"Bobbins" on the Huddersfield Narrow Canal

[Theo]

At many places on the coping stones of the HNC towpath there are mounted pivoted castings which look rather like bobbins. They are about 16" long and have holes in one end as if they were intended to to barred round and at least one of them has a loop cast in the other as if a chain should be shackled to it.

 

What were they for?

 

Nick

[John Orentas]

They were originally designed as a winch to open the Beano Comic type plug in the bed of the canal to drain a section of canal quickly.. In fact more like a heavy trap-door they are always found on an embankment or raised section of canal and you will invariably see some form of culvert emerging from below.. A chain was normally left very loose so not to interfere with boats could be wound up when required.

 

That's what I have been told anyway.

[mayalld]

At many places on the coping stones of the HNC towpath there are mounted pivoted castings which look rather like bobbins. They are about 16" long and have holes in one end as if they were intended to to barred round and at least one of them has a loop cast in the other as if a chain should be shackled to it.

 

What were they for?

 

Nick

 

They are bed valve capstans.

 

Adjacent to the capstan, in the middle of the canal, there is (or more often was, many have subsequently been permanently sealed) a bed valve, being a brick lined culvert, capped by a hinged door.

 

These bed valves allow(ed) sections of the canal to be drained down.

 

As you may imagine, they are tough to open, with significant water pressure to overcome.

 

The opening mechanism consists od a chaid attached to the bed valve, which is fished out with a keb, and wrapped round the capstan, which is used with a bar to open the valve.

[NB Esk]

They are bed valve capstans.

 

Adjacent to the capstan, in the middle of the canal, there is (or more often was, many have subsequently been permanently sealed) a bed valve, being a brick lined culvert, capped by a hinged door.

 

These bed valves allow(ed) sections of the canal to be drained down.

 

As you may imagine, they are tough to open, with significant water pressure to overcome.

 

The opening mechanism consists od a chaid attached to the bed valve, which is fished out with a keb, and wrapped round the capstan, which is used with a bar to open the valve.

 

Born & bred in the Huddersfield district............never knew that.

 

Did once hear of a boater managing to get a chain, that was secured to the bed of the canal, wrapped round his prop. Had to work for hours down the weedhatch, cutting it off with a hacksaw blade.

Suppose it could have been one of these...

[magpie patrick]

Born & bred in the Huddersfield district............never knew that.

 

Did once hear of a boater managing to get a chain, that was secured to the bed of the canal, wrapped round his prop. Had to work for hours down the weedhatch, cutting it off with a hacksaw blade.

Suppose it could have been one of these...

 

Yes, quite possibly, and several years ago on the Chesterfield Canal (I think) a BW dredging team caught a piece of old chain in their dredger and got the equipment to give a good hard yank at it. They then put the chain (and the tatty piece of wood on the end) into their hopper and went to lunch...

 

when they came back the canal was empty...

[mayalld]

Yes, quite possibly, and several years ago on the Chesterfield Canal (I think) a BW dredging team caught a piece of old chain in their dredger and got the equipment to give a good hard yank at it. They then put the chain (and the tatty piece of wood on the end) into their hopper and went to lunch...

 

when they came back the canal was empty...

 

Ah, but that I could find a news source for that story!

[Tim Lewis]

Ah, but that I could find a news source for that story!

 

Reference here

 

Tim

[Theo]

Thanks eveyone.

 

As always, ask the question and the answer comes back really quickly.

 

Nick

[Hairy-Neil]

Ah, but that I could find a news source for that story!

 

It does have a somewhat urban myth ring to it... but I do remember the news coverage at the time.

 

Snopes.com has no mention of it so it must be true.

[Catrin]

Ah, but that I could find a news source for that story!

There is clearly an article about it in "Times Archive Online" in 1978, but the jumping through hoops and confirmation of address, handing over information, etc that the Times seems to want for me to be able to access it is more than I am prepared to do.

Cheers

Cath