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Friday 23 March 2018

Three Rise Locks


Bingley is rightly famous for its Five Rise Locks on the Leeds-Liverpool Canal. A little nearer to the town centre, there are also these Three Rise Locks, just beside the Damart mill. Like the Five Rise, they opened in 1774 and were a major feat of engineering at the time. Both the Rises are 'staircase locks', which means the upper gate of each chamber forms the lower gate of the next chamber up.

The metal bridge rising up on the left of the photo is the Three Rise Bridge, a pedestrian walkway over the relatively recent Bingley bypass road (which, ironically, goes right through the centre of the town, as opposed to bypassing it!). The bridge replaces a much older thoroughfare that went under the railway line, through a dark tunnel, and was known for some reason as Treacle Cock Alley. I do think they ought to have named the bridge 'Treacle Cock Bridge' - much more fun.

6 comments:

  1. Treacle Cock is most intriguing. If you should discover the origin, please let us know.

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  2. I've answered my own question. And here I was thinking of a barnyard fowl. Or... never mind. https://www.materialshandling.com.au/products/cast-iron-treacle-cocks/

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  3. Beautiful shot! It's pretty much the same system as our Rideau Canal, which is just a few decades later in its construction.

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  4. The little wooden bridge over the by-wash where the man is standing is also relatively new, and very useful as I once had to walk all the way around. Photo right used to be the fueling station where Glover's short boats regularly tanked their diesel.

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  5. This made me smile Jenny. Lovely photo and interesting to find out what a treacle cock is. Thank you Vicki.
    Jacquie x

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