Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
project and was one of the most successful canals. It was later bought by the London, Mid-
land & Scottish Railway, though regular freight traffic stopped in the late 1960s.
Despite the name, the canal never actually comes within sight of the Mersey but follows
the Trent for the greater part of its length. It originally joined the Preston Brook Branch of
the Bridgewater Canal at the northern end of Preston Brook Tunnel. This was subsequently
extended to 1.133km, giving the unique situation of canals joining inside a tunnel. This was
the first major tunnel to be built and is the ninth-longest canal tunnel still in use.
The Anderton Boat Lift links the Trent & Mersey Canal and the Weaver
.
A fairly straight path leads over Preston Brook Tunnel, past a series of vent shafts and the
Tunnel Top public house.
Dutton Stop Lock has a 150mm rise to isolate from the Bridgewater the water of this
long pound, which runs from Middlewich. By Dutton Hall, the canal is 15m above the River
Weaver and Weaver Navigation, looking down on Dutton Locks and to the Dutton Arches of
1836, twenty 18m spans carrying the West Coast Main Line 20m above the river.
At 129m and 174m long, Saltersford and Barnton tunnels follow in quick succession with a
wide reach between them. Tunnelling methods were in their infancy when they were cut and
they are not particularly straight, although at least a segment of light is visible right through.
Tugs were fitted with side wheels to act as fenders.
British Waterways' most difficult rebuild took place opposite the Stanley Arms. The
Anderton Boat Lift was reopened in 2001 after an 18-year closure. This is one of the wonders
of the canal world, the world's first boat lift, and is unique in Britain although it was later
emulated in Belgium, France, Germany and Canada. When the Trent & Mersey was opened,
