Canal's Most Terrifying Invention.

Quick footnote: The entire canal sections here are on private land (We were unaware of this at the time as the signs had been vandalised). The Trust are in the process of redoing them. So please do avoid walking in between them!
Welcome to The Somersetshire Coal Canal. More specifically welcome to Combe Hay and the incredible architecture the canals gave us. This area really holds a thousand secrets from the canal era, over two dozen abandoned locks, an inclined plane, and quite possible the most bizarre and terrifying canal invention you have ever heard of.
Credit: Cassion Diamgram: Ayack and words added by user:geni taken from en:Image:Mod Caisson lock Geni.png author en:user:Old Moonraker cc.
If you are interested in ways in which you can help support the channel please do consider clicking on any of the links below or alternatively the join button on here.
/ paulandrebeccawhitewick
www.paulwhitewick.co.uk
ko-fi.com/everydisusedstation
PayPal: [e-mail]
Media contact: [e-mail]
Join this channel to get access to perks:
/ @pwhitewick

[@pwhitewick]

Quick footnote: The entire canal sections here are on private land (We were unaware of this at the time as the signs had been vandalised). The Trust are in the process of redoing them. So please do avoid walking in between them!

[@mareli82]

its just woods ? her in norway you can go where ever you want as long as its not inside somebody's garden

[@MichaelEricMenk]

​​@@mareli82 In Norway you can not walk on someone's field, orchard or plantation. This is because "the right to roam" does not apply to destroying someone property... Fields in in the winter time is OK (no crop damaged).

[@NeilCWCampbell]

No such thing as private land except in view of russian sponsored brexit supporting conservatives...and they been dealt with soon I'd imagine

[@FaceInTheCrowd]

​@@NeilCWCampbellif I owned a forest, I'd be happy for people to walk through there. But sadly many would spoil that freedom to roam by littering, smoking without care, fly tipping, damage and couldn't-give-a-monkey attitude dirt/quad biking, etc. And so, like many others, I would keep it as private land. If you would like true freedom to roam, you'll likely need some impressive, convincing teaching programmes to turn the don't-cares of society around.

[@NeilCWCampbell]

@@FaceInTheCrowd that's what taxes are for in public spaces dude 🤣🤣 you know to keep Britain tidy Remember the conservatives are the bad guys 😉

[@janecapon2337]

The stone work is absolutely beautifully done. The masons who made it must have been very proud of their work. Even though it was never intended to be seen.

[@pwhitewick]

It's something else isn't it.

[@StixFerryMan]

That’s the difference between someone who is good at their job, and someone who is a master at it

[@benjurqunov]

But they still don't know why those Masons refused to accept homosexual special rights.

[@RendallRen]

The terrifying invention you're here to learn about starts at 7:33 👌

[@Sarge084]

There wouldn't, or shouldn't, have been a need for anyone to be on a barge inside the caisson. Using barge poles (One of those things you would touch something unpleasant with.) a barge could have been pushed in at one level and pulled out at the other level. Remember that barges didn't have engines in the early days, they were pulled by horses, hence the canalside path being called a 'towpath'. Great video again by the way, that place must have been a great sight to see, judging by the level of Paul's excitement!

[@stephenarbon2227]

You wouldn't even need to to push/pull the boat in or out, if they raised the caisson an inch or so, when they were ready to leave the boat would come out itself, or conversely, lower it to draw the boat into the container.

[@nickwinn7812]

Good point - Engineers weren't idiots even in the late 18th/ early 109th century.

[@youtubegavemynameawaycuntbags]

@@stephenarbon2227 yea, raise the water at one end and the barge can go downhill.

[@AndyCallaway]

Fun fact: The Bends are also known as caisson disease, due to over 100 cases of the disease occurring during construction of the Brooklyn Bridge. They use caissons to lower workers to the river bed to dig the foundations.

[@aengusmacnaughton1375]

"Caissons" and "Cassions" (which Paul was talking about) are related, but they are two different things.

[@andyalder7910]

@@aengusmacnaughton1375 I think Paul just spelt (and pronounced) it wrong. Caisson House is spelt that way on Historic England's website for example.

[@aengusmacnaughton1375]

@@andyalder7910 -- Ack -- yep, I did find a few hits/definitions of "cassion" but ultimately they are a misspelling of "caisson" -- the "caisson lock" is what Paul was describing -- which is somewhat different than the caissons used to build the foundation of bridge towers below water level (as in the Brooklyn Bridge), but yeah -- the primary word is the same. Oooops! 🙂

[@gbcb8853]

Also occurred in London in Victorian times when railway bridges were being built by the same method

[@AndyCallaway]

@@aengusmacnaughton1375 Well, you lean something new every day. 😃

[@JayYoung-ro3vu]

LOVE the long shot of the locks! Our nearby capital city has an appropriately named road with 3 locks in a row. They are marshy/wet, so not a good walk through. A nearby suburb restored their lock and made it part of a city park. Oddly, a canal was the start of two neighboring villages who merged early on to form this suburb under a new name.

[@Rail_Focus]

It's sad to see the canal abandoned, but it's also fascinating to be able to see and explore the canal workings.

[@malcolmsmith6615]

It goes to show how stone blocks are much more stable than brick walls! Oh, the ‘sluices’ are known as “Paddles”, and the associated winding mechanism as “paddle gear”. Question - was there any evidence at all on the ground of the former caisson lifts? Any depressions or masonry? FYI, lock gates only last in service about 25 years at best, and so the ones you saw were probably installed no earlier than the 1870s, 25 years before the canal closed to traffic. Fascinating, a site that I must find time to visit. Thank you for another fascinating and enjoyable video!

[@joe2mercs]

Interesting that the caissons idea is analogous to the Falkirk wheel. It is important to note that regardless of whether the barge was full of coal or empty the weight of the water-tight chamber always remains the same; the principle being that a floating barge will displace its own mass of water. The Falkirk wheel has two lifts at 180 degrees to one another effectively balancing each other out and so very little energy is used to perform the lift.

[@nickwinn7812]

This system is in no way analogous to the |Falkirk wheel. The caisson is (by volume) mostly full of air and therefore bouyant. There is no counter-balanceing mass (or volume) in the water, so some considerable effort would have been required to lower the caisson.

[@johnm2012]

@@nickwinn7812 The caisson was weighted, to neutralise its buoyancy, so no, it didn't take a considerable effort to lower it. That aside, I do find the analogy with the Falkirk wheel rather tenuous as it works on the principle of simultaneously raising a boat while lowering another, which is not how the caisson lock worked.

[@AlanCanon2222]

I love that characteristic of the Falkirk Wheel, using Archimedes Principle so that the whole affair remains perfectly balanced, no matter the traffic load. Letting Nature do the arithmetic, so to speak.

[@philipoakley5498]

@@johnm2012 The up and down forces are carefully balanced in both cases. It's just that bit more obvious in the Wheel. The weight of the air (change) is negligible compared to the water displaced out of the tube/caisson that matches the mass of the barge's goods.

[@alanriddell833]

If the Falkirk wheel was completely underwater :D

[@raphaelnikolaus0486]

Now that's some lovely preserved (and partially even re?-stored) locks! What a sight.

[@shanestephens2877]

Been interested in canals, railways and our industrial heritage for some time but never knew about cassions. Thanks for all your efforts you go to making these videos.

[@steveperry6624]

One of your best discoveries there, Paul......another fascination glance into the roots of the industrial revolution and its remaining marks still on the landscape.

[@martynbuzzing3327]

How interesting was that? It's great that someone has cleared away the greenery and exposed the magnificent stonework. Thanks

[@TreeHive]

I have lived in bath most of my life and walked past these many times on walks and been interested in their history. So, thank you for putting this fascinating video together!!!

[@williamlloyd3769]

Interesting to see string of locks plus the holding ponds / basins in between.

[@emaartamor]

Great content Paul and Rebecca, one of your best. This canal has been in my 'to visit' list since you filmed about it last time. You are always igniting my enthusiasm for history, especially local history as I'm in west Wiltshire.

[@paulinehedges5088]

Totally amazing. Thank you so much for sharing your enthusiams.

[@Lichfeldian--Suttonian]

Fantastic video, Paul and Rebecca. Many thanks for uncovering those hidden gems!

[@davidbassett4577]

Fascinating Video Paul & Rebecca .. thank you for sharing this & explaining about that terrifying alternative!!

[@simonbradshaw3708]

Thanks for a very interesting video, it must take a lot of research to put these together. I look forward to seeing you next week.

[@archive303]

Loving this channel and content! Feels like we are on an adventure everytime!!

[@shaunmarsh7930]

I all ways find your videos interesting largely helped by the enthusiasm you boths how through your research.another great video thanks

[@davie941]

hello again Paul and Rebecca , interesting video as always , wow the old locks were great to see , that Cassion sounded very scary lol , the pump house was so cool to see, really well done and thank you both 😊

[@chrish5319]

Thank you both, fascinating as always.

[@brianwillson9567]

Yet another brilliant entertaining and educational Whitewick video. Very many thanks for your efforts.

[@bobjackson6524]

Thats tonights bedtime viewing sorted, Thankyou. 🙌🏻

[@martinmarsola6477]

Another great video, for the explanation of the lock system, and the discovery of the site we saw today. Thanks the video Paul bad Rebecca. See you on the next. Cheers mates! ❤❤😊😊

[@johnspurgeon9083]

Always good to see people's reaction to this amazing area just south of Bath. It was the canals, railways, mines, houses, Mills etc hereabouts which first introduced me to industrial archaeology 60 years ago. Imagine my surprise cing across these locks on my bike before restoration began!

[@stuartkeen5234]

What a wonderful piece of canal history.

[@westcountryexplorer]

Excellent video; thank you so so much for making and uploading it

[@johnavery15]

Caisson = cay son. Interesting video.

[@edsageseamaster3440]

I absolutely loved this video. It brought back so many memories from childhood. I went to school not far from there and worked in the tunnel at the end of the navigable part of the Somerset CC. Used to go walking in those woods and stumbled across the locks, long before they were cleared out. My apologies for not being a Patreon at the moment - things are all rather tight. But I will carry on supporting you in whatever way I can until I’m back in a position to come back to Patreon. The offer is still there for a trip on the Thames too. Will email you about that. Fantastic footage and a great script. Thank you both.

[@Jack-tx2ve]

I work in the Tunnel now at the end of the Somerset CC under the A36.

[@edsageseamaster3440]

@@Jack-tx2ve ah nice. When I was there back in 1996 I was doing some Weekend work. Prepping and painting amongst other things.

[@markthompson3577]

absolutely perfect .....my weekend is complete ...thanks to paul & Rebbeca...

[@kevinorman9732]

Been following your channel for a few years now, you just keep getting better and better.

[@trainsbyben]

Thanks for sharing the video. You never know what things are easily overlooked in the country side. Nice place for plants and hiking.

[@salahad-din4114]

How nice would it be to have this functional again. Down south between Edinburgh and Glasgow there had been a huge amount of work on the canals to open them to their original length. The Falkirk wheel is so popular it's astounding with their canal tours. No doubt that would raise tourism on those old canals. The locks coming down from east to west coast from loch ness down were another engineering marvel

[@dobber2905]

I was thinking of the wheel too! In Ireland they are developing the canals again too.

[@PeterMaddison2483]

This was a great episode, a bit like archaeology, discovering burried locks etc.. and lock gates that look like dinosaur bones. I'd love to see a full map of the canals that they built begore filling in or abandoning them to the elements.

[@MrGreatplum]

Wow, that’s some amazing industrial archaeology. This is one of your very best videos!

[@pwhitewick]

Ahhh that's Matt.

[@kp_pro]

Another brilliant video. Thank you 😊

[@alangknowles]

It took me a while to understand this concept and advantage over something such as the Anderson Lift. Then I realised, when this was made, it was before steel ropes were invented and massive cast iron pillars couldn't be cast.

[@chrisa8960]

That was the first time I stumbled across you guys. Nice Sunday morning watch, thank you.

[@pwhitewick]

Welcome to the channel Chris

[@grahamfoster9404]

Thanks guys for your dedication inwhat you do, I found this video really interesting to be honest all of your productions are great I,m a big fan . Thanks guys.....

[@leannemaidment5224]

Great video, incredible sights!

[@timeflysintheshop]

Great episode! A great story in an amazing place!

[@setonwaddington]

Excellent video. Very interesting as always.

[@dang2651]

Brilliant video. I lived near the Delph locks in the West Mids for a while and it was great to have a peak when they were drained for repairs. I suppose this is a greener version of that in a sense! Going on the to visit list!

[@stewartjohnking]

Top video. The site looks so different with the clearance work that has been done.

[@moominpapa1980]

I must say, your content is always good, but your presentation recently has improved so much. Good work.

[@pwhitewick]

Thanks Chris.

[@danielknight4283]

Used to spend many summer days sat down there, so peaceful

[@thomasdieckmann5711]

Thanks - great clip and fascinating waterways-

[@oddwad6290]

Well done , very entertaining, great subject . Industrial Archeology . Enjoyed early ad for workers . Innovation and the affect early industry had on economics .

[@brianaveriss7972]

Another amazing video, thank you guys.

[@Thribbulous]

Lived in Bath 25 years... still never been out that way. This must be remedied! Great vid 😊

[@SiaVids]

An absolutely brilliant video, so rich in industrial archaeology. 😀

[@grahamcarter8499]

Great video. Well presented by engaging people and narration. Having made a couple of amateur video, I’m well impressed with the filming and edits. The editing is often overlooked, it’s what makes the film with suitable audio soundtrack. Good stuff, oh yeah... I love canals as well !

[@christophernewman5027]

For a bit more of an insight into the Somerset Coal Canal and this part of the Industrial Revolution, viewers might wish to read "The Map That Changed The World" by Simon Winchester. It tells the story of William Smith, the man who carried out the geological survey for this canal and who can be regarded as the father of geology.

[@oddwad6290]

Awesome . Did this coincide with the start of Briton's Geology society ? One of several scientific societies advancing early science ?

[@a11oge]

Ah yes. "The Map That Changed The World" by Simon Winchester. I had forgotten about that book - very well worth the read.😀

[@philipoakley5498]

It also notes that it was the last time that Britain could truly feed itself (though it is a bit inverted because prior to that it was Death in the cold winter that regulated the need to produce food..)

[@laurendamasoruiz]

Wonderful videos! Your choice of music is also VERY good, it really enhances the story

[@gaugeonesteam]

One of your best ever. really interesting!

[@healeynewson6493]

Thank you, fascinating.... I look forward to you next video.

[@Blade_Daddy]

Love you folks. Such interesting info.

[@Tyley61]

Fantastic - I never knew there was so much to see there.

[@PipBin]

Great video as always!

[@AdamOpie]

What a gorgeous spot! Beautiful!

[@niklar55]

It seems crazy to build the lock so narrow. The costliest parts are the sides, but it makes no difference to their cost if that are 2m or 4m apart. The only difference is the floor of the lock, and the lock gates. An extra 2m timber on the lock gate is trivial, compared to all the masonry. .

[@GoingGoneGalt]

Beautiful shots. Thank you for creating this. For those in the US who would like to see something like it, there are many sections of the Erie barge canal in upstate NY that are still intact and preserved. 250 year old amazing engineering that you can walk through and run your hands over.

[@bobjackson6524]

Loved that, Brilliant. 🙌🏻

[@davidwheatcroft2797]

Outstanding! Wow! Well done. Showing our history, the hard work and brains from years ago. Like the Guru said, "The World is at the garden hedge. Look closely, so much going on." Well presented. More, please.

[@CourtAboveTheCut]

Love it Paul, I didn’t know that was at the top! I’ll be doing more videos of the line in the summer so will have a look then

[@pwhitewick]

I can't believe we missed it last time!

[@davidberlanny3308]

Lovely find in Engine Shed Woods!! Well worth reading the book "The Map that changed the world" which tells the story of William 'strata' Smith who surveyed this canal, I wonder who had a go at designing that casson lift and who got the job of testing it ..... Great video, great to see Rebecca out again. Good luck from Spain!!

[@tataramoa]

Great explanation!!! Scary....

[@ChaufMT]

A beautiful location. Ruines of the old locks in nature. You two are a lot of fun to look and follow. Just wondered you might have digged Rebecca, as she disappeared for a while. 😅

[@timeast6412]

Hello P&R,so glad you revisited the site.The clearance work has revealed so much more than I saw about 15 years ago.I have looked at diagrams and video simulations,but I still can’t imagine how the caisson locks could have possibly worked or not,but they must have been an incredible to see.Thanks.

[@ynot6473]

@ 6.55, we call them paddles. i did some clearance work there about 10 years ago with WRG, it's good to see what's been uncovered since.

[@boboneleg]

Spooky !! I've just been there today after reading about the Somerset coalfield , then I come home to watch your latest video and find this :)

[@theondebray]

Very interesting. Thank you.

[@graemer3657]

Brilliant video, again.

[@lifeat2.3milesanhour57]

Good to see the site again - I am amazed that Weldron got the green light to build even one!

[@philsharp758]

Thank you for bringing to light such fascinating history.

[@nicholaskelly1958]

By all accounts Paul & Rebecca the inclined plane at Coombe Hay was like the inclined plane on the Tavistock Canal As it never carried boats with the cargo being carried in a wagon running on rails. From memory it was mainly single acting with the loaded wagon (presumably full of coal) hauling the empty wagon up. It had a short life between the failure of Robert Weldon's Hydrostatic Cassion Lock and the building of the Combe Hay Flight. The Somerset Coal Canal Company never raised enough money to build the locks on the Radstock Branch so it remained unconnected and of course was ultimately replaced by a tramway.

[@shirleylynch7529]

Another amazing video. What a research. Thoroughly enjoyed this. Well done. Thank you so much for sharing this with us. Ps. Your face is a picture at times Rebecca.😊

[@TheLowerman]

Great video, and I love the wholly hats.

[@oneteaminbristolbcfc]

Thanks for this ❤

[@adrianbromfild8624]

Most people in the country are not aware that there was the North Somerset coalfield and the infrastructure that was required to support it and I am sadly old enough to remember the last pit to close so this video was very informative for me

[@pwhitewick]

We would love to explore more... perhaps some of the tramways too... I suspect much remains

[@chrisstephens6673]

I remember the slag heaps in Radstock but then my sister's godfathers family owned the mines pre nationalisation. Just saying gone but not, yet, forgotten.

[@andysaunders3708]

England is amazing. Spent time there as a child, and places like that always gave me a very strange feeling. I'd love to revisit.

[@fortiquest]

I remember being with the first dig team that uncovered that arch from the engine/pump house.

[@pwhitewick]

Ah wonderful. How long ago??

[@fortiquest]

@Paul and Rebecca Whitewick about 20 years ago by this point. I have a badger skull that I found nearby that I took as a souvenir. When we uncovered the arch, the ground was so unstable we had to plan rescue contingencies incase the first in got trapped. We were originally looking for the actual site of one of the Cassion locks, (the locations are still lost to this day) we had a hypothesis that their above ground structure was reused to form the base for the engine/pump house - but although close - the measurements didn't match those recorded.

[@toungewizzard6994]

You guys are great x

[@stevelang3171]

no period pix of the pumping engine site? thanks, love your historic vids, especially the railway ones.

[@Sim0nTrains]

Love the 'Studio' bit in the video but really interesting as well.

[@andyskelton7223]

Very interesting & lovely music thanks.

[@Pch100]

Thank you for your time making this video

[@pwhitewick]

My pleasure!

[@miketherefurbisher8000]

Great Stuff Guys!! "Thank You"👍

[@tomlee812]

Perhaps one of your most interesting videos yet. Top marks to you both.

[@1258-Eckhart]

*caisson (pron. "cay-s'n"). They did actually become a thing, but not in this terrifying submarine manner. They were built in pairs and lowered down the slope full of water but open to the sky and counterbalanced by the twin caisson coming up the slope.

[@Rig0r_M0rtis]

honestly there is no reason a person should be staying on the boat while it's underwater.

[@markhonea2461]

Absolutely brimming with history and simply oozing past spirits and the vibration of so much life. That area won't ever be like some others, it is permanently saturated with, - well l don't know what it's called but you two must know what I speak of. 👍😎

[@peterhawthorn-smith5005]

It's Rebecca's facial expressions that make these videos for me. 😂

[@CraigJukes]

I used to walk through there quite often when I had access to my car =) Love the fact you go to all the places I've been =D

[@adrianharrison5208]

Absolutely amazing, love this history of are country

[@jtveg]

Thanks for sharing. 😉👌🏻

[@richarddyasonihc]

Loved your video _ ccassons or caissons have always been a very dangerous environment during and in this case fter construction.

[@lilchris26]

Nice video you two. You can see how short of water they were, the canal locks are so narrow compared to the old locks near me in Bolton at Nob End. And yes that is the correct name, there are plans afoot to fix the old breach on the canal, so maybe they will be filled with water again someday. Mind tyou there is a lot of controversy over building houses near the site but the developers are supposed to be footing the bill to repair the breach. Chris