Maps and DVDs for the Waterways of Britain
< Next St Helens Canal JUMP TO > < Warrington Earlestown > The entrance to the St Helens Canal in Widnes is from the tidal River Mersey and only useable near high tide. Waterway and Kilometerage HELENS 00.000.00 OS Grid Reference...
< Next St Helens Canal Next > < Warrington Widnes > The entrance lock to the St Helens Canal from the tidal River Mersey is only useable near high tide. There were once a pair of locks here and...
< Next St Helens Canal Next > < Warrington Widnes > Looking towards the River Mersey from the entrance lock to the St Helens Canal when the tide is out. Waterway and Kilometerage HELENS 00.045.02 OS Grid Reference SJ...
< Next St Helens Canal Next > < Warrington Widnes > The entrance lock is in full working order and available for use when the tide is in. A well used footpath runs across the top gate. The...
< Next St Helens Canal Next > < Warrington Widnes > The towpath changes sides at Carter House Swing Bridge which has recently been replaced and seems to be in full working order, just waiting for boats to pass....
< Next St Helens Canal Next > < Warrington Widnes > Fiddler’s Ferry Power station sits near the canal. A freight only railway line runs parallel to the canal and is used to bring coal to the power station. A...
< Next St Helens Canal Next > < Warrington Widnes > The St Helens Canal runs close to the tidal River Mersey for the first 8 km (5 miles). Looking to the west we can see the three cranes starting to...
< Next St Helens Canal Next > < Warrington Widnes > Looking west, along the tidal River Mersey, from one of the viewpoints along the St Helens Canal the crane and low level causeway in the foreground are...
< Next St Helens Canal Next > < Warrington Widnes > A cormorant finds the redundant signal post a handy perching place to look down on the canal and across the adjacent River Mersey. Waterway and Kilometerage HELENS 02.625.02...
< Next St Helens Canal Next > < Warrington Widnes > The handrail across the canal marks the location of a missing aqueduct where a local watercourse once passed under the canal and now cuts across the canal in...
< Next St Helens Canal Next > < Warrington Widnes > A local watercourse, once passed under the canal at an aqueduct and now crosses in an open channel. The pipe across the channel maintains the water flow between...
< Next St Helens Canal Next > < Warrington Widnes > A modern bridge strides across the canal and the adjacent railway, replacing an old swing bridge and level crossing just to the east. Waterway and Kilometerage HELENS 03.855...
< Next St Helens Canal Next > < Warrington Widnes > Marsh House Swing Bridge is now a fixed structure where the road crosses the adjacent railway at a level crossing. The bridge forms the current limit of...
< Next St Helens Canal Next > < Warrington Widnes > Looking west from the fixed Marsh House Swing Bridge shows the channel is completely filled with reeds,but practical to restore. Waterway and Kilometerage HELENS 05.355.01 OS Grid Reference...
< Next St Helens Canal Next > < Warrington Widnes > A 660m section of canal is open next to Fiddler’s Ferry Lock, running east from Marsh House Swing Bridge. Waterway and Kilometerage HELENS 05.355.02 OS Grid Reference SJ...
< Next St Helens Canal Next > < Warrington Widnes > Looking East along the St Helens Canal the swing bridge on the right carries the towpath across Fiddler’s Ferry Lock which grants access to the tidal River...
< Next St Helens Canal Next > < Warrington Widnes > Fiddler’s Ferry Lock links the 600m open section of canal to the tidal River Mersey. The first stage of restoration of the St Helens Canal proposes to...
< Next St Helens Canal Next > < Warrington Widnes > The River Mersey, looking upstream at Fiddler’s Ferry Lock, where it’s starting to look more like a river than a tidal estuary. Waterway and Kilometerage HELENS 05.515.04 OS...
< Next St Helens Canal Next > < Warrington Widnes > The first swing bridge to the east of Fiddler’s Ferry Lock is still operational and divides the open section of the St Helens Canal into two parts. Waterway...
< Next St Helens Canal Next > < Warrington Widnes > Lots of moored boats on the open section of the St Helens Canal. Waterway and Kilometerage HELENS 05.650 OS Grid Reference SJ 56196 86610 Date and Time 151229...
< Next St Helens Canal Next > < Warrington Widnes > The second swing bridge after Fiddler’s Ferry Lock is now fixed. Restoration of the canal will require it to swing again. Waterway and Kilometerage HELENS 05.830 OS Grid...
< Next St Helens Canal Next > < Warrington Widnes > Penketh Swing Bridge is another bridge now fixed across the canal. Waterway and Kilometerage HELENS 06.370 OS Grid Reference SJ 56801 86987 Date and Time 151229 121044 Copyright...
< Next St Helens Canal Next > < Warrington Widnes > Modern housing approaches the north side of the canal, but is separated by the railway which still runs parallel to the canal. The towpath is great for...
< Next St Helens Canal Next > < Warrington Widnes > Marsh Swing Bridge is another which no longer swings. There’s also a pipe running across the canal at bridge deck level, just to the right of the bridge...
< Next St Helens Canal Next > < Warrington Widnes > Several long lengths of the St Helens Canal have fencing between the towpath and the canal with red signs saying “No Angling” and warning of the unstable...
< Next St Helens Canal Next > < Warrington Widnes > Now fixed too low for navigation the former swing railway bridge will be one of the more difficult problems to tackle during restoration of the canal. This is...
< Next St Helens Canal Next > < Warrington Widnes > Parallel to the fixed railway bridge is a swing footbridge that was restored some time ago and, although it looks like it could do with a lick...
< Next St Helens Canal Next > < Warrington Widnes > Liverpool Road Bridge, around 100m from the fixed railway bridge, is another fixed bridge which will require considerable money and ingenuity to find an acceptable solution to make...
< Next St Helens Canal Next > < Warrington Widnes > Continuing beyond the two fixed rail and road bridges the next bridge is a footbridge with navigation clearance across a channel that looks ready for boats already. Although...
< Next St Helens Canal Next > < Warrington Widnes > Looking down from the footbridge it’s not hard to imagine a little dredging taking place to clear the channel for navigation. Waterway and Kilometerage HELENS 08.730.02 OS...
< Next St Helens Canal Next > < Warrington Widnes > Sankey Way crosses the canal just above water level in the centre of this photo. Fortunately there seems to be space to raise the road to create navigation...
< Next St Helens Canal Next > < Warrington Widnes > Sankey Way will require raising to create navigation clearances. Waterway and Kilometerage HELENS 09.095.01 OS Grid Reference SJ 58976 88214 Date and Time 151229 124941 Copyright ©...
< Next St Helens Canal Next > < Warrington Widnes > North of Sankey Way there are sections of canal which look ready for navigation. Waterway and Kilometerage HELENS 09.095.02 OS Grid Reference SJ 58976 88214 Date and...
< Next St Helens Canal Next > < Warrington Widnes > The Sankey Valley Park, with lots of amenities, follows the line of the St Helens Canal and the adjacent Sankey Brook. Waterway and Kilometerage HELENS 09.565.01 OS...
< Next St Helens Canal Next > < Warrington Widnes > Another footbridge already high enough for navigation, above a channel looking ready for navigation. Waterway and Kilometerage HELENS 09.565.02 OS Grid Reference SJ 59058 88663 Date and Time 151229...
< Next St Helens Canal Next > < Earlestown Widnes > Known as the “Seven Arches” there are seven arches plus one flat span across the canal. There are suggestions that the flat span once lifted to allow masted...
< Next St Helens Canal Next > < Earlestown Warrington > Viewed from the foot of the Sankey (Seven Arches) Railway Viaduct the canal looks ready for boats. Waterway and Kilometerage HELENS 09.930 OS Grid Reference SJ 58994 89036...
< Next St Helens Canal Next > < Earlestown Warrington > The narrow road bridge (nearest the camera) was a swing bridge but is now fixed. A modern footbridge (with the white railings) is also fixed and both prevent navigation...
< Next St Helens Canal Next > < Earlestown Warrington > The walls and basic structure of Bewsey Lock are still there, ready for restoration. Like all the locks on the St Helens Canal, this is a broad lock...
< Next St Helens Canal Next > < Earlestown Warrington > An interpretation board at Bewsey Lock provides lots of information about the lock, the swing bridge across it, and the surrounding area. Waterway and Kilometerage HELENS 10.630.01 OS...
< Next St Helens Canal Next > < Earlestown Warrington > A modern swing bridge replaces the former swing bridge across Bewsey Lock. This is ready to swing once the vegetation is cleared and the lock is restored. It...
< Next St Helens Canal Next > < Earlestown Warrington > Free Maps of the St Helens (Sankey) Canal. The Sankey Canal Trail crosses the swing bridge at Bewsey Lock and generally follows the canal, although not as close...
< Next St Helens Canal Next > < Earlestown Warrington > The structure of Bewsey Lock is still there, waiting to be restored, with the gate recesses clearly visible in the stonework. The channel to the north is still...
< Next St Helens Canal Next > < Earlestown Warrington > Starting about 550m north of Bewsey Lock, and for almost 1km (1/2 mile), the Sankey Brook has been diverted to run along the St Helens Canal. Don’t let the name...
< Next St Helens Canal Next > < Earlestown Warrington > The channel is kept dredged and clear of vegetation where it’s shared with the Sankey Brook to allow flood water to pass through, on its way to the...
< Next St Helens Canal Next > < Earlestown Warrington > The outline of Hulme Lock is clearly visible. We’re looking northwards, that’s uphill, yet the land level beyond the lock is lower than the lock. Subsidence from coal...
< Next St Helens Canal Next > < Earlestown Warrington > The hand rails on the left are for a Lift Bridge which crosses the entrance to the dry dock. There’s no lifting mechanism, just a hinge at the...
< Next St Helens Canal Next > < Earlestown Warrington > Looking into the dry dock from the lift bridge. Boats would have been maintained in here, after the water had been let out through sluices, into the Sankey...
< Next St Helens Canal Next > < Earlestown Warrington > The grass marks the line of the canal which heads straight for the embankment of the modern M62 motorway. There’s certainly enough height difference to construct a bridge...
< Next St Helens Canal Next > < Earlestown Warrington > The West Coast Railway Line runs parallel to the canal for 2½ km (1½ miles) to the north of Warrington Bank Quay station and the gates of Winwick Lock...
< Next St Helens Canal Next > < Earlestown Warrington > A cycle and walking path follows the line of the canal for most of the length, including the approach to Earlestown. Waterway and Kilometerage HELENS 14.905 OS Grid...
< Next St Helens Canal Next > < Earlestown Warrington > Approaching Hey Lock from below. Waterway and Kilometerage HELENS 15.400 OS Grid Reference SJ 58233 93729 Date and Time 151229 135918 Copyright © Paul Balmer
< Next St Helens Canal Next > < Earlestown Warrington > Below Bradley Lock another swing bridge has already been restored, waiting for boats to pass through. Waterway and Kilometerage HELENS 16.350 OS Grid Reference SJ 57672 94408 Date...
< Next St Helens Canal Next > < Earlestown Warrington > Bradley Lock, viewed from below, showing a small rise in canal level. Waterway and Kilometerage HELENS 16.625 OS Grid Reference SJ 57399 94406 Date and Time 151229 140637...
< Next St Helens Canal Next > < Earlestown Warrington > Bradley Lock has interesting holes in the stonework. I expect someone knows what they were for. Waterway and Kilometerage HELENS 16.680.01 OS Grid Reference SJ 57338 94433 Date and Time...
< Next St Helens Canal Next > < Earlestown Warrington > Bradley Lock, looking uphill, although the ground level suggests otherwise. The level of the land and the towpath above the lock are at the same level as that...
< Next St Helens Canal Next > < Old Double Locks Jn Warrington > The recent path follows the line of the canal under the Railway Viaduct, known locally as Nine Arches, which carries the Chat Moss Line from...
< Next St Helens Canal Next > < Old Double Locks Jn Earlestown > Part of Newton Common Lock is visible, with the far end under the road which was once a swing bridge. Note the...
< Next St Helens Canal Next > < Old Double Locks Jn Earlestown > Penkford Bridge crosses the canal with limited headroom. The arches to the left carry the towpath over the flow to the weir...
< Next St Helens Canal Next > < Old Double Locks Jn Earlestown > There is very little height difference between the canal, to the right of the footpath, and the Sankey Brook, to the left....
< Next St Helens Canal Next > < Old Double Locks Jn Earlestown > It’s difficult to identify the course of the canal in places. Sometimes the Sankey Brook has been diverted to flow along the...
< Next St Helens Canal Next > < Old Double Locks Jn Earlestown > A new footbridge carries the towpath over a channel taking the flow from a local watercourse using part of the canal until...
< Next St Helens Canal Next > < Old Double Locks Jn Earlestown > Local water courses flow along the channel of the canal before joining the Sankey Brook. The water level can overtop the banks...
< Next St Helens Canal Next > < Old Double Locks Jn Earlestown > Broad Oak Basin would once have been busy with boats being loaded and unloaded. Waterway and Kilometerage HELENS 20.550 OS Grid Reference...
< Next St Helens Canal Next > < Old Double Locks Jn Earlestown > The stonework marks the position of a former swing bridge. Waterway and Kilometerage HELENS 20.820 OS Grid Reference SJ 53896 96051 Date...
< Next St Helens Canal Next > < Old Double Locks Jn Earlestown > This two lock staircase became know as the “Old Double Locks” to distinguish them from a newer two lock staircase built closer to...
< Next St Helens Canal Next > < Old Double Locks Jn Earlestown > Water from local watercourses is diverted to flow along the old canal and cascades through the old staircase locks after heavy rain....
< Next St Helens Canal Next > < Old Double Locks Jn Earlestown > Looking down the Old Double Locks, with an impressive flow of water after recent heavy rain. Waterway and Kilometerage HELENS 21.165 OS...
< Next St Helens Canal Next > < Old Double Locks Jn Earlestown > After recent heavy rain, water cascades down through the former two lock staircase known as the Old Double Locks on the St...
< Next St Helens Canal Next > < Old Double Locks Jn Earlestown > The extra stonework on the left indicates where a swing railway bridge once crossed the top lock, and a swing footbridge once...
< Next St Helens Canal Next > < Old Double Locks Jn Earlestown > A footbridge carries the towpath across the top of the Old Double Locks. Immediately beyond is the junction which marks the end...
< JUMP TO St Helens Canal Next > < Widnes Earlestown > < Next Blackbrook Branch JUMP TO > < End of Navigation End of Navigation > < Next Gerard’s Bridge Branch JUMP TO > < New Double Lock...
< Next Blackbrook Branch JUMP TO > < End of Navigation End of Navigation > < Next Gerard’s Bridge Branch JUMP TO > < New Double Lock Jn End of Navigation > < JUMP TO St Helens Canal...
< Next Blackbrook Branch Next > < End of Navigation Old Double Locks Jn > Looking back along the Blackbrook Branch to the Junction, where the black and white footbridge is just visible, with the end...
< Next Blackbrook Branch Next > < End of Navigation Old Double Locks Jn > A footbridge crosses near the start of the Blackbrook Branch. There’s also a small weir under the bridge. Waterway and Kilometerage...
< Next Blackbrook Branch Next > < End of Navigation Old Double Locks Jn > Rather overgrown with reeds the main channel of the Blackbrook Branch is still visible. Waterway and Kilometerage HELENS-BB 21.250 OS Grid...
< Next Blackbrook Branch Next > < End of Navigation Old Double Locks Jn > There’s very little clearance under Blackpool Road Bridge which carries a busy road across the canal. Providing an opening bridge here...
< Next Blackbrook Branch Next > < End of Navigation Old Double Locks Jn > Stanley Basin would once have been busy with boats being loaded and unloaded. It’s not clear if this was dug specially...
< Next Blackbrook Branch Next > < End of Navigation Old Double Locks Jn > Wagons, like this replica, would have been used to carry loads to and from Stanley Basin for loading to and from...
< Next Blackbrook Branch Next > < End of Navigation Old Double Locks Jn > Cranes, like this replica, would have been used at Stanley Basin to lift goods on and off boats which would have...
< Next Blackbrook Branch Next > < End of Navigation Old Double Locks Jn > The edges of the Blackbrook Branch are rather overgrown but the centre channel is kept free and used for drainage, especially...
< Next Blackbrook Branch Next > < End of Navigation Old Double Locks Jn > Just a short distance from the path along the Blackbrook Branch of the St Helens Canal is the partially restored Stanley...
< Next Blackbrook Branch Next > < End of Navigation Old Double Locks Jn > There’s a small basin at the end of the Blackbrook Branch but nothing else to see. Some old references suggest the adjacent...
< JUMP TO Blackbrook Branch Next > < Old Double Locks Jn Old Double Locks Jn > Looking back from the small basin at the limit of navigation on the Blackbrook Branch of the St Helens...
< Next Boardman’s Bridge Branch JUMP TO > < Ravenhead Branch Jn End of Navigation > < Next Gerard’s Bridge Branch Next > < End of Navigation Old Double Locks Jn > The picture is looking along the...
< Next Boardman’s Bridge Branch Next > < Ravenhead Branch Jn New Double Locks Jn > The high water levels make it almost impossible to distinguish where the junction is. We are looking from the New...
< Next Boardman’s Bridge Branch Next > < Ravenhead Branch Jn New Double Locks Jn > The bottom of the two lock staircase, known as the New Double Locks. These were restored some time ago and...
< Next Boardman’s Bridge Branch Next > < Ravenhead Branch Jn New Double Locks Jn > The restored centre gates of the two lock staircase known as the New Double Locks have been allowed to deteriorate,...
< Next Boardman’s Bridge Branch Next > < Ravenhead Branch Jn New Double Locks Jn > There are no walkways across the middle and bottom lock gates of the New Double Locks but there are footbridges...
< Next Boardman’s Bridge Branch Next > < Ravenhead Branch Jn New Double Locks Jn > The two lock staircase at the end of the Boardman’s Bridge Branch of the St Helens Canal was restored some...
< Next Boardman’s Bridge Branch Next > < Ravenhead Branch Jn New Double Locks Jn > The first bridge, with the light coloured railings, has been replaced by a causeway and the road level will have...
< Next Boardman’s Bridge Branch Next > < Ravenhead Branch Jn New Double Locks Jn > There’s nothing to stop boats cruising along this restored section of the Boardman’s Bridge Branch in St Helens. Note the...
< Next Boardman’s Bridge Branch Next > < Ravenhead Branch Jn New Double Locks Jn > As the canal passes through St Helens there are several roads that cross the canal just above water level which will make...
< Next Boardman’s Bridge Branch Next > < Ravenhead Branch Jn New Double Locks Jn > Between the low bridges the canal is largely restored, just waiting for boats to cruise along. Waterway and Kilometerage HELENS-BBB...
< Next Boardman’s Bridge Branch Next > < Ravenhead Branch Jn New Double Locks Jn > The line of the canal is still available for restoration where this hasn’t already been been done. Here the route...
< Next Boardman’s Bridge Branch Next > < Ravenhead Branch Jn New Double Locks Jn > With canal restoration seriously proposed it’s a little surprising that a recently installed footbridge has been constructed with such limited...
< Next Boardman’s Bridge Branch Next > < End of Navigation New Double Locks Jn > < Next Ravenhead Branch JUMP TO > < End of Navigation End of Navigation > Looking from the inside of the curve...
< JUMP TO Boardman’s Bridge Branch Next > < New Double Locks Jn Ravenhead Branch Jn > Filmed from the junction with the Ravenhead Branch, the Boardman’s Bridge Branch once continues around 300m (330 yards) straight ahead,...
< Next Boardman’s Bridge Branch Next > < Ravenhead Branch Jn New Double Locks Jn > The wildlife is quite happy with the restored sections of canal. In the distance is a railway bridge which, like...
< Next Gerard’s Bridge Branch JUMP TO > < New Double Lock Jn End of Navigation > < Next Blackbrook Branch JUMP TO > < End of Navigation End of Navigation > < JUMP TO St Helens Canal...
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