Glasgow, Paisley and Johnstone Canal facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Glasgow, Paisley and Johnstone Canal |
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Remains of the canal at Ferguslie Mill
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| Specifications | |
| Status | converted to railway |
| History | |
| Original owner | Glasgow, Paisley and Ardrossan Canal Co |
| Date of act | 1806 |
| Date completed | 1811 |
| Date closed | 1881 |
| Geography | |
| Start point | Glasgow |
| End point | Johnstone |
The Glasgow, Paisley and Ardrossan Canal was a waterway in western Scotland. It connected the cities of Glasgow, Paisley, and Johnstone. Even though it was called the "Ardrossan Canal," it never actually reached Ardrossan. The canal's main stops were Port Eglinton in Glasgow and Thorn Brae in Johnstone. Later, parts of the canal were turned into a railway line.
Building the Canal
Why a Canal Was Needed
Back in 1791, a man named Hugh Montgomerie, 12th Earl of Eglinton first suggested building this canal. He wanted to link the busy towns of Glasgow, Paisley, and Johnstone to his new deep-sea port at Ardrossan. He also wanted to connect his coal mines in Ayrshire.
At that time, roads were not very good for carrying heavy loads. Also, the River Clyde near Glasgow was too shallow for large ships. So, a canal was seen as the best way to move goods and people.
Designing the Waterway
Famous engineers like John Rennie and Thomas Telford helped design the canal. Their original plan had three parts. The first part was an 11-mile (18 km) "contour canal." This type of canal follows the natural shape of the land, so it stays level and doesn't need any locks. This makes travel fast and saves water.
The second part would have used 8 locks to lift boats up to a higher point near Johnstone. The third part would have used 13 more locks to bring the canal down to sea level at Ardrossan. If completed, the canal would have been almost 33 miles (53 km) long. It was planned to be 30 feet (9.1 m) wide at the top and 18 feet (5.5 m) wide at the bottom, with a depth of 4 feet 6 inches (1.37 m).
Starting Construction
The company that owned the canal was officially approved by Act of Parliament in 1806. This allowed them to raise money by selling shares. Construction began in 1807.
The first boat, a passenger boat called The Countess of Eglinton, was launched on October 31, 1810. At first, the passenger service only ran between Paisley and Johnstone. The full section to Glasgow's Port Eglinton was finished in 1811.
However, the plans to extend the canal all the way to Ardrossan were stopped. Building the first 11 miles (18 km) cost a lot more than expected. There wasn't enough money left to finish the rest of the project.
How the Canal Worked
Main Locations
The canal started at Port Eglinton in Glasgow. An inn was built there in 1816. There was also a wharf (a platform for loading and unloading boats) on the White Cart near Crookston Castle. The canal also had special basins for boats in Paisley and Johnstone.
Passenger Boats
The canal became very popular for carrying passengers. In the 1830s, long, shallow boats made of wrought iron started running regularly. These boats could carry about sixty passengers. They traveled about 12 miles (19 km) at an average speed of 8 miles per hour (13 km/h), even with stops. Sometimes, they reached speeds of 10 miles per hour (16 km/h). Even at these speeds, they didn't damage the canal banks.
These fast boats were called "swift boats" or "fly-boats." They were 70 feet (21 m) long and 6 feet (1.8 m) wide. With 90 passengers, they only sank about 19 inches (48 cm) into the water. The boats were pulled by teams of two horses, which were changed every 4 miles (6.4 km). They could travel the 7.75 miles (12.47 km) between Glasgow and Paisley in just 50 minutes.
Moving Goods
Carrying goods was also a big part of the canal's business. Companies paid a fee to use the canal. For example, stone, dirt, and animal waste cost 2 pence per mile per ton. Coal and lime cost 3 pence per mile per ton. Bricks, tiles, and metals cost 5 pence per mile per ton. In 1840, the canal moved about 76,000 long tons (77,000 t) of goods.
Money Matters
Building the canal was very expensive. Because of the high costs, the canal company never made enough money to pay out profits to its shareholders. Even after 20 years, the company still had a large debt.
Canal vs. Railway
The Ardrossan Railway
In 1827, the canal company got permission to build a railway from the Johnstone canal basin to Ardrossan. They started building the railway from Ardrossan and reached Kilwinning before running out of money again. This railway was owned by the canal company. It used horses to pull carriages with up to 22 people.
Competition and Closure
Over time, the River Clyde was made deeper. This meant large ships could sail directly to the center of Glasgow. This made the canal less important for moving goods to and from Ardrossan.
In 1840, a new railway line opened, called the Glasgow, Paisley, Kilmarnock and Ayr Railway. This railway competed directly with the canal. Even though the canal tried to compete for many years, it was eventually bought by the Glasgow and South Western Railway Company in 1869.
In 1881, a special law was passed that closed the canal. Much of the canal's path was then used to build the Paisley Canal Line railway.
The Canal Becomes a Railway
The Paisley Canal Line
When the canal closed, its route was used for the new Paisley Canal railway line. This railway line still crosses the River Cart Aqueduct. This makes the former aqueduct the oldest railway bridge in the world that is still being used today!
Changes to the Railway Line
The Paisley Canal railway line stopped carrying passengers in 1983. The train tracks between Elderslie and the original Paisley Canal Station were removed in 1986. That old station even became a restaurant!
However, in 1990, passenger trains started running again on a section of the line. This new service goes from Glasgow Central station to a new Paisley Canal station. Many parts of the old railway path beyond Paisley have now been turned into a walking and cycling path by an organization called Sustrans.
Where to See the Old Canal Today
You can still see short parts of the original canal in the Millarston and Ferguslie Mills area of Paisley. Some houses in Tenters Way and Cromptons Grove face these old canal sections. You can also spot traces of the old canal in fields between Hawkhead and Rosshall.
