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Two horse riders pass under the Shropshire Union Canal which is on high embankment south of Norbury Junction. Difficulties in construction of the long Shelmore embankment delayed the full opening of the Shropshire Union Canal until 1835. Problems included slips in the embankment due to the unsuitability of the clay material used.
©John M
Complete with a 13'0" restriction - no place for modern high vehicles.
©Richard Law
Looking towards Mill Haft. Turn left for Norbury Junction. The massive mile long embankment along the south edge of Shelmore Wood was the cause of years of delay in the final opening of the Shropshire Union Canal in 1835. Its height here is about fourteen metres (more than 45 feet), and the distance through this tunnel under it is about sixty metres.
©Roger Kidd
Looking towards Norbury village; turn left after the tunnel to go to Gnosall. The massive mile long embankment along the south edge of Shelmore Wood was the cause of years of delay in the final opening of the Shropshire Union Canal in 1835. Its height here is about fourteen metres (more than 45 feet), and the distance through this tunnel is about sixty metres. The headroom for vehicles is thirteen feet (about 4 metres).
©Roger Kidd
The massive mile long embankment along the south edge of Shelmore Wood was the cause of years of delay in the final opening of the Shropshire Union Canal in 1835. Its height here is about fourteen metres (more than 45 feet), and the distance through this tunnel is about sixty metres. The headroom for vehicles is thirteen feet (about 4 metres).
©Roger Kidd
On the left the canal is supported by the northern section of the mile long Shelmore Embankment. While the contractors tried to complete the mighty task, the bank slipped and collapsed many times. By early 1834 this section was the only uncompleted part of the whole canal. It took five and a half years' continuous work and was finally finished in 1835, many months after Telford's death. There are flood gates at each end to close the channel in case of a breach. Interesting article: http://www.nce.co.uk/root-canal-work/793403.article
©Roger Kidd
Looking towards Norbury village. Turn left for Gnosall. The massive mile long embankment along the south edge of Shelmore Wood was the cause of years of delay in the final opening of the Shropshire Union Canal in 1835. Its height here is about fourteen metres (more than 45 feet), and the distance through this tunnel under it is about sixty metres.
©Roger Kidd
On the left the canal is supported by the northern section of the mile long Shelmore Embankment. While the contractors tried to complete the mighty task, the bank slipped and collapsed many times. By early 1834 this section was the only uncompleted part of the whole canal. It took five and a half years' continuous work and was finally finished in 1835, many months after Telford's death. There are flood gates at each end to close the channel in case of a breach. More information: http://www.nce.co.uk/root-canal-work/793403.article
©Roger Kidd
Early morning mists are still clearing from the canal. This view is looking south-west, the canal being on the huge Shelmore Embankment, a mile long, and the cause of persistent subsidence while being built in the 1820s and 1830s. The opening of the canal (1835) was delayed by several years because of this, until after the death of the engineer Thomas Telford. The fence marks the position where a sixty metre long tunnel takes a road under the canal - that indicates the size of the embankment. [[[1889563]]] [[[1889642]]]
©Roger Kidd
The massive mile long embankment along the south edge of Shelmore Wood was the cause of years of delay in the final opening of the Shropshire Union Canal in 1835. Its height here is about fourteen metres (more than 45 feet), and the distance through this tunnel is about sixty metres.
©Roger Kidd
Dist:0.1km<br/>Because of disputes with landowners, the Shropshire Union Canal was eventually constructed along the top of this massive embankment. The road is carried through by a long dark tunnel.
©Oliver Dixon
Dist:0.1km<br/>Early morning mists are still clearing from canal. This view is looking south-west, the canal being on the huge Shelmore Embankment, a mile long, and the cause of persistent subsidence while being built in the 1820s and 1830s. The opening of the canal (1835) was delayed by several years because of this, until after the death of the engineer Thomas Telford. [[[1889563]]] [[[1889642]]]
©Roger Kidd
Dist:0.2km<br/>Morning mists are still clearing from the canal. This view is looking south-west, the canal being on the huge Shelmore Embankment, a mile long, and the cause of persistent subsidence while being built in the 1820s and 1830s. The opening of the canal (1835) was delayed by several years because of this, until after the death of the engineer Thomas Telford. [[[1889563]]] [[[1889642]]]
©Roger Kidd
Dist:0.2km<br/>On the left the canal is supported by the mile long Shelmore Embankment. While the contractors tried to complete the mighty task, the bank slipped and collapsed many times. By early 1834 this section was the only uncompleted part of the whole canal. It took five and a half years' continuous work and was finally finished in 1835, many months after Telford's death. There are flood gates at each end to close the channel in case of a breach. Throughout its 175 year existence there have always been stability problems, and still are. The whole length is lined with mature trees now, and their roots do help. This was not the case in the canal's early years. More information: http://www.nce.co.uk/root-canal-work/793403.article
©Roger Kidd
Dist:0.2km<br/>Taken in late evening sunlight which highlights the hawthorn blossom. Behind the hedge is Norbury Road. The tree covered "hill" behind that is not a hill; it is part of the massive Shelmore embankment built to contain and support the Birmingham and Liverpool Canal (now Shropshire Union) engineered by Thomas Telford, contracted to W.A.Provis and finished by William Cubitt, and the cause of years of delay to the eventual opening of the canal in 1835. This embankment alone took six years to build. I quote here from Ray Quinlan (Canal Walks- Midlands): It was never Telford's intention to build such a vast embankment here at Shelmore. Originally, the canal was to run on the level along a line to the east of its present route to take a more direct course from Grub Street to Gnosall. However, Lord Anson refused to allow the company to make a cut through his game reserves in Norbury Park ... the operation would disturb his fowl. The book has more fascinating paragraphs on the subject.
©Roger Kidd

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