Anderton Boat Lift Aqueduct

Anderton Boat Lift Aqueduct

Trent and Mersey

21.4.10

I hadnt really thought about the Anderton Boat Lift having an aqueduct till the lift keeper instructed me to move onto it. But when I later viewed it from the side it is indeed an aqueduct, and an impressive one at that.

The boat lift lowers craft 50 feet from the Trent and Mersey to the Weaver Navigation and an approach chute is needed to get boats into the cassions. Both ends are protected by guilloting gates to prevent water loss.

Ynysbwllog Aqueduct, Neath and Tennant Canal

Ynysbwllog Aqueduct

Neath and Tennant Canal

12th December 2009

The isolated Neath and Tennant Canal system extends about 21 miles, following the Neath Valley north east from Swansea in South Wales. The canal has been abandoned since the 1920's and subject to on and off restoration attempts since 1974.

The navigation has a number of distinct engineering obstacles, including three significant aqueducts.

I am indebted to Martin Ludgate of Canal Boat (Jan 2010) for highlighting the restoration of the .

Ynysbwllog Aqueduct in 2008. This aqueduct used to be a multi arched stone structure, which ultimately failed but as the waterway still serves a function in delivering fresh water to the area, it was replaced with two large iron pipes spanning the gap.

Ynysbwllog Aqueduct in its piped state (Photo: NPT.Gov.uk)

This water delivery function has been the Neath and Tennant's salvation and when the pipes were replaced it was with a new steel trough built to navigable dimensions.

Ynysbwllog Aqueduct 2009 (Photo: Canal Boat Jan 2010)

Low level river crossings like this represent a problem for drainage. In normal conditions the water capacity beneath their arches is adequate, but in times of exceptional flooding, water can be ponded back and threaten the integrity of the aqueduct, and represent a danger to the area beneath it in the event of a catastrophic failure.

The new slimline trough overcomes this problem by maximising the flow capacity beneath its single wide span and, in times of emergency, it should be robust enough to survive floodwaters running over the top as well.

And another old photo of this site in its unreconstructed days provided by Jim of nb Starcross taken in the 1970's:

River Gwendraeth Aqueduct

River Gwendraeth Aqueduct

Kidwelly and Llanelly Canal

February 2010

Thank goodness for boating friends, thats what I say!

River Gwendreath Aqueduct

These long winter months offer little scope for collecting new aqueducts, but my friends out there know of my interest and from time to time they post a photo for my collection.

So, today I was delighted to spy a photo by Jim of nb Starcross, taken in 1972 and no doubt one of his recent transparency conversions.

The image is of the aqueduct over the River Gwendereath  Gwendraeth (sorry Jim - I'm not good at Welsh names), constructed in 1815 to carry the Kidwelly and Llanelly Canal, a later extension of the earlier Kymers Canal (1766) in West Wales.

These are probably some of the finest aqueduct photo's in my collection, not because of their photographic quality or for the brilliance of the construction, more for their utter obscurity.

Without friends like Jim I dont see how I would ever stumble across aqueducts like this one.

For a fuller history click on the above link to the Starcross blogsite.

Sedgewick Aqueduct

Sedgewick Aqueduct
Lancaster Canal
Jan 2010

With winter upon us it is becoming more difficult to collect aqueduct photo's.

Luckily, some of my boating friends are out and about and Jim of nb Starcross came across the magnificent Sedgewick Aqueduct in Cumbria. This aqueduct has been lovingly restored but as it sits on the disconnected northern section few boaters will have seen it.

Sedgewick Aqueduct

I have been saving the many aqueducts of the Lancaster Canal for a special occasion, but as Jim so obligingly posted a particularly good image of it in the snow, it seemed appropriate to add it to the blog sooner rather than later.

Thanks Jim.

Market Drayton Aqueduct

Market Drayton Aqueduct
Shropshire Union
9th January 2010

Its nice to have fellow bloggers out there thinking about me.

Adam from nb Debdale managed to squeeze in a short festive cruise, just before the ice of January 2010 closed in seriously. In fact, he returned to his Norbury base on the last day cruising was possible.

Whilst he was out on the Shropshire Union he stopped at Market Drayton just long enough to grrab a photo of its aqueduct, which is built in the stone style so typical of the area.

Thanks Adam.