LOCAL CANALS

Hawkesbury Junction in the 1950's. Coal was still being worked through here from Griff and Newdigate Collieries on the Coventry Cana to Coventry power station, to coal merchants along the line of the cut. During the first world war it was quicker to send your coal to Coventry by canal because of all the shunting that was needed to get coal along the eight mile stretch to Coventry. If sent by canal you loaded into a barge and the barge would tie up at the coal wharf four hours later. (Geoff Edmands Collection)

Hawkesbury pumping station.

Hawkesbury Junction bridge with the pumping station framed by the archway.

The basin on the Coventry Canal at Coalpit Fields Basin. Working boats are moored up. 28th January 1968. Bedworth Water Tower is visible on the horizon on the right. The Coventry to Nuneaton railway line passes over the bridge in the distance. (Geoff Edmands)

Cottages next to the Ashby Canal at Marston Jabbett.

A much faded copy of the same cottage in the photograph of the above. Look out for a family history of the lock-keeper and his wife shortly.

Judkins Wharf on the Coventry Canal.

There was a great frost in 1909 and the Coventry Canal froze over completely. This scene is at Hartshill and it looks as though a great many people have been enlisted to rock the boat backwards and forwards to break the ice in order to open up a channel for canal traffic. (What would "health and safety" people make of this today!!) The ropes indicate there are two horses being used to tow the barge along. Many thanks to Ray Butler who has kindly written with these observations. (Jean Lapworth Collection)

A lock on the Arbury Canal system. One of the finest private canal systems anywhere in England. (Thomas Courtenay Neath)

Chilvers Coton Canal Wharf before World War One (Jean Lapworth Collection)

The Lady Bridge at Griff over the Griff Arm of the Coventry Canal. (Geoff Edmands)

The main road bridge at Griff Hollows on the Bermuda/Griff arm of the Coventry Canal on 25th February 1955. (Geoff Edmands 1/50:F.11 FP3 film)

The Coventry Canal near the Lady Bridge and the Griff Arm of the canal 28.2.1957 (Geoff Edmands)

A narrow boat leaving the Griff Arm of the Coventry canal through the Lady Bridge 28.2.1957 (Geoff Edmands)

The Bermuda Arm of the Coventry Canal. The bridge carries the Coventry to Nuneaton railway line. (Geoff Edmands)

A wintry view on the Coventry Canal 4th January 1959 near Griff Hollows. Lady Bridge and Griff Arm of the Canal off to the left. (Geoff Edmands)

Coventry Canal 4th January 1959 near Donnithorne Avenue. (Geoff Edmands)

Griff Granity Quarry Wharf before WW1. On the Coventry Canal. (Horace Bull, Ruby Atkins)

The Wharf Inn site on the left , Chilvers Coton. (Peter Lee)

The Griff Arm of the Coventry Canal. An empty barge is turning. The arm remained in use until 1960.

A shunting mishap in the Newdigate Colliery Arm of the Coventry Canal. 1915.

Newdigate coal wharf on the Coventry Canal. (Mike Kinder)

A working barge on the Coventry Canal in the 1960's. Going under the canal bridge at Donithorne Avenue, Nuneaton sometime in the 1960's. (Geoff Edmands)

Working boats turning at the wharf at the bottom of Tomkinson Road, Nuneaton. The wharf on the left used to be the terminus for a tramway from both Haunchwood and Nuneaton collieries until the mid 19th century, after which the tramroad lay derelict for some years. 17th September 1967. (Geoff Edmands)

The Cock & Bear Bridge 17th September 1967. (Geoff Edmands 1/50:F.9 Nr. 4244)

Near the Boot Bridge. 17th September 1967. (Geoff Edmands 1/50:F.9 Nr. 4245)

A barge returns unladen to Griff Colliery under the Coventry Road heading towards the basin near Griff Collieries for loading. (Geoff Edmands)

The original Cat Gallows bridge over the Coventry Canal at Nuneaton.

Hartshill Canal Workshops

Coton Wharf on the Coventry Canal. An 1809 map.

Remains of the Midland Quarry plant next to the Coventry Canal at the bottom of Tuttle Hill, Nuneaton (Alan Cook)

The canal wharf serving Mancetter quarries. This was once accessed by the narrow gauge tramway which discharged stone into the boats here, note the girder bridge in front of the brick road bridge. This carried the railway tracks down to the railway wharf on the Trent Valley Railway. The rotund gentleman I believe is pointing out to Maurice Billington, the photographer, the remains of a narrow gauge tub which has been left to rot in the water. (Maurice Billington)

A canal scene near Nuneaton in the 1950's. (Colin Yorke)

A rather decrepit and decidedly hazardous canal bridge (Wood Bridge nr. 27), on the Coventry Canal, the Caldecote marina now occupies the fields beyond. Thanks to Don Hutcheson for identifying the bridge and its location.