Sheffield Canal Totally Explained

Everything about The Sheffield Canal totally explained

The Sheffield Canal is a canal in the City of Sheffield, England. It runs 6.3 km (3.9 miles) from Tinsley, where it leaves the River Don, to the Sheffield Canal Basin in the city centre, passing through 11 locks.

Early history

Sheffield is on the River Don, but the upper reaches of the river were not navigable. In mediaeval times, the goods from Sheffield had to be transported overland to the nearest inland port - Bawtry on the River Idle. Later, the lower reaches of the Don were made navigable, but boats could still not reach Sheffield. Proposals to link Sheffield to the navigable Don at Tinsley (and so to the Rivers Ouse and Trent, and to the Humber and the North Sea) were made as early as 1697, but these came to nothing.

The nineteenth century

In 1815, the Sheffield Canal Company was formed by Act of Parliament in order to construct a canal.
   The surveyors' recommended route was to leave the River Don at Jordan's Lock, opposite where the "Holmes Cut" of the Don Navigation joins the river and follow the north side of the Don Valley to a basin "in or near Savile Street". When this was put forward the Duke of Norfolk's Estate noted that it would preclude coal from their collieries at Tinsley Park and Manor reaching the canal and as His Grace was the largest financial backer of the project an alternative should be sought more favourable to their cause.
   The alternative route was on the south side of the Don Valley, to terminate at a basin on the site of the former orchards of Sheffield Castle. This would require two series of locks, one, at Tinsley to raise the level from the river and a second, at Carbrook, to gain the necessary height for a level flow into the city centre. It was suggested that a short branch, known as "The Greenland Arm" should be built to afford access to Tinsley Park Collieries. Although the longer and more expensive option, His Grace's support meant that this route was the one for which parliamentatry approval was sought.
   The Act of Parliament was passed on 7 June 1815 with 182 subscribers, the Duke of Norfolk (2,000) and the Earl Fitzwilliam (1,000) being the largest contibutors. The foundation stone of the canal basin was laid by Hugh Parker of Woodthorpe Hall on 16 June 1816 and all was ready for opening less than three years later.

Opening

When it opened on 22 February 1819 A plaque nearby records the efforts of the workers who reconstructed the lock in difficult circumstances.

Nationalisation and afterwards

The canals, including the Sheffield Canal, were nationalised in 1948 but traffic, although many efforts were made, showed little increase and that only temporary. In 1960 the British Waterways Board informed the City Council that they intended to make Thrybergh the new waterhead, the site being alongside the proposed new British Steel Corporation's bar mill. In 1961 the BWB opened their new warehouse at Rotherham, almost opposite the confluence of the River Rother with the Don, and this became the waterhead.

The end in sight

In early July 1980 the Sheffield Canal received its first commercial cargo in 10 years but this wasn't a beginning, more a finale. Plans were put forward in the early 1980s by both the Sheffield City Council and British Waterways. The decision from the Environment Minister was eagerly awaited and it wasn't until the 1990s that the canal basin was restored and renamed Victoria Quays.

Engineering

There were originally twelve locks in the Tinsley flight, but in order to accommodate a new railway bridge, locks 7 and 8 were combined in 1959, with a single concrete chamber replacing both of them. The modern numbering scheme has locks 1 to 6, 7/8 and 9 to 12. Water for the top pound, and hence the locks, is pumped from a small building situated below Tinsley Viaduct. This originally housed a steam engine to drive the pumps, but this was replaced by a duty and standby 125hp diesel engine in 1918. The pumps supply 3,500 gallons per minute (265 l/s) to an outlet near the top lock of the flight.

Canal on film

The Sheffield Canal featured in the opening scene of the 1997 film The Full Monty. This clip was part of a Sheffield City Council publicity film entitled "Sheffield, City on the Move" made some 20 years before.

Further Information

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