
Our next stop was Leigh where we stopped for lunch and a Tesco run. The Tesco is new and doesn’t seem to appear on any guide or map. After Leigh we changed from the Leigh Branch and The Canals and River Trust to the Bridgewater Canal which is owned and operated by the Manchester Ship Canal Company in conjunction with the Bridgewater Canal Trust. It was only a short hop to Worsley where we had decided to stop for the night. As the canal passes through Worsley, iron oxide from the mines has, for many years, stained the water bright orange.
Opened on 17th July 1761, the Bridgewater Canal has a special place in history as the first canal in Britain to be built without following an existing watercourse, perhaps more importantly it was used as a model for those that followed it.
The Bridgewater Canal was constructed to transport the Duke of Bridgewater's coal from his mine at Worsley. Coal was needed in large quantities to fuel the industrial revolution, the canal enabled coal and other goods to be transported efficiently and cheaply to the rapidly expanding towns and cities.

The underground canal was constructed from Worsley Delph, an old sandstone quarry near Worsley Brook. At one time a million tons of coal a year passed through this tunnel. To relieve congestion a second tunnel was constructed which met with the original about 500 yards in.

Specially designed boats were used in the tunnels. These were only four and a half feet wide with protruding ribbed sides and so were given the nickname of "starvationers". These were loaded with coal at the coal face, were hauled from level to level on the inclined plane and brought the coal out onto the canal. The remains of one of these boats can be seen near the entrance to the tunnels at Worsley Delph.
It was weigh day today and I’ve lost 4lbs in a week!! There have been lots of locks to do in the last few days so I guess that has helped. Still I am really pleased :-)
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