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Cromford Canal

Information about the waterway

The Cromford Canal is part of the Waterways of Mainland Britain and is made up of the Cromford Canal (narrow gauge, un-navigable), the Cromford Canal (broad gauge, un-navigable) and the Cromford Canal (broad gauge, navigable).

The canal was completed in 1794 and was built in two gauges. The broad gauge ran from Langley Mill to the eastern end of Butterley Tunnel with fourteen broad locks. The narrow gauge went from the eastern end of the tunnel and was lock free to Cromford. The 3,000 yard narrow gauge tunnel (without a tow-path) was source of trouble, and a collapse in 1900 caused its total closure. However, traffic continued on both sides, carrying mainly coal and limestone which proved to be both busy and profitable. The waterway was finally abandoned in 1944 and since then many changes have taken place.

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Wikipedia

Wikipedia has a page about Cromford Canal

The Cromford Canal ran 14.5 miles (23.3 kilometres) from Cromford to the Erewash Canal in Derbyshire, England with a branch to Pinxton. Built by William Jessop with the assistance of Benjamin Outram, its alignment included four tunnels and 14 locks.

From Cromford it ran south following the 275-foot (84 m) contour line along the east side of the valley of the Derwent to Ambergate, where it turned eastwards along the Amber valley. It turned sharply to cross the valley, crossing the river and the Ambergate to Nottingham road, by means of an aqueduct at Bullbridge, before turning towards Ripley. From there the Butterley Tunnel took it through to the Erewash Valley.

From the tunnel it continued to Ironville, the junction for the branch to Pinxton, and then descended through fourteen locks to meet the Erewash Canal at Langley Mill. The Pinxton Branch became important as a route for Nottinghamshire coal, via the Erewash, to the River Trent and Leicester and was a terminus of the Mansfield and Pinxton Railway.

A 6-mile (9.7 km) long section of the Cromford canal between Cromford and Ambergate is listed as a Biological Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) and a Local Nature Reserve.

In addition to purely canal traffic, there was a lively freight interchange with the Cromford and High Peak Railway, which traversed the plateau of the Peak District from Whaley Bridge in the north west, and which descended to the canal at High Peak Junction by means of an inclined plane.

Other Wikipedia pages that might relate to Cromford Canal

[Cromford and High Peak Railway] The Cromford and High Peak Railway (C&HPR) was a standard-gauge line between the Cromford Canal wharf at High Peak Junction and the Peak Forest Canal at [Cromford Mill] Cromford Mill is the world's first water-powered cotton spinning mill, developed by Richard Arkwright in 1771 in Cromford, Derbyshire, England. The mill [Cromford] Cromford is a village and civil parish in Derbyshire, England, in the valley of the River Derwent between Wirksworth and Matlock. It is first mentioned [Derwent Valley Mills] housing, and structures associated with the mill communities. The Cromford Canal and Cromford and High Peak Railway, which aided the industrialisation of the [Erewash Canal] has 14 locks. The first lock at Langley Bridge is part of the Cromford Canal. The canal obtained its act of parliament in 1777 with John Varley appointed [High Peak Junction] Peak Railway (C&HPR), whose workshops were located here, meets the Cromford Canal. It lies within Derwent Valley Mills World Heritage Site, designated [Peak District] The Cromford Canal, from Cromford to the Erewash Canal, served lead mines at Wirksworth and Sir Richard Arkwright's cotton mills. The Caldon Canal from [Nottingham Canal] the Cromford Canal. The committee called upon the services of the surveyor William Jessop, who had experience with the successful Cromford Canal. A possible [Butterley Tunnel] Butterley Tunnel is a 3,083-yard (2,819 m) disused canal tunnel on the Cromford Canal below Ripley, in Derbyshire, England, opened to traffic in 1794.

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