Where the Water Used to Flow: Canal Lock Remains on the Hebble Trail

Location: Hebble Trail, Salterhebble Date: 24th November 2023 Camera: Nikon d3300

 For those who love walking and local history, the Hebble Trail is a fascinating experience. This peaceful, leafy path near Salterhebble feels like a simple woodland track, but it actually traces the ghost of a once-vital waterway—the defunct canal that ran from Salterhebble up to Bailey Hall in Halifax.

This photograph captures a quiet, overgrown spot that reveals the industrial ambition of the past: the solid, stone-built remains of a former canal lock.

Abandoned Canal Lock Remains on the Hebble Trail

Tracing the Lost Waterway

Before the advent of widespread rail transport, the canal system was the lifeblood of industrial movement. While the mighty Rochdale Canal terminated at Sowerby Bridge, Halifax needed its own connection to move coal, wool, and finished goods. This was the role of the canal whose route is now followed by the Hebble Trail.

The walk follows the path of the closed and infilled canal, and here, nature has taken full charge of the remnants of that engineering.

• The Stone Work: You can clearly see the strong, squared gritstone blocks that formed the chamber of the lock. Even after decades of disuse, these walls remain robust, testament to the enduring quality of 18th and 19th-century construction.

• Overgrowth: The lock walls are beautifully, but relentlessly, covered in ivy and moss, illustrating how quickly the natural world reclaims abandoned human structures.

• The Atmosphere: The trail itself is a tunnel of dappled light and dense trees, creating a quiet, almost secret atmosphere. It’s easy to imagine the scene centuries ago: the heavy clanking of the lock gates, the sound of water gushing, and the shouts of barge men.

A Walk Through History

The Hebble Trail itself is a fantastic walk that allows you to trace this history with your feet. The level path, designed for canal towpaths and boats, makes for easy walking and a unique journey through Halifax's industrial past.

This lock remains serve as a physical marker of that ambition and eventual obsolescence. It's a humbling sight—a reminder that even the most powerful arteries of industry can dry up, leaving behind only quiet, green memories.

A View Across the Valley: Bankhouse Tunnel from Siddal

 Location: Salterhebble Valley, Halifax Date: 9th April 2017 Camera: Nikon d3300

Taking a walk up in Siddal always offers incredible panoramic views across the valley, and this image perfectly captures the dense, green tapestry of trees and the historical signs of industry that define the Halifax area.

The sweeping landscape shows the Salterhebble Valley, with the urban sprawl of Halifax giving way to rolling hills in the distance. The overall impression is one of a town nestled firmly within its natural, dramatic geography.

Spotting the Industrial Relic

Right in the centre of the frame, half-hidden by the spring or summer foliage, is the dark, arched entrance of a railway tunnel. This is the Bankhouse Tunnel, also known locally as Copley Tunnel.

This tunnel is a silent, stone sentinel of the Victorian era. It's a short, curved railway passage carved through the hillside between Copley and Salterhebble to the south of Halifax.

• A Testament to Ambition: The tunnel is an excellent example of the ambition and ingenuity that drove the expansion of Britain's railway network during the Industrial Revolution.

• The Connected Line: It is a vital link connecting Sowerby Bridge with Halifax and is closely related to the nearby Copley Viaduct, suggesting both were built around the same time, likely opening in the 1850s.

• Still in Use: Unlike many abandoned lines in the region, Bankhouse Tunnel remains a crucial part of the region's railway infrastructure today.

From this vantage point on the hills of Siddal, you look down not only on the tunnel but on the homes and roads that have been built around this major piece of engineering. The whole scene beautifully illustrates how Halifax's past and present are woven together by the routes carved through its challenging landscape.