River Torne facts for kids

Quick facts for kids River Torne
The outfall from Candy Farm North pumping station into the Torne
Country	England
Counties	South Yorkshire, North Lincolnshire
Physical characteristics
Main source	Sandbeck Hall, Maltby, South Yorkshire
River mouth	Keadby, North Lincolnshire

The River Torne is a river in northern England. It flows through the areas of South Yorkshire and North Lincolnshire. The river starts at the Upper Lake at Sandbeck Hall in Maltby. It then flows into the River Trent at the Keadby pumping station. A large part of the river's path has been changed by people. This is because it helps drain a big area called Hatfield Chase.

Around 1628, a drainage expert named Cornelius Vermuyden made a new path for the river. He built a special gate, called a sluice, at Althorpe. This gate controlled where the river entered the River Trent. For almost 90 years, there were arguments and problems about flooding. Eventually, these issues were fixed. More drainage work was done in the 1760s and 1770s. A new sluice was built at Keadby in the 1780s. However, the Torne was not moved to this new path until much later. The Keadby sluice became a pumping station in 1940. This meant water could be pumped into the Trent at any time. Because of this, the old path to Althorpe was no longer used. The Torne was then routed to Keadby.

There are several pumping stations along the river. Tickhill pumping station was built in the 1970s. It helps manage water from the Middle Drain. This area had problems because of mining. The Tickhill Internal Drainage Board (IDB) used to manage it. Now, it is part of the Doncaster East IDB. There are also pumping stations at Candy Farm and Tunnel Pits. These are managed by the Environment Agency.

River Torne: A Changing History

Before 1628, much of the land around the River Torne was very wet. The river system was also quite different. The River Don used to flow across Hatfield Chase. It went from Stainforth to Adlingfleet. The River Idle flowed north from a spot called Idle Stop. It joined the Don near Sandtoft. The Torne itself had two channels west of Wroot. Both of these channels joined the Idle.

How the River Was Rerouted

In 1626, Cornelius Vermuyden was given the job of draining Hatfield Chase. He made huge changes to the rivers. The Don was moved north from Stainforth. It then joined the River Aire near Turn Bridge. The Idle was blocked at Idle Stop. Its water was sent east to join the Trent at West Stockwith. This left the Torne without a way to flow out. So, a completely new channel was built for it. This new path had raised banks on both sides. It ran northeast from Wroot for about 10 kilometers (6 miles). It crossed the Isle of Axholme. Then, it turned east for about 5 kilometers (3 miles). Here, it entered the Trent through a sluice near Althorpe.

At the same time, a new drain was built. It ran north from Idle Stop in a straight line for about 13 kilometers (8 miles) to Dirtness. This drain went under the new Torne channel at Tunnel Pits. At Dirtness, another new drain joined it. This second drain was about 5 kilometers (3 miles) long and came from the west. The combined water then flowed east for another 8 kilometers (5 miles). It entered the Trent at another sluice in Althorpe.

Early Problems and Solutions

The new path for the Torne did not work perfectly. It crossed good farmland northwest of the Isle of Axholme. But the banks were not high enough to hold all the water when the river was full. This caused the farmland to flood. People in the Hatfield Chase area were unhappy with the drainage plan. This led to protests and damage to the new works. Many lawsuits followed. The problems were finally sorted out in 1719.

In the 1760s, there were plans to drain Potteric Carr. This was a large wet area south of Doncaster. Engineers John Smeaton and James Brindley made the plans. But Thomas Tofield, a local expert, led the project when work began around 1765. The first steps included a new path for the Torne. They also built the Mother Drain, which was the main drainage channel for the area. Two smaller drains were also added. These were finished by 1768.

More work was done between 1772 and 1777. By the time this project was done, about 7.4 kilometers (4.6 miles) of the river's path had been changed. The Mother Drain was made longer, to about 7.2 kilometers (4.5 miles). About 5 kilometers (3 miles) of new drains were also built.

Later Changes and Pumping Stations

In 1775, a report was made about changing the Torne's path again. The cost of buying land outside the Chase was a big problem. A year later, John Smeaton gave a detailed report on the Torne. Work began, but some changes were made as it went along. An Act of Parliament was passed in March 1783. This allowed for a new drain and outfall (exit point) at Keadby. The rebuilding was finished by 1789.

By 1887, maps showed the Torne flowing east from Pilfrey Bridge. Near Althorpe, it split into two paths. Both used sluices to enter the Trent. The Folly Drain turned south and joined the Trent at Derrythorpe. By the mid-1900s, maps showed connections between the Torne and other channels. Today, the channels are connected in many places. The sluices at Althorpe and Derrythorpe are no longer used.

The Torne used to flow into the River Trent at Keadby by gravity. This means the water flowed downhill naturally. But in 1940, a pumping station was built. This station helps move water when the Trent's levels are too high for gravity to work. Large pumps, powered by diesel engines, were installed. One was later replaced by an electric motor. Being able to pump water at any time meant the Torne and Folly Drain could be routed to Keadby. The old exits at Althorpe and Derrythorpe were then closed.

Keeping the River Flowing

After the Land Drainage Act 1930 was passed, special groups called internal drainage boards (IDBs) were set up. Their job is to manage low-lying areas that often flood. The area east of Tickhill, around the Torne, has been managed by the Tickhill Internal Drainage Board since 1931. They look after about 26 square kilometers (10 square miles) of land. This includes about 14.5 kilometers (9 miles) of waterways. Most of these flow into the Torne naturally.

However, the Middle Drain has sunk in some places. So, a pumping station was built in the 1970s to help move the water. The IDB runs this station for the National Coal Board, who own it. In April 2012, the Tickhill IDB became part of the larger Doncaster East Internal Drainage Board.

Where the River Torne Flows

The River Torne starts in the gardens of Sandbeck Hall. This is a historic house. The house was built in 1626. Its gardens were designed by Capability Brown. He created the Upper Lake and Lower Lake, where the river begins. The Upper Lake is about 40 meters (130 feet) high. The river flows out of it at about 30 meters (98 feet) high.

The river flows east. It quickly drops below 15 meters (49 feet) before crossing the A60 road. It then turns north. It goes under an old railway line and a newer industrial railway. Many drainage ditches join the river as it crosses Tickhill Low Common. The A1(M) motorway also crosses the common and the river. This motorway was built on a raised bank. It opened in 1961 and was one of Britain's first motorways.

Next, the river goes under the A631 road at Goole Bridge. Here, it is sometimes called Goole Dike. The Middle Drain joins the river just before it drops below 5 meters (16 feet). The river's path becomes straighter with sharp turns. The Little Mother Drain joins it. This drain helps empty water from Stancil Carr. St Catherine's Well Stream also joins the river. This stream flows from a well between Loversall and Balby. From here on, the river's banks are often raised.

North of Rossington, the river turns east. It goes under the East Coast Main Line railway. Then it passes under the A638 Great North Road at Rossington Bridge. The Mother Drain also joins here. Their combined flow passes near old Roman pottery sites and fishing lakes.

The river then crosses under the railway line from Doncaster to Gainsborough. It also goes under the B1396 road at Auckley Bridge. The Aldam Drain joins it. After this, the river becomes a "high level carrier." This means its banks are permanently raised. There are also drains running along the foot of both banks.

At Candy Farm, there are two pumping stations. One pumps the Black Bank Drain into the river. The other pumps the East Ring Drain. At Tunnel Pits, there are two more pumping stations. A road that follows Vermuyden's North Idle Drain crosses the river here. Soon, the South Engine Drain runs next to the river. They both go under Sandtoft Road and the M180 motorway. As the river turns east again, the Folly Drain also runs alongside it. But past the A161 bridge, these two drains continue east. The river turns north to run next to the North Engine Drain.

The Hatfield Waste Drain runs parallel to the North Engine Drain. But it had nowhere to go. So, it passes under the North Engine Drain through a special pipe called a syphon. This syphon was likely built around 1795 or 1813.

Three parallel channels, including the Torne, arrive at Pilfrey Bridge. Here, they are joined by the South Engine Drain and the Folly Drain. The River Torne used to continue east to a sluice at Althorpe. But that sluice is gone. Now, the channel flows in the opposite direction. The South Engine Drain used to go under the Torne through another syphon. This syphon is no longer needed because the channels are now connected. These three parallel channels, known as the Three Rivers, flow northeast. They pass under the railway line from Doncaster to Scunthorpe. Finally, they reach Keadby pumping station.

Water Quality of the River Torne

The Environment Agency checks the water quality of rivers in England. They give each river an overall ecological status. This can be high, good, moderate, poor, or bad. This status is based on things like:

• Biological status: This looks at the types and numbers of tiny creatures (invertebrates), plants, and fish.
• Chemical status: This checks the levels of different chemicals in the water. These levels are compared to safe amounts. Chemical status is rated as good or fail.

Here's how the water quality of the Torne was in 2016:

Points of Interest Along the Torne