Before: In this view, looking north-east from the site of lock 4, the bridge carrying Tom Benson Way over the Savick Brook can be seen though the tunnel beneath the railway embankment.
Before the right of way was extinguished, for the construction of Tom Benson Way, a pedestrian tunnel carried a footpath through the railway embankment. This tunnel was blocked up and it is impractical for it to be re-opened and extended under Tom Benson Way so a steel walkway will be suspended above the navigation to provide pedestrian access through here.
Tue 18th Jun 2002: The main section of the suspended walk-way beneath the arch of the railway bridge was installed over the weekend 15th/16th June. It will provide pedestrian access through to the crossing at Tom Benson Way.
Before: Looking south-west from the railway embankment, in the opposite direction to the previous photograph, towards the site of lock 4 which will be just beyond the first meander.
Wed 17th Oct 2001: Looking south-west from the railway embankment towards lock 4 which awaits its gates. The recently seeded banks of the channel from the lock towards the railway bridge are now showing green and the weir across the original line of the brook is under construction.
Before: Looking south-west through the railway bridge towards the site of lock 5.
Wed 10th Jul 2002: Looking south-west through the railway bridge towards the site of lock 4 which is around the corner to the right. Installation of the cantilever pedestrian walkway through the arch is well advanced.
The sloping concrete bank on the right replaces the original vertical walls and sharp corner which were originally at this point
Before: Looking north-east under Tom Benson Way.
Thu 23rd Aug 2001: The piles of lock 3, at the bottom of the three-rise, can be seen through the bridge.
Before: A weir and a silt trap to collect any sediment which may be washed down-stream will be located at the confluence of the Savick and Sharoe Brooks. A small basin will be formed here so that boats can negotiate the sharp turn, into lock 3, which is needed at this point.
Tue 16th Apr 2002: The completed steel piling of lock 3 is on the left, the fully excavated and piled turning basin is on the right. The Savick Brook is flowing in from the right over a stone weir. Water flowing down an old mill-race, which leaves Savick Brook about 200 yards upstream in a field to the east of Cottam Lane where the remains of the old wooden dam can still be seen, emerges from a culvert under Cottam Lane to flow over a second stone weir into the basin. There was also an overflow channel just to the right of the culvert, it issued through a small bridge about two feet wide known by the local kids as 'witches tunnel', this has been covered over by earth for many years.
Before: Looking east from the Tom Benson Way bridge over the site of the small turning and mooring basin at the bottom of the three-rise flight of locks.
Tue 14th May 2002: Looking over the turning basin from Tom Benson Way. The path going off to the upper right leads to Cottam Lane, a branch to the right going up to Tom Benson Way.
Before: Looking west, in the opposite direction to the previous photograph, from Cottam Lane over the site of the small turning and mooring basin towards the Tom Benson Way bridge.
Wed 10th Jul 2002: The steel-work at the bottom of the three-rise, the footbridge from lock 3 to Tom Benson Way can be clearly seen in this view from Cottam Lane. The Savick Brook is flowing in from the bottom left of the completed turning basin.
Before: Looking north from the Tom Benson Way bridge over the site of locks six, seven and eight which will lift the Link the final thirty feet to a mooring basin at its junction with the Lancaster Canal just west of bridge 16.
Tue 14th May 2002: The three-rise staircase is almost finished. Some of the concrete cappings have still to be cast and the permanent fences completed.
Before: Looking east from Tom Benson Way, over the site of the upper mooring basin, towards the point at which the Link will join the Lancaster Canal.
Sat 2nd Mar 2002: Looking east from Tom Benson Way across the site of the upper mooring basin. The Lancaster Canal is in front of the houses and trees in the background.
Before: Looking south from the roundabout on Tom Benson Way, over the site of the upper mooring basin. On the left is the point at which the Link will join the Lancaster Canal, on the right is the site of the flight of locks six, seven and eight.
Sat 2nd Mar 2002: The crane is working on the piling at the junction of the Link with the Lancaster Canal.
Before: Looking south west from the point at which the Link will join the Lancaster Canal, over the site of the upper mooring basin, towards Tom Benson way.
Wed 10th Jul 2002: Looking south-west over the upper mooring basin towards the top of the three-rise staircase from the northern end of the junction bridge. The basin was filled with water by pumping from the Lancaster Canal and the leakage found to be minimal.The entrance to lock 1 is at the top left corner of the basin. The sloping bank on the right is covered with hexagonal bank protection "tiles" made from recycled plastic.
The British Waterways work boat moored in the basin will be used to test the operation of the locks.
Before: Looking west from bridge 16 towards the point at which the Link will join the Lancaster Canal. The lamp posts and signs in the background are at a roundabout on Tom Benson Way.
Wed 10th Jul 2002: Looking west, from bridge 16, across the new junction with the Lancaster Canal. The new bridge is in place across the junction and, at last, the Lancaster Canal is connected to the rest of the system via the Rivers Ribble and Douglas.
Before: Looking east across the point at which the Link will join the Lancaster Canal. Bridge 16 is just around the bend, behind the large tree on the left.
Wed 10th Jul 2002: Looking east across the new junction with the Lancaster Canal. Bridge 16 is just around the bend, behind the trees on the left.