Old Semafore signal seen at Riddlesden.

An old signal for Flyboat skippers in bygone days to indicate a message awaits.

Going Down.

11 Locks, 3 Miles, 2 swing Bridges. Now moored at Ashley Lane Moorings.

Bingley Five rise locks. These gate are huge.

Eight ‘o’ clock on the dot and we were marshalled into the top lock of the Bingley Five Rise locks to begin our descent towards Leeds. The lock keeper had already been on the job for a while clearing rubbish from around the lock gates and overflow sluices. Thirty minutes or so and we were on our way towards the Bingley three locks where the lock keeper was expecting us.This flight soon came and went and we had about a miles cruise before the Dowley Gap two flight where again a lock keeper was in attendance.

Leaving the bottom lock of the Bingley Five.

The lock keeper gave Dot some valuable information about mooring possibilities in the Shipley area before we proceeded to Hirst lock where the same lock keeper met us again just to ensure there were no problems. These eleven locks had dropped us a total of one hundred and eighteen and a half feet down towards Leeds, talk about coming down out of the clouds. Phew!

Bottom of the Bingley Three Rise locks.

Luck was on our side because there was a mooring available at the Ashley Lane visitor moorings where we had planned to stay. These moorings are only big enough for 2 boats and at present we have it all to ourselves.

Gypsy Rover at rest at Ashley Lane Visitor Moorings at Shipley.

1821 locks, 3734½ miles, 68 tunnels, 116 swing bridges and 53 lift bridges since Nov 2006

Over flow cills on the Bingley Five Rise locks.

Bingley Five Rise Locks.

0 Locks, 2 Miles, 4 Swing Bridges. Now moored above Bingley 5 Rise Locks.

The famous Bingley Five Rise locks on the Leeds and Liverpool Canal.

After a sleepless night, due to a rowdy party at a property about 6 houses away from us which lasted until 4am, we left Riddlesden about mid morning. The weather was a complete opposite to yesterdays Summer spectacular but we didn’t plan on travelling far.

This is what happens when they open gate paddles on the Bingley Five Rise locks.

All the swing bridges except one were fully electrified making life easy until one idiotic driver ran the red lights driving through at speed as the barrier arms were descending. He was very lucky not to have had an accident. The last bridge had manual barriers with the bridge being electric but that caused us a few worries when it wouldn’t open causing a bit of a backlog of traffic.

Lock keeper opening the gate paddles on the final lock. They move sideways instead of up and down.

Arriving at Bingley we tried several places to moor but were defeated by a submerged wall. We were eventually told by the lock keeper to moor between the water point and the footbridge above the locks as we were only staying overnight. Later we walked down the flight for some photo’s as we won’t get a chance when we are in the locks.

Bingley Five Rise side paddle equipment.

1810 locks, 3731½ miles, 68 tunnels, 116 swing bridges and 53 lift bridges since Nov 2006

Bronté Country.

After a short bus ride from Riddlesden we arrived at Keighley Railway station. This station not only serves National Rail Network services between Leeds, Skipton, and York but platforms 3 and 4 are the terminus for the Keighley and Worth Valley Railway.

Keighley Station platform 4 for the Keighley Worth Valley Railway.

This railway has been a preserved line since 1968.The first station on the line is Ingrow West which although being a Midland Railway station actually came from Foulridge in Lancashire and was dismantled, transported and rebuilt stone by stone.

With five mile of track to the original terminus at Oxenhope the line has 6 stations one of which is known to most of us as the station run by Bernard Cribbins in the TV series “The Railway Children”. This of course is Oakworth station. Next up the line is Haworth station famous by way of the Bronte sisters and the Bronte Parsonage Museum nearby.

Keighley and Worth Valley Railway. TV's “The Railway Children”

The station’s have all been lovingly restored to their Midland Railway circa 1900 condition with enamel advertising signs, gas lighting and all the usual bric-a-brac seen on station platforms on that era.Since the KWVR soc; took over the line patronage has increased to the extent that in 1971 they added a passing loop between Damems and Oakworth stations to allow for 2 train operation.

Just how the Midland Railway built it.

Today’s service was provided by ex Taff Vale railway 0-6-2 no 85 built by The Vulcan Foundry , Newton Le Willows in Lancashire in 1945. With a train of 6 Mk II carriages she worked well on the 1 in 56 grade up to Oakworth station. This week-end is her final outing before being withdrawn for her 10 yearly overhaul.

Ex Taff Vale railway 0-6-2 No 85 on it's final week-end before overhaul.

We were too late to visit East Riddlesden Hall

Tithe Barn, East Riddlesden Hall, West Yorkshire. Bequeathed to the National Trust 1933.

A short visit to East Riddlesden Hall which is a National Trust property. It was open to the public for one day only free of charge. Unfortunately we didn’t arrive until 30 minutes before closing time so we only managed a stroll in the grounds and a look through the Tithe barn which has been in existence since the 1100’s. The history of this hall is interesting in that it had been owned by 8 families since the 1100’s.

Rough hewn timber inside the Tithe Barn at East Riddlesden Hall.

Between 1861 and 1920 land on the estate was slowly sold off for housing development. What was left of the estate was bought by John and William Brigg of Keighley in 1933 who then bequeathed it to the National Trust the following year. The buildings are a mixture of derelict and intact set in a small park like setting along with a duck pond. A beautiful site for a picnic.  The house and grounds were once the setting of the film “Wuthering Heights”

Horse drawn tip wagon at East Riddlesden Hall.

East Riddlesden Hall

East Riddlesden Hall, West Yorkshire. Bequeathed to the National Trust 1933. The park like grounds and duck pond are popular picnic spots.