Pollington
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| Freda Carless moored below the lock |
At 9am on the 6th March we had a C&RT notice come through informing us that the flood locks along the Aire and Calder had been closed due to rising waters. The level at Ferrybridge at that time was around 0.5m. It had risen quickly from a level of about 0.15m over night. So far they have not updated the notice, the level being at 0.9m this evening it’s no surprise. It’s slowly going down, but now we have an idea of how low it will need to get before the gates are opened again. This of course doesn’t mean that the river is necessarily closed, the level markers are likely to reach amber before the locks are opened.
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| One rubbish tree! |
With this in mind we decided to stay put for another day, there was the cratch cover to clean!
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| Swing bridge 3 |
In the afternoon we went for a walk into the village to see what we could find. Walking through the farm yard from Swing bridge 3 we were watched by the cows in the shed.
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| Moo! |
When we reached the main road we turned left thinking that there might be more to look at in that direction.
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| Shop |
Most houses were newish, boiler flues instead of chimneys. Across from the village hall was a stall outside Lock Farm. Bunches of daffodils, rhubarb and eggs for sale. We picked up a box of eggs, but left the rhubarb for others, not our favourite!
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| Slightly over grown |
A big notice on the side of the hall told us some of the history of the village. There had been an RAF base RAF Snaith (called this to avoid confusion with RAF Pocklington). After the war the buildings on the site became an open prison. By 1957 the camp became a borstal, the young inmates helping to clear up the airfield.
Pollington Olympics were held for several years from the 1970’s. A torch processed around the village, races, vegetable competitions and floats, a usual village fete. Football, tennis and cricket have had grounds in the village. A fairly normal village which started off life as a settlement around farms and now houses people who commute to work.
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| The George and Dragon |
There used to be a row of shops and three pubs, only one pub remains The King’s Head. The George and Dragon still stands proud on a corner. This was once the Greatest Pub in Britain according to Radio 2, but in 2009 it turned into an Indian Restaurant and sometime since the information boards were put up it has become a house.
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| Hydraulics |
Walking back along the canal by the lock we peered into the little sheds. On one side of the lock is a diesel generator, presumably used if normal power is cut to the lock. On the other side you can see the hydraulics just waiting for someone to press the buttons.
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| A long lock with many gates |
The lock has four pairs of gates. Normally the bottom two sets are used, but when longer vessels pass through the lock can be lengthened. This can only happen with the god of all Keys of Power which only C&RT staff have.
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| Just what |
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| is this? |
By the bottom gates are two large white metal things. Does anybody know what they were for other than growing weeds in?
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| Tilly was fixated with this hole for hours |
Tomorrow we’ll assess the rivers and see how we feel, hopefully we’ll move on a touch.
0 locks, 0 miles, 1 clean cratch, 2 loads of washing (just where does it all come from!?) 1 average village, 6 eggs, 0 rhubarb, 1 friend a touch to shy to come out, 1 river still too high, 1 pair of socks completed.
We have had many happy nights moored at Pollington. We usually moor on the green just outside the village and walk in from there though. We have had many a good meal in what was the Indian restaurant as well. It was a great shame when it closed down.
Do the white things face each other? Side by side? It looks like they had something bolted to the face – so I'm thinking signpost? advertising hoarding?
Steve, the white things are on opposite sides of the lock and diagonally face towards on coming boats. They stand about three foot tall.
Were they stops for the end of the balance beam to rest against (when they were manually operated with long balance beams) to stop a gate being pushed too far open?There are occasional examples of stops like that still in use in a few places.
Thank you Paul. Of course they are. It looks like they would stop the beams from going too far when the gates are closed. Sorry Steve, but Paul wins a sausage roll!
What a brilliant picture of Tilly shows who is in charge Frank
Next time the sausage roll is mine..