23rd November 2014
The Canal & River Trust held an Open Day at West Stockwith Lock today. It was a fantastic success with over 400 people going down into the lock.
In order to empty the lock, massive metal stop planks were inserted to keep out the River Trent and the water was pumped out by the big yellow pumps …..
….. which were powered by these generators.
Note our promotional trailer, James Brindley.
Inside the lock, there was an array of steps and platforms.
The main job was to install new top lock gates.
But they were taking the opportunity of doing other jobs …..
….. such as installing new lock ladders to bring them up to current standards.
You can see the new gates here and also the stop planks to keep the canal water out.
One of the great things about these Open Days is that one gets the opportunity to marvel at the construction. The floor of the lock still has the original brickwork …..
….. and the original stonework – that’s nearly 240 years old.
This is the sluice outlet for the ground paddles.These let water into the lock from the canal when it is being filled. Note the curved back wall of the lock chamber.
It is difficult to show the size of the lock. Not only is it a double lock (of which we have only six on the Chesterfield Canal), but it is very deep to allow access to the river. Altogether it is 42 metres (138′) long and 6.4 metres (21′) deep.
Richard Parry, Chief Executive of C&RT, came to see what was going on.
Jan Warsop took this photo of the new gates last week. The hole on the one at the back is at the bottom of the gate. It fits over a stud upon which the gate pivots when being opened and shut. The tenon on the top of the near gate fits into a mortise on the balance beam. To see a balance beam being fitted, on a much smaller lock gate, click here.
The gates were built at the C&RT workshop at Stanley Ferry, near Wakefield.
They built the bottom gates, which are far bigger, in 2008. This was the timber for those gates in their yard.
Proof!
We must thank everyone at C&RT for organising the Open Day and allowing us to take the JB.