I’ve cycled up 14 locks many many times. The whole towpath was widened and re-surfaced in 2021, which made it a much nicer ride. Regarding its current condition, unfortunately councils in South Wales have never been keen on heritage and retaining our history, and the current state of the locks demonstrates this perfectly. Hopefully this may help. Thanks for the video.
I think one of the major issues is the canal runs through 4 different councils, it’s hard enough dealing with one but getting 4 to have joined up thinking is an incredibly hard task
I'm also a cyclist, further north but also appreciate towpaths. Wish councils would pay more attention to infrastructure as these jobs are too big for individuals.. unfortunately councils get distracted by small issues that people really could sort out for themselves
There have been quite a few repairs carried out, to the basins both at the 14 locks and on the other arm above Pentre Lane, but the maintenance is the issue I think - the ongoing non-trivial costs involved in keeping the canals clear, year after year, for very short navigable sections, sadly does not make sense. I heard that the section under the M4 in High Cross can be re-opened by removing the concrete cap, since it is not structural. We need more lottery money, basically.
@@tavishurn2585 there won’t be lottery money for a couple of years, less is being given to projects like this with the cost of living crisis, they’ve capped all money already, you used to be able to get £25 million, now it’s one or two.
Its been a while since I have been up to 14 locks, its good to see them and knowing some work is still happening. I have done a couple of videos about the main line of the canal but this is great. Your drone work brings a much different angle to it all.
Another fabulous video today. You explain everything so a person not from the area can understand it. Enjoy your weekend, and see you on the next, Steve! Cheers! 🇬🇧👍🙂🇺🇸
Being a valley boy having returned home visiting have watched the construction roads and housing over last 60 yrs am amazed so much has survived but so glad.
That's really interesting nice film and well explained.. love canals but got to say never really understand the full workings of them I hate to see them falling into disrepair and abandoned let's hope it's soon bought back to life 👍 regards Glyn
I live just off Barrack Hill at the end of the Malpas canal, its a great walk. Sad to see it in such disrepair these days, but i remember the restoration project when i was a kid - probably around 40 years ago now. Histories motorway.
Spent my youth fishing,walking and canoeing this canal, now walk it with my grandson. The passing lock looks to have some sort of what I think are mason marks on one of the stones, also if I remember there used to be some sort of holes on the ledge, like post holes? Mind you it’s been a long time since I jumped down onto that ledge so it could be the old memory playing tricks!
My old stomping ground. The description of the passing point, one laden barge, one empty barge is exactly what my granddad told me when we went for a cycle ride. I'm 60 now and my grandad was born in 1913. He probably played there when the canal was flat out. Nice days
I used to ride my bike to work on the Crumlin arm all the way from Crumlin to Rogerstone five day's a week for 8 year's even when it was snowing 🥶😁😂 the best part was seeing all the wildlife. Believe it or not I used to love riding it every day, it's a shame I can't do it anymore 😢
@@CourtAboveTheCut definitely. I used to pass by hundreds of other cyclists on the canal every week I made a few good friends on that canal that I still see every week as well. It is definitely a very important part of some of our lives 🙂
My parents live right alongside it and is accessed over the canal bridge leading between the flats off oliphant circle in malpas . They stop and start work over the years to restore it . Be nice if it continues
Is it possible to hear more about the composite material for modern lock gates? And the process of standardizing the sizes? 300 years is quite a claim of durable utility.
I’ll be going more into it on another video but it’s a partnership between them and the kennet and Avon. The metal is guaranteed not to rust for 300 years but they are selling them as 200 at least.
Fascinating and really informative. Thank you for taking the time to record this and share 🙏 How much time did you spent researching the locks for this video? 🤯 Brilliant camera work and commentary. 🎉
This one was actually quite easy, there’s plenty of info online and the visitor centre is full of info. Total time would be 2 x visits (4 hours driving) 2 hours exploring with my kids then around a morning filming. About 6 hours of editing. Research aside from that was only an evening on it. I visited on the Sunday with my kids, found out they were doing a bridge lift on the Monday and crammed in as much as I could in the evening!
I’ve cycled up 14 locks many many times. The whole towpath was widened and re-surfaced in 2021, which made it a much nicer ride. Regarding its current condition, unfortunately councils in South Wales have never been keen on heritage and retaining our history, and the current state of the locks demonstrates this perfectly. Hopefully this may help. Thanks for the video.
I think one of the major issues is the canal runs through 4 different councils, it’s hard enough dealing with one but getting 4 to have joined up thinking is an incredibly hard task
I'm also a cyclist, further north but also appreciate towpaths. Wish councils would pay more attention to infrastructure as these jobs are too big for individuals.. unfortunately councils get distracted by small issues that people really could sort out for themselves
There have been quite a few repairs carried out, to the basins both at the 14 locks and on the other arm above Pentre Lane, but the maintenance is the issue I think - the ongoing non-trivial costs involved in keeping the canals clear, year after year, for very short navigable sections, sadly does not make sense. I heard that the section under the M4 in High Cross can be re-opened by removing the concrete cap, since it is not structural. We need more lottery money, basically.
@@tavishurn2585 there won’t be lottery money for a couple of years, less is being given to projects like this with the cost of living crisis, they’ve capped all money already, you used to be able to get £25 million, now it’s one or two.
Superbly constructed...true craftsmen
We have lost something as a country with regards to engineering projects
Its been a while since I have been up to 14 locks, its good to see them and knowing some work is still happening. I have done a couple of videos about the main line of the canal but this is great. Your drone work brings a much different angle to it all.
Thank you. I think I’m coming up tomorrow to film about the planned works above 21. Fingers crossed the weather holds out!
Look forward to seeing it.
Another fabulous video today. You explain everything so a person not from the area can understand it. Enjoy your weekend, and see you on the next, Steve! Cheers! 🇬🇧👍🙂🇺🇸
Thanks for watching, have a great one too
Being a valley boy having returned home visiting have watched the construction roads and housing over last 60 yrs am amazed so much has survived but so glad.
I think the fact it follows the hillside has saved it, if it ran across an open bit of land I think it would have been gone
That's really interesting nice film and well explained.. love canals but got to say never really understand the full workings of them I hate to see them falling into disrepair and abandoned let's hope it's soon bought back to life 👍 regards Glyn
If the winter is as bad as the summer has been for filming I might have to make some how it works videos from home!
Great camera work 👍😁
Amazing location, heritage and engineering ✅
Thanks for watching!
I live just off Barrack Hill at the end of the Malpas canal, its a great walk. Sad to see it in such disrepair these days, but i remember the restoration project when i was a kid - probably around 40 years ago now. Histories motorway.
Hopefully something can be done to bring it back soon!
Spent my youth fishing,walking and canoeing this canal, now walk it with my grandson. The passing lock looks to have some sort of what I think are mason marks on one of the stones, also if I remember there used to be some sort of holes on the ledge, like post holes? Mind you it’s been a long time since I jumped down onto that ledge so it could be the old memory playing tricks!
I’d love to go back and see it when it’s clear, it’s such a shame as pre covid it was very clear. I’ll try to find them when I go
My old stomping ground.
The description of the passing point, one laden barge, one empty barge is exactly what my granddad told me when we went for a cycle ride. I'm 60 now and my grandad was born in 1913. He probably played there when the canal was flat out. Nice days
It just makes the most sense, it’s strange nobody seems to know when it wasn’t that far back in history
I used to ride my bike to work on the Crumlin arm all the way from Crumlin to Rogerstone five day's a week for 8 year's even when it was snowing 🥶😁😂 the best part was seeing all the wildlife. Believe it or not I used to love riding it every day, it's a shame I can't do it anymore 😢
This is the type of thing that the councils need to see, people use the canals for more than just boating.
@@CourtAboveTheCut definitely. I used to pass by hundreds of other cyclists on the canal every week I made a few good friends on that canal that I still see every week as well. It is definitely a very important part of some of our lives 🙂
I was just there last weekend. Fabulous bit of engineering, I thought.
I filmed this on Monday but I was there on Sunday as well with my kids and the dog. A lovely spot
My parents live right alongside it and is accessed over the canal bridge leading between the flats off oliphant circle in malpas . They stop and start work over the years to restore it . Be nice if it continues
Fingers crossed it’ll continue and open up soon
Excellent. One day this will reopen .there's more boats on canals now than in the 18th century. X
It’s crazy how local councils and government don’t see the need to invest in the network, it’s so widely used by many even without the boats
Not in my neck of the woods.Pontnewydd to the border with Newport,butchered from the 50s to the 80s,would cost an absolute fortune to open it up
@@stevenbreach2561 isn’t there funding now in to go from 5 locks to Cwmbran town centre?
Thanks for explaining what looks like a complex piece of canal engineering. Are there any tunnels on this arm, or did the locks suffice?
I can’t think of one, 2-3 aqueducts though
Imagine how nice it would look if it was all restored, as it is it looks dangerous.
You just need to respect the area, there are signs everywhere. It’ll definitely look better restored though!
I worked on these locks many years ago
Thank you for your hard work!
Is it possible to hear more about the composite material for modern lock gates? And the process of standardizing the sizes? 300 years is quite a claim of durable utility.
I’ll be going more into it on another video but it’s a partnership between them and the kennet and Avon. The metal is guaranteed not to rust for 300 years but they are selling them as 200 at least.
Fascinating and really informative. Thank you for taking the time to record this and share 🙏
How much time did you spent researching the locks for this video? 🤯
Brilliant camera work and commentary. 🎉
This one was actually quite easy, there’s plenty of info online and the visitor centre is full of info. Total time would be 2 x visits (4 hours driving) 2 hours exploring with my kids then around a morning filming. About 6 hours of editing. Research aside from that was only an evening on it. I visited on the Sunday with my kids, found out they were doing a bridge lift on the Monday and crammed in as much as I could in the evening!
Im voting the mystery lock is a place for boats to pass.....:)
I agree!
It would save water to enable passing in staircases locks.
Exactly my thoughts, nobody seems to know. It makes sense though doesn’t it?
I see a opportunity for the Welsh Government to open this part of the canal because you can't go over 20mph on canals !
😂😂 I can see them on the canal now, yellow jackets and a speed gun 😂