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The Bridges of the Sheffield & South Yorkshire Canal


dunsbyowl1867

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Guest Martin-Bacon

British Waterways give their names for bridges on the canal in the pdf file found at http://www.britishwa...l_Locations.pdf

This might help put names to the bridges however it looks like British Waterways now call Pinfold bridge 'Attercliffe Staniforth Rd Bridge 7'. I can't see the Pothouse Bridge listed either. I can't be bothered at this time to check the new names against the grid refs. (The National Grid Refs used in the pdf file can be changed to OS GB grid refs by striking out the first character of the eastings and the northings and prefixing remaining number the letter SK for maps covering the Sheffield area. The OS produce a pdf file to help with OS GB conversions to NGR, with suffix letters for the rest of the country. Just search their site).

Picture Sheffield can't be trusted as a source of information on the canal or its bridges either.

Below are some of their errors, best read in conjunction with the Picture Sheffield webpages.

c01593

Problem with title and keywords. A footbridge does link Shortbridge Street with Palmer Street and Roundel Street/Palmer Street, rather than Chippingham Street & Staniforth Road (as picture Sheffield has it), but this is not it. This is the Brown Bailey bridge. It links the towing path with the rear of the Don Valley Stadium and the English Institute of Sport.

c01600

This picture was not taken below Shirland Lane Bridge, although that bridge is visible in the distance. This is the LNER (ex Great Central Railway) bridge over the Sheffield and Tinsley canal. It is located at the bend in the canal, just before the railway reaches the site of the former Attercliffe station, which is next to the Worksop/Darnal Road Aqueduct. The bend in the canal can be seen on the http://wtp2.appspot....gz=18&oz=9&gt=1 webpage. (A brief note about 'wheresthepath; it does not serve up-todate images 24 hours a day. It is best to visit this site as early as possible in the day. After a certain number of map images have been served in a 24 hour period the site will display an old OS map).

c01601

This is not the Shirland Lane Bridge, although that bridge is visible in the distance. This is the LNER (ex Great Central Railway) bridge over the Sheffield and Tinsley canal. It is located at the bend in the canal, just before the railway reaches the site of the former Attercliffe station, which is next to the Worksop/Darnal Road Aqueduct. The bend in the canal can be seen on the http://wtp2.appspot....gz=18&oz=9&gt=1 webpage.

c01602

This picture was not taken from under Shirland Lane Bridge. This picture was taken at the side of the LNER (ex Great Central Railway) bridge over the Sheffield and Tinsley canal. The wall seen on the left is all that remains of Attercliffe Station, which closed in September 1927. The narrow point in the Sheffield and Tinsley Canal is the Worksop Road aqueduct. A similar view, showing the aqueduct and station retaining wall can be found at the www.geograph.org.uk/photo/1234140 webpage. Note the relative position of the Don Valley Stadium's floodlights in the Geograph image.

c02032

This is not the Shirland Lane Bridge, although that bridge is just visible in the distance. This is the LNER (ex Great Central Railway) bridge over the Sheffield and Tinsley canal. It is located at the bend in the canal, just before the railway reaches the site of the former Attercliffe station, which is next to the Worksop/Darnal Road Aqueduct. The bend in the canal can be seen on the http://wtp2.appspot....gz=18&oz=9&gt=1 webpage. The picture u02950 shows the Shirland Lane Bridge, even if that image incorrectly describes it as Shirland Road Bridge.

c02033

This is not near Staniforth Road. It is the small basin near the junction of Shirland Lane and Chippingham Street. It shows the same location as Picture Sheffield image t02835, (a view from Shirland Lane footbridge, I think), but is seen from the canal towpath.

c02034

This picture was not taken near Staniforth Road. This image shows the small basin near to the junction of Shireland Lane and Chippingham Street. This basin can be seen at the http://wtp2.appspot....gz=17&oz=9&gt=1 web page. It might be called Chippingham Basin. Just to confuse things, some Picture Sheffield images shown another basin with moorings, which Picture Sheffield also calls Chippingham Basin Moorings (c02323 and t02742)

or, in some instances East End Park Moorings (u05959). That basin is some distance from Chippingham Street, and can be seen at the http://wtp2.appspot....gz=17&oz=9&gt=1 web page.

c02251

This picture was not taken from what Picture Sheffield calls the footbridge linking Chippingham Street & Staniforth Road. The view from that footbridge would show the Shirland Lane Bridge in one direction, and in the other direction would show the Supertram Bridge, as can be seen at the http://wtp2.appspot....gz=17&oz=9&gt=1 webpage. This picture was taken from the Brown Baley Bridge looking north. The bend in the canal can be seen at the http://wtp2.appspot....gz=18&oz=9&gt=1 webpage. Another problem with image number c02251 is the 'zoom' function does not show a valid picture.

c02322

The location shown in the title for this image is inaccurate. A footbridge does link Shortridge Street with Roundel Street and Palmer Street, or as Picture Sheffield has it Chippingham Street & Staniforth Road, but this is not that bridge. This picture shows the Brown Bayley Footbridge. The Brown Baley Bridge links the canal towpath with the Don Valley Stadium and the English Institute of Sport. It is correctly identified in image numbers t02743 and t02742.

t00724

This is the Brown Bayley Bridge. It does not link Chippingham Street & Staniforth Road, although it is near to the Don Valley Stadium. The 'zoom' function does not show a larger picture of the Bridge. It shows a picture of a fairground ride.

t02823

Pot House (sic) Bridge, or Pothouse Bridge as it is usualy written takes Coleridge Road over the Sheffield and Tinsley canal. It is some distance from the Supertram Bridge. The Pinfold Bridge on Staniforth Road is the closest bridge to the Supertram Bridge. Recently British Waterways have erected new signs next to the Pinfold Bridge which call the Pinfold Bridge Staniforth Road Bridge. The old oval shape plaques bearing the name Pinfold Bridge are still in place. I think that the title should read 'Construction of Supertram Bridge over South Yorkshire Navigation near Pinfold Bridge with former John Bannner Ltd (Banners) in the background'. As you will see I have changed the name of the Bridge and removed the repitition.

u02950

'Shirland Road Bridge, SYK Navigation showing No. 103 Shirland Lane (right)' should read 'Shirland Lane Bridge, SYK Navigation showing No. 103 Shirland Lane (right)'.

w01107

General problem with title and keywords. This looks like Park Square and the canal basin, not Cadman Street Bridge. Also searching on the term 'w01107' brings up two images, w01107 and w01108.

I would be tempted to trust the OS when it comes to names of features on the canal in preference to either Britsh Waterways or Picture Sheffield. British Waterways have ignored the historic names of several features on the canal. Picture Sheffield's information is either wrong, or inconsistant.

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Took a stroll down the canal today, after deciding to walk from home (in Sothall) to Meadowhall (as you do!) We joined the canal at the locks by Sheffield Road bridge, opposite American Golf and after a brief rest to scoff our pack-up, we started heading into the city, finishing at the canal basin. I forgot what a great walk along the canal towpath was, with a completely different perspective on a very familiar part of town for me.

Also wished I'd taken more photographs, as the only one I got of the bridges was more an arty snap, than cataloging the whole series. Still, the effect of the bridges all disminishing into the distance and the reflections on the water, prompted me to take the shot. The locks and ponds at Tinsley Flight, the numerous bridges carrying road, rail, tram and foot traffic were all interesting, as were the buildings along the route, all jostling for position on the banks of each side, as we approached closer towards the city.

The photo of the bridges attached shows the rail bridge immediately after the aqueduct over Worksop Road, looking towards the city.

Another photo I got was of an old clock on the wall of the grain warehouse on North Quay in the basin. The advertisement for 'Tinsley Park Fuels' I'm guessing was the coal, coke and gas from the collieries, operated by the Tinsley Park Group? I wondered if it had always been there, or had been put there recently, to add some historical touches to the site, after the refurbishment?

Anyway, a thoroughly enjoyable day and we were thankful for the Supertram ride home, as fourteen miles was more than enough for a Sunday stroll lol

 

IMG_1096.thumb.JPG.4b7b9258c934240d14ce40d8397806bc.JPGIMG_1105.thumb.JPG.fb13c1679fabb34a44f8c760efde1eb0.JPG

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Had you been to the pub before taking those photos?

Only joking, the clock is a fine piece - I am surprised that it is still there.

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Rotated those images for you, RLongden, to save us all from having to crane our necks.

I love that first shot of all the bridges. Must take a stroll along the canal next time I am in Sheffield - it has been a long time since I wandered out that way.

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11 hours ago, madannie77 said:

Rotated those images for you, RLongden, to save us all from having to crane our necks.

I love that first shot of all the bridges. Must take a stroll along the canal next time I am in Sheffield - it has been a long time since I wandered out that way.

Thank you. Couldn't quite figure out how to flip them around and they were taken on my phone, as I wasn't planning on taking photos and hence left my good camera at home. 

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For many years in the late 1950's/early 60's I worked in an office by the side of a basin at Tinsley Locks. Barges bringing ferro-alloys into the City was an important part of traffic on the canal. but there was some general traffic and the occasional pleasure craft, I well remember the ice-breaker ( nick-named Kista Dan) keeping the waterway free during a few hard winters as well. We approached the works over an original single brick arched bridge on Wharf Lane where, tragically, a lorry fell into the canal when part of the unmetalled, unadopted road collapsed and one person was killed. My last memories of the canal ( which had its own peculiar smell) was trying to organise a shipment of 100 tonnes of steel, by barge, to Hull Docks...to save a few quid on transport. The process of loading the barges was  incredibly slow,  as space only permitted us to use an antiquated crane and was never repeated...especially after seeing the barges tied up, apparently, so I was told, waiting for the tide conditions....and that some 70 miles from the sea. Happy Days!

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4 hours ago, lysander said:

For many years in the late 1950's/early 60's I worked in an office by the side of a basin at Tinsley Locks. Barges bringing ferro-alloys into the City was an important part of traffic on the canal. but there was some general traffic and the occasional pleasure craft, I well remember the ice-breaker ( nick-named Kista Dan) keeping the waterway free during a few hard winters as well. We approached the works over an original single brick arched bridge on Wharf Lane where, tragically, a lorry fell into the canal when part of the unmetalled, unadopted road collapsed and one person was killed. My last memories of the canal ( which had its own peculiar smell) was trying to organise a shipment of 100 tonnes of steel, by barge, to Hull Docks...to save a few quid on transport. The process of loading the barges was  incredibly slow,  as space only permitted us to use an antiquated crane and was never repeated...especially after seeing the barges tied up, apparently, so I was told, waiting for the tide conditions....and that some 70 miles from the sea. Happy Days!

I'm wondering if the place you are recalling was here at Tinsley Rooling Mills? There's a Wharf Road here, some locks and a small wharf / basin. Are these Tinsley Locks, as opposed to Tinsley Flight, or Tinsley Bridge Lock? Do the photos ring any bells, or am I in the wrong place? There's certainly a brick bridge and and unmetalled road. The colour photo is 1971 and the B&W 10 years later.

Wharf Lane_Tinsley Locks_Map.JPG

Wharf Lane_Tinsley Locks_002.JPG

Wharf Lane_Tinsley Locks_001.JPG

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Thanks for the photos which brought back many very happy memories. Indeed it was The Tinsley Rolling Mills Co, Ltd. ( founded 1846) I had left before Hadfields got their mits on the place and quickly ran it down. My office. latterly, was in the wooden office block just behind the parked up Mini. We attempted to load the barges with steel just below the office block. The part of the road which collapsed was at the side of the brick wall which can just be seen to the right of the colour photo,

The white building was the General office and the large black building to the left was the 12" double duo rolling mill, We only had but a single chimney for the furnace in that department...all the rest were a part of Blackburn Meadows power station...whose chimneys regularly belched out smoke, fumes and coal particles. The Alkali Inspectorate often accused us of breaching pollution levels but were always pointed in the direction of the CEGB. The other buildings below the wooden office block were a part of the 8 inch and 10 inch rolling mills.

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The Canal is now in the care of the Canal & River Trust, who have a map of the canal with the bridges named and numbered:

https://canalrivertrust.org.uk/enjoy-the-waterways/canal-and-river-network/sheffield-and-tinsley-canal

A few photos of some of the bridges from August 2019.

Bridge 4: Midland Railway

022%20railway%20bridge%201-XL.jpg

Some artwork around Bridge 4

028%20Midland%20Bridge-XL.jpg

029%20Midland%20Bridge-XL.jpg

031%20Midland%20Bridge-XL.jpg

032%20Midland%20Bridge-XL.jpg

Not quite so artistic:

030%20Shitegeist-XL.jpg

 

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Bridge 6: Bacon Lane

047%20Bacon%20Lane%20Bridge-XL.jpg

Looks almost rural

048%20Bacon%20Lane%20Bridge-XL.jpg

Or maybe not

049%20Bacon%20Lane%20Bridge-XL.jpg

055%20view%20back%20from%20Bacon%20Lane-

Bridges 6a and 7 (Staniforth Road)

063%20Spartan%20Works-XL.jpg

Bridge 7a (Supertram)

065%20supertram%20bridge-XL.jpg

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Bridge 7b (named on the Canal & River Trust map as Supertram Footbridge)

067%20footbridge-XL.jpg

Bridges 7b, 7a & 7

070%20lots%20of%20bridges-X3.jpg

Bridge 8 (Shirland Lane) artwork

071%20Shirland%20Lane%20bridge-XL.jpg

Bridge 9: Attercliffe Railway Bridge

076%20railway%20bridge-XL.jpg

Lots of Bridges

078%20south%20from%20rly%20bridge-XL.jpg

 

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I seem to have paid less attention to the bridges after this point, being more interested in the locks and the more rural feel on the stretch towards the Tinsley Viaduct. Plenty of flowering plants to photograph, as well as one very interesting tree near Lock No 9

111%20fig%20tree-XL.jpg

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