Rowley Bottom in 1801
The caisson having been abandoned, an
inclined plane was installed as a temporary expedient to get
the canal opened and earning revenue whilst further funds
were raised to enable the lock flight to be built.
The upper level of the canal had just been completed from
Dunkerton and now connected to the coalfields as far away as
Paulton. The lower level ran through Midford and Monkton
Combe to the Kennet and Avon Canal by the Dundas Aqueduct.
Three new locks (later to become numbered 20 - 22) were
built in the meadows to the east of the inclined plane so as
to avoid a long deep cutting. They were fed with water by a
cut from the Cam Brook, which was dammed-up to raise the
level.
Joining the two was an 'Inclined Plane', a gravity operated
plateway where coal was loaded onto a truck at the top of an
incline. The decent of the laden truck was controlled by a
rope, wrapped around a brake drum at the top of the incline.
The other end of the rope hauled an empty truck back up the
incline, ready for the next load.
This method of transfer from one canal level to the other
was very time consuming because the coal had to be unloaded
and reloaded. The fragile Somerset coal lost its value if
broken and had to be packed into boxes at the mines in order
to survive the rigours of this journey.
It is interesting to note that the parish road has been
diverted so as to cross the Inclined plane at a suitable
level.
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