Lock on the Liskeard and Looe - photo

[magpie patrick]

Good evening

 

Photo of a lock in "working order" on the Liskeard & Looe Union Canal (good example of why not to use initials!) - most of the canal ceased operation in the 1860s including this lock, and it's the only photo I've ever seen of the canal in anything resembling working order. I'm putting here partly as a place holder for my own benefit, although I'm sure others will be interested.

 

 

Also, by way of acknowledgement, the website I've lifted the photo from

 

Lodge Lock

 

 

[Jen-in-Wellies]

Love the multicurved balance beams. Roughly squared off tree limbs, by the look of them.

[GUMPY]

Is this canal now mostly under the railway?

Edited January 4 by GUMPY
Adda word

[magpie patrick]

47 minutes ago, GUMPY said:

Is this canal now mostly under the railway?

 

Yes, or rather so carved up by the railway as to make what was left useless. Also with so many locks it was not much used for local traffic although apparently some use by small boats persisted.

 

The lowest length and first lock from the river survived rather longer..

[GUMPY]

One of the few branch lines that survived down here. 

[David Mack]

6 hours ago, Jen-in-Wellies said:

Love the multicurved balance beams. Roughly squared off tree limbs, by the look of them.

I can just hear the complaints if CRT got an artist in to provide curly balance beams in place of the regular straight type...

[magnetman]

Slightly odd that the reflection does not show the balance beam. The vertical parts are well defined but not the beam. 

 

The beam to the left is bendy but the other one is dead straight. Bendy bean seems too high for practical operation.

 

I am guessing that it is genuine because it will have been checked.

[magpie patrick]

12 hours ago, Jen-in-Wellies said:

Love the multicurved balance beams. Roughly squared off tree limbs, by the look of them.

 

There are many reasons why I love exploring details of the Fringe waterways, and their bucolic charm is among them. The Grand Junction was a

well oiled machine, the L&LU just had to work after a fashion 

25 minutes ago, magnetman said:

 

The beam to the left is bendy but the other one is dead straight. Bendy bean seems too high for practical operation.

 

This picture would have been right at the end of the lock's working life, so the rough cut beam was probably a bodge job to keep the lock going for another few months 

[magnetman]

Why isn't the beam in the reflection? The uprights are very clearly defined.

To me it looks like someone has found an image of a derelict lock and the balance beam had been superimposed into the photo. All the other reflections are correct. So why is the beam missing? Maybe because it was not there. 

[Pluto]

This must be quite an old photo, when shutter speeds were quite low, so ripples on the water would cause horizontal bars to become indistinct whist not affecting vertical ones so much. Note that the upper end of the gate posts are also indistinct.

[Derek R.]

12 hours ago, magnetman said:

Why isn't the beam in the reflection? The uprights are very clearly defined.

To me it looks like someone has found an image of a derelict lock and the balance beam had been superimposed into the photo. All the other reflections are correct. So why is the beam missing? Maybe because it was not there. 

You cannot see the reflection of the left hand balance beam because the bulk of the stonework of the left hand lock tail is in the way, casting a shadow on the water. What does appear to be missing, is the section of the beam that joins the two uprights on the gate.

 I wonder if there is some photographic error involved?

Edited January 5 by Derek R.

[magnetman]

I think Pluto for it right about the ripples. 

'got' it right. 

[Cananalmaps]

I am away from home at present and cannot access my notes, but my recollection is that the railway was built by the canal company alongside the waterway which continued in operation for a short period.

[Chris Lowe]

4 hours ago, Cananalmaps said:

I am away from home at present and cannot access my notes, but my recollection is that the railway was built by the canal company alongside the waterway which continued in operation for a short period.

That shows on the old OS maps, railway laid alongside I agree with Richard.