Finger tip control on the Aire and Calder Navigation

Thursday, 27 August 2009 13:05

All you need is one digit and a Watermate key to operate the locks on the Aire and Calder

So that was my job!

We left Clarence Dock and Leeds behind in the morning sunshine.

Leeds lock was first, John waited at the lock landing and looked back

As all good boaters should, I took a moment to read the lock instructions carefully. It seemed fairly simple - unlock with the Watermate key and press the buttons in the correct order and everything happened automatically. Each button has a corresponding light to say that the operation is complete - only problem, in bright sunlight the light was impossible to see!

Anyway, misson was accomplished as I cupped my hands around the light to see them glowing slightly!

Controls, traffic lights and water level warning sign at Knostrop Fall Lock

An amber traffic light means that the lock is free and there is no Lock Keeper on duty, so boaters can self-operate the lock. If the red and green lights are on the lock Keeper will lock you through and if it is red the lock is occupied. A flashing red means STOP - the river is in a flood condition and boaters have to wait for notification to proceed. In practice we found that some of the amber lights did not work so had to assume that we could proceed!

Control Tower for the Lock Keepers

Open sluice at Knostrop Fall Lock (all the locks had these which open in gradual stages)

Looking back at Knostrop Fall Lock

At times we were reminded of the River Severn, as the River Aire Navigation wanders through a wooded cut with the River invisible on its left and high banks on the right. It is wide and the downstream current is hardly noticeable due to the "canalisation".

Thwaites Mill, a restored watermill

Beyond Thwaites Mill Industrial Museum is a wasteland of closed collieries and spoil heaps and the navigation reaches the isolated Fishponds Lock. Above the next lock is a popular mooring spot with good acess to pubs and some shops! It is also a pretty area to stop.

The prettiest lock - Woodlesford Lock

Just before Lemonroyd Lock is a working oil terminal where the large barges arrive on a regular basis. The navigation used to connect with the River Aire through a lock here and there is a small arm servicing the oil terminal.

The locks are huge as they have to accomodate large barges

Epiphany looked very small in the locks and I wondered what it must be like to share a lock with one of the large barges! Then we saw one approaching and I realised that probably there was only room for the barge in a lock!

Oil barge Rix Phoenix up ahead

Rix Petroleum supplies diesel to the Inland Waterways with their fuel barges. It is their proud boast that they are the only company to build new barges to do this in the last ten years. Nicholson warns of the large wash these barges leave behind and recommends mooring very securely!

Looking back we could see what the problem could be!

We were now back on the River Aire as it wound its way towards Castleford Junction. Allerton Bywater is an old mining village alongside the River and coal was once loaded onto barges from a staithe here.

The Boat looked welcoming

Pretty soon we were at Castleford Junction. The way to Sheffield, moorings and facilities lies left and east through Castleford Flood Lock. Turning this way eventually takes the boater to Goole, Hull, York, the River Trent and thus the North Sea. The commercial barges that trade at Fleet and Whitwood come out of the Flood Lock, so boaters need to be alert!

Straight on leads to an huge weir, but we were turning right and west towards Sowerby Bridge. As we turned we felt Epiphany pushing the tide - we were now going up stream on the River Calder.

Leaving Castleford Junction behind

The River Calder had a different "feel" - more about that next time!