| Manchester, Bolton And Bury Canal |
Article Index for Manchester |
Shopping Bury |
Website Links For Manchester |
Information AboutManchester, Bolton And Bury Canal |
| CATEGORIES ABOUT MANCHESTER, BOLTON AND BURY CANAL | |
| transport in greater manchester | |
| canals in bolton | |
| canals in bury | |
| canals in manchester | |
| canals in salford | |
| canal restoration | |
|
The Manchester, Bolton and Bury Canal is a Canal in Greater Manchester , in the north west of England . It runs between Manchester , Bolton , and Bury . It is currently disused and undergoing restoration work. The canal passes through the Irwell Valley, skirting the towns of Radcliffe and Kearsley and originally passing through Salford before emptying into the Irwell near to the Regent Road Bridge. The only access to the canal was from the River Irwell. There are many interesting features on this canal, including Prestolee Aqueduct and Clifton Aqueduct . The canal also joined with Fletcher's Canal at Clifton Aqueduct. HISTORY The Act of Parliament for the construction of the canal was passed in 1791 and work began. Designed by Matthew Fletcher , significant parts of the canal were completed by 1796. The canal opened in 1797, although the locks at Salford were not completed until 1809. The principal supply of water for the canal was Elton reservoir.''Waterways'' No.214 page 14. The canal used 17 broad locks, some in staircases (Prestolee for instance). It was originally 15¼ miles in length and descended 187 feet from the summit in Bury to the lowest point at Salford. The canal was originally designed to be a narrow canal and narrow locks were planned, however during construction it was planned to link the canal to the Leeds And Liverpool Canal , and therefore broad locks were built. The route of the Leeds and Liverpool canal was changed however, and the planned link never materialised. The canal was used mainly to transport coal from the many collieries that existed along it's length. Some of these collieries were linked by road, and some were linked by short tramlines.1 Other materials were also transported along the canal, including Nightsoil . The canal suffered several major breaches, the worst of which occurred on July 6th 1936 at Nob End, close to Prestolee locks, near the junction of the 3 arms of the canal. This breach was never repaired, and although the canal saw continued use between this breach and Bury, it eventually closed in 1961. TIMELINE 1789 – Planning and design begins on the purpose, route and construction of canal 1791 – Act of Parliament passed for the construction of the canal and work begins 1796 – Significant parts of the canal completed 1797 – Canal opened to traffic 1809 – Middlewood locks opened and access to the River Irwell is achieved, canal construction complete 1812 – First dividends paid out to investors 1831 – Manchester, Bolton and Bury Canal company changes name to Manchester, Bolton and Bury Canal Navigation and Railway Company, and begin building a railway alongside the canal 1838 – Railway line completed, passenger services on the canal cease 1846 – Company taken over by the Manchester And Leeds Railway Company 1880 – Repairs undertaken to damaged sections caused by subsidence 1920 to 1930 – More damage caused by subsidence, mainly from mining activities 1935 – Fletcher's Canal closed 1936 – Major breach at Nob End 1941 – 7 miles of the canal abandoned by London, Midland And Scottish Railway , including the Bolton arm. 1961 – Remainder of Canal closed and abandoned, some traffic continues to use the Bury arm 1968 – All traffic ceases as the last boat carrying coal from Sion Street to Bury moors for the final time. 2006 – Restoration of Middlewood Locks begins RESTORATION There remain many obstacles to the canal's restoration as a navigable waterway. Bury Wharf is now a modern trading estate. The section between this and the first part of the canal still in water at Daisyfield Viaduct is more accessible. The canal beyond this viaduct and up to Water Street in Radcliffe is still in water, although strewn with weeds. Water Street now blocks the canal which continues underneath through a small culvert – this road would need to be removed, and a new bridge built. The breach at Nob End needs repairing, parts of the canal at Stoneclough need dredging, a new aqueduct would be required into Bolton as well as a new wharf. On the Manchester arm, the locks at Prestolee , Ringley, and Salford require significant amounts of work. The canal is dry past Ringley Locks and through Ringley Village and Giants Seat Locks, Rhodes Locks are completely overgrown and the canal does not take water again until it passes Clifton Aqueduct . Lumms Lane aqueduct needs to be rebuilt. Many parts of the canal on the Manchester arm have been either filled in, or built over, especially through Pendleton. |
|
|