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| Barnton
Swing Aqueduct.
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What I
found when I got there. I was merrily cruising along in late afternoon and discovered to my horror that the canal was closed in front of me. Hurriedly checking the Nicholson's guide q.v., I read that the Barnton Swing Aqueduct was closed at this time of year for a fortnight for annual maintenance. Obviously I disregarded this information as being the real reason for the blockage, as regular users of Nicholson's will appreciate. I tied up OMF, and leapt onto the towpath. |
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Why the aqueduct had swung. This industrial size tugboat was heading West along the Manchester Ship Canal below. They had swung the aqueduct to enable it to pass, and therefore had impeded my progress. It was good to see this piece of history being used for its original purpose, as I believe it rarely is used in anger today. |
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Swinging
back into place Pretty soon, it looked as though we were preparing for a return to service. It's fascinating watching a tank full of water swinging around before your very eyes, and there is a fair amount of water in that tank, believe me. |
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to start moving again Y'know, it's an incredible part of our industrial heritage, this thing. I really do class it as one of the Wonders of the Waterways, the fact that it has operated here for so long, and yet is so little known. If you get a chance to go and see it, do. And hope that it operates before your eyes! |
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