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Hawkesbury lock


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11 hours ago, zenataomm said:

Don't forget everyone that Hawkesbury is not the original junction between the two canals.

When built the junction was at Longford.

 

What's the chances that boats leaving the basin at Bishop Street and heading for Oxford would have been gauged at Longford.

While boats heading up the Coventry would gauge at the pump house? 

As I said in post No 6.

 

Could this be the remnants of a lock gate, beyond the strapping post?

 

stop lock.jpg

Picture from "A Canal People" Rolt / Longdon.

 

Edited by Ray T
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Toll taking was done twice at Hawkesbury Junction up until 12th February 1909. Thereafter a single office was used and jointly funded by both companies but managed by the Oxford, which also explains the date of 1909 on the gable end of the toll office.
 
The narrows on the Coventry side were closed by the toll clerks so boats could not sneak through and avoid paying before the toll office opened in the morning.
  • Greenie 3
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Always thought the narrows on the Coventry where for gauging. Coming south loaded we would stop there and get off so as to have a look at the state of play by the pub and set the lock ready for tackling the turn. Tried to get round before Joe or Rose had a chance to have a laugh. 

  • Greenie 1
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Just out of interest The Oxford canal chain survey book (from an actual survey of July 1840) starts at Longford with a Towpath bridge No.1 presumably spanning the original junction. The next bridge is No.2 parish road bridge, then Victoria Colliery Landing just before Hawkesbury Junction at 7 furlongs from the start, where there is Lock No.1 and bridge No.3, a wooden towpath bridge.

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On 18/11/2019 at 22:07, Chris M Jones said:
Toll taking was done twice at Hawkesbury Junction up until 12th February 1909. Thereafter a single office was used and jointly funded by both companies but managed by the Oxford, which also explains the date of 1909 on the gable end of the toll office.
 
The narrows on the Coventry side were closed by the toll clerks so boats could not sneak through and avoid paying before the toll office opened in the morning.

Thank you

 

That is also a useful reminder that gates weren't necessarily water control structures, they could also be boat control structures!

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1 hour ago, Athy said:

We've boated through Sutton's many times and I've never noticed any sign of Longford junction. Are there any visible remains?

Apart from the width, none I have been able to discern.

 

20141001_103902.jpg

OX CV canal jcn.jpg

Track of the old Oxcord Canal.JPG

 

 

20141001_103812.jpg

 

Whilst having a mooch around the narrows on the Coventry this lunch time, quite by chance, I met a Bedworth historian now in his late 70's who assured me the narrows had once been a gauging lock with at least one set of gates.

Edited by Ray T
  • Greenie 1
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4 minutes ago, archie57 said:

The site of the junction at Longford is where boats used to wind before going stern first up to the loading shutes 1/2 mile further on towards Coventry. Tight for a full length boat, you probable couldn't do it now because of the moored boats.

Pictures from "A Canal People" Rolt / Longdon and the IWM

Longford chutes 2.jpg

Longford Coventry.jpg

Edited by Ray T
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