Standedge W to Hebdon bridge trip

[Emerald Fox]

Thanks for that. Still, need to see it in action before I understand. Have bookmarked this thread as photo may be useful.

May I recommend this video from Youtube, Slaithwaite to Marsden?:

 

The HNC seems a bit narrow - are there passing places?

[b0atman]

what about moorings in "slawit" certainly whole new meaning to narrow canal

[Tony Dunkley]

Several things, like most restored northern canals, the locks in urban areas of the HVNC were restored with Handcuff key locks on all paddle gear. As time has passed the need for these locks has dropped off so as the locks have been maintained the handcuff locks have not been replaced. The exception is lock 3 by Kirklees College where the paddles have had to be chain locked because of continued server vandalism. So you have to ring up the usual C&RT number to get passage through this lock.

As to the Rochdale canal this is now open passage, no padlocks are now applied, except in times of water shortage. The urban areas all have hundcuff locks fitted. Tuel Lane Lock (3&4) is manned by C&RT. See C&RT site for rules for the passage of Tuel Lane and of the summit level.

Paddles - the design of paddles has totally changed over the last 20 years. All paddles were constructed of elm boards, bolted together with two long through bolts going up the middle of the boards and connecting it to the paddle rod supports. The back of the board was hollowed out so that once the seal was broken water could pass on both side of the paddle thus reducing the pressure, and allowing to be easier to lift.

Now we have plastic paddles which are much lighter to start with, they were semi prone to breaking if dropped, so the racks or frames have been adjusted to stop them just falling, now they don't need to do this, but old? habits die hard.

The holder for the worst lock paddle gear in my book are the brand new bottom paddles on Lock 1W of the Huddersfield very Narrow Canal, installed just before Christmas 2014, they really do require a long throw windlass, dreadful things, after that its Hatton, which are just hard work, I would far rather work the Rochdale, out of Manchester than do Hatton, which I have always found to be hard work. The Rochdale is a lot more spread out but its far easier to operate. Next Marple bottom gate paddles. Maple use to have a different set up before restoration, two bottom ground paddles one highly geared to a small paddle, one with some gearing and a larger paddle, and then one large gate paddle, so they were all on the same side, made for smarter and easier operation. On restoration in the 1970's the ground paddles were all bricked up and two sets of moderate sized gate paddles were installed as standard, these are hard work, given most of the locks are nearly 14ft fall.

 

Historically the worst Paddle I have ever come across was about have way up the Crow, but an old lady from Claytons wondered over and just whipped it up, after I have struggled to move it for ages, really did feel my age that day!, but then I would have been about 13!

--

Cheers Ian Mac

Thanks for all that info. about how they've deliberately made all the paddle gear stiff to protect these new plastic paddles from breaking. Sounds as though everybody should do their best to break them at every opportunity, and then get them replaced with some decent ones that'll draw up and drop properly.

[Timleech]

Historically the worst Paddle I have ever come across was about have way up the Crow, but an old lady from Claytons wondered over and just whipped it up, after I have struggled to move it for ages, really did feel my age that day!, but then I would have been about 13!

--

Cheers Ian Mac

 

 

I've only ever been there once, and that was well after Claytons finished, and can't remember the paddle gear.

T&M top paddles tended to be simple rack and pinion affairs, and they did need to be 'attacked' in a particular way to get them started, there was a definite knack to it. Maybe the Crow locks were similar?

 

Thanks for all that info. about how they've deliberately made all the paddle gear stiff to protect these new plastic paddles from breaking. Sounds as though everybody should do their best to break them at every opportunity, and then get them replaced with some decent ones that'll draw up and drop properly.

One issue with modern paddle gear is that it's assembled from cast parts, with cast iron gear (perfectly normal), but parts are simply bolted together with no attention to 'fitting' to make sure that they run freely. I was told the other day that when fitting new gates, the men are not allowed enough time to make them fit properly, so you can get substantial leakage even with new gates. Don't get me started on the new top gate on Dutton stop Lock....

 

Tim

Edited February 8, 2015 by Timleech

[Tony Dunkley]

 

One issue with modern paddle gear is that it's assembled from cast parts, with cast iron gear (perfectly normal), but parts are simply bolted together with no attention to 'fitting' to make sure that they run freely. I was told the other day that when fitting new gates, the men are not allowed enough time to make them fit properly, so you can get substantial leakage even with new gates. Don't get me started on the new top gate on Dutton stop Lock....

 

Tim

Are you sure it's lack of time to get gates, including the paddle gear, fitted and working properly ? Stoppages these days take twice as long as it used to for the same amount of work to be done. Could it be that the contractors who carry out the work now, instead of the specialist BW chippys and fitters, either don't know how to do the job properly or just don't care, or maybe both ?

[b0atman]

Or maybe contract firms need to make a profit which is paid for from CRTs coffers so typical of where this country went down the wrong track .probably pay double what a BW worker got .

[Timleech]

Are you sure it's lack of time to get gates, including the paddle gear, fitted and working properly ? Stoppages these days take twice as long as it used to for the same amount of work to be done. Could it be that the contractors who carry out the work now, instead of the specialist BW chippys and fitters, either don't know how to do the job properly or just don't care, or maybe both ?

Some gates at least round here are fitted by CRT staff, it is they (so I've been told) who are being made to hurry the job and not allowed time to complete. I expect they are having to 'compete' with the time allocated for contractors.

 

 

Hand spike I was advised to check out sledge hammer or axe handles as cheap option ?

Just to add that if you bought that maul handle that I linked to on ebay, it wouldn't really be a cheap option. I think I paid £20 for my handspike from Stanley Ferry, but I was told they were charging £15 at Sowerby Bridge last year.

 

Tim

Edited February 8, 2015 by Timleech

[b0atman]

 

Just to add that if you bought that maul handle that I linked to on ebay, it wouldn't really be a cheap option. I think I paid £20 for my handspike from Stanley Ferry, but I was told they were charging £15 at Sowerby Bridge last year.

 

Tim

think I have found suitable ones on Amazon for just over a £10 free delivery.

[RichardH]

If you like beer and don't mind a hill you absolutely must check out the Sair Inn at Linthwaite. It is an own brew pub which is fab.

[Tony Dunkley]

Some gates at least round here are fitted by CRT staff, it is they (so I've been told) who are being made to hurry the job and not allowed time to complete. I expect they are having to 'compete' with the time allocated for contractors.

 

Tim

I would guess that's about it. There'll be some office chair polisher, who probably wouldn't recognize a lock if he was standing next to one, sitting at a desk and trying to make a budget fit the high cost of the outside contractors by deciding how long each 'task' can be allowed to take.

A massive improvement could be brought about by sacking the contractors and the o.c.p., then using some of the money saved to pay their own staff to do the job properly.

Do you any more about these plastic paddles with nothing taken off the back (downhill side) . . . if they were made of the right sort of plastic and thick enough to be machined to be an exact copy of the old elm ones, I would have thought they could be an improvement rather than poor alternative.

[peterboat]

Thanks for all that info. about how they've deliberately made all the paddle gear stiff to protect these new plastic paddles from breaking. Sounds as though everybody should do their best to break them at every opportunity, and then get them replaced with some decent ones that'll draw up and drop properly.

Hey up Tony moneys short dont tha knaw an them plastic things will last a lot langer than them wooden rubbish theys reyyt good for us shart armed deyp packit yorshire folk

 

Peter

[Tony Dunkley]

Hey up Tony moneys short dont tha knaw an them plastic things will last a lot langer than them wooden rubbish theys reyyt good for us shart armed deyp packit yorshire folk

 

Peter

Crappy paddles that are hard to draw up might alright for them oop Yorkshire way that's strong in t' arm an weak in t'ead, but folks that aren't used to oppnin' theer wallets wi' crowbars prefer something that works the way it was intended to.

Edited February 8, 2015 by Tony Dunkley

[Timleech]

Do you any more about these plastic paddles with nothing taken off the back (downhill side) . . . if they were made of the right sort of plastic and thick enough to be machined to be an exact copy of the old elm ones, I would have thought they could be an improvement rather than poor alternative.

Not much. Coplastix I seem to remember as the trade name. They could probably be moulded to the correct profile in the first place, probably much cheaper than machining afterwards.

 

Tim

 

Edit - there's some Coplastix blurb here

Edited February 8, 2015 by Timleech

[Emerald Fox]

Linthwaite Sair Inn - noted, thanks!

 

Here's an idea - how about first catching a train from Manchester via Stalybridge & Huddersfield to Dewsbury, then catching another train back to Manchester via Hebden Bridge & Littleborough?

I haven't been on those railways, and seems rather exotic. Would give a rough idea of the lay of the land.

 

There are 2 other nice videos on Youtube about walking along the Rochdale Canal, I won't post the links as they're easy enough to find. Still photos.

[Mac of Cygnet]

Linthwaite Sair Inn - noted, thanks!

 

Here's an idea - how about first catching a train from Manchester via Stalybridge & Huddersfield to Dewsbury, then catching another train back to Manchester via Hebden Bridge & Littleborough?

I haven't been on those railways, and seems rather exotic. Would give a rough idea of the lay of the land.

If you do, then look out for the picture of my boat on the sides of some of the trains!

 

The Sair Inn isn't quite what it was, since the change of management, but still worth the walk up the hill.

 

 

The exception is lock 3 by Kirklees College where the paddles have had to be chain locked because of continued server vandalism. So you have to ring up the usual C&RT number to get passage through this lock.

When did this arrangement start? It certainly wasn't the case when I last went through (September). Are there notices in Huddersfield and Slaithwaite advising of this? I certainly wouldn't like to arrive at Lock 3E out of hours and find I couldn't get through and not be able to turn round.

[b0atman]

Looks like Being in this area in May will be fun, sampling some new areas and checking out the recommended pubs cheers all.

I hope that visitor moorings give time to explore 24 hours is never enough time

48 72 and 96 should be used more.

[Rod a mod from Tod]

 

The Sair Inn isn't quite what it was, since the change of management, but still worth the walk up the hill.

 

 

 

 

 

Has Ron sold up then? I've not been over for yonks. The guy was a legend. Some of his signs around the pub were comedy gold.