CanalPlanAC

Shropshire Union Canal (Birmingham and Liverpool Junction Canal - Main Line)

 
 
Information about the waterway

The Shropshire Union Canal (Birmingham and Liverpool Junction Canal - Main Line) is a narrow canal and is part of the Shropshire Union Canal (Birmingham and Liverpool Junction Canal). It runs for 38 miles and 7¼ furlongs through 29 locks from Autherley Junction (where it joins the Staffordshire and Worcestershire Canal (Main Line: Aldersley to Autherley) and the Staffordshire and Worcestershire Canal (Main Line: Autherley to Great Haywood)) to Nantwich Basin Entrance (where it joins the Shropshire Union Canal (Chester Canal - Nantwich to Bunbury)).

The maximum dimensions for a boat to be able to travel on the waterway are 72 feet long and 7 feet wide. The maximum headroom is 8 feet. The maximum draught is 3 feet and 9 inches.

It has a junction with the Shropshire Union Canal (Birmingham and Liverpool Junction Canal - Newport Branch - Main Line) at Norbury Junction.

Notable features of the waterway include Cowley Tunnel, Tyrley Locks, Adderley Locks, Audlem Locks, Hack Green Locks, Shebdon Embankment, Nantwich Embankment, Woodseaves Cutting, Grub Street Cutting and Shelmore Embankment

The waterway passes through Market Drayton, Nantwich and Audlem

The navigational authority for this waterway is Canal & River Trust

Relevant publications — Waterway Travels:

Relevant publications — Waterway Maps:

Relevant publications — Waterway DVDs:

Relevant publications — Waterway Guides:

Autherley Junction
Autherley Junction Bridge No 1 ¼ furlongs 0 locks
Autherley Stop Lock ¼ furlongs 0 locks
Autherley Junction Toll House ¼ furlongs 1 lock
Autherley Wharf
Home of Napton Narrowboats
½ furlongs 1 lock
Autherley Stop Lock Water Point ¾ furlongs 1 lock
Bathurst Bridge No 2 3¾ furlongs 1 lock
Turnover Bridge No 3 5¾ furlongs 1 lock
The Droveway Bridge No 3A 6 furlongs 1 lock
Milepost - Nantwich 38 Miles / Autherley Junction 1 Mile
Also shows Norbury Junction 14½ Miles
7¾ furlongs 1 lock
Wolverhampton Boat Club 1 mile 1 lock
Wolverhampton Boat Club Footbridge 1 mile 1 lock
Pendeford Bridge No 4 1 mile and 2½ furlongs 1 lock
Pendeford Stop 1 mile and 2¾ furlongs 1 lock
Pendeford Visitor Moorings
48-hour moorings
1 mile and 3 furlongs 1 lock
Pendeford Narrows
The canal cuts through a stone outcrop here and is only wide enough for one boat.
1 mile and 6 furlongs 1 lock
Upper Hattons Bridge No 5 1 mile and 7¾ furlongs 1 lock
Pendeford Hall Lane Winding hole 2 miles and ¼ furlongs 1 lock
M54 Bridge 2 miles and 2¼ furlongs 1 lock
Lower Hattons Bridge No 6 2 miles and 3½ furlongs 1 lock
Lower Hattons Winding Hole 2 miles and 7 furlongs 1 lock
Hunting Bridge No 7 2 miles and 7¼ furlongs 1 lock
Three Mile Post
Three miles from Autherley
3 miles 1 lock
Aqueduct over un-named stream
A sluice valve allows the canal to be drained into the stream, 48-hour moorings.
3 miles and 1¼ furlongs 1 lock
Park Bridge No 8 3 miles and 3 furlongs 1 lock
Park Lodge Winding Hole 3 miles and 5¾ furlongs 1 lock
Chillington Bridge No 9 3 miles and 6½ furlongs 1 lock
Avenue Bridge No 10 4 miles 1 lock
Giffards Cross Bridge No 11 4 miles and 2¾ furlongs 1 lock
Deans Hall Bridge No 12 4 miles and 4½ furlongs 1 lock
School Bridge No 13 4 miles and 6½ furlongs 1 lock
Brewood Bridge Visitor Moorings
48 hour moorings
4 miles and 7¾ furlongs 1 lock
High Green Bridge No 14 5 miles 1 lock
Brewood Wharf
Home of Countrywide Cruisers
5 miles and 2 furlongs 1 lock
Skew Bridge No 15 5 miles and 5 furlongs 1 lock
Broomhall Bridge No 16 5 miles and 5¾ furlongs 1 lock
Belvide Reservoir Feeder 6 miles 1 lock
Stretton Aqueduct
Over the A5 road (Watling Street)
6 miles and 2 furlongs 1 lock
Stretton Boatyard 6 miles and 2¼ furlongs 1 lock
Lapley Wood Bridge No 17 7 miles and 1¾ furlongs 1 lock
Wheaton Aston Bridge No 18 7 miles and 5¼ furlongs 1 lock
Wheaton Aston Lock No 2 7 miles and 6 furlongs 1 lock
Wheaton Aston Services 7 miles and 7 furlongs 2 locks
Wheaton Aston Winding Hole 7 miles and 7¼ furlongs 2 locks
Wheaton Aston Visitor Moorings (south)
48 hour moorings (towpath side)
7 miles and 7¾ furlongs 2 locks
The Hartley Arms PH 8 miles 2 locks
Tavern Bridge No 19
Wheaton Aston
8 miles 2 locks
Turner's Garage 8 miles 2 locks
Wheaton Aston Visitor Moorings (north) 8 miles and ¾ furlongs 2 locks
Dirty Lane Bridge No 20 8 miles and 1½ furlongs 2 locks
Aqueduct over Wheaton Aston Brook 8 miles and 7¾ furlongs 2 locks
Shushions Bridge No 21 9 miles and 2 furlongs 2 locks
Rye Hill Bridge No 22 9 miles and 3¼ furlongs 2 locks
Rye Hill Cutting Bridge No 23 9 miles and 6¼ furlongs 2 locks
Little Onn Bridge No 24 10 miles and 1½ furlongs 2 locks
High Onn Aqueduct 10 miles and 4 furlongs 2 locks
High Onn Bridge No 25
Church Eaton 1 mile northeast
10 miles and 6½ furlongs 2 locks
High Onn Wharf 10 miles and 6¾ furlongs 2 locks
Turnover Bridge No 26 11 miles and ½ furlongs 2 locks
Park Bridge No 27 11 miles and 1¼ furlongs 2 locks
Oscote Barn Bridge No 28 11 miles and 3 furlongs 2 locks
Wood Eaton Bridge No 29 11 miles and 5 furlongs 2 locks
Castle Cutting Bridge No 30 11 miles and 6¼ furlongs 2 locks
Cowley Double Road Bridge No 31 12 miles and ½ furlongs 2 locks
Cowley Bridge No 32 12 miles and 1¾ furlongs 2 locks
Cowley Tunnel No 33 (southern entrance) 12 miles and 4 furlongs 2 locks
Cowley Tunnel No 33 (northern entrance) 12 miles and 4½ furlongs 2 locks
Gnosall Visitor Moorings (south)
48 hour moorings
12 miles and 6¼ furlongs 2 locks
Boat Inn Bridge No 34 12 miles and 6¾ furlongs 2 locks
The Boat Inn (Gnosall) 12 miles and 7 furlongs 2 locks
Gnosall Visitor Moorings 12 miles and 7½ furlongs 2 locks
Gnosall Bridge No 35 13 miles and ¼ furlongs 2 locks
The Navigation Inn (Gnosall) 13 miles and ½ furlongs 2 locks
Gnosall Visitor Moorings (north) 13 miles and 1 furlong 2 locks
Gnosall Railway Bridge No 35a
Carried the now closed Wellington to Stafford Line
13 miles and 1¾ furlongs 2 locks
Gnosall Visitor Moorings (5 day) 13 miles and 2½ furlongs 2 locks
Plardiwick Bridge No 36 13 miles and 3 furlongs 2 locks
Machins Barn Bridge No 37 13 miles and 7½ furlongs 2 locks
Norbury Stop Gates 14 miles and 3 furlongs 2 locks
Norbury Road Aqueduct 14 miles and 3 furlongs 2 locks
High Meadow Aqueduct 15 miles and 2 furlongs 2 locks
Norbury Junction Visitor Moorings (south)
48 hour moorings
15 miles and 3¼ furlongs 2 locks
Norbury Junction Visitor Moorings (5 day) 15 miles and 3½ furlongs 2 locks
Norbury Junction Narrows 15 miles and 3¾ furlongs 2 locks
Norbury Junction Services 15 miles and 4 furlongs 2 locks
Norbury Junction
Junction with former Newport Branch
15 miles and 4 furlongs 2 locks
Norbury Wharf Boatyard 15 miles and 4¼ furlongs 2 locks
Junction Inn
48 hour moorings
15 miles and 4¼ furlongs 2 locks
Norbury Bridge No 38 15 miles and 4½ furlongs 2 locks
Norbury Junction Visitor Moorings (north) 15 miles and 4¾ furlongs 2 locks
High Bridge No 39 16 miles and 3½ furlongs 2 locks
Double Culvert Bridge No 40 16 miles and 5¾ furlongs 2 locks
Grub Street Winding Hole 17 miles and 1½ furlongs 2 locks
Lambarts Bridge No 41 17 miles and 3¼ furlongs 2 locks
Anchor Inn Visitor Moorings (High Offley) 17 miles and 7 furlongs 2 locks
The Anchor Inn (High Offley)
48 hour moorings
17 miles and 7¼ furlongs 2 locks
Anchor Bridge No 42 17 miles and 7½ furlongs 2 locks
Old Lea Wharf
Private wharf
17 miles and 7½ furlongs 2 locks
Old Lea Wharf Visitor Moorings (north)
48 hour moorings (towpath side)
17 miles and 7¾ furlongs 2 locks
Bullock's Bridge No 43 18 miles and 1½ furlongs 2 locks
Shebdon Bridge No 44
There is a stop gate by the bridge.
18 miles and 5¾ furlongs 2 locks
Shebdon Winding Hole 19 miles and ½ furlongs 2 locks
Shebdon Aqueduct 19 miles and ¾ furlongs 2 locks
Shebdon Visitor Moorings
48 hour moorings
19 miles and 1¼ furlongs 2 locks
Shebdon Embankment 19 miles and 2¾ furlongs 2 locks
Shebdon Farm Aqueduct
Also called Knighton Aqueduct
19 miles and 4¼ furlongs 2 locks
Knighton Wharf
This was the wharf for the Cadbury factory.
19 miles and 7 furlongs 2 locks
Newport Road Bridge No 45
Knighton
20 miles 2 locks
Knighton Bridge No 46 20 miles and ½ furlongs 2 locks
Black Flat Bridge No 47 20 miles and 2¾ furlongs 2 locks
Park Heath Bridge No 48 21 miles 2 locks
Park Heath Wharf 21 miles and ¼ furlongs 2 locks
Hazeldines Bridge No 49 21 miles and 1¾ furlongs 2 locks
Soudley Bridge No 50 21 miles and 3¾ furlongs 2 locks
New Brighton Bridge No 51 21 miles and 5¾ furlongs 2 locks
Fox Bridge No 52 22 miles and ¾ furlongs 2 locks
Hallemans Bridge No 53 22 miles and 3½ furlongs 2 locks
Westcottmill Bridge No 54 22 miles and 5¾ furlongs 2 locks
Goldstone Bridge No 55
Cheswardine 1 mile east
23 miles and 1 furlong 2 locks
The Wharf Tavern (Cheswardine) 23 miles and 1¼ furlongs 2 locks
Goldstone Wharf 23 miles and 1¼ furlongs 2 locks
Goldstone Wharf Visitor Moorings 23 miles and 1½ furlongs 2 locks
Woodseaves Cutting (southern end) 23 miles and 3½ furlongs 2 locks
Cheswardine Bridge No 56 23 miles and 5¼ furlongs 2 locks
Milepost - Autherley Junction 24 Miles / Nantwich 15 Miles
Norbury Junction 8.5 Miles
24 miles and ¼ furlongs 2 locks
High Bridge No 57 24 miles and ¼ furlongs 2 locks
Hollings Bridge No 58 24 miles and 5 furlongs 2 locks
Woodseaves Cutting (northern end) 24 miles and 6¾ furlongs 2 locks
Milepost - Autherley Junction 25 Miles / Nantwich 14 Miles
Norbury Junction 9.5 Miles
25 miles and ¼ furlongs 2 locks
Tyrley Farm Bridge No 59 25 miles and ½ furlongs 2 locks
Tyrley Wharf Visitor Moorings 25 miles and 1¼ furlongs 2 locks
Tyrley Wharf Winding Hole
Private Winding Hole - Owner does not allow boats to turn here.
25 miles and 1½ furlongs 2 locks
Tyrley Wharf Services 25 miles and 1¾ furlongs 2 locks
Tyrley Top Lock No 3
Tyrley Flight Lock No 1
25 miles and 2 furlongs 2 locks
Tyrley Road Bridge No 60 25 miles and 2 furlongs 3 locks
Tyrley Lock No 4
Tyrley Flight Lock No 2
25 miles and 2¾ furlongs 3 locks
Tyrley Lock No 5
Tyrley Flight Lock No 3
25 miles and 3¼ furlongs 4 locks
Tyrley Lock No 6
Tyrley Flight Lock No 4
25 miles and 4 furlongs 5 locks
Tyrley Bottom Lock No 7
Tyrley Flight Lock No 5
25 miles and 4¾ furlongs 6 locks
Tyrley Man
Tree stump made into a "wooden man"
25 miles and 6¼ furlongs 7 locks
Tyrley Castle Bridge No 61 26 miles and ¼ furlongs 7 locks
Berisford Road Aqueduct 26 miles and 3½ furlongs 7 locks
River Tern Aqueduct 26 miles and 3¾ furlongs 7 locks
Market Drayton Visitor Moorings
48 hour moorings
26 miles and 4¼ furlongs 7 locks
Newcastle Road Bridge No 62 26 miles and 4¾ furlongs 7 locks
Market Drayton Visitor Moorings (Talbot Wharf)
48 hour moorings (towpath side)
26 miles and 5 furlongs 7 locks
Talbot Wharf 26 miles and 5¼ furlongs 7 locks
Talbot Wharf Services 26 miles and 5½ furlongs 7 locks
Betton Bridge No 63 26 miles and 5½ furlongs 7 locks
Ladybird Moorings
Currently the home mooring for Mintball.
26 miles and 6½ furlongs 7 locks
Lords Bridge No 64 26 miles and 7 furlongs 7 locks
Market Drayton Visitor Moorings (5 day) 27 miles and ¼ furlongs 7 locks
Victoria Bridge No 65 27 miles and ¾ furlongs 7 locks
Victoria Wharf (Market Drayton) 27 miles and 1 furlong 7 locks
Railway Bridge (North Staffs to Stoke on Trent (dismantled)) 27 miles and 3¼ furlongs 7 locks
Betton Wood Bend 27 miles and 7¾ furlongs 7 locks
Betton Wood Bridge No 66 28 miles and 5 furlongs 7 locks
Betton Coppice Bridge No 67 29 miles and ½ furlongs 7 locks
Adderley Lees Bridge No 68 29 miles and 3½ furlongs 7 locks
Adderley Wharf Visitor Moorings
5 day moorings
29 miles and 4¾ furlongs 7 locks
Adderley Winding Hole 29 miles and 5¼ furlongs 7 locks
Adderley Wharf Bridge No 69 29 miles and 5¾ furlongs 7 locks
Adderley Top Lock No 8
Adderley Flight Lock No 1
29 miles and 6¼ furlongs 7 locks
Adderley Lock No 9
Adderley Flight Lock No 2
29 miles and 6¾ furlongs 8 locks
Wems Bridge No 70 29 miles and 7 furlongs 9 locks
Adderley Lock No 10
Adderley Flight Lock No 3
29 miles and 7½ furlongs 9 locks
Adderley Lock No 11
Adderley Flight Lock No 4
30 miles and ¼ furlongs 10 locks
Massey's Bridge No 71 30 miles and ¼ furlongs 11 locks
Adderley Bottom Lock No 12
Adderley Flight Lock No 5.
30 miles and 1 furlong 11 locks
Hawksmoor Visitor Moorings (unlimited)
unlimited mooring
30 miles and 1¼ furlongs 12 locks
Hawksmoor Visitor Moorings (48 hour)
48 hour moorings
30 miles and 1½ furlongs 12 locks
Hawksmoor Bridge No 72
Adderley village a mile to the south west.
30 miles and 2¾ furlongs 12 locks
Kemps Bridge No 73 30 miles and 5 furlongs 12 locks
Spinks Bridge No 74 31 miles and 1¼ furlongs 12 locks
Audlem Top Lock Visitor Moorings
48 hour moorings
31 miles and 3 furlongs 12 locks
Audlem Top Lock No 13
Audlem Flight Lock No 1
31 miles and 3¼ furlongs 12 locks
Coxbank Bridge No 75 31 miles and 3¼ furlongs 13 locks
Audlem Lock No 14
Audlem Flight Lock No 2
31 miles and 4 furlongs 13 locks
Audlem (Coxbank) Lock Pound
Unlimited mooring
31 miles and 5¼ furlongs 14 locks
Audlem (Coxbank) Visitor Moorings
48 hour moorings
31 miles and 5½ furlongs 14 locks
Audlem Lock No 15
Audlem Flight Lock No 3 is the top lock of main Audlem Flight.
31 miles and 6 furlongs 14 locks
Bagley Lane Bridge No 76 31 miles and 6¼ furlongs 15 locks
Audlem Lock No 16
Audlem Flight Lock No 4
31 miles and 6¾ furlongs 15 locks
Audlem Lock No 17
Audlem Flight Lock No 5. Nantwich 7 miles - Autherley Junction 32 miles - Norbury Junction 16 1/2 miles
31 miles and 7¼ furlongs 16 locks
Audlem Lock No 18 32 miles 17 locks
Snows Bridge No 77 32 miles and ½ furlongs 18 locks
Audlem Lock No 19
Audlem Flight Lock No 7
32 miles and ½ furlongs 18 locks
Audlem Lock No 20
Audlem Flight Lock No 8
32 miles and 1¼ furlongs 19 locks
Audlem Lock No 21
Audlem Flight Lock No 9
32 miles and 1¾ furlongs 20 locks
Audlem Lock No 22
Audlem Flight Lock No 10
32 miles and 2½ furlongs 21 locks
Audlem Lock No 23
Audlem Flight Lock No 11
32 miles and 3 furlongs 22 locks
Audlem Visitor Moorings (above wharf) 32 miles and 4 furlongs 23 locks
Audlem Lock No 24
Audlem Flight Lock No 12
32 miles and 4¾ furlongs 23 locks
Audlem Bridge No 78 32 miles and 5 furlongs 24 locks
Bridge Inn (Audlem) 32 miles and 5 furlongs 24 locks
Audlem Wharf 32 miles and 5¼ furlongs 24 locks
Shroppie Fly PH 32 miles and 5¾ furlongs 24 locks
Audlem Lock No 25
Audlem Flight Lock No 13
32 miles and 6 furlongs 24 locks
Audlem Water Point (below Lock No 25) 32 miles and 6¼ furlongs 25 locks
Audlem Visitor Moorings (below wharf) 32 miles and 6½ furlongs 25 locks
Audlem Lock No 26
Audlem Flight Lock No 14
32 miles and 7 furlongs 25 locks
Audlem Moorings (between Lock 26 and bottom lock) 32 miles and 7¾ furlongs 26 locks
Audlem Bottom Lock No 27
Audlem Flight Lock No 15
33 miles and ¼ furlongs 26 locks
Moss Hall Bridge No 79 33 miles and ¼ furlongs 27 locks
Moss Hall Winding Hole 33 miles and ¾ furlongs 27 locks
Moss Hall Aqueduct
Over River Weaver
33 miles and 2 furlongs 27 locks
Overwater Marina 33 miles and 4¼ furlongs 27 locks
Bennets Bridge No 80 33 miles and 6¼ furlongs 27 locks
Site of Bridge No 81
Narrows marks the site of the now missing bridge.
34 miles and 2 furlongs 27 locks
Coole Lane Bridge No 82 34 miles and 3¼ furlongs 27 locks
Dismantled Railway Bridge 34 miles and 4¾ furlongs 27 locks
Austins Bridge No 83 34 miles and 5¼ furlongs 27 locks
Coole Pilate Leisure Moorings
Good short term moorings (48h.) provided by The Shropshire Union Canal Society.
34 miles and 6¾ furlongs 27 locks
Milepost - Nantwich 4 Miles / Autherley Junction 35 Miles
Milepost also shows: Norbury Junction 19½ Miles
34 miles and 7¼ furlongs 27 locks
Mickley Bridge No 84 35 miles and ½ furlongs 27 locks
Hack Green Visitor Moorings (south)
48 hour moorings
35 miles and 5 furlongs 27 locks
Burrows Bridge No 85 35 miles and 5½ furlongs 27 locks
Hack Green Visitor Moorings (north)
48 hour moorings
35 miles and 6¼ furlongs 27 locks
Hack Green Top Lock No 28 35 miles and 7 furlongs 27 locks
Hack Green Bridge No 86 35 miles and 7 furlongs 28 locks
Milepost - Nantwich 3 Miles / Autherley Junction 36 Miles
Milepost also shows: Norbury Junction 20½ Miles
35 miles and 7¼ furlongs 28 locks
Hack Green Bottom Lock No 29 35 miles and 7¾ furlongs 28 locks
Hack Green Winding Hole 36 miles and ½ furlongs 29 locks
Hall's Bridge Narrows No 87
Site of demolished bridge
36 miles and 3 furlongs 29 locks
Baddington Bridge No 88 36 miles and 5¾ furlongs 29 locks
Redripes Bridge No 89 37 miles and 3 furlongs 29 locks
Nantwich Railway Bridge No 89A 37 miles and 3 furlongs 29 locks
Davids Bridge No 90 37 miles and 6 furlongs 29 locks
Nantwich Pipe Bridge 37 miles and 6 furlongs 29 locks
Marsh Lane Winding hole 37 miles and 7 furlongs 29 locks
Marsh Lane Bridge No 91 37 miles and 7¾ furlongs 29 locks
Marsh Lane Visitor Moorings
48 hour moorings
38 miles and 1½ furlongs 29 locks
Nantwich Visitor Moorings (south) 38 miles and 2¾ furlongs 29 locks
Nantwich Aqueduct 38 miles and 4¾ furlongs 29 locks
Nantwich Visitor Moorings (north)
48 hour moorings
38 miles and 5¾ furlongs 29 locks
Nantwich Marina Wharf 38 miles and 6½ furlongs 29 locks
Nantwich Services 38 miles and 7 furlongs 29 locks
Nantwich Junction Bridge No 92 38 miles and 7 furlongs 29 locks
Nantwich Basin Entrance
Junction of the Birmingham and Liverpool Junction Canal - Main Line and the Chester Canal
38 miles and 7¼ furlongs 29 locks
 
 
Maps
If you are a user and are logged on, or if you are actively planning a route, a map will be displayed here.
Show on external mapping site: Google | OSM | Bing
 
External websites
 OverWater - A Cheshire Marina on the Shropshire Union Canal — associated with Overwater Marina
Welcome to OverWater, a marina offering Cheshire moorings close to Audlem village, next to Bridge 80 on the Shropshire Union Canal
 Hartley Arms Wheaton Aston  — associated with The Hartley Arms PH
Hartley Arms Wheaton Aston
 Bridge Inn  — associated with Bridge Inn (Audlem)
Whether you’re popping in for a pint, or joining us for food, you’re guaranteed a warm welcome at The Bridge Inn.
 Hack Green Nuclear Bunker — associated with Burrows Bridge No 85
It is open to visitors most of the year. It is located towpath side of bridge, a short distance up the road. See web site for opening hours etc.
 Local Food | The Junction Inn at Norbury | Norbury Junction — associated with Junction Inn
The Junction Inn is a rural pub on the banks of the Shropshire Union Canal. Serving local ales and good food all week.
  Norbury Wharf Ltd - Norbury Junction.  — associated with Norbury Wharf Boatyard
Norbury Wharf Limited, offering canal holidays and much more. Founded in 2005 at the already established location of Norbury Junction Staffordshire
 The Navigation Inn — associated with The Navigation Inn (Gnosall)
 Holidays Afloat Ltd - TalbotWharf.co.uk — associated with Talbot Wharf
Description
 Pub with Beer Garden in Gnosall - The Boat Inn — associated with The Boat Inn (Gnosall)
For refreshing drinks and great company, come and visit us at The Boat Inn in Gnosall. Let's make some memories together.
 
Wikipedia

Wikipedia has a page about Shropshire Union Canal

The Shropshire Union Canal, nicknamed the "Shroppie", is a navigable canal in England. The Llangollen and Montgomery canals are the modern names of branches of the Shropshire Union (SU) system and lie partially in Wales.

The canal lies in the counties of Staffordshire, Shropshire and Cheshire in the north-west English Midlands. It links the canal system of the West Midlands, at Wolverhampton, with the River Mersey and Manchester Ship Canal at Ellesmere Port, Cheshire, 66 miles (106 km) distant.

The "SU main line" runs southeast from Ellesmere Port on the River Mersey to the Staffordshire and Worcestershire Canal at Autherley Junction in Wolverhampton. Other links are to the Llangollen Canal (at Hurleston Junction), the Middlewich Branch (at Barbridge Junction), which itself connects via the Wardle Canal with the Trent and Mersey Canal, and the River Dee (in Chester). With two connections to the Trent and Mersey (via the Middlewich Branch and the Staffordshire and Worcestershire Canal) the SU is part of an important circular and rural holiday route called the Four Counties Ring.

The SU main line was the last trunk narrow canal route to be built in England. It was not completed until 1835 and was the last major civil engineering accomplishment of Thomas Telford.

The name "Shropshire Union" comes from the amalgamation of the various component companies (Ellesmere Canal, Birmingham and Liverpool Junction Canal, Montgomeryshire Canal) that came together to form the Shropshire Union Railways and Canal Company. The main line between Nantwich and Autherley Junction was almost built as a railway although eventually it was decided to construct it as a waterway.

Other Wikipedia pages that might relate to Shropshire Union Canal
[Shropshire Canal] The Shropshire Canal was a tub boat canal built to supply coal, ore and limestone to the industrial region of east Shropshire, England, that adjoined [Shropshire Union Railways and Canal Company] The Shropshire Union Railways and Canal Company was a Company in England, formed in 1846, which managed several canals and railways. It intended to convert [Shropshire Union Canal Society] The Shropshire Union Canal Society is an organisation formed to promote interest in and enhance the Shropshire Union Canal system, in England and Wales [Shropshire] Shropshire Union Canal. The Shropshire Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty covers about a quarter of the county, mainly in the south. Shropshire [Listed buildings in Church Eaton] Easton, High Onn, and Marston, and the surrounding countryside. The Shropshire Union Canal passes through the parish, and a high proportion of the listed buildings [Ellesmere Canal] these were eventually incorporated into the Chester Canal, Montgomery Canal and Shropshire Union Canal. Although several major civil engineering feats were [Listed buildings at Norbury, Staffordshire] the surrounding countryside. Passing through the parish is the Shropshire Union Canal, and this meets the former Newport Branch, now disused, at Norbury [Llangollen Canal] navigable feeder, both of which became part of the Shropshire Union Canals in 1846. The Ellesmere Canal was proposed by industrialists at Ruabon and Brymbo [Tub boat] Western Canal, Devon Ketley Canal, East Shropshire Lydney Canal, Gloucestershire Shropshire Canal, East Shropshire Torrington Canal, Devon Wombridge Canal, East
 
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