowle section of the  GU slope, but not very much. 

 

I would guess at 5-10 degrees.

 

N

 

[springy]

IIRC Wolverhampton Locks have an interesting mixture, Bottom Lock (which was rebuilt) has the top of the ground paddles leaning slightly away from the chamber side i.e. towards the towpath, the others where the paddle gear is on a wooden post lean along the line of the lock towards the chamber, but where the paddle gear is on a cast iron mounting post they are vertical. Sloping may also make a difference to the initial force required to lift the paddle but that might just be in my mind (or my arms and back !). 

 

springy

[Derek R.]

Middlewich. C 1983.

 

[Pluto]

There are some on the L&LC, the photo being of Anchor Lock, Gargrave. I suspect they were all installed in the 1820s or 1830s, as one lock at Barrowford does have a date stone in the chamber wall. They could have been seen as an improvement on vertical paddles, but were more expensive to maintain.

[ditchcrawler]

This is the T&M 

[Stroudwater1]

Diggles paddles are very angled aren’t they? Are they the only top ground paddle mechanisms that are both on the same side, and also the only ones that face into the canal?

 

that means winding them standing sideways to the canal, and not facing the canal as they are wound? 
 

Longford Lock, Staffs and worcs tonight 

 

 

and Diggle from above 

 

And below 

 

And a repair at Diggle 

 

[magpie patrick]

Given the innovation was noted in 1795, and a lot of canals were built after that, it would appear sloping paddles didn't offer enough of an advantage to outweigh any disadvantage. 

7 hours ago, Stroudwater1 said:

Diggles paddles are very angled aren’t they? Are they the only top ground paddle mechanisms that are both on the same side, and also the only ones that face into the canal?

 

that means winding them standing sideways to the canal, and not facing the canal as they are wound? 
 

Longford Lock, Staffs and worcs tonight 

 

 

and Diggle from above 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 I can't think of any other UK canal that has two paddles on the same side, although the original configuration at the lower end of each lock at Marple did. 

 

I've seen a USA waterway with three paddles on the same side, operating a valve in the floor. 

[ditchcrawler]

2 hours ago, magpie patrick said:

I can't think of any other UK canal that has two paddles on the same side, although the original configuration at the lower end of each lock at Marple did. 

 

I've seen a USA waterway with three paddles on the same side, operating a valve in the floor. 

 

 

 

I have seen one on a river, down the Nene

[Heartland]

If I recall Gibsons Arm in Birmingham had paddles on the same side of the lock in Cambridge Street

 

will have to check

 

[Ken X]

Sloping paddle gear on Wallbridge Upper Lock, Thames and Severn Canal.

 

 

[IanM]

14 minutes ago, Ken X said:

Sloping paddle gear on Wallbridge Upper Lock, Thames and Severn Canal.

 

 

 

I was going to mention the Thames & Severn and Stroudwater Navigation.

 

It's a bit of a mix to be honest.

 

Most, not all, of the T&S locks from Wallbridge to Brimscombe have the paddles sloping on the downstream face of a flattened-off arched chamber underneath the lockside as above.  These culverts enter the lock in the cill.

 

The rest to the Thames seem to be on the upstream face of a flat wall perpendicular to the towpath and are very slightly sloping.  The culverts for these enter the lock in the side walls.

 

Both the above wind at right angles to the lock sides so in the case of the latter you are actually winding in to the canal.

 

All the Stroudwater locks have vertical paddles in the upper gate recesses which originally wound facing into the canal apart from Whitminster Lock which has the arrangement the same as the lower T&S except for the culverts emptying into the sides of the lock.

 

I haven't got any pictures here to illustrate it but I'll try to add some later.