Flood defence work has started near Victoria Bridge.

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Leodian
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Flood defence work has started near Victoria Bridge.

Post by Leodian »

Being in the close-by area on March 19 2015 I noticed there seemed to be work going on near Water Lane close to Victoria Bridge. On asking a workman I was told that it is work to do with the flood defence scheme. A lot of shrubbery branches had been cut down over what I think is where the culverted Holbeck beck joins the River Aire, though there is still a lot of growth on either side of the culvert there. The first photo is a general one showing the site and the second is a close-up view of where Holbeck beck joins the River Aire. The difference in water colour (and probably content) between the River Aire and Holbeck beck is noticeable.
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General view of starting work for the flood defence where Holbeck beck joins the River Aire near Victoria Bridge. Taken March 19 2015.
General view of starting work for the flood defence where Holbeck beck joins the River Aire near Victoria Bridge. Taken March 19 2015.
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Close-up of Holbeck beck joining the River Aire (notice the differing water colours). Taken March 19 2015.
Close-up of Holbeck beck joining the River Aire (notice the differing water colours). Taken March 19 2015.
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hyperion
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Re: Flood defence work has started near Victoria Bridge.

Post by hyperion »

I know it's not strictly about flood defences,but it may be of interest or not.http://www.magavelda1.webspace.virginme ... 20Feet.pdf
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WiggyDiggy
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Re: Flood defence work has started near Victoria Bridge.

Post by WiggyDiggy »

It has started further down also at the far end of the cutting - there is a diversion in place now as it is impassible.

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Leodian
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Re: Flood defence work has started near Victoria Bridge.

Post by Leodian »

hyperion wrote:I know it's not strictly about flood defences,but it may be of interest or not.http://www.magavelda1.webspace.virginme ... 20Feet.pdf
Thanks hyperion for that link to an extremely interesting report. I won't give extracts from most of the report but the following particularly caught my interest:-

On page 8. "Small wonder that the death rate in Leeds rose from 20.7 per thousand in 1831 to 27.2 per thousand in 1841. The average life expectancy in Leeds, according to figures given by Chadwick, was as follows: Gentry 44 years. Tradesmen 27 years. Workmen 19 years". Chadwick will likely refer to a report by Edwin Chadwick in 1842.

On page 9. "Prior to the 1832 Cholera very few streets in Leeds were drained. The few sewers which did exist had been built privately and discharged either directly into the River Aire at Leeds Bridge or to Addle (sic) Beck - the 'Ganges of Lady Lane' - and thence to the River". The 'Ganges of Lady Lane' made me smile.

On page 29 there is a sad report of the death in 1965 of "Thomas Griffin, a 53 year old sewerman employed by Leeds Corporation" who fell in a sewer while working and was swept away before he could be caught by other workmen. His body was later discovered on the screens of Knostrop Sewerage Works 3km away.

On page 32 there is a photo inside Marsh Lane sewer that was built in the 1840's and abandoned in the 1990's. I wonder if that sewer is still intact?
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Cardiarms
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Re: Flood defence work has started near Victoria Bridge.

Post by Cardiarms »

Remind me to have a look.

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Leodian
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Re: Flood defence work has started near Victoria Bridge.

Post by Leodian »

This is a photo that I took of the work today (April 2 2015). There has been removal of material next to where Holbeck Beck joins the River Aire near Victoria Bridge and some concrete was being added while I was there (some had already been put down).
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Flood defence work near Victoria Bridge on April 2 2015.
Flood defence work near Victoria Bridge on April 2 2015.
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BarFly
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Location: In t' pub in Leeds (see picture).

Re: Flood defence work has started near Victoria Bridge.

Post by BarFly »

The Hol Beck is a minor obsession of mine, having spent a good deal of my life going past bits of it so thank you Leo for this :).
One of these days I'll either don waders or buy a remote-control boat and find out where the Hol Beck goes...

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Leodian
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Re: Flood defence work has started near Victoria Bridge.

Post by Leodian »

BarFly wrote:The Hol Beck is a minor obsession of mine, having spent a good deal of my life going past bits of it so thank you Leo for this :).
One of these days I'll either don waders or buy a remote-control boat and find out where the Hol Beck goes...
Hiya Barfly :).

Your post raises an interesting query, being what is the current official name of the beck? Though the area is called Holbeck, is the beck called Hol Beck (an old name that may still be the correct one) or Holbeck Beck? I have used Holbeck Beck earlier but that is a bit of a mouthful.

PS. Enjoy your wander, but a remote-control boat sounds the safest (or perhaps a drone as they seem to be getting used in ever unlikely places nowadays). ;)
A rainbow is a ribbon that Nature puts on when she washes her hair.

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buffaloskinner
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Re: Flood defence work has started near Victoria Bridge.

Post by buffaloskinner »

Barfly you may need a scuba outfit as well.

Tracing back on the 1913 map it seems to spring up by the Phoenix Park golf course at the back of Thornbury Roundabout:

From there it is Tyersall Beck, then Pudsey Beck, Farnley Beck, Wortley Beck, Low Beck and finally Hol Beck before emptying into the Aire

There were also a number of mill streams which fed the various mills en route.

Much of the beck seems to be underground on todays maps and I would think that these are just small diameter pipes.

:arrow:
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chameleon
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Re: Flood defence work has started near Victoria Bridge.

Post by chameleon »

This would have had a home in and to continue this thread:

http://secretleeds.com/viewtopic.php?t=1617

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