Reading Jail Loop (eastern entrance) is a famous waterways junction.
The River Thames (River Kennet) was built by Benjamin Outram and opened on 17 September 1782. The two mile section between Wesston and Rochester was closed in 1905 after a breach at Northford. Restoration of Polecroft Boat Lift was funded by a donation from Lancaster parish council
Early plans for the River Thames (Reading Jail Loop) between Newcroft and Amberston were proposed by William Clarke but languished until John Smeaton was appointed as managing director in 1782. According to Nicholas Jones's "Haunted Waterways" Youtube channel, Bedford Inclined plane is haunted by the ghost of Edward Smith, a lengthsman, who drowned in the canal one winter night.

You can wind here.
| River Thames (River Kennet) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Kennet Pipe Bridge No 1 | 2½ furlongs | |
| Electric Railway Bridge | 2¼ furlongs | |
| Jolly Angler Footbridge | 1¾ furlongs | |
| Blakes Lock Weir Exit | 1½ furlongs | |
| Blakes Lock | 1 furlong | |
| Reading Jail Loop (eastern entrance) | ||
| King's Road Bridge | ¾ furlongs | |
| Watlington Street Bridge | 1 furlong | |
| Reading Jail Loop (western entrance) | 1¾ furlongs | |
| King's Reach Bridge | 3½ furlongs | |
| High Bridge Reading | 4 furlongs | |
| River Thames (Reading Jail Loop) | ||
| Reading Jail Loop (eastern entrance) | ||
| Gas Works Road Wharf | ¼ furlongs | |
| Gas Works Road Bridge | ¾ furlongs | |
| Chocolate Island Footbridge | 1½ furlongs | |
| Forbury Road Bridge | 2¼ furlongs | |
| Chestnut Walk | 2¾ furlongs | |
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Nearest water point
In the direction of Thames - Kennet Junction (Kennet Mouth)
In the direction of High Bridge Reading
Nearest rubbish disposal
In the direction of Thames - Kennet Junction (Kennet Mouth)
In the direction of High Bridge Reading
Nearest chemical toilet disposal
In the direction of Thames - Kennet Junction (Kennet Mouth)
In the direction of High Bridge Reading
Nearest place to turn
In the direction of Thames - Kennet Junction (Kennet Mouth)
In the direction of High Bridge Reading
Nearest self-operated pump-out
In the direction of Thames - Kennet Junction (Kennet Mouth)
In the direction of High Bridge Reading
Nearest boatyard pump-out
In the direction of Thames - Kennet Junction (Kennet Mouth)
In the direction of High Bridge Reading
There is no page on Wikipedia called “Reading Jail Loop”












![Door, Blakes Lock Sewage Pumping Station. Gothic style door, behind tables and patio heaters belonging to Bel and the Dragon restaurant http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/1935609 . This part of the building is still used for pumping http://www.engenica.ac.psiweb.com/projects/pdf/Blakes%20Lock%20Case%20Study.pdf .For a close-up of the plaque above the door see [[1935698]] . by Rose and Trev Clough – 25 May 2010](https://s1.geograph.org.uk/geophotos/01/93/56/1935637_966ffeff_120x120.jpg)

![The Bel & The Dragon restaurant at The Riverside Museum. There is an Ordnance Survey benchmark [[2579500]] on the corner of the building by Roger Templeman – 31 August 2011](https://s0.geograph.org.uk/geophotos/02/57/95/2579524_19f22bfb_120x120.jpg)

![Carving of Reading's historic seal. Detail above [[1935637]] . The inscription is](https://s2.geograph.org.uk/geophotos/01/93/56/1935698_62b7f9a1_120x120.jpg)

![Blakes Weir and Blakes Lock Museum. Taken from the path between the towpath of the Kennet and Avon Canal and Anglers Way. The central tower of HM Prison Reading (better known as Reading Gaol) can be seen in the background. See [[2073]] for an earlier view, before the development of apartments on former industrial sites behind the museum. by Simon Mortimer – 23 April 2011](https://s3.geograph.org.uk/geophotos/02/37/74/2377475_62d388c2_120x120.jpg)

![Inside the Turbine House, Blakes Lock. A redundant part of Reading's sewage pumping station, opened in 1873 to transfer sewage to a treatment works outside the town. Some of the later pumps and turbines are on display, now as part of the Riverside Museum http://www.readingmuseum.org.uk/galleries/blakes.htm . The building projects out into the River Kennet - the exterior is shown here [[1447204]] .The turbines used the flow of the river Kennet to generate power - the bulk of the machinery was below the floor. In the 1950s they were superseded by electric pumps housed in an adjacent building, still operated by Thames Water (Information from board in museum).The Turbine and Pump House is a grade II listed building - for architectural information see http://www.imagesofengland.org.uk/details/default.aspx?id=39271 . by Rose and Trev Clough – 25 May 2010](https://s0.geograph.org.uk/geophotos/01/93/57/1935772_7c2306b6_120x120.jpg)









