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Newgate flood lock around 1910.
This flood lock was an addition made to the Mirfield cut in 1883. Prior to this, only a flood gate
existed on the other side of Newgate Bridge and although this prevented the canal from flooding at times of high water, it also made the cut unpassable until the high water subsided. The installation
of the flood lock enabled barges to be stepped to river level to continue their journey or vice versa down to canal level. The lock at Newgate is very deep and over the years quite a few lives have
been lost there.
In the distance you can see a barge under construction at Ledgard Bridge Boat Yard (more commonly known as the Navi Yard) directly behind is the Navigation Tavern. (Many a
Launching Party took part over the years there.)
The large buildings behind the Navigation Tavern are Crowthers Malsters which straddled the cut with two covered bridges. A further two bridges
crossed over the access road that went to the Boat Yard and Navigation Tavern, directly on to the goods platform at the railway station.
The skyline on the right of the picture is totally obscured
by the railway station roof giving you some sense of its size in those busy days.
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