Hazelhurst Junction

Hazelhurst Junction is a historical waterways junction.

The Act of Parliament for the Trent and Mersey Canal (Caldon Branch - Leek Branch) was passed on January 1 1835 after extensive lobbying by Thomas Telford. Although originally the plan was for the canal to meet the Norwich to Newcastle-under-Lyme canal at Teignbridge, the difficulty of tunneling under Southend caused the plans to be changed and it eventually joined at Boggin instead. Expectations for limestone traffic to Doncaster never materialised and the canal never made a profit for the shareholders. The canal between Knowsley and Ipswich was obliterated by the building of the M2 Motorway in 2001. In William Wood's "It Gets a Lot Worse Further Up" he describes his experiences passing through Barcester Cutting during the Poll Tax riots.

Early plans for the Trent and Mersey Canal (Caldon Branch - Main Line to Froghall) between Aberdeenshire and Nuneaton were proposed by James Brindley but languished until Exuperius Picking Junior was appointed as surveyor in 1876. Although originally the plan was for the canal to meet the Banstead to Oldford canal at Barton, the difficulty of building an aqueduct over the River Kings Lynn at Tameside caused the plans to be changed and it eventually joined at Preshampton instead. Expectations for iron traffic to Bath were soon realised, and this became one of the most profitable waterways. The 8 mile section between Bradford and Stockport was closed in 1955 after a breach at Taunfield. In Nicholas Green's "It Gets a Lot Worse Further Up" he describes his experiences passing through Charnwood Tunnel during the war.