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The Chesterfield Canal Restoration Update
Turnerwood and Thorpe Locks
An update covering July and August 2002 by J L Nuttall,
Regional Projects Manager, British Waterways NE.
On Saturday 6th July 2002 a public Open Day was held to view progress
on the Cinderhill Flight. The locks were all at different degrees
of reconstruction, with Quarry Lock the most advanced with the lock
and byweir completed and lock gates and operating equipment all
in place. In contrast, One Slide Lock was de-watered and taking-down
of areas to be rebuilt had commenced.
The open day involved parking at Shireoaks Marina and then walking
through the restored Nottinghamshire length to reach the first section
of the Rotherham restoration. In spite of poor weather on the preceding
days and the length of the walk (approximately 2km) it was very
pleasing to have between 500 to 600 visitors from as far away as
Market Harborough. From conversations with people, I would say the
restoration was perceived as being of very great value to the local
area.
The event involved staff from both British Waterways East Midlands
Navigations and North East Regional Office, Rotherham Metropolitan
Borough Council and the contractors Galliford Northern. Our thanks
must go to the local residents, in particular those at Turnerwood
who allowed use of both sides of the canal for a circular route
round the works. After the many months of towpath closure, the residents
coped with the mass invasion of visitors and I was pleased to observe
several local reunions between some residents and the visitors.
The works are progressing on schedule and on the Cinderhill Flight
four of the six locks are now complete with their lock gates installed.
The fifth set of lock gates (One Slide Lock) will be arriving week
commencing 12th August 2002.
On the Thorpe Flight, Thorpe Low Treble is now complete as far
as the lock rebuilding and fitting of gates is concerned - only
the excavation for the byweir remains and this will be dealt with
now that the engineering works are finished. Thorpe Top Treble Lock
has all three chambers substantially completed, but the gates have
not yet been delivered. Brickyard Double Lock structure is virtually
complete and anchors are currently being installed. Works are underway
rebuilding the chambers on the remaining locks with the completion
expected by mid November. With so many of the locks being completed
around the same time, we shall have a difficulty in designing, manufacturing
and fitting so many lock gates in a short space of time. We are
however looking carefully at our programme. Although the lock reconstruction
programme has generally remained on target throughout the works,
repairs in the quoin areas which required completion before the
gates could be measured, have meant the supply of lock gates commenced
later than originally planned.
Thorpe Lock Treble Bridge rebuilding is now well underway and
Martin Dils of our Technical Services department has provided the
following information: "According to the date inscribed into the
keystone, this bridge was constructed in 1835, post dating the construction
of the canal by some 58 years. Pressure to retain the original fabric
of the bridge was such that a strengthening scheme had to be designed
to remedy significant structural defects, and allow the bridge to
be usable by future occasional light vehicles and pedestrians.
The strengthening consists of providing a mass concrete saddle
to the arch. This serves to stabilise the slightly distorted arch
barrel. The concrete extends down the back of the (thin) towpath
abutment and has been tied to the brick sub structures using stainless
steel dowels. This achieves a composite structure having an increased
foundation area, which will safely transmit loading to suitable
ground, avoiding any further foundation movement.
Extensive and carefully designed temporary works have been necessary
to maintain the required support to the arch barrel during the process
of removing the fill materials. Tie rods and propping members were
used, but these have been removed. Brickwork repairs are due to
commence shortly to the arch soffit, parapets and wingwalls.
As excavation works proceeded it was interesting to find sub structures
relating to the original canal construction, before the bridge was
built. For example, buried wall features were revealed behind the
wet abutment, which were unexpected. The permanent works were modified
slightly to accommodate these finds without removing them and records
were made by archaeologists before covering up.
Removal of the render to the arch face has revealed, as expected,
a number defects including cracks and open joints. These are to
be repaired using a combination of stitching ties and brickwork
repair. The masonry voussoir blocks to the arch face are to receive
stitching ties to secure them to each other and horizontally into
the arch barrel to arrest any further separation."
Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council have now approved the towpath
and access improvements which will enable its use in all four seasons
of the year. In addition the works include a new ramp from the towpath
at Pudding Dyke Bridge to give access to the public areas of the
adjoining woodlands. Control barriers have been included at key
locations following discussions with local residents.
The first drafts of the interpretation and signage boards have
been displayed at local liaison meetings.
Once the canal is open we recognise that boaters will have access
for the first time in living memory to the double and treble locks.
As there are no other examples on the Chesterfield Canal, the local
waterway staff are currently working on suitable guidance notes.
We hope that the open day demonstrated the extent of the work
which has been undertaken and why we have found it necessary to
have the lengthy towpath closure. We are mindful that many will
wish to visit the restored canal and when safe to do so we will
reopen individual sections of the towpath.
johnnuttallNO@SPAMbritishwaterways.co.uk
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Looking
up the flight from Cinderhill Bridge showing the work in progress.
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The
amazing stone lining in the canal bed at the tail of One Slide
Lock. This could be seen at all the locks up the flight, sometimes
in stone and sometimes in brick. Presumably it was built to
prevent the canal bed from being scoured when the lock was
emptied. It is arched to prevent heave and also keeps the
thin battered canal walls apart.
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Reconstucting
the walls using recovered materials.
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Pictures
taken by John Lower on the Cinderhill to Turnerwood Flight
at British Waterways Press day, April 25th 2002. Click to see enlargements
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Plenty
of action at Turnerwood Low Lock. The structure is nearing
completion. The stone bed lining can again be seen and also
the elegant curved discharge to the bywash. The excavator
is digging out for the clay lined bywash channel.
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Turnerwood
Upper Lock - the structure was being prepared for the fitting
of lockgates. Note that a new bywash has had to be constructed
on the towpath side as the site of the original has been lost
while the canal has been closed. In the background, a new
stone cottage replaces the bungalow which formerly occupied
the site.
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Turnerwood
Low Lock showing the bywash under construction. There is a
hard inlet weir and outlet ramp, but the channel alongside
the lock chamber is a simple clay-lined channel.
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Lock
gates are now being fitted on the Turnerwood Flight. This
picture at Turnerwood Top Lock shows the new paddle gear fitted
to the bottom gates. It is made from an all-new set of patterns
but has been designed to give the appearance of the Historic
Chesterfield canal gearing.
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Pictures
taken by John Lower on the Cinderhill to Turnerwood Flight
at British Waterways Press day, April 25th 2002. Click to
see enlargements
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Picture
taken 5/7/2002 by John Lower at the BW VIP Open Day.
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The works are split into two geographical sites for convenience of
control. On the Cinderhill to Turnerwood Flight, Quarry Lock, Turnerwood
Top Lock and Turnerwood Bottom Lock are completed, including fitting
of lock gates. The remaining three locks (Feeder Lock, Stone Lock
and One Slide Lock) are all substantially advanced in terms of reconstruction.
I would hope to see the rebuilding works on these three locks completed
by late August 2002. This is an excellent rate of progress and has
partly been achieved by covering the lock chambers during the winter
period to enable works to continue in adverse weather conditions.
A similar rate of progress has been achieved on the Thorpe Lock
Flight in so far as the three chambers of Thorpe Top Treble Lock
and Thorpe Low Treble Locks are both substantially completed as
regards re-construction. In addition Brickyard Double Locks rebuilding
is at an advanced stage. Several of the single chamber locks are
currently in the process of taking down the damaged areas of work
for reconstruction.
Works have commenced on the major repairs to Thorpe Lock Bridge
and these are in advance of the original planned start date.
There have been several arranged interested visitor parties shown
around the site during the construction phase and the comments have
been very favourable as to the quality of work.
The proposals for towpath and access improvements have been broadly
publicised and Rotherham MBC who are funding these improvements
have approved the works to proceed. The objective is to include
the towpath and access improvements for completion by the same time
as the main restoration contract. As it is part of the project Rotherham
MBC are developing proposals for interpretation and signage at key
points and these are currently being included in consultation at
the various liaison meetings which we jointly attend as the restoration
progresses.
British Waterways is planning an open day to allow the public
to visit Cinderhill Flight on Saturday 6th July 2002. For further
information on this event please contact Nicola Rollason on 01636
675716.
As part of the archaeological recording the footbridge at Turnerwood,
which provides a pedestrian access to Quarry Lock was investigated
and a reconstruction drawing provided by the archaeologists. The
engineers are currently developing the reconstruction drawing into
a proposal which will comply with the current health and safety
legislation. The original bridge had unfortunately collapsed and
the remains were incomplete.
The open byweir for Turnerwood Top Lock passes beneath the towpath
into the main byweir channel which runs in the embankment behind
the towpath. This is because of development on the offside of this
lock built since the canal was closed almost 100 years ago. This
is an unusual arrangement on this canal, but not altogether unique
e.g. Worksop Town Lock byweir is culverted underneath the towpath.
This byweir construction has only been possible through the support
for the restoration by two residents of Turnerwood who made their
land available.
There were many meetings including offsite demonstrations and
revisions proposed of the lock operating equipment. The final planning
approval was delayed hence as the parts needed to be cast and machined
the first three sets finally arrived on site in late June 2002 (they
should have been received in February 2002). At least there will
be some to view on the planned open day.
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