From Narrow to Broad in three locks

Monday, 21 June 2010 17:55

The last three locks on the Huddersfield Narrow Canal .......

Phew, we were nearly there but first we had three locks and two tunnels to negotiate. Lot of photos illustrate this interesting section of the canal!

The new Sellers Lock (3E) has a new cut leading to it. The towpath ends at the lock and despite the notice some walkers decided to continue only to find that they had to retrace their steps! However we could go on!

The "new" cutting

Sellers Lock

Below the lock a tunnel burrows under Sellers Engineering (restoration details from HC Society).

Tunnel entrance

Inside the 355 yard tunnel, which curves around so the end is not visible!

The end of the tunnel narrows as it passes through the site of the old Lock 3E and under the arch of Chapel Hill Bridge (23).

Chapel Hill Bridge ahead

The following section of the canal is also inaccessible to all but narrowboaters and Lock 2E (Coal Wharf Lock) is also a "new build". There was once a coal wharf here, serving the adjacent mills.

Coal Wharf Lock

Below the lock is Bates Tunnel, which carries the canal under the works of Bates and Co. The canal is three metres deeper than it was originally, to accommodate the buildings of Bates and Co. Major restoration and re-instatement work was needed for the construction of Bates Tunnel and Queen Street Bridge (22). The towpath returns at Queen Street Bridge - the way is signposted through Huddersfield for those who are walking it. Click here for Penninewaterways map.

Entering Bates Tunnel

Beyond the tunnel the channel has stanchions to keep the sides rigid and to prevent subsidence and then narrows through the site of the old lock 2E.

Stanchions above

Queen Street Bridge behind and the Ramsden family crest

Remains of former lock

Once through all this, Huddersfield University building come into view. The mill buildings beside the canal have been restored and house much of the university.

Looking back

The last lock awaits in the shadow of these buildings.

Stanley Dawson Lock 1E

Stanley Dawson was Mayor of Huddersfield 1984-5 and the restoration of the canals in the area was the subject of his Mayor's Appeal. The lock was named in recognition of this.

The modern buildings of the university are at the basin which leads to Firth Street Bridge (or Wakefield Road Bridge). This was once the end of the Huddersfield Broad Canal. The Narrow Canal was built 30 years later and so the basins ahead developed as a transhipment area.

Modern university building

This modern building contrasts with the remains of the old canal industry. Beside it there is a truncated loop that used to curve around Aspley Warehouse. The water supply from the River Colne, for the Huddersfield Broad Canal, entered through a small bridge opposite (via Shore Mill Goyt).

The warehouse is the oldest known surviving wool warehouse. It is now luxury flats.

Aspley Warehouse

Shore Mill Goyt or Black Dyke bridge

So we entered Aspley Basin (now regarded as the "official" junction) onto the Huddersfield Broad Canal. This was once an hive of activity as the transhipment area for the HBC. Most of this has disappeared and it is now a marina and moorings.

Aspley Basin

We passed it and moored in a vacant spot on the towpath side. All along here the moorings belong to Aspley Marina but visiting boats can moor for 72 hours free.

Mooring up at last!

Huddersfield Narrow Canal, Slaithwaite to Huddersfield Broad Canal, Aspley Basin

7 hours 19 minutes, 4.74 miles, 21 locks