Peak Forest Canal

The Peak Forest Canal runs from a junction with the Ashton Canal at the southern end of the Tame Aqueduct at Dukinfield through Newton, Hyde, Woodley, Romiley, Marple, Strines, Disley, New Mills, Furness Vale and Bridgemont to terminate at Bugsworth Basin (the village is now called Buxworth) and there is a short branch at Bridgemont to Whaley Bridge. This canal, which is just over 14.5 miles long, forms part of the British inland waterways network.

Related Topics:
Ashton Canal - Tame Aqueduct - Dukinfield - Newton - Hyde - Woodley - Romiley - Marple - Strines - Disley - New Mills - Furness Vale - Bridgemont - Bugsworth Basin - Buxworth - Whaley Bridge

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At Marple, the canal crosses Marple Aqueduct and then rises through 16 locks and at Top Lock there is a junction with the Macclesfield Canal.

Related Topics:
Marple Aqueduct - Macclesfield Canal

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It was authorised by Act of Parliament in 1794 and its purpose was to provide an outlet for the vast limestone deposits around Dove Holes. As Dove Holes is over 1,000 feet above sea level, the canal was terminated in basin at Bugsworth and the line was continued up to the quarries by means of a gravity operated feeder tramway, known as the Peak Forest Tramway, which was six miles long.

Related Topics:
1794 - Dove Holes - Peak Forest Tramway

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The construction of the canal and tramway was promoted by Samuel Oldknow with much of the finance being provided by Richard Arkwright Junior of Cromford, Derbyshire. The line was surveyed by Thomas Brown and the consulting engineer and resident engineer were Benjamin Outram and Thomas Brown, respectively.

Related Topics:
Samuel Oldknow - Richard Arkwright Junior - Thomas Brown - Benjamin Outram

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The upper level of the canal and tramway opened for trade on the 31 August 1796 and Bugsworth Basin soon became a bustling interchange between the tramway and canal. Here, limestone brought down the tramway was either put into boats to be taken to Manchester and beyond or it was put into lime kilns to be burnt to produce quick lime. The trade in limestone and quick lime (also known as burnt lime), as well as the transport of coal into the basin for firing the kilns, accounted for the greatest proportion of the Canal Company's income.

Related Topics:
31 August - 1796 - Bugsworth Basin - Manchester

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With the coming of the railways, the canal began to lose its business and in the 1920s the Peak Forest Tramway and Bugsworth Basin closed. Later, the lower level of the canal and Marple locks fell into disuse but these were restored by volunteers, led by the Peak Forest Canal Society, in the late 1960s and early 1970s and they reopened on the 1 April 1974 along with the Ashton Canal, which had also become disused.

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