This exhibition of photographs, videos and music, documents the artists’ two-day journey from Hull to York, via Goole on the working barge, George Dyson. It is the latest chapter in Rich and Lou’s Open Bridges project (www.openbridgeshull.com). 

Goole by Barge documents our trip on January 24th and 25th 2020 when we were passengers on the Deans Marine Services barge George Dyson. We accompanied vessel owner and skipper John Dean who owns the last remaining working dry dock on the River Hull on a two day working voyage from Hull’s Albert Dock to York, with the job of removing hundreds of years of rubble from its city centre 15^th century Guildhall on the banks of the Ouse.

The destination on the first day, on a high tide, was the port of Goole. John drove the barge into the sunset, mooring in Aldam Dock just before seven. A few hours later, before first light on the next tide, Goole was the start of the next day’s adventure. Goole became central to the journey and exhibition, depicting the town as both crossroad and harbour for road, rail and river workers and travellers.

Rich photographed the journey from the barge and explained, “Taking photographs in low light without a flash is always a challenge especially at night on a moving barge. I wanted to capture the stillness and silence of Goole docks away from the daily bustle”.

As well as 60 of Rich’s photographs you can see three videos and soundtracks made by Lou, ‘The George Dyson Entering Ocean Lock’, ‘The Goole Captain’ and ‘The Scenic Route to York.