Canal Bridge Query...

[robtheplod]

Hi All

I hope you can help me. We've come back from a great week on the Warwick Ring. Lovely scenery and one of the best parts are the bridges. One thing I noticed on many of the small, out of the way bridges was they had a small arch built into them on one side which you seemed just big enough to crawl into?  I don't think it went all the way through, but many had them.... I've been trying to find out what these are for without success... anyone a: know what I'm talking about and b: have any ideas?  thanks!!

 

rob

Edited May 22, 2017 by robtheplod

[Athy]

Perhaps to store "stop planks", railway sleeper-like sections of wood which can be inserted into slots or grooves on each side of the watercourse to isolate a section of canal if it needs to be drained for maintenance.

[FadeToScarlet]

Yes, storage for the stop planks.

[IanM]

[dmr]

Until very recently there was also a set of planks stored by many locks, and the different styles of storage rack was one of the silly little things that I found fascinating about the canals. In the last few years CaRT have started to store the planks centrally and bring them along when required, I think they have also done experiments with adjustable length aluminium planks. Organising the correct stop planks has sometimes been a source of delay for some repairs.

I have seen possible evidence of bad boaters stealing the planks for firewood which is probably one reason why they are no longer stored at the canalside.

On the Bridgewater canal (which is wide and quite deep) there are not only planks stored at each stop plank location, but also a crane to lift them into place.

 

.............Dave

[Dave Payne]

Still see the planks at some locations, braunston top lock i think has a set in the little shelter, next to the cottage.

Bridge at Hartshill yard on the Coventry has a shed built into it with planks stored.

Also i seem to recall another little shelter with planks, on the Coventry somewhere just south of lichfield junction?

[X Alan W]

In the 60's when we were contracted to BW to carry concrete piles from the works at Mk Drayton they also cast concrete pieces that built up into a square concrete tube of a length to slide stop planks into with a steel door on the end that could be closed/locked these were sited at some locks & by some bridge"ole's". I seem to remember transporting around 20 "kits" to various of the " Shroppie," Middlewich branch, & the Cheshire locks area of the T&M.

[Athy]

Now that you mention it, Alan, I have seen such a steel door by a canal bridge, yes.

[Nightwatch]

I noticed on the Bridgwater for instance that there was a crane and a one section dam ready to be placed.

[robtheplod]

thanks for replies everyone. mystery solved!