List of locks on the Grand Union Canal facts for kids
The Grand Union Canal is a very long waterway in England, connecting London and Birmingham. It's like a watery highway for boats! To help boats travel up and down hills, canals use special structures called locks. A lock is like a water elevator that raises or lowers boats from one water level to another.
This article lists all the locks you'll find on the Grand Union Canal and its smaller branches.
Contents
Grand Union Canal Main Line Locks
The main part of the Grand Union Canal stretches from Salford Junction in Birmingham all the way to Brentford in London. Most of the locks on this main line are wide enough for two narrowboats side-by-side (about 14 feet wide). However, some locks in Birmingham (from Lock 52 to 64) are narrower, only about 7 feet wide.
The locks are numbered starting from Braunston. The numbers go up as you travel north towards Birmingham (up to Lock 64) and also as you travel south towards London (up to Lock 101).
Locks from Salford Junction to Napton
Here are the locks you'll find when heading south from Salford Junction towards Napton:
34 feet 5 inches 41 feet 8 inches 7 feet 0 inches 21 feet 0 inches 6 feet 7 inches 6 feet 11 inches 26 feet 9 inches 6 feet 7 inches 16 feet 2 inches
| Lock number | Lock name | Change in water level (heading south) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 64 | Nechells Shallow Lock or Salford Shallow Lock | – | This lock is only 7 feet wide. Its gates have been removed. |
| 59 – 63 | Garrison Locks or Saltley Locks | These five locks are also 7 feet wide. Between Lock 59 and Lock 57, you'll find Bordesley Junction, which connects to the Digbeth Branch. | |
| 58 | Stop lock Digbeth branch | – | This lock is no longer in use. |
| 52 – 57 | Camp Hill Locks | These six locks are 7 feet wide. | |
| 47 – 51 | Knowle Locks | –41 feet 10 inches | Between Lock 47 and Lock 46 (Hatton Top Lock), there's Kingswood Junction, which connects to the Stratford-upon-Avon Canal. |
| 46 | Hatton Top Lock | –146 feet 6 inches | |
| 27 – 45 | Hatton Locks | This is a famous flight of 21 locks, often called the "Stairway to Heaven" because there are so many close together! | |
| 26 | Hatton Bottom Lock | Between Lock 26 and Lock 25 (Cape Top Lock), you'll find Budbrooke Junction, which connects to the Saltiford Arm. | |
| 24 – 25 | Cape Locks | –14 feet 4 inches | |
| 23 | Radford Bottom Lock | ||
| 20 – 22 | Fosse Locks | ||
| 19 | Wood Lock | ||
| 18 | Welsh Road Lock | ||
| 14 – 17 | Bascote Locks | Locks 14 and 15 are a special type called a staircase lock, where one lock leads directly into the next without a long canal section in between. | |
| 13 | Itchington Bottom Lock | ||
| 5 – 12 | Stockton Locks | +54 feet 7 inches | |
| 4 | Stockton Top Lock | ||
| 1 – 3 | Calcut Locks | Between Lock 1 (Calcut Top Lock) and Lock 1 (Braunston Bottom Lock), you'll find Napton Junction (connecting to the Oxford Canal south) and Braunston Junction (connecting to the Oxford Canal north). |
Locks from Braunston to Brentford
After the section with no locks between Napton and Braunston, the canal continues south towards London.
1 foot 1 inch 6 feet 11 inches 20 feet 3 inches 6 feet 8 inches 7 feet 6 inches 6 feet 9 inches 7 feet 1 inch 6 feet 9 inches 14 feet 3 inches 20 feet 4 inches 14 feet 4 inches 42 feet 3 inches
| Lock number | Lock name | Change in water level (heading south) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Braunston Bottom Lock | +35 feet 6 inches | |
| 2 – 5 | Braunston Lock Flight | ||
| 6 | Braunston Top Lock | Between Lock 6 (Braunston Top Lock) and Lock 7 (Buckby Top Lock), there's Norton Junction, which connects to the Leicester Section. | |
| 7 | Buckby Top Lock | –63 feet 0 inches | |
| 8 – 12 | Buckby Lock Flight | ||
| 13 | Buckby Bottom Lock | Between Lock 13 (Buckby Bottom Lock) and Stoke Bruerne Locks (14), you'll find Gayton Junction, which connects to the Northampton Arm. | |
| 14 – 15 | Stoke Bruerne Locks | –16 feet 0 inches | |
| 16 – 20 | Stoke Bruerne Locks | –40 feet 0 inches | |
| 21 | Cosgrove Lock | –3 feet 4 inches | |
| 22 | Fenny Stratford Lock | ||
| 23 | Stoke Hammond Lock | ||
| 24 – 26 | Soulbury Three Locks | ||
| 27 | Leighton Lock | ||
| 28 | Grove Lock | ||
| 29 | Church Lock | ||
| 30 | Slapton Lock | ||
| 31 | Horton Lock | ||
| 32 – 33 | Ivinghoe Locks | ||
| 34 – 36 | Seabrook Locks | ||
| 37 – 38 | Marsworth Locks | Between Lock 38 and Lock 39, there's Marsworth Junction, which connects to the Aylesbury Arm. | |
| 39 – 45 | Marsworth Locks | This area is near Bulbourne, which is the highest point of the canal, about 473 feet above the Thames Locks. | |
| 46 | Cowroast Lock | –6 feet 0 inches | Between Lock 45 (Marsworth Lock) and Lock 46 (Cow Roast Lock), you'll find Bulbourne Junction, which connects to the Wendover Arm. |
| 47 – 48 | Dudswell Locks | –13 feet 4 inches | |
| 49 | Northchurch Lock | –26 feet 11 inches | These are part of the Northchurch Locks group. |
| 50 | Bushes Lock | ||
| 51 | Gas 1 Lock | ||
| 52 | Gas 2 Lock | ||
| 53 | Berkhamsted Lock | –16 feet 10 inches | These are part of the Berkhamsted Locks group. |
| 54 | Ravens Lock | ||
| 55 | Rising Sun Lock | ||
| 56 | Top Side Lock | –19 feet 4 inches | These are part of the Bourne End Locks group. |
| 57 | Bottom Side Lock | ||
| 58 | Sewer Lock | ||
| 59 | Bourne End Bottom Lock | –7 feet 4 inches | |
| 60 | Winkwell Lock | –13 feet 7 inches | |
| 61 | Winkwell Bottom Lock | ||
| 62 | Boxmoor Top Lock | –6 feet 8 inches | |
| 63 | Fishery Lock | –7 feet 1 inch | |
| 64 | Boxmoor Lock | –7 feet 1 inch | |
| 65 – 67 | Apsley Locks | –16 feet 0 inches | |
| 68 | Nash Mills Lock | –12 feet 2 inches | These are part of the Nash Mills Locks group. |
| 69 | Red Lion Lock | ||
| 69A | Kings Langley Lock | –8 feet 9 inches | |
| 70 | Home Park Lock | –5 feet 2 inches | |
| 71 | North Grove Lock | –6 feet 11 inches | |
| 72 – 73 | Hunton Bridge Locks | –11 feet 2 inches | |
| 74 | Lady Capel's Lock | –5 feet 4 inches | |
| 75 – 76 | Cassiobury Park Locks | –10 feet 0 inches | |
| 77 | Iron Bridge Lock | –9 feet 4 inches | |
| 78 | Cassio Bridge Lock | –9 feet 0 inches | |
| 79 | Common Moor Lock | –9 feet 5 inches | |
| 80 | Lot Mead Lock | –6 feet 3 inches | |
| 81 | Batchworth Lock | –6 feet 8 inches | |
| 82 | Stocker's Lock | –5 feet 2 inches | |
| 83 | Springwell Lock | –7 feet 11 inches | |
| 84 | Copper Mill Lock | –5 feet 10 inches | |
| 85 | Black Jack's Lock | –3 feet 8 inches | |
| 86 | Widewater Lock | –8 feet 0 inches | |
| 87 | Denham Deep Lock | –11 feet 1 inch | |
| 88 | Uxbridge Lock | –4 feet 7 inches | |
| 89 | Cowley Lock | –6 feet 6 inches | Between Lock 89 (Cowley Lock) and Lock 90 (Norwood Top Lock), you'll find Cowley Peach Junction (connecting to the Slough Arm) and Bulls Bridge Junction (connecting to the Paddington Arm). Neither of these arms have locks! |
| 90 | Norwood Top Lock | –7 feet 10 inches | |
| 91 – 97 | Hanwell Locks | –53 feet 2 inches | |
| 98 | Osterley Lock | –5 feet 7 inches | |
| 99 | Clitheroe's Lock | –7 feet 7 inches | |
| 100 | Brentford Gauging Locks | –5 feet 6 inches | |
| 101 | Thames Locks | Tidal | This lock connects the canal to the River Thames, which has changing water levels due to the tides. |
Grand Union Canal Branches
The Grand Union Canal has several smaller waterways that branch off from the main line. These are called "arms" or "branches."
- The Paddington Arm and the Slough Arm are special because they have no locks at all!
- The Wendover Arm Canal has just one stop lock.
- The Aylesbury Arm has 16 locks. You can learn more about them from the Aylesbury Canal Society.
- The Leicester Branch has 59 locks and connects from Norton Junction all the way to the River Trent.
- The Welford Arm, which branches off the Leicester Branch, has one lock called Welford Lock. It raises boats by 3 feet 6 inches.
- The Northampton Arm has 17 locks and goes from Gayton Junction down to the River Nene.
Locks on the Leicester Branch
This branch starts at Norton Junction and heads north.
| Lock number | Lock name | Change in water level (heading north) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Watford Bottom Lock | +52 feet 6 inches | |
| 2 – 7 | Watford Locks | Locks 3 to 6 are staircase locks, meaning they are built right next to each other. | |
| 8 – 17 | Foxton Locks | –75 feet 0 inches | These are very famous! They are two sets of five staircase locks each, making a total of ten locks. |
| 18 | Kibworth Top Lock | –7 feet 7 inches | |
| 19 | Kibworth Second (or Gas Pipe) Lock | –7 feet 2 inches | |
| 20 | Taylor's Turnover Lock | –5 feet 5 inches | |
| 21 | Pywell's Lock | –7 feet 5 inches | |
| 22 | Crane's Lock | –5 feet 9 inches | |
| 23 | Newton Top Lock | –5 feet 6 inches | |
| 24 | Spinney Lock | –6 feet 9 inches | |
| 25 | Top Half Mile Lock | –7 feet 2 inches | |
| 26 | Bottom Half Mile Lock | –6 feet 9 inches | |
| 27 | Turnover Lock | –7 feet 5 inches | |
| 28 | Tythorne Lock | –6 feet 9 inches | |
| 29 | Bumblebee Lock | –6 feet 2 inches | |
| 30 | Kilby Lock | –6 feet 4 inches | |
| 31 | Double Rail Lock | –7 feet 9 inches | |
| 32 | Ervin's Lock | –7 feet 0 inches | |
| 33 | Bush Lock | –7 feet 7 inches | |
| 34 | Dunn's Lock | –6 feet 4 inches | |
| 35 | Whetstone Lane Lock | –6 feet 4 inches | |
| 36 | Gee's Lock | –7 feet 2 inches | |
| 37 | Blue Banks Lock | –7 feet 2 inches | |
| 38 | Kings Lock | –7 feet 9 inches | |
| 39 | Aylestone Mill Lock | –6 feet 5 inches | |
| 40 | St Mary's Mill Lock | –3 feet 6 inches | |
| 41 | Freeman's Meadow Lock | –6 feet 5 inches | |
| 42 | North Lock | –4 feet 7 inches | |
| 43 | Limekiln Lock | –4 feet 3 inches | |
| 44 | Belgrave Lock | –3 feet 11 inches | This lock connects the canal to the River Soar. |
| 45 | Birstall Lock | –3 feet 4 inches | |
| 46 | Thurmaston Lock | –3 feet 2 inches | This lock leaves the River Soar. |
| 47 | Junction Lock | –4 feet 9 inches | |
| 48 | Cossington Lock | –5 feet 3 inches | This lock joins the River Soar again. |
| 49 | Sileby Lock | –4 feet 6 inches | |
| 50 | Mountsorrel Lock | –4 feet 1 inch | |
| 51 | Barrow Deep Lock | –9 feet 7 inches | |
| 52 | Pilling's Flood Lock | This is a flood lock, used to manage water levels during heavy rain. | |
| 53 | Loughborough Lock | –6 feet 9 inches | |
| 54 | Bishop Meadow Lock | –8 feet 7 inches | |
| 55 | Zouch Lock | –6 feet 4 inches | |
| 56 | Kegworth Deep Lock | –7 feet 9 inches | |
| 57 | Kegworth Shallow (flood) Lock | This is another flood lock. | |
| 58 | Ratcliffe Lock | –6 feet 8 inches | |
| 59 | Redhill Lock (flood lock) | This lock connects to the River Trent. |
The numbering of locks on the Leicester Branch actually continues onto the Erewash Canal, from Lock 60 (Trent Lock) up to Lock 74 at Eastwood.
Locks on the Northampton Arm
The Northampton Arm starts at Gayton Junction and goes downhill towards the River Nene.
| Lock number | Lock name | Change in water level (heading to River Nene) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rothersthorpe Top Lock | –79 feet 10 inches | |
| 2 – 12 | Rothersthorpe Locks | ||
| 13 | Rothersthorpe Bottom Lock | ||
| 14 | Wootton Lock | –6 feet 9 inches | |
| 15 | Hardingstone Lock | –6 feet 3 inches | |
| 16 | Huinsbury Lock | –6 feet 10 inches | |
| 17 | Northampton Lock | –5 feet 0 inches | This lock connects to the River Nene. |
See also
All content from Kiddle encyclopedia articles (including the article images and facts) can be freely used under Attribution-ShareAlike license, unless stated otherwise. Cite this article:
List of locks on the Grand Union Canal Facts for Kids. Kiddle Encyclopedia.