Excavations at Colliery Office Bridge
Friends of the Cromford Canal unearthed a long-lost movie star on Saturday April 1st 2006. Colliery Office Bridge near Pinxton Wharf featured in the 1960 film Sons & Lovers, based on D.H. Lawrence's book. At the start of the film, there is an underground explosion and people are shown rushing to the mine, with some of them crossing a canal bridge. The bridge was Colliery Office Bridge, which stood at the end of the section of the Pinxton Canal that is still in water, beyond the Boat Inn.
Thanks to help from J.C. Balls of Ambergate, who 'lent' them a JCB digger and driver for the day, the Friends were able to locate the remains of the bridge, which was demolished many years ago. It is hoped that the foundations of the old bridge can be used for a new swing bridge which will be needed once the canal is restored from Pinxton to Pye Bridge.
Unfortunately, all the work was done in "made ground" which was unstable to say the least, so all the excavations were filled in once the neccessary records had been made.
So where do we start? "I reckon just about here" says Honorary Engineer John Boucher
"I think we've hit it first time" says John Baylis. "Just hand me that shovel, Dave."
"Wow, you're right! It's the wing wall - just where John Boucher said it would be!"
"Can we just get a level on this? We think we've got down to the towpath."
So that's what it's all about. The north-east wing wall curving towards the camera and the remains of the bridge arch running from left to right.
"I'm sure I dropped that 5p piece down here...". Initial investigations down a manhole cover