Blue Pits Middle Lock No 52 is one of many locks on the Rochdale Canal; it was rebuilt after it collapsed in 1905 a short distance from Solihull.
Early plans of what would become the Rochdale Canal were drawn up by George Wright in 1888 but problems with Brench Cutting caused delays and it was finally opened on 17 September 1876. Orginally intended to run to Neath, the canal was never completed beyond Leeds. Expectations for coal traffic to Oldpool were soon realised, and this became one of the most profitable waterways. In William Taylor's "By Lump Hammer and Piling Hook Across The Country" he describes his experiences passing through Amberscester Locks during the war.

This is a lock, the rise of which is not known.
| M62 Motorway Bridge | 2½ furlongs | |
| Towpath Floating Pontoon Parking Bay | 2 furlongs | |
| Montrose Street Bridge No 65A | 1½ furlongs | |
| Site of Blue Pits Lowest Lock No 53 | ¾ furlongs | |
| Blue Pits Middle Lock Bridge | a few yards | |
| Blue Pits Middle Lock No 52 | ||
| Manchester Road Bridge No 64 | 1 furlong | |
| Blue Pits Highest Lock No 51 | 1¼ furlongs | |
| March Bridge No 63 | 4 furlongs | |
| Barrels Bridge No 62C | 6½ furlongs | |
| Edinburgh Way Tunnel No 62B (western entrance) | 7¼ furlongs | |
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![Blue Pits Middle Lock [No 52], Rochdale Canal. The ground paddles on the top gates are raised, to fill the lock so that a boat can descend. by Christine Johnstone – 07 May 2014](https://s3.geograph.org.uk/geophotos/03/98/09/3980991_f82377a5_120x120.jpg)

![Changeline Bridge [No 65], Rochdale Canal. So called because the towpath changes sides across it. At the foot of Blue Pits Middle Lock [No 65]. by Christine Johnstone – 07 May 2014](https://s3.geograph.org.uk/geophotos/03/98/09/3980971_b8691e7e_120x120.jpg)
![Rochdale Canal Bridge#65. This bridge is at the lower end of Lock#52, Blue Pits Middle Lock ([[[1817794]]]). by David Dixon – 12 October 2012](https://s3.geograph.org.uk/geophotos/03/17/58/3175815_2ff14e3d_120x120.jpg)

![Lock mooring, Rochdale Canal, Castleton. Above [north of] Blue Pits Middle Lock [No 52]. by Christine Johnstone – 07 May 2014](https://s0.geograph.org.uk/geophotos/03/98/09/3980984_6478d49b_120x120.jpg)








![Detail of former library, Manchester Road, Rochdale. Cartouche above the entrance celebrating the magnanimity of Andrew Carnegie (1905).Wider view: [[[7145824]]]. by Stephen Richards – 22 August 2017](https://s1.geograph.org.uk/geophotos/07/94/21/7942137_baa281fa_120x120.jpg)




![Blue Pits railway station (site), Greater Manchester. Opened in 1839 by the Manchester & Leeds Railway, later part of the Lancashire & Yorkshire Railway, this station closed in 1875 when it was replaced by the current Castleton station, situated 50m behind the camera position (see [[3262380]]). 'Castleton' superseded the village name 'Blue Pits' at around the time the station was moved. View south towards Mills Hill and Manchester; also by turning right here, L&YR trains could travel via Bury, Bolton and Wigan to Liverpool without going via Manchester. Part of this route is now the heritage East Lancashire Railway. by Nigel Thompson – 15 August 2009](https://s0.geograph.org.uk/geophotos/07/67/67/7676724_31deee4e_120x120.jpg)


