The photograph shows the tail end of Lock 3E at the Chapel Hill entrance to Sellers Engineers before work started. The firm builds and repairs large textile machinery. The site contains electrician's grinding, fitting and painting workshops, all of which require access by articulated vehicles.

The Sellers site partly occupies the area of the former wharf and canalside warehouses. The new canal channel is being threaded between workshops somewhat to the south of the original line. It involves replacing the two storey electricians and grinding shop at the western end of the site by a new building to the north of the canal. By relocating Lock 3E upstream of the site, the canal can be placed in a 300 metre long tunnel, thereby permitting road access between workshops.

In order to minimise disruption to Sellers Engineers, a new car park has been constructed off Chapel Hill, a temporary access road has been built and the canal construction and replacement buildings are being phased to provide operational continuity for the firm.

This photograph shows capping beams to the sheet pile walls. The building in the centre background is the two storey grinding shed and electrician's workshop which will be demolished to make way for the canal as soon as a replacement building has been constructed to the right of the picture.

This shows the sheet pile walls of the tunnel exposed following excavation between the tin shop and the paint shop.

A mini-excavator removes earth from within the new tunnel.

An overall view of the tunnel being constructed in Sellers yard with the River Colne and Folly Hall Mill beyond.

Excavation of the old lock 3E at the Chapel Hill end of Sellers Engineering.

Inside the completed first phase of Sellers tunnel in March 2000. The timber rubbing strip indicates the future elevation of boats.

Such is the transformation in Sellers premises since the completion of this first section of tunnel that the reinstated yard looks more like a 'before' than an 'after'.

With the first section of tunnel complete, work has concentrated on the construction of replacement grinding shed and electrician's workshop. Pictured here is the excavation of the old retaining wall beside Kirklees Healthcare to provide room for the two storey building.

A six metre high concrete retaining wall has been built to replace the masonry one and as can be seen from this picture good progress has been made on constructing the framework of the new workshops.

The virtually complete combined electricians and grinding workshop with the redundant building in the left distance. This view looks along the completed section of canal tunnel. The final phase of tunnel is to be built following demolition of the old building.

The new ground floor grinding workshop showing the 14 metre long Wide Cylinder Grinder in its new position.

Excavation for the new lock 3E upstream of Sellers Engineers viewed looking towards the Wickes section restored in the mid 1990s. The boom of a small excavator can just be seen at the bottom of the picture.

The completed reinforced concrete Sellers Lock 3E with the final section of tunnel being built in the background.

The old grinding shed is demolished to make way for the last phase of tunnel. Sheet piling of the tunnel walls has already started on the left.

The new Lock 3E completed, looking westward. The original Lock 3E was located at Chapel Hill at the entrance to the works.

The western portal of Sellers tunnel. The tunnel takes boaters under the tarmacked road through the works.

Next scheme

Back to previous page