Bridgewater Canal
Francis Egerton, the 3rd Duke of Bridgewater, owned coal mines in Worsley that supplied fuel for England's Industrial Revolution. He transported his coal along the Mersey and Irwell Navigation or by packhorse, but both methods were inefficient and expensive. River transport depended on tide levels, while packhorses could only carry limited weight. His underground mines suffered from persistent flooding caused by permeable sandstone layers above the coal seam.
The duke visited the Canal du Midi in France and watched construction of the Sankey Canal in England before deciding to build an underground canal at Worsley. This solution would ease overland transport difficulties and provide drainage for his mines. An underground canal also offered a reliable water source for surface canals and eliminated the need to lift coal to the surface. Boats could carry more than ten times the cargo per horse compared to carts.
In 1759, the duke and estate manager John Gilbert produced a plan for the canal. They obtained an act of Parliament, known as 32 Geo. 2. c. 2, which enabled its construction. James Brindley joined the project after installing a pumping system at Wet Earth Colliery. After six days of surveying, Brindley suggested routing the canal across the River Irwell to Stretford instead of Salford.
James Brindley moved into Worsley Old Hall and spent 46 days surveying the proposed route. The plan required building an aqueduct at Barton-upon-Irwell to cross the river. Work commenced in September 1760, and the first boat crossed on the 17th of July 1761. The duke invested £168,000 in the scheme from Worsley to Manchester.
Within one year of opening in 1761, coal prices in Manchester fell by about half due to the canal's advantages over land and river transport. One commentator wrote that when finished, the canal would be the most extraordinary thing in the Kingdom if not Europe. Boats traveled underground in some places and over navigable rivers without communicating with their waters.
The duke built warehouses along Alport Street using timber-frame design with load-bearing hand-made brick walls supported on cast iron posts. A fire badly damaged the duke's warehouse in 1789, but it was rebuilt. The construction cost included a stone aqueduct at Barton-upon-Irwell, which became a major engineering achievement alongside the underground tunnel system at Worsley.
In September 1761, James Brindley surveyed an extension from Longford Bridge to Hempstones near Halton, Cheshire with his assistant Hugh Oldham. Parliamentary approval came through 2 Geo. 3. c. 11, allowing construction of an extension from Manchester to the River Mersey at Runcorn. Royal assent was given on the 24th of March 1762 despite objections from the Mersey and Irwell Navigation Company.
Brindley decided to build the terminus west of Runcorn Gap after studying tides and water depth there. This change accommodated Mersey flats while requiring traffic to lower or unship masts under low fixed bridges. Runcorn basin sat almost 50 feet above the Mersey, so engineers constructed ten locks described as the wonder of their time. Nine locks had a fall of 4 feet each, with more than 10 feet at the river lock during low water.
The connection to the Mersey opened on the 1st of January 1773. A channel called Duke's Gut cut through marshes upriver from the locks to counter silt deposition caused by tidal action. The cut created Runcorn Island, crossed by Castle Bridge which connected to a rocky promontory once hosting Ethelfleda's castle defending Mercia from Viking invasion.
During Bradshaw's administration until retirement in 1834, the canal made annual profits averaging 13 percent between 1806 and 1826. In 1824, the best year yielded 23 percent profit. However, traffic carried by private companies exceeded Trustee traffic for the first time in 1824. More profit came from tonnage traffic than from direct freight carriage.
The opening of the Liverpool and Manchester Railway in 1830 triggered immediate competition. Bradshaw lowered canal rates and offered improved terms to maintain volume during trade depression. His tactics caused sharp profit declines while costs rose due to steamboats on the Mersey. Competition intensified with Macclesfield Canal opening in 1831, giving separate Midlands access to Manchester.
In 1844, desperate price wars led Bridgewater Trustees to buy the Mersey and Irwell Navigation Company for ownership on the 1st of January 1844. That same year, the canal made a profit of £76,410, its second highest under Trustee administration. The most dangerous rivals were London and North Western Railway and Lancashire and
Yorkshire Railway who reduced tariffs and took business away.
By 1851, railways carried more trade between Liverpool and central Lancashire towns than canals did. The Earl of Ellesmere hosted Queen Victoria and Prince Albert at Worsley Hall that year. Large crowds cheered the royal party so much horses drawing state barges fell into the canal.
In 1872, the Bridgewater Navigation Company Ltd formed. On Monday the 9th of September, Sir Edward William Watkin and William Philip Price purchased the canal for £1,120,000. The canal sold again in 1885 when Manchester Ship Canal Company paid £1,710,000 for all property. Construction of the ship canal forced removal of Barton Aqueduct and construction of Barton Swing Aqueduct.
The canal now terminates in Runcorn basin before disused flight of ten locks which lowered water to Runcorn Docks before Silver Jubilee Bridge approach road blocked access. Old lock lines fell into disuse in late 1930s and closed under Manchester Ship Canal Act 1949. A newer line closed under 1966 act allowing filling
in.
Pleasure craft have been allowed on the canal since 1952. It forms integral part of Cheshire Ring network hosting Trafford Rowing Club and Manchester University Boat Club. Commercial freight traffic continued until 1975 when last regular cargo was grain from Liverpool to Manchester for BOCM.
The canal suffered four breaches: one soon after opening, another in 1971 near River Bollin aqueduct, another in 2005 when sluice gate failed in Manchester, and another near River Bollin overnight New Year's Eve 2024. Navigation currently closes at Dunham due to 2024 breach. Cranes allow sections isolation during leaks. The Bridgewater Way scheme redevelops the canal with new towpath forming Regional Route number 82.
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Common questions
Who owned the coal mines that led to the construction of the Bridgewater Canal?
Francis Egerton, the 3rd Duke of Bridgewater, owned the coal mines in Worsley. He sought a better transport method because existing options like packhorses and river navigation were inefficient and expensive.
When did work commence on the original section of the Bridgewater Canal?
Work commenced in September 1760 after James Brindley surveyed the route for 46 days. The first boat crossed the canal on the 17th of July 1761.
How much money did the duke invest in the scheme from Worsley to Manchester?
The duke invested £168,000 in the scheme from Worsley to Manchester. This investment covered the construction of underground tunnels and an aqueduct at Barton-upon-Irwell.
What year did the connection to the River Mersey open at Runcorn basin?
The connection to the Mersey opened on the 1st of January 1773. Engineers constructed ten locks to lower water from the Runcorn basin which sat almost 50 feet above the river.
Why was the Barton Aqueduct removed during the construction of the Manchester Ship Canal?
Construction of the ship canal forced the removal of the original Barton Aqueduct. It was replaced by the Barton Swing Aqueduct to accommodate larger vessels.
When did commercial freight traffic cease on the Bridgewater Canal?
Commercial freight traffic continued until 1975 when the last regular cargo of grain moved from Liverpool to Manchester for BOCM. Pleasure craft have been allowed on the canal since 1952.