Volunteers have completed a vibrant mural at Doncaster Lock to celebrate the city’s heritage and encourage more boaters to experience this part of the waterway network.
Creation of the mural
CREATED by local artist Kate Rhodes, with assistance from volunteer lock keeper and ex-boater Jan Miller, the mural – measuring more than 10 metres long – was unveiled by the Canal & River Trust and Doncaster Council.
Kate, who volunteered over several weeks to create it, said: “I really wanted to give something back to the area, and having been a boater for more than 20 years, I wanted to do something to celebrate the waterways, brighten up Doncaster Lock, and hopefully put it on the map.”
Heritage depicted in the artwork
Doncaster’s rich heritage is brought to life through a series of iconic symbols, led by Mallard and Flying Scotsman, celebrating its world-famous railway legacy, while a green Ford Popular car signifies Briggs Motor Bodies and a red tractor represents International Harvesters. The legendary Vulcan Bomber, once based at Finningley Airport, sits alongside Paddington Bear, originally created in toy form by Doncaster’s Shirley Clarkson.
The city’s waterways are celebrated with several locally known boats portrayed, including Exol Pride, a regular visitor to Doncaster Lock as it transports cargo between Hull and Rotherham, and the narrowboat Waimarie, owned by popular canal character Ray ‘Chalky’ White.
Civic and trust responses
Glyn Jones, deputy mayor and cabinet member for the environment, housing and safer communities at City of Doncaster Council, said: “This tremendous piece of art is a fitting tribute to Doncaster’s storied history and its exciting present, capturing everything that makes it such a vibrant place.”
Doncaster Lock sits on the Sheffield & South Yorkshire Navigation, an 18th-century freight waterway that links Sheffield, Rotherham, and Doncaster with the River Trent and the wider canal network. Crucial to the city and region’s industrial growth, the waterway is still used by freight today and is a valued space for leisure.
Lizzie Dealey, the trust’s partnerships and funding manager, said: “Best viewed from the water, we have several large-scale murals in the region, and along with Alex Chinneck’s striking Looping Boat sculpture in Sheffield, we hope eye-catching artwork like this encourages more people to explore this special stretch of the nation’s waterways, especially by boat.”
