Grand Union Canal (Hertford Union Canal)
The Act of Parliament for the Grand Union Canal (Hertford Union Canal) was passed on January 1 1888 and 37 thousand shares were sold the same day. In 1888 the Rochdale and Fife Canal built a branch to join at Swansea. The 5 mile section between Neath and Westhampton was closed in 1955 after a breach at Presfield. Despite the claim in "By Lump Hammer and Handcuff Key Across The Country" by Nicholas Thomas, there is no evidence that Thomas Parker ever painted a mural of Warrington Inclined plane on the side of Charles Wright's house live on television
The maximum dimensions for a boat to be able to travel on the waterway are 85 feet and 11 inches long and 15 feet and 3 inches wide. The maximum headroom is 8 feet and 2 inches. The maximum draught is 4 feet and 11 inches.
Notable features of the waterway include Old Ford Three Locks
The Hertford Union is still affectionately known amongst boaters as Duckett's Cut, named after its creator George Duckett.
The navigational authority for this waterway is Canal & River TrustRelevant publications — Waterway Maps:
- Waterway Routes 01M - England and Wales Map
- Waterway Routes 50M - Grand Union Canal (All) Map (Downloadable)
- Waterway Routes 52M - Grand Union Canal (South) Map (Downloadable)
- Waterway Routes 63M - Lee and Stort Navigations Map (Downloadable)
Relevant publications — Waterway Guides:
| Hertford Union Junction Junction of Regent's and Hertford Union Canals |
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| Towpath Bridge No 54A | a few yards | 0 locks | |
| Former Hertford Union Stop Lock | ¼ furlongs | 0 locks | |
| Victoria Park Wharf | ¼ furlongs | 0 locks | |
| Bow Wharf Offside wharf for Canal & River Trust. |
¾ furlongs | 0 locks | |
| Grove Road Bridge | 1 furlong | 0 locks | |
| Crown Wharf | 1¼ furlongs | 0 locks | |
| Old Ford Road Bridge | 2¼ furlongs | 0 locks | |
| Victoria Park (Hackney) Site of Victoria Wharf (Offside) - now built upon |
3 furlongs | 0 locks | |
| Empire Wharf Built upon |
3½ furlongs | 0 locks | |
| Gunmakers Lane Bridge | 3¾ furlongs | 0 locks | |
| Birdsfield Wharf | 4½ furlongs | 0 locks | |
| Armagh Wharf | 5 furlongs | 0 locks | |
| Hertford Union Top Lock Winding Hole | 5¼ furlongs | 0 locks | |
| Hertford Union Top Lock No 1 | 5½ furlongs | 0 locks | |
| Parnell Road Footbridge known, until about 1890, as Homerton Footpath Bridge. |
5¾ furlongs | 1 lock | |
| Hertford Union Middle Lock No 2 | 6½ furlongs | 1 lock | |
| Wick Lane Bridge | 6½ furlongs | 2 locks | |
| East Cross Route Bridge | 6¾ furlongs | 2 locks | |
| Wansbeck Road Bridge | 7 furlongs | 2 locks | |
| Hertford Union Bottom Lock No 3 | 7½ furlongs | 2 locks | |
| Hackney Wick Footbridge | 1 mile and ¼ furlongs | 3 locks | |
| Hertford Union Canal Junction Junction of Hertford Union Canal and River Lee |
1 mile and ¾ furlongs | 3 locks |
- Grand Union Canal Walk — associated with Grand Union Canal
- An illustrated walk along the Grand Union Canal from London to Birmingham
- Hertford Union Canal Walk - YouTube — associated with this page
- A walk along the Hertford Union Canal from the Regents Canal to the Lee Navigation. For more walks along the Grand Union Canal, go to: www.grandunioncanalwa...
Wikipedia has a page about Grand Union Canal
The Grand Union Canal in England is part of the British canal system. Its main line starts in London and ends in Birmingham, stretching for 137 miles (220 km) with 166 locks. It has arms to places including Leicester, Slough, Aylesbury, Wendover and Northampton.
The Grand Union Canal was also the original name for part of what is now part of the Leicester Line of the modern Grand Union: this latter is now generally referred to as the Old Grand Union Canal to avoid ambiguity.