An Irwell question

[Laurence Hogg]

when going upstream on the river Irwell something has always had me wondering. Just before the Irwell goes under the tracks coming in (or out) of Victoria Station there is a tunnel which seems to be under the road called "Hunts bank". It looks as if it was big enough to take boats, can anyone explain what this was for?

Thanks,

Laurence

[John Holden]

when going upstream on the river Irwell something has always had me wondering. Just before the Irwell goes under the tracks coming in (or out) of Victoria Station there is a tunnel which seems to be under the road called "Hunts bank". It looks as if it was big enough to take boats, can anyone explain what this was for?

Thanks,

Laurence

 

It is the river Irk but has never, as far as I know, been used for navigation. (wait for somebody to say "oh yes it has")

[Alice No1]

It is the river Irk but has never, as far as I know, been used for navigation. (wait for somebody to say "oh yes it has")

It looks like barges were loaded there see link.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/River_Irk

[Derek R.]

It looks like barges were loaded there see link.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/River_Irk

 

Where? Used for powering Mills and as an open sewer through Manchester, but the only reference to anything man made entering, is the unfortunate accident costing ten lives when a train carriage plunged into it!

 

Good shot of the culverted confluence with the Irwell.

[Laurence Hogg]

Where? Used for powering Mills and as an open sewer through Manchester, but the only reference to anything man made entering, is the unfortunate accident costing ten lives when a train carriage plunged into it!

 

Good shot of the culverted confluence with the Irwell.

 

You have to click the photo links at the bottom of the page. Theres little doubt that loading took place inside the large part, it probably served as as stub end wharf off the Irwell.

Search on "optimus prime" and more comes up.

[billh]

You have to click the photo links at the bottom of the page. Theres little doubt that loading took place inside the large part, it probably served as as stub end wharf off the Irwell.

Search on "optimus prime" and more comes up.

The Irwell is just about navigable for narrowboats for 200yards beyond the confluence with the Irk, it isn't possible (now) to navigate any of the Irk. 35 years ago , the Irk was a rather attractive blue colour most of the time, whilst the Irwell , apart the horrid sewage content, contained balls of wax, a bye product of the paper making industry in Bury and Radcliffe. Both rivers are much improved now.

I understand the Irwell had been navigable to the Adelphi weir in Salford , but in the 1960's the river course was altered and made shallow as part of a flood relief scheme. The limit of navigation is the Inner Ring Road bridge but winding a 70ft boat here can be fraught (don't ask how I know this).

[RLWP]

You have to click the photo links at the bottom of the page. Theres little doubt that loading took place inside the large part, it probably served as as stub end wharf off the Irwell.

Search on "optimus prime" and more comes up.

 

This link:

 

http://www.silentuk.com/writeups/prime.html

 

You have to click to the side of the photos

 

Richard

[journeyperson]

The medeival bridge that spanned the Irk across Hanging Ditch can be seen in the basement cafe of the cathedral visitor centre.

 

[John Holden]

The medeival bridge that spanned the Irk across Hanging Ditch can be seen in the basement cafe of the cathedral visitor centre.

 

 

No, that bridge didn't span the Irk. It spanned Hanging Ditch which was a water course in its day.

[journeyperson]

No, that bridge didn't span the Irk. It spanned Hanging Ditch which was a water course in its day.

 

Ah, I did wonder how the Irk got from there to Hunts Bank on the other side of the cathedral. I stand corrected!

[Derek R.]

Ah! Thank you Laurence and Richard.

 

There is a strange attraction to subterranean passageways:

 

 

"There is something in a sewer, .... Down below

That has a strange allure, ....Down below,

The magic of the drain, is a thing you can't explain,

But it's calling us again, .... Down below."

 

Written by Sydney Carter, performed by Stanley Holloway.

 

Down Below. Holloway was no Cockney, but I believe a Mancunian by birth.

[John Holden]

Ah, I did wonder how the Irk got from there to Hunts Bank on the other side of the cathedral. I stand corrected!

 

Actually, though it was Hanging Ditch and not the Irk, Hanging Ditch ran right round the back of the Cathedral and joined up with the Irk to make a defensive ditch around the town of Manchester. So I think we are both right in a way

[Laurence Hogg]

When Chris Coburn and myself went up the Irwell we got as far as Trinity way before the bottom came up to near the top, we wantted to go past there as there are structures visible in the river about 1/4 mile further on. Winding wasnt possible so we gently went astern and winded under the railway bridges, we attempted to push into the Irk but couldnt get near it, too much silt, so we gave in and went to the pub on the Irwell and consumed much beer.

[John Holden]

Trinity Way is on the site of The New Quay company wharf where the flat Emma was launched in 1828. On launching it hit the opposite bank of the river and capsized drowning 30 or 40 people, many children from local schools.

[Heartland]

I understand that the early town of Manchester was placed on top of a cliff beside the Irwell and some of the early warehouses for the navigation were placed on this cliff or at places where the slope was easier. Seemingly these were near the Friars Bridge. An early wharf was called Moss's

 

Ray Shill