I was descending central Manchester's 'Rochdale Nine' locks when I was captivated by the overspills in the locks.
There are no bywashes in the 'Nine' locks, so every passage is accompanied by a waterfall - a cascade - of the excess water as it seeks to join you in the journey downhill.
There's something hypnotic about watching these overspills. You can photograph them in natural light or with a flash.
The convention is that the blur of a slow shutter speed makes the water look 'wetter' and more energetic.
I don't necessarily agree. To me, there's arguably more 'kinetic energy' in the flash photos. I feel they show the water suspended in mid-air, hanging there, in the words of Douglas Adams, in exactly the way that bricks don't.
But make up your own mind. I presume you don't need me to point out which is which.
the pictures look amazing i havent had the pelasure of canaling down there yet but is definatly on my to do list after reading this
Posted by: Ken clarke | Friday, 26 August 2011 at 03:05 PM
Basically I couldn't hear any of the conversation because of the waterfall behind me.
However I doubt that the girls actually did seek their help. I think you make a good point.
I think it's ironic that the Rochdale is well known for restricted cruising and water shortages!
Posted by: Robin Stait | Friday, 19 August 2011 at 11:23 AM
Robin, did either of the girls actually ask any of the strapping gongoozlers for help?
any of the strapping gongoozlers for help?
Posted by: Andrew Denny | Monday, 15 August 2011 at 01:28 PM
I echo Paul Savage's plight.
The lock at Dukes 92 was the worst. It seemed that more water was pouring over the top gates than could be let out with the bottom paddles. I was left with the tiller unable to leave the boat for fear of the waterfall flooding the rear deck and the girls were expected to open the bottom gates, operated by chains from the winding mechanism. After about five minutes of heaving and stressing they finally got them open.
The seriously annoying thing to see was the number of strapping Manchester gongoozlers, to a man, offering no assistance to either of the girls whatsoever!
Robin Stait
(NB Cualquier)
Posted by: Robin Stait | Monday, 15 August 2011 at 01:09 PM
These photos are stunning. I must confess my photographic ignorance; I don't know which is which. But I like the last pic the best.
Posted by: Narrowboat Wife | Friday, 12 August 2011 at 09:28 PM
Hey, no worries
All the same it is a bit weird to see a canal with too much water! It is like this most of the time.
BW cannot make bywashes because most of the surroundings are protected. A clever way would be to go under the locks, but this would involve too much expense. and a long period of closure. Maybe they could utilise the excess water and generate electricity as per your post of a couple of weeks ago.
Are you coming up north at any time soon?
Posted by: Paul Savage (NB Adreva) | Wednesday, 10 August 2011 at 05:14 PM
Paul, oh dear, I didn't mean to deceive anyone.... but my photos were taken on the last day of 2007!
Posted by: Andrew Denny | Wednesday, 10 August 2011 at 05:03 PM
I did these locks last year, they are probably the hardest locks I have ever been through.
It didn't help when another set of boats decended behind us dumping their lock full of water into the pound. In the end I had to do something that I have never done and is frowned upon elsewhere. .. ... I had to open both sets of paddles as the locks reached equilibrium whereby the amount of water coming in from above was the same as the amount leaving the paddles below.
The people behind us couldn't see the problem they were causing and thought that we were a bunch of weaklings because we were unable to open the gates - they were having no problems at all.
Also the last few locks we had another boat tied to us as they had broken down!!
I would like to try again, this time going up hill.
So Andrew, are you coming down the Bridgewater, or heading off to Wigan?
Posted by: Paul Savage (NB Adreva) | Wednesday, 10 August 2011 at 04:50 PM