Up and Down Locks

[mark99]

Any such thing as a series of locks where you go down, then up in a small distance?

 

Example - say restoring an old canal which has to be redug to go under a motorway or simliar obstruction.

 

Mark

[the grinch]

shortest one i can think of is the scottish drop lock where you go down one side, pass under the bridge and come back up the other side.

[alan_fincher]

Example - say restoring an old canal which has to be redug to go under a motorway or simliar obstruction.

Modifying a canal in such a way would normally introduce problems with water supply, as it would preobably result in a new short "summit" section that had no water feed.

 

I can't immediately think of any examples of this, but I suppose it would just about be possible if a back-pumping scheme were introduced as part of the cahnge.

[MartinClark]

Any such thing as a series of locks where you go down, then up in a small distance?

Of course, this used to happen on the Grand Union (Grand Junction) between Wolverton and Cosgrove before the locks down and up again were replaced by the embankment and Great Ouse Aqueduct.

[alan_fincher]

Of course, this used to happen on the Grand Union (Grand Junction) between Wolverton and Cosgrove before the locks down and up again were replaced by the embankment and Great Ouse Aqueduct.

Yes, but that is already otherwise the lowest point of the canal, with water feeding into the pond that now contains the aqueduct through "downhill" locks at both ends, (Cosgrove to the North, Fenny to the South).

 

Generally if you tried to retrofit such an arrangement to (say) go under some new Motorway or Railway, then you probably would find that one direction lead to a lock that fell from the leve you were cutting in tol, and you would then have created a new "summit" that required an independent water feed.

[the grinch]

Generally if you tried to retrofit such an arrangement to (say) go under some new Motorway or Railway, then you probably would find that one direction lead to a lock that fell from the leve you were cutting in tol, and you would then have created a new "summit" that required an independent water feed.

 

not necessarily as a bypass could be fitted for the water to pass, like there is at North Warnborough on the Basingstoke Canal. the river passes under the canal although both are at a similar level.

[alan_fincher]

not necessarily as a bypass could be fitted for the water to pass, like there is at North Warnborough on the Basingstoke Canal. the river passes under the canal although both are at a similar level.

You are of course quite correct.....

 

I didn't think of that!

 

I suppose another issue is how you stop the newly created low level "sump" from flooding as the locks are used. If it ends up somewhere where excess water couldn't go to a natural drain, presumably you would have to keep pumping it ?

[Chrish01]

Any such thing as a series of locks where you go down, then up in a small distance?

 

Example - say restoring an old canal which has to be redug to go under a motorway or simliar obstruction.

 

Mark

 

You come down out of King's lock in Middlewich, turn right into the Wardle Canal and immediately go up through a lock again.

 

Chris

[MartinClark]

You come down out of King's lock in Middlewich, turn right into the Wardle Canal and immediately go up through a lock again.

I'm sure you meant "turn left into the Wardle Canal"?

If you turn right you end up in a dead-end arm!

 

(I'm sure someone here knows what that arm is called.)

[alan_fincher]

Any such thing as a series of locks where you go down, then up in a small distance?

 

Example - say restoring an old canal which has to be redug to go under a motorway or simliar obstruction.

I concentrated on your "example" situation, but ignored where it happens anyway.

 

You can achieve simply going down one lock, and back up one lock any number of times, by making repeated trips around the triangle at the intersection of the Southern Stratford, Northern Stratford and GU canals at Kingswood Junction.

 

I'm talking about Stratford Canal locks numbered 20 and 21, if you want to try it !

 

(When I say "any number of times" I mean until you drain the water out of the short length of canal above both these locks, and p*ss off the people moored there!)

[paulcatchpole]

(When I say "any number of times" I mean until you drain the water out of the short length of canal above both these locks, and p*ss off the people moored there!)

 

Alan... I'm ringing you when we're sitting on the bottom, and it's 3m deep here, they claim!

 

 

PC

[Night Hawk]

I'm sure you meant "turn left into the Wardle Canal"?

If you turn right you end up in a dead-end arm!

 

(I'm sure someone here knows what that arm is called.)

 

Oh...yes....you're right....always get big lock and kings lock fuddled!

 

But Maureen say's the Wardle has a little leak and she's told BW...that's why she's not weeded her side of the canal!

 

I suggested she try Tenna Lady but she didn't get the joke!

Edited August 24, 2009 by Night Hawk

[Theo]

Oh...yes....you're right....always get big lock and kings lock fuddled!

 

But Maureen say's the Wardle has a little leak and she's told BW...that's why she's not weeded her side of the canal!

 

I suggested she try Tenna Lady but she didn't get the joke!

Had to Google that. I wonder if she would have been offended if she had got it.

 

N

[Billw]

HERE'S the only drop lock in the UK at the moment, though one is planned for the Droitwich restoration.

[fender]

ok so where's the shortest up/down or down/up stretch of waterway (apart from Wardle and Dalmuir)??

 

Smethwick/Spon Lane going up one set then down the other is one example that comes to mind

Edited August 24, 2009 by fender

[the grinch]

HERE'S the only drop lock in the UK at the moment, though one is planned for the Droitwich restoration.

 

i already said that in post 2 but thanks for the linky!

 

I'm sure you meant "turn left into the Wardle Canal"?

If you turn right you end up in a dead-end arm!

 

(I'm sure someone here knows what that arm is called.)

 

is that the dry dock or is there an arm as well?

[MartinClark]

I'm sure you meant "turn left into the Wardle Canal"?

If you turn right you end up in a dead-end arm!

is that the dry dock or is there an arm as well?

Take a look for yourself!

[Google aerial view linky]

[Tim Lewis]

HERE'S the only drop lock in the UK at the moment, though one is planned for the Droitwich restoration.

 

I don't think that there will be one on the Droitwich!!

 

Tim

[fender]

I don't think that there will be one on the Droitwich!!

 

Tim

 

shame Fulbourne wont be able to use it then!

[mayalld]

Oh...yes....you're right....always get big lock and kings lock fuddled!

 

But Maureen say's the Wardle has a little leak and she's told BW...that's why she's not weeded her side of the canal!

 

I suggested she try Tenna Lady but she didn't get the joke!

 

You made a joke like that to Maureen?

 

Did she have her windlass on her?

 

Is this bravery or stupidity I see before me?

[Hairy-Neil]

Smethwick/Spon Lane going up one set then down the other is one example that comes to mind

 

The now partly derelict 'Tipton Ring', must have been one of the smallest in regular use, the Stratford Triangle being a modern phenomena

[mayalld]

The now partly derelict 'Tipton Ring', must have been one of the smallest in regular use, the Stratford Triangle being a modern phenomena

 

How is it a modern phenomenon?

 

Whilst the Lapworth Link is a relatively recent re-opening, it is a re-opening rather than a reconstruction.

[Liam]

You made a joke like that to Maureen?

 

Did she have her windlass on her?

 

Is this bravery or stupidity I see before me?

 

She no longer carries her windlass, but she does carry her walking stick...

 

Ouch!

[fender]

How is it a modern phenomenon?

 

Whilst the Lapworth Link is a relatively recent re-opening, it is a re-opening rather than a reconstruction.

 

not in the way you describe - it has never been possible to do the three sides at the same time until recently. Therefore, as Hairy Neil suggests, it is a modern phenomenon.

[mayalld]

not in the way you describe - it has never been possible to do the three sides at the same time until recently. Therefore, as Hairy Neil suggests, it is a modern phenomenon.

 

Ah, I am clearly misinformed.

 

It was my understanding that there had been a time in the past where all three sides were open (and that at the time the lapworth link was a stop lock).

 

Can we have a potted history????