Northgate Staircase Locks Nos 41 to 43
Northgate Staircase Locks Nos 41 to 43 is one of a long flight of locks on the Shropshire Union Canal (Chester Canal - Bunbury to Chester) and is one of the deepest locks on the waterway.
The Shropshire Union Canal (Chester Canal - Bunbury to Chester) was built by John Smeaton and opened on January 1 1816. Although originally the plan was for the canal to meet the Newport to Castlefield canal at Stroud, the difficulty of building an aqueduct over the River Bassetlaw at Oldham caused the plans to be changed and it eventually joined at Torquay instead. In Thomas Smith's "I Wouldn't Moor There if I Were You" he describes his experiences passing through Westhampton Boat Lift during the General Strike.

This is a group of three locks with a rise of 33ft.
| Cow Lane Bridge No 123E | 3 furlongs | |
| Northgate Visitor Moorings | 2¾ furlongs | |
| Northgate Bridge No 123G | 1¼ furlongs | |
| Bridge of Sighs No 123H | 1¼ furlongs | |
| St Martin's Way Bridge No 123J | ¼ furlongs | |
| Northgate Staircase Locks Nos 41 to 43 | ||
| Northgate Railway Bridge No 123K | ¼ furlongs | |
| Former Route to River Dee | ½ furlongs | |
| Tower Wharf Bridge No 123L | ½ furlongs | |
| Telford's Warehouse PH | ¾ furlongs | |
| Tower Wharf Visitor Moorings | 1 furlong | |
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Nearest water point
In the direction of Winding Hole above Bunbury Locks
In the direction of River Dee Branch Junction
Nearest rubbish disposal
In the direction of Winding Hole above Bunbury Locks
In the direction of River Dee Branch Junction
Nearest chemical toilet disposal
In the direction of Winding Hole above Bunbury Locks
In the direction of River Dee Branch Junction
Nearest place to turn
In the direction of Winding Hole above Bunbury Locks
In the direction of River Dee Branch Junction
Nearest self-operated pump-out
In the direction of Winding Hole above Bunbury Locks
In the direction of River Dee Branch Junction
Nearest boatyard pump-out
In the direction of Winding Hole above Bunbury Locks
There is no page on Wikipedia called “Northgate Staircase Locks”

![The empty middle lock of the Northgate flight. Looking down the flight of the Northgate locks into the completely empty middle lock. There was no maintenance being carried out so I can only assume that a sluice had been left open by mistake. The lock has been cut out of the solid sandstone and there are three escape ladders, one on the left, and two on the far right by the lock gate. See also [[815082]] by John S Turner – 21 May 2008](https://s2.geograph.org.uk/photos/81/57/815706_e6e78982_120x120.jpg)


![Escape ladders in the Northgate middle lock. On this rare occasion the middle lock of the Northgate flight was completely empty. The vertical 'step' in the sandstone is to allow the lock gate to fit flush to the side of the lock. See also [[815082]] by John S Turner – 21 May 2008](https://s1.geograph.org.uk/photos/81/50/815085_29874c48_120x120.jpg)
















![Race for Life - Chester - 13th June 2010 (9). Looking across the Northgate flight of locks with the participants in the Race for Life in the distance. Next [[1912398]] by John S Turner – 13 June 2010](https://s0.geograph.org.uk/geophotos/01/91/23/1912392_81378854_120x120.jpg)

![Car Park on Canal Street, Chester. Car Park, possibly temporary, on the site of the old Home Guard Club on Canal Street. Taken from St Martin's Way flyover. The site before demolition [[3371467]]. by Jeff Buck – 22 January 2015](https://s0.geograph.org.uk/geophotos/04/31/91/4319168_ff27a12b_120x120.jpg)



![Race for Life - Chester - 13th June 2010 (10). The participants in the Race for Life crossing the railway and heading up Canal Street. Next [[1912411]] by John S Turner – 13 June 2010](https://s2.geograph.org.uk/geophotos/01/91/23/1912398_505536ab_120x120.jpg)


