Somerset Coal Canal Lock 9

[magpie patrick]

Hi Folks,

 

We've spent today (we being SCCS) working on lovk 9 of the combe hay flight. The locks were last used in anger in 1898, 112 years ago, and the skeleton of the bottom gates is largely intact. They wouldn't have been new then, so these gates are 140-150 years old at a guess?

 

The gates were clad in wrought iron plates, unusual but is it unique? And are there any older gates around that are so intact? The land owner wants us to preserve them. I'm not sure we can

 

So no real question, just comments please

 

Patrick

[MartinClark]

I take it the gates had been buried? There must be some way to preserve them - like they do with historic wooden ships but, once the wood is exposed to the air, it will start to disintegrate, I think. Maybe you can stick them in a tank of water for now?

[bag 'o' bones]

I take it the gates had been buried? There must be some way to preserve them - like they do with historic wooden ships but, once the wood is exposed to the air, it will start to disintegrate, I think. Maybe you can stick them in a tank of water for now?

 

The two most common methods of preserving waterlogged wood is either by freeze drying or soaking in PEG solution.

 

Problem is with wood that has been water logged for any length of time the connecting tissue holding the wood together get gradually washed away. As soon as you allow it to dry out its shrinks and cracks effectively destroying it.

Unfourtunatly both methods of preservation are incredibly expensive.

 

You could keep them soaked in water, which will slow the decay but its not really practical with a gate.

 

Archaelogically speaking, a canal gate is not really that interesting to warrant full blown preservation, although I would recommend getting the gates dated and recorded properly by an industrial archaeologist if you think they have unique features.

Edited March 7, 2010 by bag 'o' bones

[magpie patrick]

No, they are not buried and never have been, they are on a lock on a north facing slope (the climb is acute at this point, hence two locks below is the bulls nose, a 180 degree bend in the canal, locks 10 and 11 are next to each other)

 

The gates are skeletal, photos to follow. I recall seeing a gate on the Chesterfield Canal when I was 18 (25 years ago) that was 85 years old. It has since gone.

 

Anyone know any more?

[Pluto]

No, they are not buried and never have been, they are on a lock on a north facing slope (the climb is acute at this point, hence two locks below is the bulls nose, a 180 degree bend in the canal, locks 10 and 11 are next to each other)

 

The gates are skeletal, photos to follow. I recall seeing a gate on the Chesterfield Canal when I was 18 (25 years ago) that was 85 years old. It has since gone.

 

Anyone know any more?

I have a list of the age of lock gates on the L&LC in the 1920s. The oldest, on the Rufford line, was 45 years, with one of the shallow locks at Appley having head gates 41 years old. At Parbold, on the river near Chapel House, there is the site of one of the Douglas Navigation locks. I suspect that there could be remains of the chamber and gates, but it would need an archaeological dig to see what remains. The navigation was last used in 1781.

[MartinClark]

Anyone know any more?

 

I have heard it said that some of the gates on the Rochdale Nine were of considerable vintage, although some of those may have been replaced in recent years. One example that I recall was that of Piccadilly Lock (85) where the building that is now above the lock made it difficult to lift gates in or out. Perhaps someone else here has more knowledge of these locks?

[tomba]

The gates are skeletal, photos to follow.

 

It would be really nice to see these photos!

 

Tom

[the grinch]

when we started on Southland Lock we found the remains of the bottom gates buried in the silt, similarly the bottom mitre on some of our locks are original! not bad for a canal built so long ago.

 

look forward to seeing the pictures, what happened to the cromford canal ones?

Edited August 19, 2011 by hamsterfan

[Max Sinclair]

There are two oak gates in the bed of the Droitwich Barge Canal at the Swing Bridges designed by Brindley to be raised if the long embankement to Ladywood burst. They were constructed in about 1770 and looked good when we uncovered them in the 1980's.The saline water is a good preservative.As they were constructed with the facing on the canal bed the cavities were filled with silt which made them too heavy for the poor lengthman to raise with the chain provided.They will no doubt slumber for a long time.Perhaps a Scuba Diver could make a detailed survey.