Peter's Waterways Blog Big Boats To Leeds Waterfront This was first published in IWA West Riding's Milepost in November 2016, highlighting the need of repair to the outer gates of Leeds Lock.

Click to read full issue

Outer gates of Leeds Lock

There was a quarter-of-a-million-pound-problem at the far end of Fearns Island in Leeds. Leeds Lock, Lock 1, the lock nearest to Leeds on the Aire and Calder Navigation was navigable through the push-button mechanisation, but only for Leeds-and-Liverpool-sized boats. For commercial-sized boats up to 142ft, or even seventy-foot narrowboats, there is a further set of manually-operated gates available to make a longer lock, and these gates had developed a hole and needed to be expensively replaced.

Spending money on retaining the navigation dimensions through to the centre of Leeds was the issue here. Why would we have wanted to close the navigation to Leeds to boats that have always been able to reach it, when we were trying to encourage better use and understanding of the Leeds Waterfront and its heritage?. Failing to spend the money would have demonstrated C&RT had no confidence in its Navigation into Leeds.

Leeds Waterfront

Freda Carless at her home mooring

It would have been brilliant to have Big Boats (to use a technical term), Leeds and Liverpool short boats and narrowboats all congregating at Leeds Bridge for the send-off of the Leeds and Liverpool bi-centenary flotilla, as boats had done in 1816. In the event No10 and FredaCarless looked a bit sad moored together outside the Armouries below, and unable to pass through Leeds Lock, while the main celebration for Kennet was at the top of River Lock a mile away.

There was a parallel issue of a Large Crane occupying Fearns Island for the construction of a new adjustable weir for the Leeds Flood Alleviation Scheme. It was one of those strange daydreams that has the Little Crane, which was needed to dismantle the Big Crane, doing a quick trundle to the other end of the island to lift out a gate and lift in a new one, before sorting out its Big Brother, and saving everybody a lot of money. But it didn't happen like that, of course. Peter Scott @peterjohnscott

Leeds Lock operating console

Click to read full issue

This follow-up was first published in IWA West Riding's Milepost in June 2018. On the first weekend in February 2018, C&RT held an open day at Leeds Lock to show the work they were then doing to replace the outer set of bottom gates that allow boats longer than 62 feet to access the River Aire through Leeds.

The day before the open day there was an entertainment that was due to be held in the bottom of Leeds Lock called Hidden Depths - Unlocking the Stories Below the Waterline. Unfortunately, the pumps had not worked correctly at the right time and there was too much mud. Never mind, the amphitheatre at the entrance to Leeds Dock made a very good substitute. To put us back to the time of the navvies, the audience were issued with a cap and two pieces of string. The string was to tie round our trousers just beneath the knee to keep out the rats! We were then treated to an audio visual experience telling the story of waterways concentrating on the local rivers and canals. The atmosphere was enhanced by large flares and the experience completed by cups of hot cider and cakes. Elaine Scott

Richard Parry C&RT Chief Executive wearing his hat