Canal Road/Ledgard Way, Armley

stutterdog · Post by **stutterdog** » Thu 13 Jun, 2013 6:54 pm

jim wrote: Ice could rapidly cut the sides of "regular" boats", so special ice-breaking boats of extra tough construction were built. They usually had a rail or rope along the centre, and carried a complement of six or more fit men aboard. The boat would be horse drawn, slowly, and the men aboard would rock the boat from side to side with all their might to break the ice across the canal rather than ramming the ice head on as one might expect.These boats were used for no other purpose, and as Cardiarms says, they were always sunk at some suitable spot when not in use as the woodwork lasted much longer when kept immersed.I have no idea how they were refloated when they were needed. A sunken boat under a thick covering of ice would present a problem. Anyone know how it was done? Thanks for the interesting information Jim and Cardiarms.I had no idea that they had ice-breakers on the canal and even being over 70 I never ever saw one of these things in action! I don't recall the one moored at Botany Bay ever moving from it's spot there so they must have stopped using them before 1950.

jim · Post by **jim** » Thu 13 Jun, 2013 7:20 pm

Stutterdog, remember, the icebreaker would only move from its spot if and when the canal seriously froze over - and if there was commercial traffic to warrant it. I'm not certain as to when such traffic finally ceased, but think that coal might have been worked to Kirkstall power station into the 1960s. There was a severe winter in the early 1960s (1962/3 if I remember correctly).It's possible you might just not have been there at the right time!

stutterdog · Post by **stutterdog** » Thu 13 Jun, 2013 7:33 pm

jim wrote: Stutterdog, remember, the icebreaker would only move from its spot if and when the canal seriously froze over - and if there was commercial traffic to warrant it. I'm not certain as to when such traffic finally ceased, but think that coal might have been worked to Kirkstall power station into the 1960s. There was a severe winter in the early 1960s (1962/3 if I remember correctly).It's possible you might just not have been there at the right time! Suppose your right Jim,but I did play with friends on Armley Park nr the canal quite a lot in the early 50's ,winter and summer!

Cardiarms · Post by **Cardiarms** » Thu 13 Jun, 2013 7:40 pm

It's even got a sign:http://www.flickr.com/photos/chumpamania/8619125935/

shutthatdoor · Post by **shutthatdoor** » Thu 13 Jun, 2013 7:52 pm

I remember the boat at Botany Bay. Does anyone remember the two barges moored and rotting in the Marina which used be an offload point for coal at the old power station. It's part of the caravan storage place now with some permanent moorings. I remember being able to walk around the outsides of them before they rotted through completely.We used to swim in the canal in summer and occasionally venture to the locks at Kirkstall or Newley for a proper jump in, just down from Abbey Inn. I'm talking early 70s through to mid 8o's. I wouldn't fancy it now. Went through ice several times too. Biggest laugh was seeing school bully going through ice and panicking for his life. That brought him down a peg or two, ha.

stutterdog · Post by **stutterdog** » Thu 13 Jun, 2013 8:46 pm

Cardiarms wrote: It's even got a sign:http://www.flickr.com/photos/chumpamania/8619125935/ Now that's what I call a novel sign! Great!

stutterdog · Post by **stutterdog** » Thu 13 Jun, 2013 8:53 pm

shutthatdoor wrote: I remember the boat at Botany Bay. Does anyone remember the two barges moored and rotting in the Marina which used be an offload point for coal at the old power station. It's part of the caravan storage place now with some permanent moorings. I remember being able to walk around the outsides of them before they rotted through completely.We used to swim in the canal in summer and occasionally venture to the locks at Kirkstall or Newley for a proper jump in, just down from Abbey Inn. I'm talking early 70s through to mid 8o's. I wouldn't fancy it now. Went through ice several times too. Biggest laugh was seeing school bully going through ice and panicking for his life. That brought him down a peg or two, ha. Hey mate! did you ever jump off the girders into the canal.Where the railway ran over the canal?I remember the barges that were moored at the loading dock at the Power station way back in the 50's.We used to get inside the cabins in winter and light the pot-bellied stove with the coal from the loading dock! Things we got up to in those days!

Compresc · Post by **Compresc** » Fri 14 Jun, 2013 2:40 pm

Hi guy's from Vancouver BC.I lived on Aviary Row in the 50s & 60s went to the Clock school, Castleton & Armley park. Spent many a happy hour fishing the canal & trian spotting on Armley station.I remember the winter of 62/63 & also the gales that blew down the crane when they where building the flats at Branch Road.

stutterdog · Post by **stutterdog** » Fri 14 Jun, 2013 5:10 pm

Compresc wrote: Hi guy's from Vancouver BC.I lived on Aviary Row in the 50s & 60s went to the Clock school, Castleton & Armley park. Spent many a happy hour fishing the canal & trian spotting on Armley station.I remember the winter of 62/63 & also the gales that blew down the crane when they where building the flats at Branch Road. Hi Compresc, Its possible I know you?I went to Castleton and Armley Pk.I left school in 1957.I also remember the crane falling onto the flats.My teachers at Armley Pk were Mr.Cole Paddy Pearson ,Syd Sutherland and Digger Dan ,not necessarily in that order.

Compresc · Post by **Compresc** » Sat 15 Jun, 2013 2:02 am

Hi stutterdog,I went to Armley park from 61-65 but when we moved from Armley in 68 we moved to Highbank Street in Farsley. Remember the old Farsley Flyer? I spent many a happy hour in The Old Hall. I used to work for Roy Tinsley with Peter Boocock who's brother owned the butchers.