Text and photographs copyright of Jim Shead.

Birmingham & Liverpool Junction Canal

Description: A 39½ mile and 26 lock canal linking the Staffordshire & Worcestershire Canal at Autherley to the Ellesmere & Chester Canal at Nantwich. Now part of the Shropshire Union Main Line.

History: Authorised by an Act of 1826, completed in 1835.
For more details see the History page

Waterway Group: This waterway is part of the Shropshire Union Canal

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

Ellesmere & Chester Canal

Description: Formed by the merging of the Ellesmere Canal Company and the Chester Canal Company.

History: Formed in 1813 and taken over by the Shropshire Union in 1846.
For more details see the History page

Waterway Group: This waterway is part of the Shropshire Union Canal

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

Ellesmere Canal

Description: A canal that was never wholly completed the two major sections now being part of the Shropshire Union Canal.

History: Authorised by an Act of 1793, the Chester to Ellesmere Port section completed in 1795, and the navigable feeder from Trevor to the Dee at Llantisilo completed what is now the Llangollen Canal in 1808.
For more details see the History page

Waterway Group: This waterway is part of the Shropshire Union Canal

• The Waterway to London, as explored in the "Wanderer" and "Ranger"... by H A Schofield , Edition: 1st edition 96 pages, Published by Simpkin, Marshall 1869 The title continues "with Sail, Paddle & Oar, in a voyage on the Mersey, Perry, Severn, & Thames, & Several Canals" Illustrated book, published anonymously, includes travelling the Berkely, Bridgewater, Ellesmere, Stroudwater and Thames & Severn canals.

• The Ellesmere and Llangollen Canal. An Historical Background by E A Wilson , Edition: 1st edition 160 pages, Published by Phillimore & Co. 1975 Illustrated.

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

Shrewsbury Canal

Description: Was a 17 mile, 11 lock, tub-boat canal from Shrewsbury to the Donnington Wood Canal, via a mile of the Wombridge Canal, which the company purchased, and an inclined plane which they built to connect to it. Later the Newport Branch was added.

History: Authorised by an Act of 1793, opened in 1797, Newport Branch open in 1835, became part of the Shropshire Union in 1846.
For more details see the History page

Waterway Group: This waterway is part of the Shropshire Union Canal

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

• The Shrewsbury & Newport Canals Trust : Formed to save the canals as very little of the line has been built on and no insuperable engineering problems lie in the way of restoration.
• Tony Clayton's Canal Pages : Journeys on the BCN and links to the Shrewsbury & Newport Canals and other canal pages.

Shropshire Union Canal

Description: This canal includes the main Line, the Llangollen (or Welsh) Canal, the Middlewich Branch and the Montgomery Canal.

History: See separate canals for the various historys.
For more details see the History page

Subordinate Waterways:

• Birmingham & Liverpool Junction Canal
• Ellesmere & Chester Canal
• Ellesmere Canal
• Shrewsbury Canal
  • Wombridge Canal
• Shropshire Union - Llangollen Canal
• Shropshire Union - Middlewich Branch
• Shropshire Union Dee Branch
• Shropshire Union Main Line
  • Chester Canal
• Shropshire Union Montgomery Canal
  • Montgomeryshire Canal
• Shropshire Union Prees Branch

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

• Chas Hardern Boats : Narrowboat hire based at Beeston on the Shropshire Union Canal.
• The Boat Museum : The Boat Museum in Ellesmere Port brings Britain's canal history to life, with exhibitions in the historic dock and the largest collection of inland craft.
• The Shropshire Union Canal Society : The Society was formed in 1968 to promote interest in the past, present and future of 158 miles of canal comprising the main line and branches.

Shropshire Union - Llangollen Canal

Description: Runs 46 miles from Llantysilio Bridge, near Llangollen, to Hurleston Junction, where it joins the Shropshire Union main line

History: Promoted by Acts of 1793 and 1796.
For more details see the History page

Waterway Group: This waterway is part of the Shropshire Union Canal

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 :

Grindley Brook Locks, Llangollen Canal

Related Articles

• Staircase Locks
• More than a Mooring - Blackwater Meadow Marina
• The Lucky Llangollen

• Vagabonding Through the Midlands by W Byford-Jones , Edition: 1st edition 208 pages, Published by Heath Cranton 1935 Includes a pleasure trip by narrowboat from Wolverhampton to Llangollen.

• Canals, Cruises, and Contentment by A Neal , Edition: 1st edition 189 pages, Published by Heath Cranton 1921 Illustrated book describing two round trips, one to Llangollen and one to Oxford, from the authors home next to the Derby Canal.

• The Ellesmere and Llangollen Canal. An Historical Background by E A Wilson , Edition: 1st edition 160 pages, Published by Phillimore & Co. 1975 Illustrated.

• Nicholson/Ordnance Survey Guide to the waterways - 4 by Not known , ISBN 0007136676 :170 pages, Published by Nicholson 2003 Four Counties & the Welsh Canals. Includes Caldon, Leek, Llangollen, Monmouthshire & Brecon, Montgomery, Shropshire Union, Staffordshire & Worcestershire (north part), Trent & Mersey canals and the River Weaver. Order now from .

• Canal to Llangollen by Thomas Pellow & Paul Bowen , ISBN 0 9478 4901 7 :64 pages, Published by Landscape Press 1987 The history of the Llangollen Canal. Order now from .

• Pearson's Canal and River Companion: Shropshire Union by Michael Pearson , ISBN 0 9078 6463 5 :64 pages, Published by J M Pearson & Son 1994 Including the Llangollen and Montgomery Canals. Order now from .

• Pontcyllte Aqueduct Restoration by Richard J Turner-Thomas , ISBN 954 642 225 8 :71 pages, Published by Pensoft 2005 The story of the restoration work carried out on the aqueduct over the winter of 2003 and the spring of 2004. Order now from .

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

• Three Girls on a Boat by Jeanette Burden , ISBN 1-903172-62-4 :104 pages, Published by Barney Books 2006 A holiday voyage in the 1960s from Llangollen to Wheaton Aston on the Shropshire Union Main Line. Order now from .

Related Videos

• The Llangollen Canal 1 hour approx., Produced by Waterways World Ltd A video tour along the Llangollen Canal Available on tape.

• The Llangollen Canal Released in : 1990 Produced by VideoActive Available on tape and DVD. Order on video tape from Order on DVD from

Related Photographs

• Shropshire Union - Llangollen Canal: Between Siambr Bridge No 45 and Wenffrwd Bridge No 42
• Shropshire Union - Llangollen Canal: Siambr Bridge No 45
• Shropshire Union - Llangollen Canal: Ellesmere Branch Junction Blackwater Meadow Marina
• Shropshire Union - Llangollen Canal: Ellesmere Branch Junction Blackwater Meadow Marina - Neil Huggon
• Shropshire Union - Llangollen Canal: Grindley Brook Lock No 16 Boat in lock
• Shropshire Union - Llangollen Canal: Grindley Brook Lock No 16 View of 3 lock staircase
• Shropshire Union - Llangollen Canal: Ellesmere Branch Junction Hotel boats Caldon and Ashby
• Shropshire Union - Llangollen Canal: Pontcysylite Aqueduct (South end) View of aqueduct with boat crossing
• Shropshire Union - Llangollen Canal: Pontcysylite Aqueduct (South end) Boat crossing
• Shropshire Union Montgomery Canal: Frankton Junction Top locks on restored length
• Shropshire Union - Llangollen Canal: Between Sparks Bridge No 35 and Wrexham Road Bridge No 32 Hassel's No 2 Lift bridge
• Shropshire Union - Llangollen Canal: New Marton Top Lock No 2
• Shropshire Union - Llangollen Canal: Pontcysylite Aqueduct (South end)
• Shropshire Union - Llangollen Canal: Between Bryn Howel Bridge No 38 and Siambr Bridge No 45
• Shropshire Union - Llangollen Canal: Between Siambr Bridge No 45 and Llantisilio, Horseshoe Falls Canoes on Canal feeder
• Shropshire Union - Llangollen Canal: Between New Mills Lift Bridge No 31 and Grindley Brook Lock No 19 (Top of staircase)
• Shropshire Union - Llangollen Canal: Hurleston Top Lock No 4
• Shropshire Union - Llangollen Canal: Hurleston Top Lock No 4

Related External Web Sites

• Alvechurch Boat Centres : Holiday narrowboat hire from 4 bases. Also boat building and brokerage.
• Anglo Welsh : A large narrowboat hire company with a good choice of bases and boats.
• Black Prince Holidays : Five bases, covering the canal system of England and Wales, with 80 narrowboats for hire.
• Blackwater Meadow Marina : Situated at Ellesmere on the Llangollen Canal.
• Swanley Bridge Marina : Swanley Bridge is a 315 berth, marina on the Llangollen Canal 2 miles from the junction of the Shropshire Union.
• Viking Afloat : Four bases (Worcester, Whitchurch on the Llangollen Canal, Rugby and Gailey) hiring narrowboats.
• Maestermyn Cruisers : Together with Welsh Lady Cruisers hire boats from their base on the Llangollen Canal
• Llangollen Wharf - Canal Boat Trips : From the Wharf you can embark on a horse drawn or motorised canal boat trip along the beautiful Llangollen Canal
• Canal Navigations : A site covering some of the unique canals found in Britian
• A Boater's Wedding : The wedding of Joe and Jackie Jones on the Llangollen Canal.
• The Lyneal Trust : A registered charity that provides canal holidays for people with disabilities with their families, friends from Lyneal Wharf near Ellesmere, which is on the Llangollen Canal.
• The Shropshire Union Canal Society : The Society was formed in 1968 to promote interest in the past, present and future of 158 miles of canal comprising the main line and branches.
• Marine Cruises and Chirk Marina : Hire fleet run from Chirk Marina with a range of boats from 2 berth to 10 berth. Available from March to October.
• Whixall Marine (Shropshire) Ltd : Moorings, Narrowboats, Canal Cruisers,Boatbuilding, Repairs, Sales
• Pontcysyllte Aqueduct Restoration : An account of the companies and men who toiled through the harsh winter conditions of 2003 to deliver the restored aqueduct in time for National Boating Day on 12th March 2004.

Related Cruising Logs

• 13th July 1995
• 14th July 1995
• 7th June 1997
• 8th September 1999
• 9th September 1999
• 14th September 1999
• 15th September 1999
• 1st July 2002
• 16th May 2005
• 17th May 2005
• 27th May 2005

Other Related Pages

• Introducing Route Planning : An introduction to planning a cruise route.
• Seven Wonders of the Waterways : Description and pictures of these seven features
• Cruising Times

Lock Sizes and maximum craft dimensions: Length 70 foot, beam 6 foot 10 inches. NOTE: For more details of maximum lock and craft sizes and the basis of these figures see Craft and Lock Sizes Page

Shropshire Union - Llangollen Canal: Table of distances			Miles	Locks	Navigable (N)	Grid ref	OS Map No
Hurleston Junction	Junction with Shropshire Union Main Line		0.0	0	N	SJ626553	118
Hurleston Top Lock No 4	Hurleston Flight Locks Nos 1 to 4		.3	4	N	SJ623551	118
Burland Bridge No 6	Burland Village and A534 road		1.6	4	N	SJ617533	118
Swanley Lock No 5	Swanley Bridge No 8		2.3	5	N	SJ617526	118
Swanley Lock No 6	Butcher's Bridge No 9		2.5	6	N	SJ614520	118
Baddiley Lock No 7			4.0	7	N	SJ609499	118
Baddiley Lock No 8			4.1	8	N	SJ608496	118
Baddiley Lock No 9	Baddiley Bridge No 14		4.4	9	N	SJ607492	118
Wrenbury Lift Bridge No 20	Wrenbury Village a quarter of a mile south-east		6.3	9	N	SJ589480	117
Marbury Lock No 10	Church Bridge No 23		8.3	10	N	SJ561464	117
Steer Bridge No 24			8.9	10	N	SJ553463	117
Quoisley Lock No 11			9.9	11	N	SJ538462	117
Willey Moor Lock No 12			10.9	12	N	SJ534451	117
Povey's Lock No 13			11.3	13	N	SJ532446	117
Grindley Brook Bridge No 28	Tail of grindly Brook Lower Locks Nos 14 to 16		12.3	13	N	SJ522433	117
Grindley Brook Lock No 16	Top of Lower Locks		12.4	16	N	SJ523431	117
Grindley Brook Lock No 19 (Top of staircase)	Bridge No 29		12.5	19	N	SJ523428	117
New Mills Lift Bridge No 31	Former junction with the Whitchurch Branch		13.4	19	N	SJ528415	117
Wrexham Road Bridge No 32	A525 road		13.6	19	N	SJ523414	117
Sparks Bridge No 35			14.3	19	N	SJ517406	117
Tilstock Park Lift Bridge No 42			16.9	19	N	SJ512378	126
Platt Lane Bridge No 43			17.4	19	N	SJ510365	126
Prees Branch Junction	Junction with Shropshire Union Prees Branch		19.0	19	N	SJ488352	126
Bettisfield Bridge No 48			20.9	19	N	SJ459355	126
Hampton Bank Bridge No 50			21.9	19	N	SJ450344	126
Little Mill Bridge No 55			23.6	19	N	SJ427335	126
Ellesmere Branch Junction			25.6	19	N	SJ400342	126
Coachman's Bridge No 62	Tetchill		27.1	19	N	SJ385329	126
Frankton Junction	Junction with Shropshire Union Montgomery Canal		29.0	19	N	SJ370318	126
Maestermyn Bridge No 5	A495 road and Narrow Boat Inn		30.3	19	N	SJ353325	126
Hindford Bridge No 11			31.5	19	N	SJ334330	126
New Marton Bottom Lock No 1			32.4	20	N	SJ330341	126
New Marton Top Lock No 2	New Marton Bridge No 12		32.6	21	N	SJ328347	126
St Martins Bridge No 13	B5069 road		33.8	21	N	SJ314357	126
Belmont Bridge No 16			34.4	21	N	SJ304357	126
Rhoswiel Bridge No 18			35.0	21	N	SJ296362	126
Glenrid Bridge No 19	New Inn		35.3	21	N	SJ297368	126
Chirk Aqueduct			36.0	21	N	SJ287372	126
Chirk Tunnel (North end)			36.4	21	N	SJ282378	126
Whitehouses Tunnel			37.8	21	N	SJ285401	117
Irish Bridge No 27			38.1	21	N	SJ285407	117
Fron Lift Bridge No 28			39.0	21	N	SJ271413	117
Pontcysylite Aqueduct (South end)			39.4	21	N	SJ270419	117
Ruabon Branch Junction			39.6	21	N	SJ270422	117
Bryn Howel Bridge No 38			41.6	21	N	SJ249417	117
Wenffrwd Bridge No 42			42.6	21	N	SJ236425	117
Siambr Bridge No 45	Llangollen - end of navigation for craft of over 10 feet in length		44.3	21	N	SJ215422	117
Pentre-Felin Bridge No 48			45.4	21	N	SJ207435	117
Llantisilio, Horseshoe Falls			46.0	21	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.

 

Wombridge Canal

Description: Was a 1 mile 3 furlong level private tub-boat canal built to take coal and ironstone from Wombridge to furnaces at Donnington Wood.

History: Probably completed in 1788 and most of the line sold to the Shrewsbury Canal Company in 1792, the rest being abandoned during the early 19th century.
For more details see the History page

Waterway Group: This waterway is part of the Shrewsbury Canal

Related Books

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

 

Text and photographs copyright of Jim Shead.