What is Rochdale Canal?
The '''Rochdale Canal''' runs between [[Manchester]] and [[Sowerby Bridge]]. It runs through the town of [[Rochdale]]. It is a broad canal because its locks are wide enough to allow boats of 14 feet (4.3 m) width. It runs for 32 miles (51 km) across the [[Pennines]] from the [[Bridgewater Canal]] at Castlefield Basin in Manchester to join the [[Calder and Hebble Navigation]] in [[West Yorkshire]]. [[James Brindley]] was paid to [[Surveying|survey]] possible routes between Sowerby Bridge and Manchester in 1776. [[John Rennie]] made a new survey in 1791. In April 1794 the [[Act of Parliament]] was made to fix the route. The first part was opened in 1798 and it was finished in 1814. There were 92 [[Lock (water transport)|locks]].<ref>{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=2005-04-24|title=The rise, fall and rise of the Rochdale|url=http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/local-news/the-rise-fall-and-rise-of-the-rochdale-1168500|access-date=2023-04-08|website=Manchester Evening News|language=en}}</ref> Between 1830 and 1832, the canal carried 539,081 tons per year, which generated £40,123 in [[revenue]]. In 1839, this had risen to 875,436 tons, generating £62,712 but the opening of the [[Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway|Manchester and Leeds Railway]] in 1841 made it drop. The charges were reduced and the link to [[Manchester Ship Canal]] helped to keep it going, but most of it was closed in 1952. The Rochdale Canal Society worked hard to get it open again. On 1 July 2002 the canal was opened again for boats along its entire length. <ref>{{cite book |first=Roger |last=Squires |title=Britain's restored canals |publisher=Landmark Publishing |year=2008 |isbn=978-1-84306-331-5 }}</ref> == References == {{reflist}} [[Category:Canals in England]] [[Category:Buildings and structures in Greater Manchester]] [[Category:Buildings and structures in West Yorkshire]] {{multistub|UK|geo}}