Sunday 30 March 2008

Marple Junction


Marple Junction on the Peak Forest Canal. The 16 Marple Locks descend to the right. The Macclesfield Canal joins from below the bridge to the left.

This junction is on a 23-mile level between Bugsworth Basin and Bosley Locks, being, at 518 feet above sea level, the third highest canal summit level in Britain.

See Google Aerial View of this location.

Friday 28 March 2008

Fenny Stratford


Fenny Stratford Lock on the Grand Union Canal, near Milton Keynes. The lock has a fall of just 13 inches. A swing bridge across the lock, giving access to the cottages on the east side, has to be swung open for boats to use the lock.

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Thursday 27 March 2008

Birmingham


Oozells Street Loop on the Birmingham Canal Navigations (BCN). The loop was part of the Birmingham Level Main Line before the route was somewhat straightened out. The loop is close to Brindley Place, leaving the Main Line at Deep Cuttings/Old Turn Junction.

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Tuesday 25 March 2008

Thorpe Marsh


Thorpe Marsh Power Station, as seen from River Don Navigation (part of the Sheffield and South Yorkshire Navigation) near Barnby Dun, which was (seen here).

See Google Aerial View of this location.

Sunday 23 March 2008

Stourbridge


Wordsley on the Stourbridge lock flight (previously seen here).

Beyond Glasshouse Bridge is the 90 ft high Redhouse Cone, part of a former glass works, now part of a museum site. It is one of only 4 such cones remaining in the UK.

The bridge is between the 4th and 5th lock up the 16-lock flight.
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Friday 21 March 2008

Clayton


Lock 9 of the Ashton Canal at Clayton Lane, East Manchester.

See Google Aerial View of this location.

Thursday 20 March 2008

Etruria


Looking towards the top lock on the Trent and Mersey at Etruria in the Potteries. Beyond the top lock is the canal's summit pound which continues through Harecastle Tunnel. Just above the lock is the junction with the Caldon Canal.

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Tuesday 18 March 2008

Leeds


The River Aire through the centre of Leeds, approaching Leeds Bridge. This is part of the Aire and Calder Navigation. The Leeds and Liverpool Canal starts about a quarter of a mile ahead.

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Monday 17 March 2008

Carreghofa


Another trip across the border into Wales for this view of the locks at Carreghofa on the Montgomery Canal. This section is not yet re-connected to the canal system.

See LiveSearch Aerial View of this location.

Saturday 15 March 2008

Colwich


Colwich Lock is on the Trent and Mersey Canal in Staffordshire about 1.5 miles south of Great Haywood Junction. It can be a bottleneck at busy times, with queues forming.

The West Coast Main Line railway passes nearby, with the branch to Stafford and Crewe crossing the canal just beyond the lock.

See Google Aerial View of this location.

Thursday 13 March 2008

Boston


The 5-sailed Maud Foster Windmill overlooks the Maud Foster Drain, which runs into Boston (Lincolnshire) from the north. The seven-storey mill was built in 1819. The Maud Foster Drain is part of the Witham Navigable Drains, accessible from the River Witham via Anton's Gowt Lock.

See Google Aerial View of this location.

Tuesday 11 March 2008

Dukinfield


The lift bridge on the Peak Forest Canal in Dukinfield, about half a mile from the junction with the Ashton Canal at Portland Basin.

See Google Aerial View of this location.

Sunday 9 March 2008

Froghall


The trip boat Birdswood moored up at Froghall, at the eastern end of the Caldon Canal, Staffordshire. Beyond the bridge arch is the junction with the Uttoxeter Canal, with the newly restored Lock 1 descending to a new mooring basin.

See Google Aerial View of this location.

Friday 7 March 2008

Torksey


Torksey Lock is the gateway to the ancient Foss Dyke from the tidal River Trent for boats heading towards Lincoln.

Although the Foss Dyke is normally higher than the Trent, with boats locking down onto the river, there are also tall flood gates, opening the other way, for when high tides meet flood water and the Trent becomes higher than the Foss Dyke.

See Google Aerial View of this location.

Thursday 6 March 2008

Thornhill Double Locks


Thornhill Double Locks are on the Calder and Hebble Navigation, imediately west of the junction with the short arm to Dewsbury. The pair of locks is separated by a short and almost circular pound.
See Google Aerial View of this location.

Tuesday 4 March 2008

Wolverhampton


The Wolverhampton flight, from the BCN to the Staffordshire and Worcestershire Canal, descends 21 locks in 2 miles. The railways cross and re-cross the canal. Lock 11 is just before the low level rail bridge and the Stour Valley Viaduct.

See Google Aerial View of this location

Sunday 2 March 2008

Saltaire


The magnificent mills built in 1851 by Sir Titus Salt alongside the Leeds and Liverpool Canal at Saltaire, near Shipley, for the production of cloth from alpaca wool.

See Google Aerial View of this location.