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I wonder if anyone knows anything about this feature by the River Aire (not a quiz as I don't know).

Posted: Fri 11 Aug, 2017 8:25 pm
by Leodian
During a stroll on August 10 2017 by the River Aire a little upriver of the Whitehall footbridge I noticed this overgrown feature on the right hand bank of the river. I wonder if anyone knows anything about this possibly old feature? An 1893 map shows it would be where the Monkbridge Bobbin and Shuttle Works buildings were by the river bank and a 1908 map shows it where the Whitehall Mills was, so assuming it was there then I guess that it may have something to do with those or later buildings but I would be grateful for any information or help such as why it is still there (perhaps it still has a function?).

The first image is a photo that I took on August 10 2017. The second image is a zoomed-in satellite view taken from Bing maps that shows the location of the rectangular looking feature (sorry about the lot of space in that as I've not yet worked out how to save a jpg file copy without lots of space).
FeatureByRiverAireNearWhitehallFootbridgeAug102017..jpg
FeatureByRiverAireNearWhitehallFootbridgeAug102017..jpg (219.99 KiB) Viewed 4353 times
FeatureByRiverAireNearWhitehallFootbridgeBingMaps.jpg
FeatureByRiverAireNearWhitehallFootbridgeBingMaps.jpg (77.97 KiB) Viewed 4353 times

Re: I wonder if anyone knows anything about this feature by the River Aire (not a quiz as I don't know).

Posted: Fri 11 Aug, 2017 9:43 pm
by jim
The construction, materials and lack of corrosion of this feature suggest something of a more recent date than 1908 Leodian. I'm afraid I can't help beyond that.

Re: I wonder if anyone knows anything about this feature by the River Aire (not a quiz as I don't know).

Posted: Mon 14 Aug, 2017 9:27 am
by The Parksider
Hi Leo

The frame looks like a lifting frame so it could be a pumping station, as Jim says modern looking.

The frame could be used to hoist pumps in and out??

just mu best guess

Re: I wonder if anyone knows anything about this feature by the River Aire (not a quiz as I don't know).

Posted: Mon 14 Aug, 2017 9:28 am
by The Parksider
Hi Leo

The frame looks like a lifting frame so it could be a pumping station, as Jim says modern looking.

The frame could be used to hoist pumps in and out??

just mu best guess

Re: I wonder if anyone knows anything about this feature by the River Aire (not a quiz as I don't know).

Posted: Mon 14 Aug, 2017 9:30 am
by blackprince
It looks like a pipe support to me. A water or steam pipe would have been suspended in a pipe hanger from the centre of the cross beam where you can see a bolt. In this case they were probably extracting water from the river or pumping waste water or effluent in :cry: .
Modern versions of a pipe support and hanger can be seen here:
http://tinyurl.com/ycq7px63
and
http://tinyurl.com/y9h7zsww

They can be used on roof tops or on the ground.

Re: I wonder if anyone knows anything about this feature by the River Aire (not a quiz as I don't know).

Posted: Mon 14 Aug, 2017 10:36 pm
by Leodian
Thanks jim, The Parksider and blackprince for your help :).

If I remember to do so I will go back later in the year when hopefully the plant growth has died back and so possibly more of the feature may be revealed.

Re: I wonder if anyone knows anything about this feature by the River Aire (not a quiz as I don't know).

Posted: Wed 23 Aug, 2017 12:03 am
by Tom tom1
There defiantly lifting frames. There's similar structures along the Manchester ship canal. I will take pics next time I'm there.

Re: I wonder if anyone knows anything about this feature by the River Aire (not a quiz as I don't know).

Posted: Wed 23 Aug, 2017 2:39 pm
by tilly
Welcome to S/L TOM tom1 Thanks for your post.

Re: I wonder if anyone knows anything about this feature by the River Aire (not a quiz as I don't know).

Posted: Wed 23 Aug, 2017 2:42 pm
by Leodian
tilly wrote:Welcome to S/L TOM tom1 Thanks for your post.
Seconded to that. :).

Re: I wonder if anyone knows anything about this feature by the River Aire (not a quiz as I don't know).

Posted: Wed 13 Sep, 2017 8:40 pm
by Leodian
Being in the area on September 7 2017 I noticed the plant growth has died back or it has been cut back, so more of the feature was visible. These are 3 photos I took. I was not prepared to risk going onto the river bank so I did not climb over the safety fence to get a closer view. There is plant growth inside the feature, so either it does not go deep or perhaps it is sealed off or blocked by debris that has filled it in over the years. I wonder if the rusty ladder was/is used to get to and back from the feature?
FeatureByRiverAire(1)Sept072017..jpg
FeatureByRiverAire(1)Sept072017..jpg (167.16 KiB) Viewed 3952 times
FeatureByRiverAire(2)Sept072017..jpg
FeatureByRiverAire(2)Sept072017..jpg (167.81 KiB) Viewed 3952 times
FeatureByRiverAire(3)Sept072017..jpg
FeatureByRiverAire(3)Sept072017..jpg (186.51 KiB) Viewed 3952 times