Canal path "spills" - what do you do?

[chris667]

That even mentions the spillways "Cobbled overflows are a feature on this section and are challenging to ride. A simple footbridge wide enough to carry a cycle has been installed on one of the overflows near Key Syke Lane, Todmorden. The same installation to the other overflows would make the route more accessible."

Yes, but it doesn't say why it hasn't been done. Before we start thinking it's some sort of wild discrimination, we need to be possessed of the facts.

 

[wiggydiggy]

Being a naturally wobbly cyclist I'm not keen on towpaths.

The worst bits are the low arched bridges which force you closer to the edge.

One thing has always puzzled me - how did the towing horse get under those bridges?

I understand they didn't - the horse would detach and walk over the side. There are some other bridges designed so the horse could stay attached and swap sides. The canals have some interesting solutions to the problems of their day.

 

[ColinJ]

I got a very quick reply...

Thankyou for contacting the Canal and River Trust regarding the idea of iron mesh screening to be placed on the area that is cobbled above at a towpath level on the Rochdale Canal above the overflows that run between the Canal and the River Calder.

I am not sure what designs will be in the discussion when we work with local authorities in the future to improve these sections, but I have passed it across to the engineer that supplied me with my responses in the past to look at. I cannot assure that your method will be successful as methods that they take on, long term upkeep, budgeting, funding may be other factors taken into consideration when choosing a design.

However, thankyou for taking the time and the interest to have spent the time thinking about it and to come up with another methods to get around the issues.

 

[Jameshow]

I got a very quick reply...

Not a bad response tbh...

 

[MontyVeda]

I understand they didn't - the horse would detach and walk over the side. There are some other bridges designed so the horse could stay attached and swap sides. The canals have some interesting solutions to the problems of their day.



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surely the horses went under the bridges, and presumably ducked their heads if need be. I can't think of any on the stretches i use where there's opportunity for a horse to walk around a bridge, not without a very long detour anyway.

 

[ColinJ]

Not a bad response tbh...

Yes, I was happy with that.

 

[HMS_Dave]

Since it has been discussed earlier in the thread, I regularly cycle on the Trent and Mersey Canal in Staffs on the way to the supermarket and have had no problem. I enjoy it. Im not tear-arsing about on it though and ringing my bell every 10 seconds. I've had chats with many boaters who don't seem to mind my presence. I think it comes down to being respectful and mindful of each others spaces. The only issues i have ever had aside from almost falling in on multiple occasions is generally some older people with dogs who seem to take exception at me slowly overtaking them after making my presence known and you may occasionally get a tut. Yet, with the amount of dog shoot i see it stands to reason there are certainly plenty of problems with the dynamic use of the towpaths.

 

[chris667]

I regularly cycle on the Trent and Mersey Canal in Staffs on the way to the supermarket and have had no problem. I enjoy it.

Great canal. And you have the right idea. Cyclists should be welcome on the canals and they almost always are. There are some reasons why cyclists can't use all of the network, but that's down to circumstances on that particular bit.

I've had some lovely conversations with cyclists as a boater. I trued a cyclist's wheel at Alrewas once - we had a cup of tea while I straightened his wheel enough to ride home.

Yes, I was happy with that.

Yes, sounds like a professional at CART to me. In my experience they've all been like that. Let's remember how good they are before we talk about defunding them.

 

[HMS_Dave]

Great canal. And you have the right idea.

I've had some lovely conversations with cyclists as a boater. I trued a cyclist's wheel at Alrewas once - we had a cup of tea while I straightened his wheel enough to ride home.


Yes, sounds like a professional at CART to me. In my experience they've all been like that. Let's remember how good they are before we talk about defunding them.

I know Alrewas well, im just a few miles away. A good area for canals. Fradley Junction and a number of pubs...

 

[chris667]

A good area for canals. Fradley Junction and a number of pubs...

The last time I fell in walking over the bridge at the Mucky Duck. It was October, and I was pissed. Cold night. Glad I'm off the sauce these days!

 

[Mike_P]

One thing has always puzzled me - how did the towing horse get under those bridges?

Probably didn't, path up to the road/track/path and back down.

 

[KnittyNorah]

Re horses on the towpath. They duck their heads and go under the bridge at the edge of the towpath. Bear in mind that the horses used were mainly what we would probably call ponies or cobs nowadays - short-legged, sturdy creatures probably about 14 hands high. Larger horses pulling heavier boats would only be used on canals where they could 'fit'.

And fitting under the bridge would normally be no problem; even a 15 hand horse is only 5ft tall at its highest point (the wither) and horses used on the waterways were never harnessed with bearing reins and the like, which force it to keep its head high (you've all read Black Beauty, I hope!). A few inches clearance would be fine - just enough for peak of the horse-collar to clear, and a couple more for luck.

Also bear in mind that the horse could likely manoeuvre itself under most bridges in a relaxed sort of way, as the momentum of the boat would keep it going sufficiently to be steered through the bridge while the horse walked through without having to actually pull on anything at all, it could take up the strain again when out of the bridge.

Confession time. As a child I was brought up about 100 yards away from what was then a semi-derelict canal. I used to ride my pony along the towpaths for mile after mile, rarely if ever coming across anyone who even tried to tell me off for doing so.
My pony was around 13.2 hands and I rarely had to get off her to go under bridges ... although I quite often used to bend forward and hug her round her neck. The towpath had almost disappeared in places, and in other places the canal was only semi-liquid - full of weeds, silt etc. Just a few short years later canal recovery had become a big thing and the lonely, beautiful dereliction had gone forever.

 

[wiggydiggy]

surely the horses went under the bridges, and presumably ducked their heads if need be. I can't think of any on the stretches i use where there's opportunity for a horse to walk around a bridge, not without a very long detour anyway.

Re horses on the towpath. They duck their heads and go under the bridge at the edge of the towpath. Bear in mind that the horses used were mainly what we would probably call ponies or cobs nowadays - short-legged, sturdy creatures probably about 14 hands high. Larger horses pulling heavier boats would only be used on canals where they could 'fit'.

And fitting under the bridge would normally be no problem; even a 15 hand horse is only 5ft tall at its highest point (the wither) and horses used on the waterways were never harnessed with bearing reins and the like, which force it to keep its head high (you've all read Black Beauty, I hope!). A few inches clearance would be fine - just enough for peak of the horse-collar to clear, and a couple more for luck.

Also bear in mind that the horse could likely manoeuvre itself under most bridges in a relaxed sort of way, as the momentum of the boat would keep it going sufficiently to be steered through the bridge while the horse walked through without having to actually pull on anything at all, it could take up the strain again when out of the bridge.

Confession time. As a child I was brought up about 100 yards away from what was then a semi-derelict canal. I used to ride my pony along the towpaths for mile after mile, rarely if ever coming across anyone who even tried to tell me off for doing so.
My pony was around 13.2 hands and I rarely had to get off her to go under bridges ... although I quite often used to bend forward and hug her round her neck. The towpath had almost disappeared in places, and in other places the canal was only semi-liquid - full of weeds, silt etc. Just a few short years later canal recovery had become a big thing and the lonely, beautiful dereliction had gone forever.

I stand corrected! And thanks for the detailed response.

 

[Jameshow]

Since it has been discussed earlier in the thread, I regularly cycle on the Trent and Mersey Canal in Staffs on the way to the supermarket and have had no problem. I enjoy it. Im not tear-arsing about on it though and ringing my bell every 10 seconds. I've had chats with many boaters who don't seem to mind my presence. I think it comes down to being respectful and mindful of each others spaces. The only issues i have ever had aside from almost falling in on multiple occasions is generally some older people with dogs who seem to take exception at me slowly overtaking them after making my presence known and you may occasionally get a tut. Yet, with the amount of dog shoot i see it stands to reason there are certainly plenty of problems with the dynamic use of the towpaths.

I tend to ride on the Leeds Liverpool canal away from the tourist hot spot of saltaire, it's just too busy. Usually go to apperley bridge instead and do 5 rise on wet days!

 

[KnittyNorah]

I stand corrected! And thanks for the detailed response.

For interest - where the canal goes through tunnels, there is no towpath. Horse-boaters would 'leg' it, and there would be a path along which the horse could be led to the other end of the tunnel. That path would go over or around the hill that the tunnel cut through.

When the towpath changed sides (variety of reasons why), that is where you would find the 'roving' bridges so the horse could change sides easily and without needing to be detached then reattached to the boat, which would cause delay and need extra man/woman/child power.