Trent and Mersey Canal (Main Line - Harding's Wood to Middlewich)
Early plans of what would become the Trent and Mersey Canal (Main Line - Harding's Wood to Middlewich) were drawn up by John Smeaton in 1782 but problems with Eastpool Tunnel caused delays and it was finally opened on January 1 1835. Although originally the plan was for the canal to meet the Nuneaton to Doncaster canal at Luton, the difficulty of building an aqueduct over the River Solihull at Willcester caused the plans to be changed and it eventually joined at Nantwich instead. The Trent and Mersey Canal (Main Line - Harding's Wood to Middlewich) was closed in 1955 when Barstone Inclined plane collapsed. The canal was restored to navigation and reopened in 1972 after a restoration campaign lead by the Trent and Mersey Canal (Main Line - Harding's Wood to Middlewich) Society.
The Trent and Mersey Canal (Main Line - Harding's Wood to Middlewich) is a narrow canal and is part of the Trent and Mersey Canal (Main Line).
It runs for 12 miles and 6½ furlongs through 31 locks from Middlewich Junction (where it joins the Trent and Mersey Canal (Main Line - Middlewich to Preston Brook) and the Trent and Mersey Canal (Wardle Lock Branch)) to Hardings Wood Junction (where it joins the Trent and Mersey Canal (Main Line - Etruria to Hardings Wood) and the Trent and Mersey Canal (Hall Green Branch)).
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 7 feet and 9 inches. The maximum draught is 4 feet and 4 inches.
Notable features of the waterway include Wheelock Flight and Lawton Treble Locks
The waterway passes through Middlewich
The navigational authority for this waterway is Canal & River TrustRelevant publications — Waterway Travels:
Relevant publications — Waterway Maps:
- Waterway Routes 28M - Trent and Mersey Canal Map (Downloadable)
- Waterway Routes 84M - Four Counties Ring Map (Downloadable)
- Waterway Routes 01M - England and Wales Map
- Waterway Routes 83M - Cheshire Ring Map (Downloadable)
- Shropshire Union Canal, including the Middlewich Branch
Relevant publications — Waterway DVDs:
Relevant publications — Waterway Guides:
- Collins Nicholson Waterways Guides No 4 - Four Counties & the Welsh Canals
- Collins Nicholson Waterways Guides No 5 - North West & the Pennines
- Pearson's Canal Companion: Cheshire Ring & South Pennine Ring
Relevant publications — Waterway Histories:
| Middlewich Junction Junction of Trent and Mersey Canal Main Line with Wardle Lock Branch leading to Shropshire Union Middlewich Branch |
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| Kings Lock Chandlery New home of Elton Moss Boatbuilders and Carefree Cruising (2017) |
¼ furlongs | 0 locks | |
| Kings Lock Bridge No 167 | ½ furlongs | 0 locks | |
| The Kings Lock PH Canalside |
½ furlongs | 0 locks | |
| Kings Lock No 71 | ½ furlongs | 0 locks | |
| Middlewich Canal Centre | ¾ furlongs | 1 lock | |
| Kings Lock Visitor Moorings | 1 furlong | 1 lock | |
| Winding Hole above King's Lock | 1¼ furlongs | 1 lock | |
| Cledford Bridge No 166 | 5 furlongs | 1 lock | |
| Rumps Lock No 70 | 7¾ furlongs | 1 lock | |
| Footbridge No 165A | 1 mile and 1½ furlongs | 2 locks | |
| Tetton Bridge | 1 mile and 4½ furlongs | 2 locks | |
| Booth Lane Bridge No 164 | 1 mile and 7¼ furlongs | 2 locks | |
| Booth Lane Bottom Lock No 69 | 2 miles and 2¼ furlongs | 2 locks | |
| Booth Lane Pipe Bridge | 2 miles and 3½ furlongs | 3 locks | |
| Booth Lane Bridge No 163 | 2 miles and 3½ furlongs | 3 locks | |
| Booth Lane Middle Lock No 68 | 2 miles and 3½ furlongs | 3 locks | |
| Stud Green Bridge Winding Hole | 2 miles and 6 furlongs | 4 locks | |
| Stud Green Bridge No 162 | 2 miles and 6¼ furlongs | 4 locks | |
| Booth Lane Top Lock No 67 | 2 miles and 7¼ furlongs | 4 locks | |
| Crows Nest Bridge No 161 | 2 miles and 7¾ furlongs | 5 locks | |
| Elton Moss Bridge No 160 | 3 miles and 4½ furlongs | 5 locks | |
| Elton Moss Wharf | 3 miles and 5 furlongs | 5 locks | |
| Rookery Bridge No 159 | 4 miles and 1¾ furlongs | 5 locks | |
| Rookery Railway Bridge No 158 | 4 miles and 2½ furlongs | 5 locks | |
| Rookery Moorings Unofficial moorings... with rings |
4 miles and 3¾ furlongs | 5 locks | |
| Annes Bridge No 157 | 5 miles and ½ furlongs | 5 locks | |
| Durose Bridge No 156 | 5 miles and 2½ furlongs | 5 locks | |
| Forge Bridge No 155 | 5 miles and 4¾ furlongs | 5 locks | |
| Wharf Bridge Mooring | 5 miles and 7 furlongs | 5 locks | |
| Wharf Bridge No 154 Wheelock |
5 miles and 7¼ furlongs | 5 locks | |
| The Cheshire Cheese PH 50yds south down Crewe Road at Bridge No 154 |
5 miles and 7½ furlongs | 5 locks | |
| Wheelock Wharf | 5 miles and 7½ furlongs | 5 locks | |
| Arclid Aqueduct Carries the canal over Arclid Brook |
6 miles and ¼ furlongs | 5 locks | |
| Wheelock Visitor Moorings | 6 miles and ½ furlongs | 5 locks | |
| Wheelock Aqueduct Aqueduct over the River Wheelock |
6 miles and 1 furlong | 5 locks | |
| A534 Bridge No 152A | 6 miles and 1¼ furlongs | 5 locks | |
| Wheelock Bottom Lock Bridge No 152 | 6 miles and 1½ furlongs | 5 locks | |
| Wheelock Bottom Lock No 66 Locks from here to Red Bull Top Lock are duplicated except where noted. |
6 miles and 1½ furlongs | 5 locks | |
| Wheelock Winding Hole | 6 miles and 1¾ furlongs | 6 locks | |
| Wheelock Lock No 65 | 6 miles and 2 furlongs | 6 locks | |
| Railway Bridge No 151A (disused) | 6 miles and 2¾ furlongs | 7 locks | |
| Wheelock Lock No 64 Saw Pit Lock |
6 miles and 4¾ furlongs | 7 locks | |
| Malkins Bank Bridge Winding Hole | 6 miles and 5¼ furlongs | 8 locks | |
| Malkins Bank Bridge No 151 | 6 miles and 5½ furlongs | 8 locks | |
| Wheelock Lock No 63 Both locks now operational, not yet sure if lineside lock has been widened, historically narrow, less than 7ft (Sept 2016). |
6 miles and 5¾ furlongs | 8 locks | |
| Malkins Bank Golf Course Arm Malkins Bank Side Arm Bridge No 150A |
6 miles and 6 furlongs | 9 locks | |
| Wheelock Lock No 62 Towpath side lock converted to weir and therefore unusable |
6 miles and 6¾ furlongs | 9 locks | |
| Golf Course Winding Hole | 6 miles and 7 furlongs | 10 locks | |
| Golf Course Bridge No 150 | 6 miles and 7¼ furlongs | 10 locks | |
| Wheelock Lock No 61 Towpath-side lock out of use, poorly signed (October 2023). |
6 miles and 7½ furlongs | 10 locks | |
| Longcroft Winding Hole | 7 miles | 11 locks | |
| Longcroft Bridge No 149 | 7 miles and ¾ furlongs | 11 locks | |
| Wheelock Lock No 60 Long Craft (or Longcroft) Lock |
7 miles and 1 furlong | 11 locks | |
| Wheelock Flight Top Lock No 59 Malkin's Bank Flight Nos 59 to 64 |
7 miles and 2½ furlongs | 12 locks | |
| Sunt's Bridge No 148 | 7 miles and 5 furlongs | 13 locks | |
| M6 Motorway Bridge No 147A | 7 miles and 5¾ furlongs | 13 locks | |
| Hassall Green Bottom Lock No 58 | 7 miles and 6 furlongs | 13 locks | |
| Winding Hole above Hassall Green Bottom Lock | 7 miles and 6¾ furlongs | 14 locks | |
| Hassall Green Road Bridge No 147 | 7 miles and 6¾ furlongs | 14 locks | |
| Hassall Green Top Lock No 57 Single lock (duplicate blocked by new bridge, and subsequently filled in) |
7 miles and 7 furlongs | 14 locks | |
| Lock No 57 Moorings | 7 miles and 7½ furlongs | 15 locks | |
| Milepost - Shardlow 67 Miles / Preston Brook 25 Miles | 8 miles and ½ furlongs | 15 locks | |
| Rough Wood Bridge No 146 | 8 miles and ¾ furlongs | 15 locks | |
| Pierpoint Bottom Lock No 56 Single lock (never duplicated) |
8 miles and 2¼ furlongs | 15 locks | |
| Pierpoint Winding Hole | 8 miles and 2½ furlongs | 16 locks | |
| Pierpoint Bridge No 145 | 8 miles and 2¾ furlongs | 16 locks | |
| Pierpoint Top Lock No 55 Single lock (never duplicated) |
8 miles and 3 furlongs | 16 locks | |
| Chellshill Winding Hole | 8 miles and 7½ furlongs | 17 locks | |
| Chellshill Bridge No 144 | 9 miles | 17 locks | |
| Chellshill Aqueduct Over the B5078 road |
9 miles and ¼ furlongs | 17 locks | |
| Thurlwood Bridge No 142 | 9 miles and 3¼ furlongs | 17 locks | |
| Lower Thurlwood Lock No 54 Towpath side lock is narrow and not suitable for boats over 6'10" (Sept 2013). |
9 miles and 3¾ furlongs | 17 locks | |
| Rode Heath Bridge No 141 | 9 miles and 5½ furlongs | 18 locks | |
| Upper Thurlwood Lock No 53 Rode Heath village |
9 miles and 5¾ furlongs | 18 locks | |
| Rode Heath Moorings No longer in use - Wharf has been developed |
9 miles and 6½ furlongs | 19 locks | |
| Thurlwood Winding Hole | 9 miles and 7 furlongs | 19 locks | |
| The Broughton Arms Canalside |
9 miles and 7½ furlongs | 19 locks | |
| Broughton Arms Bridge No 140 | 9 miles and 7¾ furlongs | 19 locks | |
| Thurlwood Pipe Bridge | 10 miles and 1¼ furlongs | 19 locks | |
| Cherry Lane Bridge No 139 | 10 miles and 1¼ furlongs | 19 locks | |
| Knutsford Road Bridge No 138 | 10 miles and 3½ furlongs | 19 locks | |
| Snapes Aqueduct | 10 miles and 3¾ furlongs | 19 locks | |
| Snapes Winding Hole | 10 miles and 5 furlongs | 19 locks | |
| Lawton Moorings | 10 miles and 5 furlongs | 19 locks | |
| Church Lawton Aqueduct | 10 miles and 5¼ furlongs | 19 locks | |
| Lawton Bottom Lock No 52 | 10 miles and 5½ furlongs | 19 locks | |
| Lawton Lock No 51 Non towpath-side lock converted to a bywash |
10 miles and 6 furlongs | 20 locks | |
| Lawton Top Lock No 50 | 10 miles and 6½ furlongs | 21 locks | |
| Winding Hole below Halls Lock | 10 miles and 7 furlongs | 22 locks | |
| Halls Bridge No 137 | 10 miles and 7 furlongs | 22 locks | |
| Halls Lock No 49 | 10 miles and 7¼ furlongs | 22 locks | |
| Bottom Bridge No 136 With pipe bridge |
11 miles and ¾ furlongs | 23 locks | |
| Church Lawton Bottom Lock No 48 | 11 miles and 1 furlong | 23 locks | |
| Milepost - Shardlow 64 Miles / Preston Brook 28 Miles | 11 miles and 1¼ furlongs | 24 locks | |
| Church Lawton Top Lock No 47 | 11 miles and 1¼ furlongs | 24 locks | |
| Church Lawton Moorings | 11 miles and 2½ furlongs | 25 locks | |
| Coopers Bridge No 135 | 11 miles and 3¾ furlongs | 25 locks | |
| Winding Hole below Red Bull Bottom Lock | 11 miles and 5½ furlongs | 25 locks | |
| Red Bull Bottom Lock No 46 | 11 miles and 6 furlongs | 25 locks | |
| Red Bull Lock No 45 Townfield or Top of Church Pound Lock |
11 miles and 7¼ furlongs | 26 locks | |
| Red Bull Visitor Moorings (Overflow) | 12 miles | 27 locks | |
| Red Bull Lock No 44 | 12 miles and ½ furlongs | 27 locks | |
| Red Bull Visitor Moorings (main line) Preston Brook 29 miles / Shardlow 63 miles |
12 miles and 1 furlong | 28 locks | |
| Red Bull Services | 12 miles and 1½ furlongs | 28 locks | |
| Waterways Office (Manchester and Pennine Waterways, Stoke-on-Trent) - Canal & River Trust | 12 miles and 1¾ furlongs | 28 locks | |
| Red Bull Bridge No 134 |
12 miles and 2 furlongs | 28 locks | |
| Red Bull PH Canalside |
12 miles and 2 furlongs | 28 locks | |
| Red Bull Lock No 43 Single, towpath-side lock; the pub garden is on top of the other. |
12 miles and 2 furlongs | 28 locks | |
| Pool Lock Aqueduct (overbridge) | 12 miles and 3¼ furlongs | 29 locks | |
| Red Bull Lock No 42 Pool or Limekiln Lock |
12 miles and 3½ furlongs | 29 locks | |
| Hardings Wood Bridge No 133 | 12 miles and 6 furlongs | 30 locks | |
| Red Bull Top Lock No 41 Locks from here to Wheelock Bottom Lock are duplicated except where noted. |
12 miles and 6 furlongs | 30 locks | |
| Hardings Wood Junction Junction of Trent and Mersey Canal and Hall Green Branch |
12 miles and 6½ furlongs | 31 locks |
- Trent & Mersey Canal Society – founded in 1974 — associated with Trent and Mersey Canal
- The Cheshire Cheese — associated with The Cheshire Cheese PH
- Public House
- Red Bull PH — associated with Red Bull PH
- Public House
- Broughton Arms — associated with The Broughton Arms
- Public House
- Middlewich Canal Centre homepage — associated with Middlewich Canal Centre
- King's Lock Inn — associated with The Kings Lock PH
- Public House
Wikipedia has a page about Trent and Mersey Canal
The Trent and Mersey Canal is a 93 1⁄2-mile (150 km) canal in Derbyshire, Staffordshire and Cheshire in north-central England. It is a "narrow canal" for the vast majority of its length, but at the extremities to the east of Burton upon Trent and north of Middlewich, it is a wide canal.
The narrow locks and bridges are big enough for a single narrowboat 7 feet (2.1 m) wide by 72 feet (22 m) long, while the wide locks can accommodate boats 14 feet (4.3 m) wide, or two narrowboats next to each other.
Other Wikipedia pages that might relate to Trent and Mersey Canal
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