Waterway Routes

Maps and DVDs for the Waterways of Britain

Category: Photos

Marston Junction

Leaving the Coventry Canal and entering the Ashby Canal at Marston Junction.

Ashby Trip Boats

Trip Boats waiting at Sutton Wharf.

Sutton Wharf

Sutton Wharf on the Ashby Canal.

Market Bosworth

Market Bosworth.

Market Bosworth

Market Bosworth.

Market Bosworth

Market Bosworth.

Market Bosworth

Market Bosworth.

Market Bosworth

Attractive cottages at Market Bosworth.

Market Bosworth

Market Bosworth Station on the preserved Battlefield Line.

Twenty Three Babies

Twenty three babies with just one parent present.

Twenty Three Babies

Just one adult visible with twenty three babies.

Shackerstone

Shackerstone.

Shackerstone

Shackerstone.

Two Thirds Milepost

Mileposts along the Ashby Canal are marked with the distance from Marston Junction (with the Coventry Canal) and the end of the navigation.

Snarestone

Snarestone village near the limit of navigation on the Ashby Canal.

Snarestone

Snarestone village near the limit of navigation on the Ashby Canal.

Marston Junction

Looking along the Ashby Canal which leaves the Coventry Canal at Marston Junction.

Complete Greenery

Just 10km (6 miles) from Coventry and we’ve lost sight of many landmarks to identify our position.

Cruising Past Hawkesbury Junction

Cruising northwards along the Coventry Canal passing the wide arched bridge over the entrance to the Oxford Canal at Hawkesbury Junction.

Footbridge and Pumping Station

Looking northwards from Hawkesbury Junction where the footbridge over the narrows stands next to …

Telegraph Pole

Probably the most photographed telegraph pole in the country. There would have been …

Hartshill Depot

Positioned on the offside of the canal at Hartshill this depot would once have been …

Ascending Atherstone Locks

Entering Atherstone Bottom Lock 11 as we starts our ascent of the Atherstone Flight.

Swing Bridge 50A

The narrows mark the position of former Swing Bridge 50A. The remains of the bridge can …

Moira Canal Festival 2010

Ashby Canal Trust stand at the Moira Canal Festival 2010.

Dukinfield Junction

Looking along the Ashton Canal at Dukinfield Junction, with Manchester behind the camera. The Peak Forest Canal leaves under the bridge to the right on its way to Marple, Whaley Bridge and Bugsworth Basin.

Fairfield Top Lock 18

Fairfield Top Lock 18, the last of the eighteen locks on the Ashton Canal as it climbs out of Manchester. Fairfield Junction with the abandoned Hollinwood Canal is immediately above the locks.

Yew Tree Swing Bridge 14

Yew Tree Swing Bridge 14 which was normally closed in 2010 when the photo was taken and had to be opened by boaters to let their boat through. By 2018 this had changed so the swing bridge was normally open.

Glascote Locks

Glascote Locks are extremely slow to fill so

Glascote Basin

Similar views with some of the same boats but those in the winter won’t be going far.

Ducie Street Junction

Looking along the Rochdale Canal at Ducie Street Junction, with the Pennines behind the camera and the Rochdale Nine Locks leading to Castlefield Junction heading to the upper right of the photo.

Etruria Staircase Lock 1

Looking into the bottom of Staircase Lock 1 on the Caldon Canal at Etruria.

Etruria Staircase Lock 1

Looking up towards the top lock from Etruria Bottom Staircase Lock 1.

Ivy House Lift Bridge 11

The first lift bridge on the Caldon Canal is the power operated Ivy House Lift Bridge 11.

Ivy House Lift Bridge 11

Partially lifted is Ivy House Lift Bridge 11 on the Caldon Canal.

Norton Green Lift Bridge 21

Long Butts Lift Bridge 23 on the Cladon Canal is operated by the crew using a lock windlass.

Obstruction at Endon

The central pier of a long gone swing bridge still sits in the centre of the channel with a marker to alert the steerer.

Looking under Doles Bridge 27

Immediately after Doles Bridge 27 the canal turns to the right with the arm straight ahead holding moored boats and appearing to be the main route to catch out steerers who haven’t been checking the map.

Hazlehurst (or Hazelhurst) Aqueduct

Viewed from below, the Leek Branch crosses over the main line of the Caldon Canal at Hazlehurst (or Hazelhurst) Aqueduct.

Consall Signal Box

The railway, now preserved, and the Caldon Canal are squeezed side by side as they pass through the same valley near the River Churnet.

Cherry Eye Bridge 53

Cherryeye Bridge 53 has an unusually shaped arch. The name “Cherryeye” is said to come from …

End of Navigation at Froghall

This is taken from the end of the Caldon Canal at Froghall, just after the junction with the Uttoxeter Canal which is …

Froghall Junction

This milepost stands next to Froghall Junction where the Uttoxeter Canal leaves the main line of the Caldon Canal.

Froghall Works

Froghall Works near the end of the Caldon Canal.

Froghall Wharf

Froghall Wharf is at the end of the Caldon Canal.

Froghall Tunnel

Entering the exceptionally low profile Froghall Tunnel on the Caldon Canal.

Flint Mill Lock Gauge

The gauge below Flint Mill Lock shows the profile of Froghall Tunnel so boaters will know if they will fit through …

Froghall Tunnel Warning Sign

At Flint Mill Lock the sign warns boaters about Froghall Tunnel which has such restricted headroom that many boats will not fit through. There is a gauge at …

Oakmeadow Ford Lock

Below Oakmeadow Ford Lock the canal uses the River Churnet for its route which and the sign to the right of the lock warns boaters of the dangers of using this when in flood.

Cheddleton Top Lock 13

The upper of the two locks at Cheddleton has a plinth (on the right of the photo) marking the re-opening of the canal on 28th September 1974.

Hazlehurst Junction

Signpost at Hazlehurst Junction where the Leek Branch diverges from the main line of the Caldon Canal.

Hazlehurt Junction

Looking towards Froghall along the main line of the Caldon Canal which descend through three locks immediately after Hazlehurst Junction.

Hazlehurst Locks

Between Hazlehurst Junction and Hazlehurst Aqueduct the main line and Leek Branch of the Caldon Canal

Leek Branch Cottages

Occasional buildings come close to the Leek Branch of the Caldon Canal.

Leek Tunnel

Approaching the South West portal of Leek Tunnel.

End of the Leek Branch

The Leek Branch of the Caldon Canal now ends around 1.5km (1 mile) from the centre of Leek. It once …

Hazlehurst Views

Passing through the lovely countryside near Hazlehurst.

Hazlehurst Countryside

Passing through the lovely countryside near Hazlehurst.

Endon Countryside

The countryside becomes increasingly attractive as we leave the city of Stoke on Trent behind.

Stockton Brook Artwork

Rather unusual modern artwork sits alongside Stockton Brook Lock 6. I wonder what the old boatmen would have thought of this.

Stockton Brook Locks

The crew are preparing Stockton Brook bottom lock 5 ready for our ascent.

Long Butts Lift Bridge 23

Cruising through Long Butts Lift Bridge 23 on the Caldon Canal after the crew have wound it open with a lock windlass.

Norton Green Lift Bridge 21

Norton Green Lift Bridge is manually operated by the crew winding it up and down using a lock windlass.

Etruria in the Autumn

Cruising above the staircase locks at Etruria with the first hint of Autumn colours in the trees.

Etruria Staircase Lock 2

Looking down to the top of the Etriria Staircase Locks.

Etruria Staircase Locks

Looking down from the upper lock of Etruria Staircase Locks.

Etruria Junction

Looking south on the Trent & Mersey canal which continues straight ahead through the lock where the Caldon Canal …

James Brindley

James Brindley Statue near the start of the Caldon Canal at Etruria Junction.

Lichfield Cruising Club

The Lichfield Cruising Club’s premises are based at …

Whittington Boundary Stone

The end on junction of the Birmingham and Fazeley Canal and the Coventry Canal at Whittington is marked with a boundary stone.

Peel Wharf

Peel Wharf includes permanent moorings. The crane outside is …

Salford Junction

Salford Junction is one of the few junctions where you can go four ways.

The Birmingham and Fazeley Canal runs from Fazeley Junction (behind the camera).

Autherley Junction

At Autherley Junction the Staffs and Worcester Canal passes straight past between its junction with the River Severn at Stourport, and its junction with the Trent & Mersey Canal at Great Haywood Junction.

Southern End of the Coventry Canal

The southern end of the Coventry Canal ends in a basin to the north of the city where a …

Coventry Basin

Coventry Basin is surrounded by a mixture of traditional and modern developments. …

Bromford Junction

The New Main Line of the Birmingham Canal Navigations (bcn) passes Bromford Junction as it provides one of the routes between Birmingham and Wolverhampton.

Icknield Square Junction

At Icknield Square Junction the Icknield Port Loop diverges to the left under the towpath bridge. This loop was the original route of the canal.

Farmers Bridge Junction

Farmers Bridge Junction is immediately above Farmers Bridge Lock 1.

The section of canal from Deep Cutting Junction (behind the camera) to the basin on the right was originally constructed as the Newhall Branch of the Birmingham Canal Navigations (BCN).

Industrial Setting

Between Birmingham and Wolverhampton the canal passes through a great variety of scenery, including modern residential developments and historical industrial settings.

Weir and back pumping at Moira Lock

Immediately above the new lock on the Ashby Canal at Moira. The weir on the left takes surplus water from above the lock through the bywash to the pound below the lock.

Moira Lock on the Ashby Canal

New Moira Lock on the restored section of the Ashby Canal. On the right of the picture the water which appears to be flowing over the weir into the canal is being back pumped from below the lock.

Dragon’s Head at Moira Furnace

Dragon’s head on top of a pole in the car park at Moira Furnace on the restored section of the Ashby Canal.

Ashby Canal Signpost

The signpost clearly points the way along the restored section to the end of the canal.

Start of Restored Section

The far end of the Ashby Canal has already been restored from near Donisthorpe to Moira.

Milepost 28-2

Mileposts along the Ashby Canal show the distances to Marston Junction (28 miles) and to Moria (2 miles) at the end of the canal.

Bridge 73-2 on the Ashby Canal

Bridge 73-2 on the restored section of the Ashby Canal, just waiting for boats to cruise along.

Furnace Bridge

Looking along the restored section of the Ashby Canal towards Furnace Bridge near Moira.