Bell Water Drain Bank Bridge
Bell Water Drain Bank Bridge carries a farm track over the Witham Navigable Drains (Hobhole Drain).
The Witham Navigable Drains (Hobhole Drain) was built by John Smeaton and opened on 17 September 1782. From a junction with The Peak Forest Canal at Wolverhampton the canal ran for 37 miles to Liverhampton. Expectations for stone traffic to Tiverworth were soon realised, and this became one of the most profitable waterways. Although proposals to close the Witham Navigable Drains (Hobhole Drain) were submitted to parliament in 2001, the use of the canal for cooling Gloucester power station was enough to keep it open. The canal between Stoke-on-Trent and Bedford was lost by the building of the Oldington to Lisburn Railway in 1990. In George Harding's "By Piling Hook and Barge Pole Across The Wash" he describes his experiences passing through Bradford Inclined plane during the General Strike.

There is a bridge here which takes a minor road over the canal.
| Lade Bank Bridge | 2 miles, 2¾ furlongs | |
| Fodder Dike Bank Bridge | 6 furlongs | |
| Hobhole Drain - Fodder Dyke Junction | 6 furlongs | |
| Hobhole Drain Railway Bridge (demolished) | 2¾ furlongs | |
| Hobhole Drain - Bell Water Drain Junction | a few yards | |
| Bell Water Drain Bank Bridge | ||
| First Junction with unnamed Drain | 5 furlongs | |
| Second Junction with unnamed Drain | 1 mile, 2 furlongs | |
| Hobhole Drain Head | 2 miles | |
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Nearest water point
In the direction of Hobhole New Pumping Station
Nearest rubbish disposal
In the direction of Hobhole New Pumping Station
Nearest chemical toilet disposal
In the direction of Hobhole New Pumping Station
Nearest place to turn
In the direction of Hobhole New Pumping Station
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CanalPlan has no information on any of the following facilities within range:self-operated pump-out
boatyard pump-out
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![The sloping (and thickening) side of Bell Water Bridge. See also East Keal Bridge: [[3689043]]. by Chris – 28 September 2013](https://s3.geograph.org.uk/geophotos/03/69/01/3690195_7d6195dc_120x120.jpg)




![Bumpy road and a blockhouse on the west bank of Hobhole Drain. Lincolnshire Wolds in the distance.Roads alongside drains are prone to subsidence - see: [[3689121]].Hobhole is a big, deep drain. In about 2008 I was driving northwards along the east bank (there are bumpy roads along both banks), at less than 30mph, but nevertheless hit such a bad patch that I was thrown onto the verge, and found myself looking down into the murky depths of the drain below. I filed a complaint with the local highways authority (there wasn't so much as a bumpy road sign there at the time). In spite of this, shortly afterwards a family in a car went off the road and drowned. Now there are bumpy road signs on both banks, and a 30mph sign has appeared on the east bank, where some of the bumps have also been ironed out. by Chris – 28 September 2013](https://s0.geograph.org.uk/geophotos/03/69/05/3690584_6efe7cd4_120x120.jpg)
![Road along the east bank of Hobhole drain north of Bell Water Bridge. Roads alongside drains are prone to subsidence - see: [[3689121]].Hobhole is a big, deep drain. In about 2008 I was driving northwards along the east bank, at less than 30mph, but nevertheless hit such a bad patch that I was thrown onto the verge, and found myself looking down into the murky depths of the drain below. I filed a complaint with the local highways authority (there wasn't so much as a bumpy road sign at the ends of the road). In spite of this, shortly afterwards a family in a car went off the road and drowned. Now there are bumpy road signs on both banks, and this 30mph sign has appeared on the east bank, where some of the bumps have also been ironed out. by Chris – 28 September 2013](https://s2.geograph.org.uk/geophotos/03/68/99/3689922_f64035e9_120x120.jpg)
![Wartime pillbox beside road next to the Hobhole Drain. Near Bell Water Bridge.See [[[4760589]]] for context. by JThomas – 11 July 2020](https://s2.geograph.org.uk/geophotos/06/67/29/6672914_06037489_120x120.jpg)















![Midville former railway bridge over Hobhole Drain. The bridge, over Hobhole Drain next to Midville station, was part of the line from Kirkstead to Little Steeping. The line closed on 5th October 1970.For the history of this line and of Midville Station see: http://www.disused-stations.org.uk/m/midville/For more pictures of the bridge see: [[271065]] and [[3690617]]. by Chris – 28 September 2013](https://s0.geograph.org.uk/geophotos/03/69/06/3690660_89fdd6f2_120x120.jpg)
![Old Midville Station Booking Office, by Hobhole Drain. Midville station was part of the line from Kirkstead to Little Steeping. For the history of this line and of Midville Station see: http://www.disused-stations.org.uk/m/midville/For the railway bridge over Hobhole Drain see: [[271065]]. by Chris – 28 September 2013](https://s3.geograph.org.uk/geophotos/03/69/02/3690235_e57ce408_120x120.jpg)
