Arch Bridge 78b Over The Rochdale Canal - Failsworth, UK - Stone Bridges on Waymarking.com

The Rochdale canal is 32 miles long and connects Manchester on the west side of the Pennine Hills and Sowerby Bridge on the east side.

It was completed in 1804 and is one of three canals that cross the Pennine hills. This is the only one that doesn’t use a summit tunnel. In addition it was a broad canal with bridges and locks that allowed boats of 14 feet width to pass through.

The one downside of not using a summit tunnel is that it originally had 92 locks. These days two of them have been combined into one deep lock.

Competition from railways and roads subsequently led to a decline in goods being carried and by 1937 the only section left in operation was at the Manchester end of the canal.

In 1965 there was talk of abandoning the canal but by this time leisure boating had become very popular in the UK and there was a campaign to keep it open. Work was started and the canal slowly re-opened in a number of different stages. The whole length finally reopened in 2002.

The bridge crosses the tail of the lock near to the bottom gates and gives access to both sides of the canal for boat users to operate the lock, but also acts as a footpath across the canal connecting George Street and Woodhall Street.

Foot bridges are often built across locks because the canal is always at its narrowest at these points making them easier and cheaper to build.

Physical Location (city, county, etc.): Failsworth, Greater Manchester Road, Highway, Street, etc.: Public footpath Water or other terrain spanned: The Rochdale Canal Architect/Builder: Not listed Construction Date: Not listed

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