Derby Canal
Encyclopedia
The Derby Canal ran 14 miles (22.5 km) from the Trent and Mersey Canal
at Swarkestone
to Derby
and Little Eaton
, and to the Erewash Canal
at Sandiacre
, Derbyshire
, England
. The canal gained its Act of Parliament
in 1793 and was fully completed in 1796. The canal's main cargo was coal
.
had been used for transport from the Trent
since ancient times, it was winding and shallow in many places, silting frequently. In 1790, George Sorocold
had done much to improve it, but it was still unusable for long periods of flood or dry weather. Indeed the Trent
itself was little better.
In 1770, James Brindley
had brought the Trent and Mersey Canal
to the Trent
near Shardlow
. He had planned to link it to Derby
, but was prevented by vested interests and the matter was not raised again until 1791. In 1792, Benjamin Outram
was asked to prepare plans for a broad canal
from Swarkestone
to Smithy Houses, near Denby
, with a branch at Derby
to the Erewash Canal
at Sandiacre
, which he estimated would cost £60,000
(£ as of ),
The costs of the length from Derby
to Denby
would account for a third of this, and the plan included an aqueduct
across the River Derwent
at Derby
. Initially Outram
suggested a narrow canal
as an alternative. William Jessop
was asked to give his opinion and he suggested a tramway
from Little Eaton
to Denby
. This, the Derby Canal Railway, but known locally, as the Little Eaton Gangway
, was therefore one of the first to be publicly subscribed, and would save the construction of six locks
.
Outram
also proposed to save some £4000 by dispensing with the aqueduct
and, instead, building a weir
to raise the river level to form a basin adjacent to the Morledge, with locks
connecting it to each branch of the canal
. A small aqueduct
would still be needed to cross the mill race
on the west side of the Holmes.
and the Erewash Canal
owners who had a scheme of their own.
Work commenced with the Little Eaton branch and the gangway
, followed by the Sandiacre line. This began with a small basin under what is now St. Alkmund's Way, proceeding eastwards following a line south of the Nottingham Road. A short branch from the basin led via Phoenix lock to the river above a weir
at St. Mary's Bridge, which gave access to the Darley Abbey
mills.
The Sandiacre line followed the course of the old Nottingham Road with two locks near Borrowash
, then level through Draycott
and Breaston
, and descending through two locks to Sandiacre Junction with the Erewash Canal
, a distance of 9 miles (14.5 km). The Little Eaton line branched northwards at the boundary of the racecourse, passing to the east of Chester Green, parallel to and east of the present day railway. The canal from Derby to Little Eaton was opened on 11 May 1795, the first load of coal from Denby
being distributed to the poor of Derby
. The Sandiacre line was opened on 30 May 1795.
Work then began on the crossing of the Derwent
, followed by the line out to Swarkestone
. From the small weir
mentioned above a canal led through what is now Darwin Place to the Derwent Basin above the weir in the river which still exists behind the Council House, downstream of the Exeter Bridge. A timber causeway was built on trestles for use as the towpath. The weir also contained a culvert which transferred water between two branches, a distance of about 0.25 miles (402.3 m).
From the basin the canal fell into a lock
before crossing the mill race (which still runs beside Bass's Recreation Ground) by way of the cast-iron aqueduct arriving at Gandy's Wharf roughly where the Cockpit island is now.
It followed the line of the mill race before passing behind what became the Locomotive Works (now Pride Park), before turning sharply southwards towards Chellaston
descending through Shelton
and Fullen's locks. It joined the Trent and Mersey Canal
at Swarkestone Junction, a distance from Derby
of 5.5 miles (8.9 km). A short extension led on to the River Trent
just upstream from Swarkestone Bridge. From Derby to Swarkestone was opened on 30 June 1796.
structure that Outram devised, and completed in 1796, was the first of its kind, it was completed earlier in the year 1796 than the structure by Thomas Telford
at Longdon upon Tern on the Shrewsbury Canal
.
In 1802 there was a partial failure, probably due to the sides bowing and transferring too much weight to the base where they joined to the deck. After remedial work it failed again in 1812 and was reinforced with timber baulks.Although plans were prepared for replacement in stone, it survived until 1930, when it collapsed again to be shored up once more.
In 1817 the link to the Trent and Mersey canal was closed due to its lack of financial success. The reason for this failure was that the Trent and Mersey canal had been charging tolls at extortionate rates on boats using the link.
In 1838 the canal was diverted away from the River Derwent
at Borrowash to allow construction of the Midland Counties Railway
line between Derby and Long Eaton
. This diversion included building a new Borrowash Top Lock.
By the mid 19th century the canal was in trouble. Competition from the railways had resulted in several neighbouring canals being sold off which had in turn reduced the level of through traffic. However the canal company did continue. In 1935 the Little Eaton Branch was closed and commercial traffic on the remainder of the canal ceased in 1945. In 1964 the canal company gained permission to close the rest of the canal. Over the next three decades, areas of the canal were built on while others were allowed to decay.
From Swarkestone the line of the canal can be followed into Derby as far as Wilmorton
although the only recognisable canal features are the chambers of Fullen's and Shelton Locks and the bridges under Chellaston Road (pictured) and London Road. Route 6 of the National Cycle Network
(NCN 6) follows this part of the canal.
Although traces of the canal through Derby city centre remained until well into the twentieth century (the ice factory on what was the Cockpit island drew its water from the canal), it has all been covered by development, mainly the inner ring road and Pride Parkway. New building at Pride Park
has obliterated all traces of the canal in that area.
The weir built across the river to form the Derwent Basin still exists behind the Council House, downstream of the Exeter Bridge, and the timber causeway on trestles, which was used as the towpath, remained until 1959. The Holmes Aqueduct was demolished in 1971.
The remains of the towpath are visible at a bridge under the railway immediately north of Derby railway station. An unused span of the railway bridge over Old Nottingham Road once crossed the canal. Steel girders set into the kerb edge of Old Nottingham Road near its junction with Stores Road are the remains of a bridge over the Little Eaton line. The Little Eaton line and the gangway have also disappeared, apart from the Wharf Building at Little Eaton, in the present day trading estate, and a couple of bridges.
The A52 Brian Clough
Way was built upon the canal between the Pentagon and Spondon. From Spondon the line can be traced to Sandiacre. NCN 6 uses the canal route between Borrowash and Breaston.
In 1994 the Derby and Sandiacre Canal Society was set up. Restoration began in earnest the following year and is now well underway.
Trent and Mersey Canal
The Trent and Mersey Canal is a in the East Midlands, West Midlands, and North West of England. It is a "narrow canal" for the vast majority of its length, but at the extremities—east of Burton upon Trent and west of Middlewich—it is a wide canal....
at Swarkestone
Swarkestone
Swarkestone is a village and civil parish in Derbyshire, England.Swarkestone has a very old village church, a full cricket pitch, the Crewe and Harpur pub, a canal with locks, moorings and canalside tea-rooms...
to Derby
Derby
Derby , is a city and unitary authority in the East Midlands region of England. It lies upon the banks of the River Derwent and is located in the south of the ceremonial county of Derbyshire. In the 2001 census, the population of the city was 233,700, whilst that of the Derby Urban Area was 229,407...
and Little Eaton
Little Eaton
Little Eaton is a village in the English county of Derbyshire. The name originated from Anglo Saxon times and means the little town by the water....
, and to the Erewash Canal
Erewash Canal
The Erewash Canal is a broad canal in Derbyshire, England. It runs just under and has 14 locks. The first lock at Langley Bridge is actually part of the Cromford Canal.-Origins:...
at Sandiacre
Sandiacre
Sandiacre is a town in the Borough of Erewash in Derbyshire, in the East Midlands region of England adjoining the border with Nottinghamshire....
, Derbyshire
Derbyshire
Derbyshire is a county in the East Midlands of England. A substantial portion of the Peak District National Park lies within Derbyshire. The northern part of Derbyshire overlaps with the Pennines, a famous chain of hills and mountains. The county contains within its boundary of approx...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. The canal gained its Act of Parliament
Act of Parliament
An Act of Parliament is a statute enacted as primary legislation by a national or sub-national parliament. In the Republic of Ireland the term Act of the Oireachtas is used, and in the United States the term Act of Congress is used.In Commonwealth countries, the term is used both in a narrow...
in 1793 and was fully completed in 1796. The canal's main cargo was coal
Coal
Coal is a combustible black or brownish-black sedimentary rock usually occurring in rock strata in layers or veins called coal beds or coal seams. The harder forms, such as anthracite coal, can be regarded as metamorphic rock because of later exposure to elevated temperature and pressure...
.
Origin
Although the River DerwentRiver Derwent, Derbyshire
The Derwent is a river in the county of Derbyshire, England. It is 66 miles long and is a tributary of the River Trent which it joins south of Derby. For half its course, the river flows through the Peak District....
had been used for transport from the Trent
River Trent
The River Trent is one of the major rivers of England. Its source is in Staffordshire on the southern edge of Biddulph Moor. It flows through the Midlands until it joins the River Ouse at Trent Falls to form the Humber Estuary, which empties into the North Sea below Hull and Immingham.The Trent...
since ancient times, it was winding and shallow in many places, silting frequently. In 1790, George Sorocold
George Sorocold
George Sorocold was an engineer in Derby, England in the eighteenth century.- Biography :He was born in Derby some time around 1668, the son of James Sorocold who had moved to the town from Lancashire...
had done much to improve it, but it was still unusable for long periods of flood or dry weather. Indeed the Trent
River Trent
The River Trent is one of the major rivers of England. Its source is in Staffordshire on the southern edge of Biddulph Moor. It flows through the Midlands until it joins the River Ouse at Trent Falls to form the Humber Estuary, which empties into the North Sea below Hull and Immingham.The Trent...
itself was little better.
In 1770, James Brindley
James Brindley
James Brindley was an English engineer. He was born in Tunstead, Derbyshire, and lived much of his life in Leek, Staffordshire, becoming one of the most notable engineers of the 18th century.-Early life:...
had brought the Trent and Mersey Canal
Trent and Mersey Canal
The Trent and Mersey Canal is a in the East Midlands, West Midlands, and North West of England. It is a "narrow canal" for the vast majority of its length, but at the extremities—east of Burton upon Trent and west of Middlewich—it is a wide canal....
to the Trent
River Trent
The River Trent is one of the major rivers of England. Its source is in Staffordshire on the southern edge of Biddulph Moor. It flows through the Midlands until it joins the River Ouse at Trent Falls to form the Humber Estuary, which empties into the North Sea below Hull and Immingham.The Trent...
near Shardlow
Shardlow
Shardlow is a village in Derbyshire, England about 8 km southeast of Derby and 12 km southwest of Nottingham. It is part of the civil parish of Shardlow and Great Wilne, and the district of South Derbyshire. It is also very close to the border with Leicestershire which follows the River Trent, ...
. He had planned to link it to Derby
Derby
Derby , is a city and unitary authority in the East Midlands region of England. It lies upon the banks of the River Derwent and is located in the south of the ceremonial county of Derbyshire. In the 2001 census, the population of the city was 233,700, whilst that of the Derby Urban Area was 229,407...
, but was prevented by vested interests and the matter was not raised again until 1791. In 1792, Benjamin Outram
Benjamin Outram
Benjamin Outram was an English civil engineer, surveyor and industrialist. He was a pioneer in the building of canals and tramways.-Personal life:...
was asked to prepare plans for a broad canal
Canal
Canals are man-made channels for water. There are two types of canal:#Waterways: navigable transportation canals used for carrying ships and boats shipping goods and conveying people, further subdivided into two kinds:...
from Swarkestone
Swarkestone
Swarkestone is a village and civil parish in Derbyshire, England.Swarkestone has a very old village church, a full cricket pitch, the Crewe and Harpur pub, a canal with locks, moorings and canalside tea-rooms...
to Smithy Houses, near Denby
Denby
Denby is a village in the English county of Derbyshire that is notable as the birthplace of John Flamsteed, England's first Royal Astronomer, and the location of the Denby Pottery Company....
, with a branch at Derby
Derby
Derby , is a city and unitary authority in the East Midlands region of England. It lies upon the banks of the River Derwent and is located in the south of the ceremonial county of Derbyshire. In the 2001 census, the population of the city was 233,700, whilst that of the Derby Urban Area was 229,407...
to the Erewash Canal
Erewash Canal
The Erewash Canal is a broad canal in Derbyshire, England. It runs just under and has 14 locks. The first lock at Langley Bridge is actually part of the Cromford Canal.-Origins:...
at Sandiacre
Sandiacre
Sandiacre is a town in the Borough of Erewash in Derbyshire, in the East Midlands region of England adjoining the border with Nottinghamshire....
, which he estimated would cost £60,000
(£ as of ),
The costs of the length from Derby
Derby
Derby , is a city and unitary authority in the East Midlands region of England. It lies upon the banks of the River Derwent and is located in the south of the ceremonial county of Derbyshire. In the 2001 census, the population of the city was 233,700, whilst that of the Derby Urban Area was 229,407...
to Denby
Denby
Denby is a village in the English county of Derbyshire that is notable as the birthplace of John Flamsteed, England's first Royal Astronomer, and the location of the Denby Pottery Company....
would account for a third of this, and the plan included an aqueduct
Aqueduct
An aqueduct is a water supply or navigable channel constructed to convey water. In modern engineering, the term is used for any system of pipes, ditches, canals, tunnels, and other structures used for this purpose....
across the River Derwent
River Derwent, Derbyshire
The Derwent is a river in the county of Derbyshire, England. It is 66 miles long and is a tributary of the River Trent which it joins south of Derby. For half its course, the river flows through the Peak District....
at Derby
Derby
Derby , is a city and unitary authority in the East Midlands region of England. It lies upon the banks of the River Derwent and is located in the south of the ceremonial county of Derbyshire. In the 2001 census, the population of the city was 233,700, whilst that of the Derby Urban Area was 229,407...
. Initially Outram
Benjamin Outram
Benjamin Outram was an English civil engineer, surveyor and industrialist. He was a pioneer in the building of canals and tramways.-Personal life:...
suggested a narrow canal
Canal
Canals are man-made channels for water. There are two types of canal:#Waterways: navigable transportation canals used for carrying ships and boats shipping goods and conveying people, further subdivided into two kinds:...
as an alternative. William Jessop
William Jessop
William Jessop was an English civil engineer, best known for his work on canals, harbours and early railways in the late 18th and early 19th centuries.-Early life:...
was asked to give his opinion and he suggested a tramway
Wagonway
Wagonways consisted of the horses, equipment and tracks used for hauling wagons, which preceded steam powered railways. The terms "plateway", "tramway" and in someplaces, "dramway" are also found.- Early developments :...
from Little Eaton
Little Eaton
Little Eaton is a village in the English county of Derbyshire. The name originated from Anglo Saxon times and means the little town by the water....
to Denby
Denby
Denby is a village in the English county of Derbyshire that is notable as the birthplace of John Flamsteed, England's first Royal Astronomer, and the location of the Denby Pottery Company....
. This, the Derby Canal Railway, but known locally, as the Little Eaton Gangway
Little Eaton Gangway
The Little Eaton Gangway, or, to give it its official title, the Derby Canal Railway, was a narrow gauge industrial wagonway serving the Derby Canal, in England, at Little Eaton in Derbyshire.- The Derby Canal :...
, was therefore one of the first to be publicly subscribed, and would save the construction of six locks
Lock (water transport)
A lock is a device for raising and lowering boats between stretches of water of different levels on river and canal waterways. The distinguishing feature of a lock is a fixed chamber in which the water level can be varied; whereas in a caisson lock, a boat lift, or on a canal inclined plane, it is...
.
Outram
Benjamin Outram
Benjamin Outram was an English civil engineer, surveyor and industrialist. He was a pioneer in the building of canals and tramways.-Personal life:...
also proposed to save some £4000 by dispensing with the aqueduct
Aqueduct
An aqueduct is a water supply or navigable channel constructed to convey water. In modern engineering, the term is used for any system of pipes, ditches, canals, tunnels, and other structures used for this purpose....
and, instead, building a weir
Weir
A weir is a small overflow dam used to alter the flow characteristics of a river or stream. In most cases weirs take the form of a barrier across the river that causes water to pool behind the structure , but allows water to flow over the top...
to raise the river level to form a basin adjacent to the Morledge, with locks
Lock (water transport)
A lock is a device for raising and lowering boats between stretches of water of different levels on river and canal waterways. The distinguishing feature of a lock is a fixed chamber in which the water level can be varied; whereas in a caisson lock, a boat lift, or on a canal inclined plane, it is...
connecting it to each branch of the canal
Canal
Canals are man-made channels for water. There are two types of canal:#Waterways: navigable transportation canals used for carrying ships and boats shipping goods and conveying people, further subdivided into two kinds:...
. A small aqueduct
Aqueduct
An aqueduct is a water supply or navigable channel constructed to convey water. In modern engineering, the term is used for any system of pipes, ditches, canals, tunnels, and other structures used for this purpose....
would still be needed to cross the mill race
Mill race
A mill race, raceway or mill lade is the current or channel of a stream, especially one for conducting water to or from a water wheel or other device for utilizing its energy...
on the west side of the Holmes.
Construction
The Bill was passed by Parliament in 1793 by a narrow majority in the face of strong opposition from the Trent & MerseyTrent and Mersey Canal
The Trent and Mersey Canal is a in the East Midlands, West Midlands, and North West of England. It is a "narrow canal" for the vast majority of its length, but at the extremities—east of Burton upon Trent and west of Middlewich—it is a wide canal....
and the Erewash Canal
Erewash Canal
The Erewash Canal is a broad canal in Derbyshire, England. It runs just under and has 14 locks. The first lock at Langley Bridge is actually part of the Cromford Canal.-Origins:...
owners who had a scheme of their own.
Work commenced with the Little Eaton branch and the gangway
Little Eaton Gangway
The Little Eaton Gangway, or, to give it its official title, the Derby Canal Railway, was a narrow gauge industrial wagonway serving the Derby Canal, in England, at Little Eaton in Derbyshire.- The Derby Canal :...
, followed by the Sandiacre line. This began with a small basin under what is now St. Alkmund's Way, proceeding eastwards following a line south of the Nottingham Road. A short branch from the basin led via Phoenix lock to the river above a weir
Weir
A weir is a small overflow dam used to alter the flow characteristics of a river or stream. In most cases weirs take the form of a barrier across the river that causes water to pool behind the structure , but allows water to flow over the top...
at St. Mary's Bridge, which gave access to the Darley Abbey
Darley Abbey
Darley Abbey is a village on the outskirts of Derby, England. The village is located on the River Derwent and is associated with the world heritage site of Derwent Valley Mills.- History :...
mills.
The Sandiacre line followed the course of the old Nottingham Road with two locks near Borrowash
Borrowash
Borrowash is a village in the Erewash district of Derbyshire, England, situated immediately east of the Derby city boundary.-Amenities:In the village there is a Co-operative supermarket, which is located amongst a number of shops including a butcher, a building society agency, an insurance...
, then level through Draycott
Draycott
Draycott may refer to:* Draycott, Derbyshire** Draycott and Breaston railway station * Draycott, Gloucestershire* Draycot, Oxfordshire* Draycott, in Rodney Stoke parish, Somerset** Draycott Sleights, a nearby SSSI...
and Breaston
Breaston
Breaston is a large village in the south-east of Derbyshire in the East Midlands of England near Long Eaton and close to the M1.-History:Breaston was mentioned in the Domesday book as belonging to Henry de Ferrers and being worth four shillings....
, and descending through two locks to Sandiacre Junction with the Erewash Canal
Erewash Canal
The Erewash Canal is a broad canal in Derbyshire, England. It runs just under and has 14 locks. The first lock at Langley Bridge is actually part of the Cromford Canal.-Origins:...
, a distance of 9 miles (14.5 km). The Little Eaton line branched northwards at the boundary of the racecourse, passing to the east of Chester Green, parallel to and east of the present day railway. The canal from Derby to Little Eaton was opened on 11 May 1795, the first load of coal from Denby
Denby
Denby is a village in the English county of Derbyshire that is notable as the birthplace of John Flamsteed, England's first Royal Astronomer, and the location of the Denby Pottery Company....
being distributed to the poor of Derby
Derby
Derby , is a city and unitary authority in the East Midlands region of England. It lies upon the banks of the River Derwent and is located in the south of the ceremonial county of Derbyshire. In the 2001 census, the population of the city was 233,700, whilst that of the Derby Urban Area was 229,407...
. The Sandiacre line was opened on 30 May 1795.
Work then began on the crossing of the Derwent
River Derwent, Derbyshire
The Derwent is a river in the county of Derbyshire, England. It is 66 miles long and is a tributary of the River Trent which it joins south of Derby. For half its course, the river flows through the Peak District....
, followed by the line out to Swarkestone
Swarkestone
Swarkestone is a village and civil parish in Derbyshire, England.Swarkestone has a very old village church, a full cricket pitch, the Crewe and Harpur pub, a canal with locks, moorings and canalside tea-rooms...
. From the small weir
Weir
A weir is a small overflow dam used to alter the flow characteristics of a river or stream. In most cases weirs take the form of a barrier across the river that causes water to pool behind the structure , but allows water to flow over the top...
mentioned above a canal led through what is now Darwin Place to the Derwent Basin above the weir in the river which still exists behind the Council House, downstream of the Exeter Bridge. A timber causeway was built on trestles for use as the towpath. The weir also contained a culvert which transferred water between two branches, a distance of about 0.25 miles (402.3 m).
From the basin the canal fell into a lock
Lock (water transport)
A lock is a device for raising and lowering boats between stretches of water of different levels on river and canal waterways. The distinguishing feature of a lock is a fixed chamber in which the water level can be varied; whereas in a caisson lock, a boat lift, or on a canal inclined plane, it is...
before crossing the mill race (which still runs beside Bass's Recreation Ground) by way of the cast-iron aqueduct arriving at Gandy's Wharf roughly where the Cockpit island is now.
It followed the line of the mill race before passing behind what became the Locomotive Works (now Pride Park), before turning sharply southwards towards Chellaston
Chellaston
Chellaston is a suburb of the City of Derby, which is in the East Midlands in England in the United Kingdom. It is on a natural hill, and has recently expanded due to several new housing estates....
descending through Shelton
Shelton Lock
Shelton Lock is a small suburb in the south of the city of Derby, England, United Kingdom, located between Chellaston and Allenton.The area gets its name from the lock on the Derby Canal that once ran through the area. The only traces of the canal's existence are seen in the form of a road bridge,...
and Fullen's locks. It joined the Trent and Mersey Canal
Trent and Mersey Canal
The Trent and Mersey Canal is a in the East Midlands, West Midlands, and North West of England. It is a "narrow canal" for the vast majority of its length, but at the extremities—east of Burton upon Trent and west of Middlewich—it is a wide canal....
at Swarkestone Junction, a distance from Derby
Derby
Derby , is a city and unitary authority in the East Midlands region of England. It lies upon the banks of the River Derwent and is located in the south of the ceremonial county of Derbyshire. In the 2001 census, the population of the city was 233,700, whilst that of the Derby Urban Area was 229,407...
of 5.5 miles (8.9 km). A short extension led on to the River Trent
River Trent
The River Trent is one of the major rivers of England. Its source is in Staffordshire on the southern edge of Biddulph Moor. It flows through the Midlands until it joins the River Ouse at Trent Falls to form the Humber Estuary, which empties into the North Sea below Hull and Immingham.The Trent...
just upstream from Swarkestone Bridge. From Derby to Swarkestone was opened on 30 June 1796.
History
The Holmes Aqueduct proved to be extremely troublesome. Aqueducts up to that time had been made of stone, but several short arches would have been necessary, causing obstruction to the flow of the stream. The 44 feet (13.4 m) single-span cast ironCast iron
Cast iron is derived from pig iron, and while it usually refers to gray iron, it also identifies a large group of ferrous alloys which solidify with a eutectic. The color of a fractured surface can be used to identify an alloy. White cast iron is named after its white surface when fractured, due...
structure that Outram devised, and completed in 1796, was the first of its kind, it was completed earlier in the year 1796 than the structure by Thomas Telford
Thomas Telford
Thomas Telford FRS, FRSE was a Scottish civil engineer, architect and stonemason, and a noted road, bridge and canal builder.-Early career:...
at Longdon upon Tern on the Shrewsbury Canal
Shrewsbury Canal
The Shrewsbury Canal was a canal in Shropshire, England. Authorised in 1793, the main line from Trench to Shrewsbury was fully open by 1797, but it remained isolated from the rest of the canal network until 1835, when the Birmingham and Liverpool Junction Canal built the Newport Branch from...
.
In 1802 there was a partial failure, probably due to the sides bowing and transferring too much weight to the base where they joined to the deck. After remedial work it failed again in 1812 and was reinforced with timber baulks.Although plans were prepared for replacement in stone, it survived until 1930, when it collapsed again to be shored up once more.
In 1817 the link to the Trent and Mersey canal was closed due to its lack of financial success. The reason for this failure was that the Trent and Mersey canal had been charging tolls at extortionate rates on boats using the link.
In 1838 the canal was diverted away from the River Derwent
River Derwent, Derbyshire
The Derwent is a river in the county of Derbyshire, England. It is 66 miles long and is a tributary of the River Trent which it joins south of Derby. For half its course, the river flows through the Peak District....
at Borrowash to allow construction of the Midland Counties Railway
Midland Counties Railway
The Midland Counties Railway was a railway company in the United Kingdom which existed between 1832 and 1844, connecting Nottingham, Leicester and Derby with Rugby and thence, via the London and Birmingham Railway, to London. The MCR system connected with the North Midland Railway and the...
line between Derby and Long Eaton
Long Eaton
Long Eaton is a town in Derbyshire, England. It lies just north of the River Trent about southwest of Nottingham and is part of the Nottingham Urban Area...
. This diversion included building a new Borrowash Top Lock.
By the mid 19th century the canal was in trouble. Competition from the railways had resulted in several neighbouring canals being sold off which had in turn reduced the level of through traffic. However the canal company did continue. In 1935 the Little Eaton Branch was closed and commercial traffic on the remainder of the canal ceased in 1945. In 1964 the canal company gained permission to close the rest of the canal. Over the next three decades, areas of the canal were built on while others were allowed to decay.
The canal today
Wilmorton
Wilmorton is a suburb of the city of Derby, England. It is situated between Alvaston and Osmaston, to the south of the city centre on the A6. It was given the name Wilmorton in 1897. In the late 1990s, a new section of the A6 was built from here to "The Cockpitt" roundabout, passing through Pride...
although the only recognisable canal features are the chambers of Fullen's and Shelton Locks and the bridges under Chellaston Road (pictured) and London Road. Route 6 of the National Cycle Network
National Cycle Network
The National Cycle Network is a network of cycle routes in the United Kingdom.The National Cycle Network was created by the charity Sustrans , and aided by a £42.5 million National Lottery grant. In 2005 it was used for over 230 million trips.Many routes hope to minimise contact with motor...
(NCN 6) follows this part of the canal.
Although traces of the canal through Derby city centre remained until well into the twentieth century (the ice factory on what was the Cockpit island drew its water from the canal), it has all been covered by development, mainly the inner ring road and Pride Parkway. New building at Pride Park
Pride Park
Pride Park is a business park on the outskirts of the city centre of Derby, UK. It covers 80 hectares of former industrial land between the River Derwent and railway lines.-History:...
has obliterated all traces of the canal in that area.
The weir built across the river to form the Derwent Basin still exists behind the Council House, downstream of the Exeter Bridge, and the timber causeway on trestles, which was used as the towpath, remained until 1959. The Holmes Aqueduct was demolished in 1971.
The remains of the towpath are visible at a bridge under the railway immediately north of Derby railway station. An unused span of the railway bridge over Old Nottingham Road once crossed the canal. Steel girders set into the kerb edge of Old Nottingham Road near its junction with Stores Road are the remains of a bridge over the Little Eaton line. The Little Eaton line and the gangway have also disappeared, apart from the Wharf Building at Little Eaton, in the present day trading estate, and a couple of bridges.
The A52 Brian Clough
Brian Clough
Brian Howard Clough, OBE was an English footballer and football manager. He is most notable for his success with Derby County and Nottingham Forest. His achievement of winning back-to-back European Cups with Nottingham Forest, a traditionally moderate provincial English club, is considered to be...
Way was built upon the canal between the Pentagon and Spondon. From Spondon the line can be traced to Sandiacre. NCN 6 uses the canal route between Borrowash and Breaston.
In 1994 the Derby and Sandiacre Canal Society was set up. Restoration began in earnest the following year and is now well underway.
See also
- Canals of Great Britain
- History of the British canal systemHistory of the British canal systemThe British canal system of water transport played a vital role in the United Kingdom's Industrial Revolution at a time when roads were only just emerging from the medieval mud and long trains of pack horses were the only means of "mass" transit by road of raw materials and finished products The...
- Chesterfield CanalChesterfield CanalThe Chesterfield Canal is in the north of England and it is known locally as 'Cuckoo Dyke'. It was opened in 1777 and ran 46 miles from the River Trent at West Stockwith, Nottinghamshire to Chesterfield, Derbyshire...
- Chesterfield Canal TrustChesterfield Canal TrustThe Chesterfield Canal Trust Limited is a waterway society and charitable company which campaigns for and undertakes various activities related to the Chesterfield Canal, which runs from Chesterfield in Derbyshire, England to the River Trent at West Stockwith....
- Derby and Sandiacre Canal
- Derby and Sandiacre Canal TrustDerby and Sandiacre Canal TrustThe Derby and Sandiacre Canal Trust is a waterway society, a charitable trust no. 1042227, registered November 21, 1994, and a registered company No...
- List of waterway societies in the United Kingdom
Further reading
- Derbyshire Archaeological Society [1852] (1980) Map of the borough of Derby with portions of Darley, Litchurch and Little Chester, Facsimile edition, Derby : The Society, ISBN 0-9501786-7-5
- De Salis, H.R. (1969) Bradshaw's Canals and Navigable Rivers, David & Charles, ISBN 0-7153-4689-X
- Hadfield, C. (1970) The Canals of the East Midlands, David & Charles, ISBN 0-7153-4871-X
- Ripley, D., (1993) The Little Eaton Gangway and Derby Canal, Locomotion papers LP71, 2nd ed., Oxford : Oakwood Press, ISBN 0-85361-431-8
- Russell, R. (1971) Lost Canals of England and Wales, David & Charles, ISBN 0-7153-5417-5
- Smith, M.E., (1980) The Derby Canal, Ilkeston : Moorley's Bible and Bookshop, ISBN 0-86071-089-0
External links
- The Derby and Sandiacre Canal Society website
- The Derby Canal Route map This map shows the entire original route of the Derby Canal using Satellite mapping with markers along the way indicating points of interest such as bridges and locks. Each marker has links to old and new photographs, Google Streetviews, 360 degree VR photography.