Grand Union Canal (old) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Old Grand Union
The narrows below Welford Lock was once the site of a swing bridge
Specifications
Locks	18
Status	Navigable
Navigation authority	Canal & River Trust
History
Date of act	1810
Geography
Start point	Foxton
End point	Norton Junction, near Long Buckby

The Old Grand Union Canal was an important waterway in England. It connected Foxton, Leicestershire to Norton Junction, near Long Buckby. This junction linked it to the larger Grand Junction Canal. Today, this original canal forms the first 23 miles (37 km) of the Leicester Section. This section is now part of the much bigger and more modern Grand Union Canal.

What's in a Name?

The name "Grand Union" was first used because this canal was an extension. It continued the route of the older Leicestershire and Northamptonshire Union Canal (LNU). It was like a replacement for the southern part of the LNU's planned route.

The name "Grand Union" stayed until 1894. That's when the Grand Junction Canal company bought it. After that, it became known as the Leicester Line of the Grand Junction.

Later, the larger Grand Junction Canal was bought by the Regent's Canal. From January 1, 1929, the entire network became known as the Grand Union Canal. To avoid confusion, the first canal is often called the Old Grand Union.

Building the Canal: A Look Back

In 1793, a law was passed to build the Leicestershire and Northamptonshire Union Canal. This canal aimed to link the Soar Navigation near Leicester to the River Nene near Northampton. This would connect it to the Grand Junction Canal.

• The First Attempts*

The Leicestershire and Northampton Union Canal reached Debdale village by 1797. But they ran out of money. In 1799, an engineer named James Barnes was asked to find a way to connect the canal to the Grand Junction at Braunston.

In 1802, Barnes suggested a new route. He proposed taking the canal to Norton on the Grand Junction. It would also have a branch to Market Harborough. Thomas Telford, another famous engineer, agreed with this idea. By 1809, the canal had only reached Market Harborough. Construction stopped again.

• The Grand Junction Steps In*

The Grand Junction Canal Company was worried about these delays. They wanted the route to the Midlands to open quickly. This route would bring goods from the River Trent and the coalfields of Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire.

So, they asked James Barnes and Thomas Telford to look at the route again. They came up with a plan for a new canal. This canal would connect the built part of the Leicestershire and Northamptonshire Union Canal to the Grand Junction Canal. The Grand Junction Canal had been fully open since 1805.

• Designing for Efficiency*

The Grand Junction company had learned that wide boats caused delays in tunnels. So, they decided the new canal should have narrow locks. But the tunnels and bridges would be wide. This would allow boats to pass each other easily.

• The New Grand Union Canal*

Since the Leicestershire and Northamptonshire route was unfinished, a new law was proposed. This law would allow a new canal, called the Grand Union Canal. It would run from the Leicestershire and Northamptonshire Union Canal at Foxton to Norton on the Grand Junction Canal.

The law was approved on May 24, 1810. It allowed for building a navigable canal from Gumley to near Buckby. It also allowed for a side branch. The company had £245,000 to start. They could raise another £50,000 if needed. Benjamin Bevan was hired as the engineer, and construction began at Foxton.

• Overcoming Challenges*

Building the canal was tricky because of the hilly land. There were no easy river valleys to follow. The route had to twist and turn a lot to stay level. However, it didn't follow the land's curves as strictly as earlier canals.

Engineers avoided the worst detours with cuttings and embankments. They also built two important tunnels. One was 1,528 yards (1,397 m) long at Crick. The other was 1,166 yards (1,066 m) long at Husbands Bosworth. Both were wide enough for narrowboats to pass.

• Building the Locks and Tunnels*

From the Leicestershire and Northamptonshire Union Canal at Foxton, the new canal immediately went up. It climbed through the ten Foxton Locks. This led to its highest point, a 20.5-mile (33.0 km) summit level.

By late 1812, the Foxton locks were finished. The canal to the eastern entrance of Husbands Bosworth Tunnel was opened. The tunnel was completed by May of the next year. This opened up 10 miles (16 km) of the main canal line. About 1 mile (1.6 km) of the branch to Welford also opened then.

Further west, there were problems at Crick. The rocks were not good for tunnelling, and quicksands were found. A new route east of the village was approved. This cost an extra £7,000.

At Watford, the canal went down through the seven Watford Locks. It reached the same height as the Grand Junction Canal's summit. This allowed a level connection at Long Buckby (Norton Junction).

To avoid a deep cut and a short tunnel at Watford, the company bought land from a Mrs. Bennett. This cost £2,000 plus £125 per acre. She made a tough deal. She insisted on having a pleasure boat on the summit level. She also wanted to appoint the Watford lock keeper. This was to ensure he was always polite and protected her property. The company agreed, as long as the lock keeper was qualified.

• Completion and Costs*

The main line of the canal was finished in 1814. It opened on August 9. The 1.6-mile (2.6 km) Welford Arm was completed in November. This arm was mainly a feeder, supplying water from reservoirs.

The whole project cost about £292,000. This went up by another £13,500 the next year. The main line was 23.2 miles (37.3 km) long. It had a level section of 20.5 miles (33.0 km) between the locks at Foxton and Watford. The Old Grand Union Canal also provided more water for the Grand Junction Canal's northern summit.

Becoming Part of a Bigger Network

In the late 1880s, the Grand Junction company looked at the Grand Union Canal. They wanted to improve traffic. Both the Grand Union and the Leicestershire and Northamptonshire Union Canals were willing to sell.

• Negotiations and Sale*

The Grand Junction offered £5,000 for both canals. The canals asked for £25,000, saying their water supplies were valuable. No deal was made then.

In 1893, the Grand Junction met with Mr. Fellows, a shipping company owner. He suggested widening the locks at Foxton and Watford. He also said dredging the canal would help. This would allow large steam boats to compete with railways.

Fellows was offered both canals for £20,000. After more talks, the Grand Junction asked him to buy them as their agent. He negotiated a price of £10,500 for the Grand Union. He paid £6,500 for the Leicestershire and Northamptonshire Union. An extra £250 went to the clerk who worked for both companies.

A law was passed in 1894 to allow the takeover. The ownership changed on September 29. After this, the canal became known as the Leicester Line of the Grand Junction Canal.

• Improvements and Challenges*

The Grand Junction dredged the canals they bought. They also set tolls for traffic passing through. They then talked to Fellows Morton and Clayton again. They brought back plans to allow wide-beam barges on the Grand Union route.

Plans for an inclined plane at Foxton Locks were approved in July 1897. The contract was given to J & H Gwynne & Co. The design was by G.C. Thomas, the Grand Junction Canal's engineer.

The inclined plane had two balanced caissons. Each could hold two narrow boats or one wide-beam barge. It could raise or lower them 75 feet (23 m) in twelve minutes. Using the locks took seventy minutes. The total cost, including land, was £39,224. This also covered an engine house and steam engine to power the plane. The plane opened on July 10, 1900.

Thomas did not want a second inclined plane. So, widening the locks at Watford was approved in early 1900. This was estimated to cost £17,000. But the work was delayed until the Foxton inclined plane was working.

In August, they complained that coal traffic was still dropping. They rebuilt the locks at Watford between November 1901 and February 1902. This cost £5,545, as they were not widened. Wide-beam boats never used the canal.

The inclined plane at Foxton stopped working officially in November 1910. It was taken apart in 1926 and sold for scrap in 1928.

• The New Grand Union Canal Company*

To become more competitive, the Grand Junction company talked to the Regent's Canal company. They decided to form a much larger company. A law was passed in August 1928. This allowed several canals to join together. These included the Regent's Canal and the Grand Junction.

From January 1, 1929, the new company started operating. The Old Grand Union Canal became part of the (new) Grand Union Canal. The company raised £881,000 to widen the route from Birmingham to London. This would allow boats with a 12.5-foot (3.8 m) beam. They also got government money for loans. Work began in 1931.

The company then tried to get money to widen the Foxton and Watford locks. Under a 1931 law, they bought more canals. The estimated cost to widen the two lock flights was £144,000. But the government refused to give money later that year. So, the work was never done.

Places to See Along the Way