Erewash Canal facts for kids
The Erewash Canal is a wide canal in Derbyshire, England. It stretches for almost 12 miles (about 19 kilometers). Along its path, it has 14 locks, which are like water elevators for boats. The very first lock, near Langley Mill, is actually part of the Cromford Canal.
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Building the Erewash Canal
The idea for the Erewash Canal became official in 1777. This happened when a special law, called an Act of Parliament, was passed. John Varley was chosen as the engineer to design the canal. John and James Pinkerton were the main builders.
The canal was finished in 1779. It cost about £21,000 to build back then. This would be like millions of pounds today! From the very beginning, the canal was a big success. It was mainly used to transport coal from mines to towns.
The Erewash Canal stayed busy for a long time. It even did well when railways started to appear. Many other canals closed down because of the new trains. But the Erewash Canal kept going. In 1932, the Grand Union Canal Company took over running it. The canal was still doing well then.
In 1947, the government took control of the canal. By this time, fewer boats were using it. Other canals that connected to it had closed. Also, new ways of transport, like trucks, were becoming popular. The last commercial boat carrying goods used the canal in 1952.
In 1962, the top part of the canal was officially closed. However, it was kept filled with water. This was to make sure the lower part of the canal still had enough water. So, boats could still use the lower sections.
Later, in 1983, a law was passed to improve the canal. About 82 miles (132 km) of canals, including the Erewash, were made better for boats to use. This helped keep the canal open for fun trips.
Shipley Wharf: A Busy Coal Hub
At the start of the 1900s, a place called Shipley Wharf was very busy. It was located just above Shipley Lock. Here, coal was moved from railway wagons onto narrowboats. The railway wagons came down a slope from the Shipley coal mines.
There was an even older railway line here. It connected the Shipley mines to Shipley Wharf. This was used between 1779 and 1796. After 1796, another canal, the Nutbrook Canal, took over this coal transport.
The slope used in the late 1800s was first built in 1848. It connected the Shipley mines to the Midland Railway's Erewash Valley line. It was used for this purpose until 1870.
Later, the Nutbrook Canal had problems with its water supply. So, the railway tracks on the slope were put back. They were extended under two railway lines to reach Shipley Wharf. From 1895 to 1942, coal was loaded onto narrowboats here.
The railway tracks at the wharf were shaped like a triangle. Coal wagons rolled down the slope using gravity. They were then connected to a long rope. This rope was moved by a steam engine in the middle of the triangle. The rope went around three large wheels. One wheel was on the Erewash Canal's aqueduct, which crossed the Erewash River. Another was under a bridge, and the third was near Eastwood Lock. This system allowed the coal wagons to be brought right next to the wharf. There, their coal could be emptied directly into waiting narrowboats.
Eastwood Colliery: A Mine with Many Connections
Eastwood Colliery was a coal mine located in a narrow space. It was between the Nottingham Canal and the Erewash Canal. It was just above the Erewash Canal's Eastwood Lock.
This mine was first owned by Doctor Manson. Later, it was taken over by Barber Walker and Company. The mine had great transport links. It had a railway line from the Great Northern Railway. This line left the main railway near Newthorpe and Greasley railway station.
Eastwood Colliery also had a railway line from the Midland Railway. This line connected to the Erewash Valley line at Shipley Gate. You can still see parts of the raised ground where these railway lines once ran. The stone supports for the Midland Railway's old wooden bridge are still visible. This bridge was once directly below Eastwood Lock.
Because of these connections, the colliery had many ways to send out its coal. It could use two canals and two railways. The Great Northern Railway line crossed the Nottingham Canal using a swing bridge. This railway bridge is no longer there. However, a walking bridge built next to it is still used today. The mine closed around 1884. This was because too much water was getting into the mine underground.
The Erewash Canal Today
The Erewash Canal starts from the River Trent at Trent Lock. It then flows through the town of Long Eaton. After Long Eaton, it runs mostly next to the River Erewash. It passes by places like Sandiacre and Ilkeston. The canal crosses the Erewash River near Eastwood.
The canal finally ends at the Langley Mill basin. Here, it meets the Nottingham Canal and the Cromford Canal. Both of these canals are not currently used for boats.
In 1968, a group called the Erewash Canal Preservation & Development Association (ECP&DA) was formed. They wanted to save the canal. The British Waterways Board had planned to close it. One of the ECP&DA's big successes was reopening the Great Northern Basin at Langley Mill. This basin is where the Cromford, Erewash, and Nottingham Canals all meet.
A company called Langley Mill Boat Company started in 1974. They are based at the Great Northern Basin. They have cleared and refilled a small part of the Cromford Canal. This section is now connected to the basin. Today, the Erewash Canal is fully open. It is often used by people enjoying boat trips.
In Long Eaton, many pleasure boats use the canal. The factories along the northern side of the town are no longer connected to the waterway. Fences now separate them from the canal.
However, these factories only block the western side of the canal. The towpath, which is a path for walking, runs along the eastern side. This towpath is part of Route 67 of the National Cycle Network. This cycle route follows the canal between Lawrence Street and Stanton Lock. At Stanton Lock, the cycle route turns off to follow the Nutbrook Valley.
The canal is also regularly filled with fish for people who like to fish. You can often see many anglers (people fishing) along the eastern towpath.
Canal Vandalism During Lockdown
On May 29, 2020, the canal owners shared some bad news. During the COVID-19 lockdown, some people had damaged the canal. They had clamped open the locks on weekends. This caused a section of the canal, between Dockholme Lock and Long Eaton Lock, to empty out.
The owners said that this damage had harmed many fish. Some fish died, and others had trouble breathing. Bird nests were also washed away. The Derbyshire Police started an investigation into these acts.
