Text and photographs copyright of Jim Shead.

Gloucester & Sharpness Ship Canal

Description: Runs from almost 17 miles from Gloucester to Sharpness.

History: Promoted by Acts of 1793, 1797,1805, 1818, 1822 and 1825.Opened 1n 1827. Originally called the Gloucester & Berkley Canal its southern terminus was changed to Sharpness in 1818.
For more details see the History page

Navigation Authority: Head Office: British Waterways, MD's Office: Southern Waterways, General Manager: South West Waterways, Alexandra Warehouse, West Quay, The Dock, Gloucester GL2 2LG : Telephone 01452 318000 : Fax 01452 318076 :

Gloucester Docks

• The Canals of South and South East England by Charles Hadfield , ISBN 0 7153 4693 8 :393 pages, Published by David & Charles 1969 Order now from .

• The Gloucester & Sharpness Canal and Robert Mylne by Christopher Gotch , ISBN 0 9518011 12 :200 pages, Published by Lantern Press 1993 This book has been extensively researched but is definitely pro Mylne in its presentation and conculsions. An A4 softback book. Illustrated. Order now from .

• The Gloucester & Sharpness Canal by Hugh Conway-Jones , ISBN 0 7524 1709 6 :128 pages, Published by Tempus 1999 Canal history in old photographs. Part of the Images of England Series. Order now from .

• Nicholson/Ordnance Survey Guide to the waterways - 2 by Not known , ISBN 000713665X :170 pages, Published by Nicholson 2003 Severn, Avon and Birmingham. Includes the BCN, Gloucester & Sharpness, Severn, Staffordshire & Worcester Canal, Stourbridge, Dudley, Stratford-on-Avon and Worcester & Birmingham canals. Order now from .

• Pearson's Canal and River Companion: Severn and Avon by Michael Pearson , Edition: Fifth ISBN 0 907864 99 6 :96 pages, Published by J M Pearson & Son 2003 This edition now also contains details of the Cotswold Canals (i.e. the Stroudwater and Thames & Severn canals) and the the River Thames above Oxford. Order now from .

• The Gloucester & Sharpness Canal by Hugh Conway-Jones , Edition: 2nd ISBN 0 7524 2789 X :192 pages, Published by Tempus 2003 An illustrated history of the canal. Order now from .

Related Photographs

• Gloucester & Sharpness Ship Canal: Gloucester Docks Bantam Tug "Walsall" in the Waterways Museum
• Gloucestershire: Gloucester Waterways Museum - The Docks
• Gloucester & Sharpness Ship Canal: Patch bridge

Related External Web Sites

• The National Waterways Museum : A major waterways museum located in Gloucester Docks.
• Saul Canal Festival : Saul Canal Festival is the new title for what was once known as the Saul Junction Boat Gathering.
• Gloucester Quays : Details of the plans to develop the land beside the Gloucester & Sharpness Canal adjacent to Gloucester Docks.
• R W Davis Company : A company that has been building boats at Saul Junction since 1887.
• The Gloucester - Sharpness Canal Page : Things of interest on and near the Gloucester to Sharpness Canal for boaters and other visitors.
• Saul Junction Boat Owners Club : Located at Saul Junction, where the Stroudwater meets the Gloucester & Sharpness Canal.
• Gloucester Docks and the Sharpness Canal : This site highlights the main features of Gloucester Docks and the 16 mile ship canal link to Sharpness and the sea. Brief details are given about the history of what can be seen today, with many comparisons of old and current views.
• Simpsons Boats : Narrowboat builder based at Sharpness.

Related Cruising Logs

• 27th June 1995
• 28th June 1995
• 1st July 1997
• 23rd June 1997
• 24th June 1997
• 20th August 1999
• 21st August 1999
• 16th June 2001
• 17th June 2001
• 11th June 2005
• 12th June 2005

Other Related Pages

• My Holidays on Inland Waterways - Cruise II : Lechlade to Birmingham. By P Bonthron. First published 1916.
• Cruising Times

Lock Sizes and maximum craft dimensions: Length 240 foot, beam 30 foot. NOTE: For more details of maximum lock and craft sizes and the basis of these figures see Craft and Lock Sizes Page

Gloucester & Sharpness Ship Canal: Table of distances			Miles	Locks	Navigable (N)	Grid ref	OS Map No
Gloucester Lock	Junction with River Severn		0.0	1	N	SO826185	162
Gloucester Docks	Water area of 14 acres		.1	1	N	SO827183	162
Llanthony Road Bridge			.4	1	N	SO826181	162
Monk Meadow Dock			.6	1	N	SO823175	162
Monk Meadow Wharf			.9	1	N	SO822172	162
Hempstead Bridge			1.5	1	N	SO819164	162
Sims Bridge			2.4	1	N	SO809155	162
Rea Bridge			2.8	1	N	SO805151	162
Quedgeley Oil Depot			4.0	1	N	SO795141	162
Sellars Bridge	Pilot Inn		4.1	1	N	SO796135	162
Hardwicke Bridge site			4.9	1	N	SO789127	162
Parkend Bridge			6.1	1	N	SO777106	162
Site of Pegthorne Bridge	Bridge removed		6.8	1	N	SO767103	162
Saul Junction	Junction with Stroudwater Canal		7.8	1	N	SO756093	162
Sandfield Bridge	Grain Silos		8.1	1	N	SO753090	162
Fretherne Bridge	Cadbury's Factory		8.9	1	N	SO746085	162
Splatt Bridge			9.8	1	N	SO742067	162
Cambridge Feeder Branch			11.0	1	N	SO738051	162
Ryalls Bridge			11.1	1	N	SO737050	162
Patch bridge			11.9	1	N	SO727043	162
Purton Upper Bridge			14.3	1	N	SO692042	162
Purton Lower Bridge			14.4	1	N	SO691044	162
Purton Timber Pond			15.0	1	N	SO684040	162
Severn Railway Bridge Site	Former railway crossing		15.3	1	N	SO678033	162
Junction with Old Line			15.4	1	N	SO674030	162
High and Low Level Swing Bridges	Sharpness Docks entrance, water area 20 acres.		15.5	1	N	SO673027	162
Sharpness Lock			15.9	2	N	SO669022	162
Tidal Basin Gates	Junction with River Severn		16.3	2	N	SO667021	162

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.

 

Glamorganshire Canal

Description: Promoted by Act of 1790, ran from Merthyr Tydfil to Cardiff.

Related Books

• The Canals of South Wales and the Border by Charles Hadfield , Edition: 2nd Edition 272 pages, Published by David & Charles 1 1967

• Canals of Welsh Valleys & Their Tramroads by David D Gladwin & J M White , Published by Oakwood Press 1974

• The Taff Trail by Jeff Vinter , ISBN 0 7509 0341 4 :104 pages, Published by Alan Sutton Publishing Ltd 1993 A 55 mile cycling and walking trail along the line of the former Glamorganshire Canal and the Monmouthshire & Brecon Canal. Illustrated in full colour. Order now from .

• The Glamorganshire and Aberdare Canals - Volume 1 by Stephen Rowson & Ian L Wright , Edition: A4 hardback ISBN 0 9533028 9 X :272 pages, Published by Black Dwarf 2001 Volume 1 of a two volume history of these canals. Covers the Aberdare Canal and the Glamorganshire Canal from Merthyr to Pontypridd. Order now from .

• The Glamorganshire and Aberdare Canals - Volume 2 by Stephen Rowson & Ian L Wright , ISBN 1 903 59912 1 :352 pages, Published by Black Dwarf 2005 The second volume of the history of these South Wales canals. Order now from .

Related External Web Sites

• Ian and Josephine Jeremiah's Web Site : The site of the well known waterways writer and her husband. Includes pages on the Glamorganshire Canal.

Glenkens Canal

Description: Proposed to run from Dalry to Kirkcudbright, Kirkcudbrightshire.

History: Act passed in 1802 but no work done.
For more details see the History page

Related Books

• The Canals of Scotland by Jean Lindsay , Edition: 1st edition ISBN 7153 4240 1 :238 pages, Published by David & Charles 1968 Order now from .

Glastonbury Canal

Description: A 14 mile 1 furlong canal, with 2 locks, from Glastonbury to its sea lock at Highbridge. Both locks were 64' x 18' 6" to take coasters.

History: Authorised by an Act of 1827, opened in 1833, abandoned in 1854 except for a short length at Highbridge which was abandoned in 1936.
For more details see the History page

Related Books

• The Canals of South West England by Charles Hadfield , ISBN 0 7153 4176 6 :206 pages, Published by David & Charles 1 1967 Order now from .

• The Glastonbury Canal by A H Body & Roy Gallop , ISBN 0 946217 08 4 :48 pages, Published by Fiducia Press 2001 A short history of this canal which opened in 1833 and closed about 30 years later. Order now from .

Glasgow, Paisley & Johnstone Canal

Description: Was an 11 mile level canal from Johnstone, Renfrewshire, to Port Eglinton on the upper Clyde.

History: Authorised by the Glasgow, Paisley & Ardrossan Canal Act of 1806 and fully open in 1811, closed in 1881.
For more details see the History page

Related Books

• The Canals of Scotland by Jean Lindsay , Edition: 1st edition ISBN 7153 4240 1 :238 pages, Published by David & Charles 1968 Order now from .

Grantham Canal

Description: A 33 mile, 18 lock, broad canal from the River Trent at Nottingham to Grantham.

History: Authorised by an Act of 1793, opened in 1797, closed in 1936.
For more details see the History page

Navigation Authority: Head Office: British Waterways, MD's Office: Northern Waterways, General Manager: East Midland Waterways, The Kiln, Mather Road, Newark, Nottinghamshire NG24 1FB : Telephone 01636 704481 : Fax 01636 705584 :

Related Books

• The Canals of the East Midlands by Charles Hadfield , Edition: 3rd impression ISBN 0-7153-4871-X :294 pages, Published by David & Charles 1 1981 (including part of London) Order now from .

Related External Web Sites

• The Grantham Canal Web Site - 1 : Web site produced by Owen Rushby
• Grantham Canal Partnership : A lot about the canal including photos and interactive maps

Other Related Pages

• A Journey down the Grantham Canal - 1881 : An article first published in June 2001 in Issue No 9 of Waterfront, the quarterly magazine of the Grantham Canal Partnership
• My Holidays on Inland Waterways - Cruise XX : The Grantham Canal. By P Bonthron. First published 1916.

Lock Sizes and maximum craft dimensions: Length 75 foot, beam 14 foot. NOTE: For more details of maximum lock and craft sizes and the basis of these figures see Craft and Lock Sizes Page

Grand Western Canal

Description: Runs for 10¾ miles north-east of Tiverton. Open to unpowered and electric powered boats.

History: Promoted under Acts of 1796, 1811 and 1812. Opened in 1814, Taunton extension opened in 1838. Abandoned from Lowdwells to Taunton in 1864 and from Lowdwells to Tiverton in 1962.
For more details see the History page

Navigation Authority: : Devon County Council, County Hall, Topsham Road, Exeter, Devon EX2 4QD : Telephone 01392 382000 : Fax 01392 382830 : Email info@devon.gov.uk :

Related Books

• The Canals of South West England by Charles Hadfield , ISBN 0 7153 4176 6 :206 pages, Published by David & Charles 1 1967 Order now from .

• The Grand Western Canal by Helen Harris , Edition: Revised paperback version ISBN 086114 901 7 :222 pages, Published by Devon Books 1996 Written 1973 With an extra update chapter and more illustrations than the 1973 edition Order now from .

• The Grand Western Canal by Helen Harris , 206 pages, Published by David & Charles 1973 Inland Waterways History series. 31 plates, illustrations and maps.

Related External Web Sites

• Grand Western Horseboat Co : Explore the Grand Western Canal aboard a traditionally painted Horse-drawn barge.
• Mid Devon Hire Boats & Moorings : A 55 foot narrowboat for hire on the Grand Western Canal.

Grand Western Canal: Table of distances			Miles	Locks	Navigable (N)	Grid ref	OS Map No
Lowdwells			0.0	0	D	ST076197	991
Whipcott Wharf			.9	0	D	ST071185	991
Westleigh Bridge			1.8	0	D	ST069170	991
Ayshford Bridge			2.9	0	D	ST047151	991
Sampford Peverell Bridge			5.3	0	D	ST030141	991
Rock House Bridge			6.5	0	D	ST016130	991
A373 Road Bridge	Between Tiverton and Halberton		8.8	0	D	SS998131	991
Tiverton			10.8	0	D	SS962123	991

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.

 

General Warde's (Yspitty) Canal

Description: A canal through the lands of Heol Fach and Pwll Cefn for carrying coal, culm, timber, stone and other goods.

Related Books

• The Canals of South Wales and the Border by Charles Hadfield , Edition: 2nd Edition 272 pages, Published by David & Charles 1 1967

 

Text and photographs copyright of Jim Shead.