Salterhebble Locks, Halifax

In the last issue, I promised to show some more views of the area to be visited on Cardmeet ('01) if I didn't have sufficient material to fill up the newsletter. You will almost certainly pass this location, if Alan goes through with his plan to visit Sowerby Bridge.

Salterhebble Locks

Salterhebble was the junction between the main line of the Calder & Hebble and the Halifx Branch, and this junction can be seen at the very bottom of the card, the branch going left. Only about a quarter of a mile now remains, though some of the rest forms an interesting walk. The top lock was once a staircase, and it was possible to see traces of the lower chamber top cill, etc. when the canal was drained a few years ago.

The new(er) lock is actually off the card to the right, making this one of the more awkwardly-laid-out flights of locks in the country. The canal always did turn through a right-angle left below the staircase, crossing the Hebble Brook on an aqueduct, which is visable in the center of the card, to the bottom lock. The latter now has a guillotine bottom gate, due to the widening of the road. The work which entailed draining this section was to replace the aqueduct, which appeared to contain much timber, with a new concrete structure.