Open Doors at Stoke Bruerne and some memories of Bingley

I see that Canal and River Trust are having an open weekend at Stoke Bruerne  on February 13th and 14th where they have been carrying out repairs to the lock flight. I have always thought that this type of community engagement activity is well worthwhile. I also find the idea of finding out more of what goes on below the surface fascinating. A decade ago they drained the flight at Stoke Bruerne and we had a pretty good look, but to properly poke around below the surface should be fun. We aim to be there.

Stoke Bruerne Locks de-watered in 2006

However, the most fascinating example of this type of engagement with the community has to be when the iconic Bingley Five-Rise was open to the public during repairs in spring 2012. The You-Tube videos of the event were great and the numbers who walked up through the chambers over the weekend exceeded 7,000. It's just a shame that access to the BBC report of the event has now been deleted because it was simply brilliant with the local engineering staff doing a great job of explaining the engineering work and the purpose of the event. Nowadays, there would a permanent link to a CRT published video.

I just wished I lived on the doorstep of the Five-Rise - but then Stoke Bruerne and Bingley just can't be compared. I hope you enjoy the videos below.

I see the little sister of the Five-Rise, the Three-Rise at Bingley, is also being opened up to the public but over an extended period from next weekend to the 6th March. 

So to complete the reminiscences of Bingley, the image below comes from our summer 2012 journey along the Leeds & Liverpool and up the Five-Rise.

Albert about to climb Bingley Five-Rise with the lock-keeper waiting