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| Brindley's 1772
Birmingham Main Line canal terminates at Aldersley Junction after a decent
of 132 feet through 21 well maintained locks. Sounds like hard work but
seems some what less exhausting as one would imagine. Aldersley Junction
is a unexpectedly rural junction with the Staffordshire and Worcester Canal
not like the Birmingham Main Line which is accompanied along most of its
route by the Black Country's industrial heritage. There are two very attractive
bridges at this junction. The first is the Aldersely Junction Bridge which
is situated immediatey at the mouth of the B'ham Main Line and at the foot
of lock 21. The second bridge is Aldersley bridge which spans the Staffs
&Worcester. |
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| Aldersley Junction: A Hire boat
turns into the Birmingham Main Line Canal . A head of it is Aldersley Junction
Bridge and a flight of 21 locks. |
Heading towards Aldersley Junction
on the Stafford and Worcester Canal |
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| Heading away fron Aldersley
Junction and on towards Autherley Junction where
access to the Shropshire Union canal can be obtained. A little away a long
this stretch is Oxley Marina and boatyard. Services are available here as
well as at Autherley. |
I should imagine it is a rarther
pleasent feeling when approaching this lock as it is the final lock (21)
if you are locking down the flight. However if you are locking up - well
only 20 more to go..... |
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Above
left: Jordan bridge between locks eight and nine. The tow path
is in very good condition here and its a very pleasent walk down to the
junction.
Right: This
is lock 20 an addition lock. Brindley only provided 20 chambers, but the
last was so deep that it caused water shortages. In 1784 the bottom lock
was reduced in depth and lock 21 was constructed. It gives away its identity
by only having one bottom gate. |
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Above
Left: The marker point at the Junction a typical BCN style sign
post directing the way to quite a busy junction.
Left: Aldersley
bridge spanning the Staffs & Worcester. This stretch leads to Autherley
Junction which is approximateley a mile away. This being the junction
of the Staffs & Worcester and the Shropshire Union canal and the location
of Autherley lock. |
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Tour nearby Autherley
Junction or Bratch Locks |
