Lock 2 On Halifax Arm Of The Calder and Hebble Navigation – Salterhebble Bridge, UK - Waterway Locks, Planes and Lifts on Waymarking.com

Long Description:
The Calder and Hebble Navigation completed in 1770 consisted of artificial improvements to the River Calder and River Hebble to allow canal boats use what used to be un-navigable rivers.

It ran for 21 miles from the Aire and Calder Navigation at Wakefield to Sowerby Bridge, was one of the first navigable waterways into the Pennines. It was an extension westwards of the Aire and Calder Navigation.

Work began in 1758 to make the River Calder navigable above Wakefield. The navigation to Sowerby Bridge was completed in 1770, including a short branch to Dewsbury.

In 1828 this branch to Halifax was opened, rising 110 feet to a terminus at Bailey Hall, behind Halifax Railway Station. There were 14 locks on the branch which closely followed the route of the River Hebble. Most of the branch was abandoned in 1942 apart from the short section from Salterhebble to Salterhebble Bridge.

All the locks on this canal had a beam of 14 feet and were 57 and ½ feet long. A number of different stonemasons worked on the construction of the canal and were paid according to how many pieces of stone work they prepared. In order that their work could be recognised each stonemason used to carve their own mark on the stones.

Normally these marks are not visible on the stones in the locks, but because this lock is empty and the stone work has been cleaned these stonemason marks are clearly visible on a lot of the stones.

Much of the route of the Halifax arm of the canal has been turned into a walking and cycling trail called the Hebble Trail. At this point the trail passes through the lock but the level of the path is higher than the where the bed of the canal used to be. As you walk through the lock only the top few feet are visible.

Waterway Name: Halifax Arm of the Calder and Hebble Navigation Connected Points: Halifax and Salterhebble Type: Lock Date Opened: 1/1/1828 Date Closed (if applicable): 1/1/1942 Elevation Difference (meters): .00 Site Status: Remnants Web Site: [Web Link]

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