CanalPlanAC

Shropshire Union Canal (Middlewich Branch)

 
 
Information about the waterway

The Shropshire Union Canal (Middlewich Branch) is a narrow canal and is part of the Shropshire Union Canal. It runs for 10 miles through 3 locks from Barbridge Junction (where it joins the Shropshire Union Canal (Chester Canal - Nantwich to Bunbury)) to Wardle Lock No 4 (where it joins the Trent and Mersey Canal (Wardle Lock 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 8 inches. The maximum draught is 3 feet and 9 inches.

The navigational authority for this waterway is Canal & River Trust

Relevant publications — Waterway Maps:

Relevant publications — Waterway DVDs:

Relevant publications — Waterway Guides:

Barbridge Junction
Junction with Shropshire Union - Middlewich Branch
Roving Bridge No 1 (Middlewich Branch) a few yards 0 locks
Barbridge Marina
Home of Midway Boats
½ furlongs 0 locks
Rutters Bridge No 2 2½ furlongs 0 locks
Sandholes Bridge No 3 5¼ furlongs 0 locks
Benyon's Bridge No 4 1 mile 0 locks
Crossbanks Farm Winding Hole 1 mile and 1 furlong 0 locks
Cholmondeston Visitor Moorings
48 hour moorings (towpath side)
1 mile and 2¼ furlongs 0 locks
Cholmondeston Lock No 1 1 mile and 3 furlongs 0 locks
Cholmondeston Lock Bridge No 5
Pronounced Churmston
1 mile and 3¼ furlongs 1 lock
Venetian Marina 1 mile and 3¾ furlongs 1 lock
Cholmondeston Railway Bridge No 5A 1 mile and 4½ furlongs 1 lock
Cholmondeston Hall Winding Hole 2 miles and ¼ furlongs 1 lock
Sykes Hollow Leisure Area
48 hour moorings
2 miles and ¾ furlongs 1 lock
Brickyard Bridge No 6
Egerton's Bridge
2 miles and 3¼ furlongs 1 lock
Jacksons Bridge No 7 2 miles and 5½ furlongs 1 lock
Minshull Lock No 2 2 miles and 6½ furlongs 1 lock
1942 Line Pipe Bridge
Decommissioned 18 inch main that carried bore hole water to Crewe - constructed in 1942. The main now runs under the canal in duplicated form one hundred meters further east.
3 miles 2 locks
Nanneys Bridge No 8 3 miles 2 locks
Aqueduct Marina 3 miles and 1¼ furlongs 2 locks
Vernon's Bridge Narrows No 9
Site of demolished bridge
3 miles and 2 furlongs 2 locks
Weaver Aqueduct Visitor Moorings
48 hour moorings
3 miles and 2¾ furlongs 2 locks
River Weaver Aqueduct No 10A 3 miles and 4½ furlongs 2 locks
Prescott Bridge Narrows No 10
Site of demolished bridge
3 miles and 6½ furlongs 2 locks
Hoolgrave Bridge No 11
Providing pedestrian access to Church Minshull village centre to the north and Eardswick Lane to the south.
4 miles and 1¾ furlongs 2 locks
Eardswick Bridge No 12 4 miles and 3¼ furlongs 2 locks
Eardswick Visitor Moorings 4 miles and 4 furlongs 2 locks
Eardswick Hall Bridge No 13
Providing footpath access to Church Minshull village to the north and Eardswick Lane to the south.
4 miles and 4¾ furlongs 2 locks
Church Minshull Visitor Moorings 4 miles and 6½ furlongs 2 locks
The Badger Inn
In Church Minshull village, a quarter of a mile west by road from Br 14.
4 miles and 7¼ furlongs 2 locks
Minshullhill Bridge No 14
Church Minshull village a quarter of a mile west.
4 miles and 7¼ furlongs 2 locks
Minshull Wharf
Now a private house
4 miles and 7½ furlongs 2 locks
Distinctive Designs Gift Shop 5 miles and 2¼ furlongs 2 locks
Morris Bridge No 15 5 miles and 2¾ furlongs 2 locks
Hollingshead Bridge No 16 5 miles and 4¾ furlongs 2 locks
Polstead Wood Winding Hole 5 miles and 6¾ furlongs 2 locks
Bridge No 17 Narrows
Site of demolished bridge
5 miles and 7¾ furlongs 2 locks
Weaver's Bank Bridge No 18 6 miles and 1½ furlongs 2 locks
Weaverbank Stables
Stable block for canal horses, now converted into a private residence.
6 miles and 2¼ furlongs 2 locks
Stockhouse Bridge No 19 6 miles and 3¼ furlongs 2 locks
Twelve Acres Bridge No 20 6 miles and 6½ furlongs 2 locks
Wimboldsley Bridge No 21 7 miles and ¼ furlongs 2 locks
Clive Green Visitor Moorings (west)
48 hour moorings
7 miles and 3 furlongs 2 locks
Lea Hall Bridge No 22 7 miles and 4¼ furlongs 2 locks
West Coast Mainline Railway Bridge No 22A 7 miles and 6½ furlongs 2 locks
West Coast Mainline Railway Bridge No 22B 7 miles and 6½ furlongs 2 locks
Cartwright Bridge No 23 7 miles and 7¾ furlongs 2 locks
Clive Green Visitor Moorings (east)
48 hour moorings
8 miles and ¼ furlongs 2 locks
Clive Green Bridge No 24 8 miles and 2 furlongs 2 locks
Hughes Bridge No 25 8 miles and 3¾ furlongs 2 locks
Stanthorne Visitor Moorings
48 hour moorings
8 miles and 6¾ furlongs 2 locks
Normans Bridge No 26 8 miles and 7¼ furlongs 2 locks
Stanthorne Lock No 3
Stanthorne Bridge No 27
9 miles and 1¼ furlongs 2 locks
Stanthorne Lock Farm Bridge No 27 9 miles and 1¼ furlongs 3 locks
River Wheelock Aqueduct 9 miles and 2¾ furlongs 3 locks
Aqueduct over the A530 9 miles and 3¾ furlongs 3 locks
Flea Lane Bridge No 28 9 miles and 5¼ furlongs 3 locks
Long Lane Bridge No 29 9 miles and 6 furlongs 3 locks
Middlewich Visitor Moorings (Middlewich Branch)
The VMs start east of [Flea Lane Bridge No 28] and continue east, in three lengths (between the bridges) up to west of [St Annes Bridge No 31].
9 miles and 6½ furlongs 3 locks
Ettens Bridge No 30 9 miles and 7 furlongs 3 locks
St Annes Bridge No 31 9 miles and 7½ furlongs 3 locks
Wardle Lock No 4
Junction of Trent and Mersey Canal, Wardle Lock Branch and Shropshire Union Canal, Middlewich Branch
10 miles 3 locks
 
 
Maps
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External websites
  The Badger Inn Church Minshull — associated with The Badger Inn
Public House
 Aqueduct Marina — associated with Aqueduct Marina
 
Wikipedia

Wikipedia has a page about Shropshire Union Canal

The Shropshire Union Canal, nicknamed the "Shroppie", is a navigable canal in England. The Llangollen and Montgomery canals are the modern names of branches of the Shropshire Union (SU) system and lie partially in Wales.

The canal lies in the counties of Staffordshire, Shropshire and Cheshire in the north-west English Midlands. It links the canal system of the West Midlands, at Wolverhampton, with the River Mersey and Manchester Ship Canal at Ellesmere Port, Cheshire, 66 miles (106 km) distant.

The "SU main line" runs southeast from Ellesmere Port on the River Mersey to the Staffordshire and Worcestershire Canal at Autherley Junction in Wolverhampton. Other links are to the Llangollen Canal (at Hurleston Junction), the Middlewich Branch (at Barbridge Junction), which itself connects via the Wardle Canal with the Trent and Mersey Canal, and the River Dee (in Chester). With two connections to the Trent and Mersey (via the Middlewich Branch and the Staffordshire and Worcestershire Canal) the SU is part of an important circular and rural holiday route called the Four Counties Ring.

The SU main line was the last trunk narrow canal route to be built in England. It was not completed until 1835 and was the last major civil engineering accomplishment of Thomas Telford.

The name "Shropshire Union" comes from the amalgamation of the various component companies (Ellesmere Canal, Birmingham and Liverpool Junction Canal, Montgomeryshire Canal) that came together to form the Shropshire Union Railways and Canal Company. The main line between Nantwich and Autherley Junction was almost built as a railway although eventually it was decided to construct it as a waterway.

Other Wikipedia pages that might relate to Shropshire Union Canal
[Shropshire Canal] The Shropshire Canal was a tub boat canal built to supply coal, ore and limestone to the industrial region of east Shropshire, England, that adjoined [Shropshire Union Railways and Canal Company] The Shropshire Union Railways and Canal Company was a Company in England, formed in 1846, which managed several canals and railways. It intended to convert [Shropshire Union Canal Society] The Shropshire Union Canal Society is an organisation formed to promote interest in and enhance the Shropshire Union Canal system, in England and Wales [Listed buildings in Church Eaton] Easton, High Onn, and Marston, and the surrounding countryside. The Shropshire Union Canal passes through the parish, and a high proportion of the listed buildings [Sandstone Trail] Willeymoor locks on the Shropshire Union Canal Grindley Brook, staircase lock on the Llangollen branch of the Shropshire Union Canal On the clearest of days [Llangollen Canal] navigable feeder, both of which became part of the Shropshire Union Canals in 1846. The Ellesmere Canal was proposed by industrialists at Ruabon and Brymbo [Shropshire] Shropshire Union Canal. The Shropshire Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty covers about a quarter of the county, mainly in the south. Shropshire [Ellesmere Canal] these were eventually incorporated into the Chester Canal, Montgomery Canal and Shropshire Union Canal. Although several major civil engineering feats were [Shrewsbury Canal] The Shrewsbury Canal (or Shrewsbury and Newport Canal) was a canal in Shropshire, England. Authorised in 1793, the main line from Trench to Shrewsbury
 
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