Winter works open days: Dowley Gap Aqueduct, Postponed

After booking a hotel, making arrangements to visit relatives on the return journey and keeping an eye on the weather forecast, the open day has been postponed. We'll still have a weekend away, but not sure if we'll be able to make the re-arranged date.

Iain Weston, Acting Waterway Manager for the North West region, explains:

"Our winter maintenance is complex work but unfortunately external factors like this are out of our control. The teams have been working extremely hard to get the site prepared for the weekend but the snow and freezing temperatures have caused delays. We're pleased however that we can reschedule for a later date to give people this rare opportunity to take a behind the scenes look at our waterway maintenance."

Winter works open days: Dowley Gap Aqueduct, Leeds & Liverpool Canal: Winter works open days: Dowley Gap Aqueduct, Leeds & Liverpool Canal is now to take place on
17 Feb 2013
10:00 am - 4:00 pm
NEW DATE: Please note that this open day will now take place on Sunday 17 February

Work at Offerton Locks (W&B)

We're draining a section of the Leeds & Liverpool Canal at Dowley Gap Aqueduct so that we can carry out a number of repairs to the canal wall and install new balance beams on one of the locks.

We're inviting you to join us for a guided tour of the works to give you an insight into the maintenance required to keep our waterway network in working order.

Dowley Gap open to public

Saw this on narrowboatworld and thought it deserved a wider audience.

THE 240 years old Dowley Gap Aqueduct on the Leeds & Liverpool Canal near Bingley is to host its first ever public open day on Sunday 27th January.

Canal & River Trust is allowing members of the public to walk along a 55 yards drained section of the aqueduct and see for themselves what it takes to keep this this waterway landmark in working order.

Stop leakage

The aqueduct, which spans the Aire, is having works to stop its leakage, that involves installing temporary dams and over-pumping the water so the aqueduct can be fully drained.

The neighbouring two-rise Dowley Gap Lock Flight will also be open for the public to visit. Two new sets of 3.5 tonne lock gates are being installed having been made at Stanley Ferry Workshop in Wakefield.

With the lock drained, the team will also be using their  skills to carry out other repointing and grouting to the lock chamber walls, repairing leaks and installing new cills and balance beams.

Another chance

Iain Weston, Acting Waterway Manager for the Canal & River Trust's North West region explained:

"Over 7,000 attended our Bingley Five Rise event last year and for those who weren't able to make that special event, we're giving them another chance to see some of our other remarkable structures. For those that did come, we're offering them something different and unique by being able to open up the aqueduct to the public for the very first time. We hope the local community really get behind this event and take the time out to understand what it takes to keep our waterways running."

The Dowley Gap Open Day will run from 10am to 4pm on Sunday 27th January (last entry 3:15pm). Event parking has been kindly provided by Emerald Group Publishing Ltd, Waggon Lane, Bingley, BD16 1WA (off Bradford Road near to the Fisherman's Pub). Due to the nature of the works, visitors are asked to wear sturdy footwear or wellingtons.

Christmas 2012 on Eos

Some photos from our week on Eos at Christmas 2012.

Worcester Bar at Gas Street Basin.

One of my Xmas presents. I'll only need to fill it up a few thousand times to be able to buy a real one.

The mysterious dent reported at the AGM

Moored at Alvechurch

View from the side hatch at Alvechurch

Moored by a very muddy tow path.

Restored guillotine Lock at Kings Norton.