Norbury Junction facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Norbury Junction
Norbury Junction in 2008
Specifications
Status	No longer a junction
Navigation authority	Canal & River Trust
History
Date completed	1835
Date closed	1944

Norbury Junction is a place where two canals once met. It is located about 1 kilometre (0.6 miles) south-east of Norbury, in Staffordshire, England. The junction first opened in 1835. It was an important spot for boats. It closed in 1944, but the main part of the Shropshire Union Canal still flows through this area today.

History of Norbury Junction

Building the Canals

The Birmingham and Liverpool Junction Canal was approved by a special law in 1825. This new canal aimed to connect the Ellesmere and Chester Canal at Nantwich with the Staffordshire and Worcestershire Canal at Autherley Junction. Thomas Telford, a very famous engineer, designed this canal.

Unlike older canals, Telford's design used deep cuts through hills and high banks (called embankments). This allowed the canal to follow a straighter path. Norbury was roughly halfway along this new route. North of Norbury, the canal went through a deep area called Grub Street Cutting.

Challenges in Construction

Building the canal was not always easy. South of Norbury, Telford's first plan could not be used. A local landowner, Lord Anson, did not want the canal to cross his land. So, engineers had to build a very large embankment, called Shelmore embankment. This huge bank starts just below where the junction would be. It even has two road tunnels going through it.

Shelmore embankment was hard to build because the soil kept slipping. It took five and a half years to finish. This part was finally ready in January 1835. This was six months after Thomas Telford had passed away.

Connecting the Canals

The Shrewsbury Canal was approved much earlier, in 1793. It connected Shrewsbury to the Wombridge Canal at Trench. This canal was part of a smaller group of canals in East Shropshire. These canals were separate from the main canal network at first.

In 1827, the Birmingham and Liverpool Junction Canal and the Shrewsbury Canal discussed joining up. But building problems on the main canal delayed this plan until 1831. A link from Wappenshall Junction to Newport opened in January 1835. The final section, which included seventeen locks leading up to Norbury Junction, opened in March 1835. The main canal line also opened at the same time.

The Shropshire Union Network

In 1846, the Ellesmere and Chester company joined with the Birmingham and Liverpool Junction company. They also took over most of the East Shropshire canals. This created the larger Shropshire Union network. Norbury Junction continued to be a busy place for boats.

The End of the Junction

Norbury Junction kept operating until 1944. At that time, the Shrewsbury Canal and many other parts of the Shropshire Union network were closed down. This happened because of a special law. The London, Midland and Scottish Railway company, which had owned the canals since 1922, wanted to focus on railways. Railways were becoming the main way to transport goods.

Norbury Junction Today

What You Can Find There

The small village near the junction is named after it. The first lock on the Newport Branch of the canal has been changed into a dry-dock. This is a place where boats can be taken out of the water for repairs.

At Norbury Junction, you can find a pub called the Junction Inn. There is also a boatyard with many services for boaters. You can visit the Old Wharf Tearoom for refreshments. The Canal & River Trust also has a maintenance depot here. They help look after the canals.

The Canal's Path

The junction is located in the middle of a long, flat section of the canal. To the north, this flat section stretches for about 16 kilometres (9.9 miles) to Tyrley Top Lock. From there, a series of 25 locks go down to Nantwich. To the south, the flat section is about 12.4 kilometres (7.7 miles) long. It reaches Wheaton Aston lock, which raises the canal level a little. This is the only lock before the final junction at Atherley. A very short part of the old Shrewsbury Canal still exists. It goes up to the dry dock and is used for private boat moorings.

Norbury Canal Festival

A Fun Community Event

Since 2004, the Shrewsbury & Newport Canals Trust has worked with the Norbury village community. They also team up with the Junction Inn to organize the May Bank Holiday Canal Festival. This festival is a fun event for everyone.

Activities at the Festival

During the festival, many boat traders gather. You can see modern narrowboats and old, restored working boats. Visitors often get to look inside some of the boats. This shows what life is like living on the water.

The festival also has many stalls selling different things. There are refreshments to enjoy and boat trips along the canal. In recent years, Windmill Broadcasting has been at the event. You can also find a fairground, a bouncy castle, and a WI tea stall. It's a great way to learn about canals and have fun!