In 2002 the society's main project was to take a horse-drawn boat right round the new South Pennine Ring. The boat chosen for the journey was "Elland", a 60 foot long riveted wrought iron narrowboat, this being the maximum length for a narrowboat travelling around the ring.
 Pennine Waterways |
 |
Canals of the South Pennines |
Home
Canals
Restoration
Links
Bookshop
Wallpaper
Message Board
Site Map
Contact
| By horse-drawn boat around the South Pennine Ring (1) |
The Horseboating Society aims to keep alive the skills and traditions of operating horse-drawn boats. In 2001, the society made history when the horse-drawn boat "Maria" became the first boat to make the complete passage along the restored Huddersfield Narrow Canal.
|
The journey began at the end of May, when "Elland" was brought from Guide Bridge to Stalybridge to take part in the Pennine Link festival. The boat then continued in short stages, through Mossley, Saddleworth, Standedge Tunnel, Slathwaite and Huddersfield.
|
The boat needed to be moved through Sellers and Bates Tunnels, and the stretch in between which is not accessible from outside, with the aid of poles, which can be a slow process.
|
The Huddersfield Broad Canal and the Calder and Hebble Navigation have locks only 57 feet long, which means that a 60 foot boat needs to be positioned diagonally in the locks.
|
|
|
The tightest squeeze was in the upper two Salterhebble Locks, where the boat just fitted in with millimetres to spare.
Left: The Rochdale Canal locks are more than 70 feet long, so there was no problem fitting in here!
|
One of the most serious obstacles to the voyage was a river section of the Calder and Hebble Navigation, east of Brighouse, that has no towpath at all.
|
Right: "Elland" being poled slowly along the River Calder towards Brighouse Lock. There was originally a bridge across the river at this point linking to a towpath on the right. Both have now gone.
|
 Photo: Brian Ewart |
Photo: Brian Ewart
Above: "Elland" was bow-hauled carefully around the sharp corner into the Upper Lock at Brighouse.
Click here to see the next part of Elland's voyage: Littleborough and Rochdale.