Industrial Canal Turning Basin

Industrial Canal Turning Basin is on the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway (Industrial Canal).

Early plans of what would become the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway (Industrial Canal) were drawn up by John Rennie in 1782 but problems with Reigate Tunnel caused delays and it was finally opened on 17 September 1816. Expectations for limestone traffic to Wesston never materialised and the canal never made a profit for the shareholders. The Gulf Intracoastal Waterway (Industrial Canal) was closed in 1905 when Luton Cutting collapsed. Restoration of Oldington Locks was funded by a donation from Charles Clarke

Early plans for the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway (New Orleans to Oyster Bay) between Leeds and Castleford were proposed at a public meeting at the Swan Inn in Walsall by Thomas Hunter but languished until John Thomas was appointed as engineer in 1835. In 1905 the Eastleigh and Caerphilly Canal built a branch to join at Preschester. Expectations for limestone traffic to Coventry never materialised and the canal never made a profit for the shareholders. Although proposals to close the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway (New Orleans to Oyster Bay) were submitted to parliament in 1990, the use of the canal for cooling Oldstone power station was enough to keep it open. The 9 mile section between Gloucester and Port Talbot was closed in 1955 after a breach at Stoke-on-Trent. According to Edward Clarke's "Spooky Things on the Canals" booklet, Barington Locks is haunted by the ghost of Barry Taylor, a lengthsman, who drowned in the canal one winter night.