The Grand Union Canal - between Braunston Lock Flight and the outside of Gayton Junction.

Features, locks and bridges on the Grand Union Canal as it continues it's journey between Braunston Lock Flight and Banbury Lane Bridge.

The first photograph shown below is actually out of sequence and is a Turnover Bridge (Bridge no.47) - located at Gayton Junction this beautiful old Grand Union Canal bridge not only carries a small road across the Grand Union Canal but also was built with a walkway so that the horses which towed the barges could go over the canal without having to be unhitched. Note if you are thinking of going to this bridge and using the car park next to it which is currently shown on maps forget it. For some obscure reason the owners - British Waterways - have padlocked the entrance and we believe it is only available for several of the permanent moored boats. We have been several times in and around this area and usually you may see 2 or 3 cars parked inside the car-park i.e. just about empty yet it is the only parking available near this part of the Grand Union Canal.

Turnover Bridge 47

General view of the canal area at Braunston

A resurrected iron-side bridge at Braunston

Braunston Marina

Butchers Bridge 1

Bridge 2

Braunston
Bottomlock no.1

Braunston Bottomlock

Grand Union Canal bridge 3

Bridge 3

Lock no2

Bridge 4

Bridge 4 and Lock 3

Lock 3

Lock 4

Lock 5

Bridge 5

Toplock no.6

Around Braunston and especially the last 200 yards or so before

Braunston Tunnel

the towpath is in a poor state with quite deep mud, some side bank collapse and really mucky to walk through. In addition the towpath at the Welton Wharf side of the tunnel is also in poor condition as far as Bridge 10 - thereafter it's in good condition for walking and cycling. If walking the canal's towpath you have to go across the top of Braunston's Tunnel as only boats can go through (i.e. the tunnel has no inner towpath - before motorised barges the boatmen had to "leg" their craft through the tunnel - legging is where they lay on their backs and push against the roof with their feet and legs). Braunston Tunnel is 2042 yards long, 15.75 feet wide and 12.3 feet high and was constructed by engineers William Jessop and James Barnes in 1793. The 2060 yard long walk across the top of the tunnel is on a nice track passing through open countryside and easy to follow.

Braunston Top Lock no.6 - Grand Union Canal, England.

Braunston's 2042 yard tunnel entrance North - Grand Union Canal, England.

An airshaft which ventilate Braunston Tunnel - Grand Union Canal, England.

Braunston Toplock 6

Braunston Tunnel (N)

Braunston Tunnel airshaft

Braunston Tunnel Southern end - Grand Union Canal, England.

Welton Wharf Bridge 6 - Grand Union Canal, England.

Welton Wharf Bridge beside the Grand Union Canal.

Braunston Tunnel South

Welton Wharf Bridge 6

Just a little further along from Braunston Tunnel the Grand Union Canal arrives at

Norton Junction

which is from where the very beautiful Leicester Canal Section starts it's long journey via Foxton Locks to reach the City of Leicester where the Leicester Section then becomes a river navigation on The River Soar. (The Bottom of Foxton lock flight is also where the short but equally beautiful Market Harborough Arm heads off for a few miles).

Canal Bridge 7

Bridge 7

Lords Bridge 8

Bridge 9

Bridge 9 - Grand Union Canal

Bridge no.10

Norton Junction

Buckby TopLock no.7

Buckby Locks: Buckby Top Lock no.7

Watling Street
Bridge no.11

Canal Bridge no.12

Grand Union Canal - Buckby Lock 8

Buckby Lock no.8

Buckby Locks - Lock 8

Buckby Lock no.8 lockgates

Canal Bridge no.13

Buckby Lock 9

Grand Union Canal - Buckby Lock no.9

Canal Bridge 13b.

Canal Bridge no.13b

Grand Union Canal - Buckby Lock no.10

Whilton Locks on the Grand Union Canal - often known as the Buckby Lock Flight - Northants.

This flight of seven Grand Union Canal Locks in Northamptonshire brings the canal down some 63 feet. There is a reasonably sized Marina close to Buckby Bottom Lock and also the M1 motorway and a busy set of railway lines are very close to the canal just here.

Buckby Lock 10