Ashton Canal

Description: Runs from the junction with the Rochdale Canal at Manchester to the Junction with the Peak Forest Canal at Ashton-Under-Lyne.

History: Promoted under Acts of 1792, 1793, 1798, 1800 and 1805. Completed, except for the Ancoats to Piccadilly section, about 1796. Main line completed in 1799. Excluded from British Waterways cruising licence in 1959.
For more details see the History page

Points of Interest: It was the subject of "Operation Ashton", one of the largest voluntary clearance operations. The canal is now completely restored. It forms part of the Cheshire Ring.

Waterway Group: This waterway is part of the Ashton, Peak Forest and Macclesfield Canals

Navigation Authority: Head Office: British Waterways, MD's Office: Northern Waterways, General Manager: North West Waterways, Trafalgar House, Temple Court, Birchwood, Warrington, WA3 6GD: Telephone 01925 847700 : Fax 01925 847710 :

Related Articles

• Peak Cruising
• The Cheshire Ring

• The Canals of North West England (1) by Charles Hadfield & Gordon Biddle , ISBN 07153 49562 :236 pages, Published by David & Charles Volume 1. Order now from .

• The Canals of North West England (2) by Charles Hadfield & Gordon Biddle , ISBN 07153 49929 :260 pages, Published by David & Charles Volume 2. Order now from .

• Nicholson/Ordnance Survey Guide to the waterways - 5 by Not known , ISBN 0007136684 :190 pages, Published by Nicholson 2003 North West & the Pennines. Includes the Aire & Calder (leeds to Wakefield), Bridgewater, Calder & Hebble, Huddersfield Broad, Lancaster, Leeds & Liverpool, Macclesfield, Peak Forest, Ashton and Rochdale canals plus the Trent & Mersey north of Hardings Wood Junction. Order now from .

• Pearson's Canal and River Companion: Cheshire Ring by Michael Pearson , ISBN 0 907864 96 1 :80 pages, Published by J M Pearson & Son 2000 Order now from .

• Hollinwood Canal by Gerry Fanning , 60 pages, Published by Neil Richardson 2000 A4 size. A detailed history of this former branch of the Ashton Canal.

• Adventures of the Nippy by James Hewitt , ISBN 0 9543197 0 2 :164 pages, Published by Published by the author 2002 The story of boating in the 1950s and the fight to keep the canals open. Order now from .

• Narrow Boat to the Cheshire Ring by Margaret & Ted Hill , ISBN 978-0-9553568-9-6 :172 pages, Published by Published by the author 2007 This book is a personal account of ten years involvement with inland waterways in the 1960s. Order now from .

Related Videos

• The South Pennine Ring Released in : 200208 57 minutes approx., Produced by VideoActive The Huddersfield Narrow and Broad canals, Calder & Hebble, Rochdale and Ashton Canal. Available on tape and DVD. Order on video tape from Order on DVD from

Related Photographs

• Ashton Canal: Ducie Street, Manchester

Related External Web Sites

• Narrow Boat to the Cheshire Ring : A book about canal cruising and campaiganing in the 1960s.
• Lock 92 : A new site covering the Rochdale, Huddersfield Narrow and Ashton Canals.
• Pennine Waterways : Peak Forest, Ashton, Rochdale, Leeds & Liverpool, Huddersfield and other canals in the area.
• The Stockport Branch of the Ashton Canal : An arm of the canal that was filled in in 1962.
• Hollinwood Canal Society : The Hollinwood Branch of the Ashton Canal ran from Fairfield in Droylsden, through Littlemoss and Daisy Nook Country Park to Hollinwood.
• Manchester & Stockport Canal Society : The society was formed on the 3rd February 2004 for the sole purpose of restoring the Stockport Arm of the Ashton canal to its head of navigation in Stockport

Related Cruising Logs

• 1st September 1998
• 21st June 2003
• 22nd June 2003
• 4th August 2004

Other Related Pages

• Cruising Times

Lock Sizes and maximum craft dimensions: Length 70 foot, beam 7 foot. NOTE: For more details of maximum lock and craft sizes and the basis of these figures see Craft and Lock Sizes Page

Ashton Canal: Table of distances			Miles	Locks	Navigable (N)	Grid ref	OS Map No
Ducie Street, Manchester	Junction with Rochdale Canal		0.0	0	N	SJ847981	109
Lock No 1 Ancoats Junction	Junction with closed Islington Branch		.4	1	N	SJ853981	109
Lock No 3 Ancoats			.5	3	N	SJ854983	109
Lock No 4 Bewicks Locks	Locks 5,6 and 7 of the Beswick flight follow. Lock 6 is sometimes known as Bradford Lock.		1.3	4	N	SJ864987	109
Lock No 8 Clayton Bottom Lock	Locks 9 to 13 of the Clayton Flight follow.		2.0	8	N	SJ876984	109
Clayton Junction	Junction with the closed Stockport Branch		2.4	12	N	SJ882982	109
Clayton Lock No 13			2.8	13	N	SJ885981	109
Clayton Lock No 14	Edge Lane Lock		2.9	14	N	SJ888980	109
Clayton Top Lock No 16			3.5	16	N	SJ891979	109
Fairfield Top Lock No 18	Hollinwood Branch junction (branch closed)		3.8	18	N	SJ900978	109
Guide Bridge Railway Station	A6017 road bridge No 26		5.4	18	N	SJ925976	109
Walk Mill Bridge No 28, Ashton-under-Lyne			6.0	18	N	SJ933983	109
Dukinfield Junction	Junction with Peak Forest Canal		6.3	18	N	SJ935984	109
Huddersfield Narrow Canal Junction	Junction with Huddersfield Narrow Canal		6.8	18	N	SJ939988	109

NOTE: N and U in the Navigable column above indicates that the node is navigable or unnavigable. If a D appears here it means that navigation is difficult or restricted to smaller craft.

 

Macclesfield Canal

Description: Runs from Marple Junction with the Peak Forrest Canal to Hall Green, on the Trent and Mersey Canal.

History: Promoted by an Act of 1826. Opened in 1831.
For more details see the History page

Points of Interest: It runs on a high contour, the summit at 521 feet, and has fine views.

Waterway Group: This waterway is part of the Ashton, Peak Forest and Macclesfield Canals

Navigation Authority: Head Office: British Waterways, MD's Office: Northern Waterways, General Manager: Wales & Border Counties Waterways, Navigation Road, Northwich, Cheshire, CW8 1BH: Telephone 01606 723800 : Fax 01606 871471 :

Marple Junction

Related Articles

• Back on the Straight and Narrow
• Peak Cruising
• The Cheshire Ring

Related Books

• Nicholson/Ordnance Survey Guide to the waterways - 5 by Not known , ISBN 0007136684 :190 pages, Published by Nicholson 2003 North West & the Pennines. Includes the Aire & Calder (leeds to Wakefield), Bridgewater, Calder & Hebble, Huddersfield Broad, Lancaster, Leeds & Liverpool, Macclesfield, Peak Forest, Ashton and Rochdale canals plus the Trent & Mersey north of Hardings Wood Junction. Order now from .

• Pearson's Canal and River Companion: Cheshire Ring by Michael Pearson , ISBN 0 907864 96 1 :80 pages, Published by J M Pearson & Son 2000 Order now from .

• The Canals of the West Midlands (2nd Ed) by Charles Hadfield , 352 pages, Published by Augustus M Kelley 1 1969

• Narrow Boat to the Cheshire Ring by Margaret & Ted Hill , ISBN 978-0-9553568-9-6 :172 pages, Published by Published by the author 2007 This book is a personal account of ten years involvement with inland waterways in the 1960s. Order now from .

Related Photographs

• Macclesfield Canal: Leek New Road Bridge No 45
• Macclesfield Canal: Between Bosley Top Lock No 1 and Bosley Bottom Lock No 12
• Macclesfield Canal: Between Bosley Top Lock No 1 and Bosley Bottom Lock No 12
• Macclesfield Canal: Between Bosley Top Lock No 1 and Bosley Bottom Lock No 12 Bridge 56
• Macclesfield Canal: Between Bosley Top Lock No 1 and Bosley Bottom Lock No 12
• Macclesfield Canal: Buxton Road Bridge No 37 Macclesfield Basin
• Macclesfield Canal: Bosley Top Lock No 1 Macclesfield Canal
• Macclesfield Canal: Marple Junction
• Macclesfield Canal: Bosley Top Lock No 1 Milepost
• Macclesfield Canal: Bosley Top Lock No 1

Related External Web Sites

• Anglo Welsh : A large narrowboat hire company with a good choice of bases and boats.
• Sherborne Wharf : Based in Birmingham city centre Heritage Narrow Boats offer hire boats from here and from Scholar Green on the Maccelesfield Canal.
• Narrow Boat to the Cheshire Ring : A book about canal cruising and campaiganing in the 1960s.
• Braidbar Boats : A small family run business, building just 6-8 luxury boats each year. Claim flexibility regarding steelwork and interior craftsmanship.
• Top Lock Training : RYA boat training courses.
• North Cheshire Cruising Club : Based on the High Lane Arm of the Macclesfield Canal
• The Macclesfield Canal Society :
• Pennine Waterways : Peak Forest, Ashton, Rochdale, Leeds & Liverpool, Huddersfield and other canals in the area.
• The Trading post : Situated on the Macclesfield Canal the Tradingpost is open 7 days a week. Selling everything from generators to tea, coffee and ices.
• Macclesfield Canal Centre : Marina, boat sales and services.

Related Cruising Logs

• 1st August 1995
• 2nd August 1995
• 5th September 1998
• 6th September 1998
• 3rd June 2001
• 4th June 2001
• 25th June 2003
• 26th June 2003
• 5th August 2004
• 6th August 2004

Other Related Pages

• Cruising Times

Lock Sizes and maximum craft dimensions: Length 70 foot, beam 7 foot. NOTE: For more details of maximum lock and craft sizes and the basis of these figures see Craft and Lock Sizes Page

Macclesfield Canal: Table of distances			Miles	Locks	Navigable (N)	Grid ref	OS Map No
Marple Junction	Junction with Peak Forest Canal		0.0	0	N	SJ961884	109
Windlehurst Bridge No 9	Back Lane Bridge		1.8	0	N	SJ953860	109
Junction with High Lane Branch			2.3	0	N	SJ950852	109
Aqueduct over railway			2.6	0	N	SJ951846	109
Bullock's Girder Bridge No 13			2.9	0	N	SJ951843	109
Red Acre Aqueduct	Mitchell's Bridge No 17		4.5	0	N	SJ945820	109
Hibberts Brow Bridge No 21			6.1	0	N	SJ929801	109
Whiteley Green Bridge No 25			7.0	0	N	SJ927788	118
Bollington Aqueduct	Kerridge Bridge No 27		7.8	0	N	SJ934779	118
Clark's Change Bridge No 29	Clarke Lane Bridge		8.9	0	N	SJ929764	118
Chapel-en-le-Frith Road Bridge No 34	A5002 road bridge		10.3	0	N	SJ930744	118
Buxton Road Bridge No 37	Macclesfield, A537 road bridge		10.9	0	N	SJ925735	118
Holland's Bridge No 39	Macclesfield		11.3	0	N	SJ925730	118
Sutton Aqueduct			12.3	0	N	SJ925717	118
Leek New Road Bridge No 45	A523 road bridge		12.8	0	N	SJ916711	118
Royal Oak Swing Bridge No 49	Fools Nook Inn		14.3	0	N	SJ916694	118
Crow Holt Bridge No 52			15.5	0	N	SJ907680	118
Bosley Top Lock No 1	Locks 2 to 10 follow		16.1	1	N	SJ905670	118
Bosley Bottom Lock No 12	Preceded by locks 2 to 11		17.1	12	N	SJ907654	118
River Dane Aqueduct			17.4	12	N	SJ906652	118
Congleton Bridge No 61	A54 road bridge		18.4	12	N	SJ890651	118
Pearson Bridge No 64			19.0	12	N	SJ881649	118
Buxton Road Bridge No 68	A54 road bridge		19.9	12	N	SJ877638	118
Railway Bridge (Main line to Maccelsfield)			20.4	12	N	SJ880631	118
Biddulph Valley Aqueduct	Over former railway line		20.9	12	N	SJ880626	118
Park Lane Bridge No 75	A527 road bridge		21.5	12	N	SJ872622	118
Congleton Wharf	Wharf Inn		21.9	12	N	SJ865621	118
Watery Lane Aqueduct			23.4	12	N	SJ853602	118
Simpson Bridge No 85			24.0	12	N	SJ846589	118
Kent Green Bridge No 87			25.1	12	N	SJ839575	118
Hall Green Stop Lock No 13	Junction with Hall Green Branch - Trent and Mersey Canal		26.1	13	N	SJ833561	118

NOTE: N and U in the Navigable column above indicates that the node is navigable or unnavigable. If a D appears here it means that navigation is difficult or restricted to smaller craft.

 

Peak Forest Canal

Description: Runs from the junction with the Ashton Canal at Dukinfield to Buxworth Basin.

History: Promoted under Acts of 1794, 1800 and 1805. Opened with a connecting tramroad at Marple in 1800. Marple Locks were opened in 1804.
For more details see the History page

Points of Interest: Very fine stone navigation works.

Waterway Group: This waterway is part of the Ashton, Peak Forest and Macclesfield Canals

Subordinate Waterways:

• Whalley Bridge Branch

Navigation Authority: Head Office: British Waterways, MD's Office: Northern Waterways, General Manager: North West Waterways, Trafalgar House, Temple Court, Birchwood, Warrington, WA3 6GD: Telephone 01925 847700 : Fax 01925 847710 :

Related Articles

• Back on the Straight and Narrow
• Peak Cruising

Related Books

• The Canals of North West England (1) by Charles Hadfield & Gordon Biddle , ISBN 07153 49562 :236 pages, Published by David & Charles Volume 1. Order now from .

• The Canals of North West England (2) by Charles Hadfield & Gordon Biddle , ISBN 07153 49929 :260 pages, Published by David & Charles Volume 2. Order now from .

• Nicholson/Ordnance Survey Guide to the waterways - 5 by Not known , ISBN 0007136684 :190 pages, Published by Nicholson 2003 North West & the Pennines. Includes the Aire & Calder (leeds to Wakefield), Bridgewater, Calder & Hebble, Huddersfield Broad, Lancaster, Leeds & Liverpool, Macclesfield, Peak Forest, Ashton and Rochdale canals plus the Trent & Mersey north of Hardings Wood Junction. Order now from .

• Pearson's Canal and River Companion: Cheshire Ring by Michael Pearson , ISBN 0 907864 96 1 :80 pages, Published by J M Pearson & Son 2000 Order now from .

• Adventures of the Nippy by James Hewitt , ISBN 0 9543197 0 2 :164 pages, Published by Published by the author 2002 The story of boating in the 1950s and the fight to keep the canals open. Order now from .

• The Seven Canals of Derbyshire by Edward Garner , ISBN 1 84306 072 8 :160 pages, Published by Landmark Publishing 2004 Covers the Cromford, Derby, Erewash and Nutbrook canals and the sections of the Chesterfield, Peak Forest and Trent & Mersey Canals that come within the county. Order now from .

• Narrow Boat to the Cheshire Ring by Margaret & Ted Hill , ISBN 978-0-9553568-9-6 :172 pages, Published by Published by the author 2007 This book is a personal account of ten years involvement with inland waterways in the 1960s. Order now from .

Related Photographs

• Peak Forest Canal: Ridge End Bridge No 21
• Peak Forest Canal: Marple Aqueduct Boat crossing aqueduct
• Peak Forest Canal: Marple Aqueduct Boat leaving aqueduct
• Peak Forest Canal: Dukinfield Junction Trip boat at junction

Related External Web Sites

• Narrow Boat to the Cheshire Ring : A book about canal cruising and campaiganing in the 1960s.
• Marple - Unofficial Website : Marple on the Peak Forest Canal
• Top Lock Training : RYA boat training courses.
• Navigation Inn - Buxworth Canal Basin : Information about the services offered and the historic locality.
• The Inland Waterways Protection Society Ltd : The Society, formed in 1958, campaigns for the Inland Waterways of Great Britain. The Society has a long lease of Bugsworth Canal Basin.
• Pennine Waterways : Peak Forest, Ashton, Rochdale, Leeds & Liverpool, Huddersfield and other canals in the area.
• Acorn Engineering : Founded in 1986 as a narrowboat electrical systems supplier and manufacturer of the Kestrel alternator controller, they have now taken over at Warble Wharf whre they operate chandlery and offer Gas, Diesel, Pump Outs and water for passing boaters.

Related Cruising Logs

• 4th August 1995
• 2nd September 1998
• 3rd September 1998
• 1st June 2001
• 31st May 2001
• 22nd June 2003
• 23rd June 2003
• 25th June 2003
• 4th August 2004
• 5th August 2004

Other Related Pages

• Cruising Times

Lock Sizes and maximum craft dimensions: Length 70 foot, beam 7 foot. NOTE: For more details of maximum lock and craft sizes and the basis of these figures see Craft and Lock Sizes Page

Peak Forest Canal: Table of distances			Miles	Locks	Navigable (N)	Grid ref	OS Map No
Dukinfield Junction	Junction with Ashton Canal		0.0	0	N	SJ934984	109
Dukinfield Bridge No 2	B6169 road bridge and the Globe Pub		1.0	0	N	SJ933971	109
Hyde Bridge No 6	A57 road bridge, south of M67 bridge		2.3	0	N	SJ943951	109
Apethorne Bridge No 8			3.3	0	N	SJ941936	109
Woodley Tunnel (south end)			4.6	0	N	SJ935920	109
Leach Bridge No 13			4.9	0	N	SJ935916	109
Hatherlow Aqueduct	Over road		5.6	0	N	SJ936904	109
Hyde Bank Tunnel (North-west End) No 15			6.4	0	N	SJ946904	109
Marple Aqueduct	Over the River Goyt		6.9	0	N	SJ955900	109
Marple Bottom Lock No 1	Marple flight lock Nos 1 to 16		7.1	1	N	SJ959899	109
Marple Top Lock No 16	Junction with Macclesfield Canal		8.1	16	N	SJ961884	109
Ridge End Bridge No 21	Rawton Walls Bridge		9.3	16	N	SJ965869	109
Dryhurst Bridge No 26	Disley village half a mile south west		11.0	16	N	SJ980849	109
Bank End Bridge No 29			12.1	16	N	SK000845	109
Furness Bridge No 31			13.0	16	N	SK008836	110
Greensdeep Bridge No 33			13.6	16	N	SK011828	110
Whaley Bridge Branch junction	Junction with Whalley Bridge Branch		14.1	16	N	SK013823	110
River Goyt Aqueduct			14.3	16	N	SK015823	110
Buxworth	Termination of the canal		14.9	16	N	SK020820	110

NOTE: N and U in the Navigable column above indicates that the node is navigable or unnavigable. If a D appears here it means that navigation is difficult or restricted to smaller craft.

 

Whalley Bridge Branch

Description: A short branch which leads to the basin at Whalley Bridge.

History: Opened on 1 May 1800.
For more details see the History page

Waterway Group: This waterway is part of the Peak Forest Canal

Navigation Authority: Head Office: British Waterways, MD's Office: Northern Waterways, General Manager: North West Waterways, Trafalgar House, Temple Court, Birchwood, Warrington, WA3 6GD: Telephone 01925 847700 : Fax 01925 847710 :

Related Books

• The Canals of North West England (1) by Charles Hadfield & Gordon Biddle , ISBN 07153 49562 :236 pages, Published by David & Charles Volume 1. Order now from .

• The Canals of North West England (2) by Charles Hadfield & Gordon Biddle , ISBN 07153 49929 :260 pages, Published by David & Charles Volume 2. Order now from .

Related Cruising Logs

• 4th September 1998
• 3rd June 2001
• 24th June 2003

Other Related Pages

• Cruising Times

Whalley Bridge Branch: Table of distances			Miles	Locks	Navigable (N)	Grid ref	OS Map No
Buxworth Junction	Junction with Peak Forest Canal		0.0	0	U	SK013823	110
Whaley Bridge	Junctions with		.5	0	N

NOTE: N and U in the Navigable column above indicates that the node is navigable or unnavigable. If a D appears here it means that navigation is difficult or restricted to smaller craft.

 

 

Text and photographs copyright of Jim Shead.