Canal Locks + Bridges Stoke Bruerne Norton Junction Grand Central Canal

Braunston and Braunston Tunnel - Norton Junction - Gayton Junction - Stoke Bruerne - Blisworth Tunnel - Wolverton Grand Union Canal Main Line, England.

The following series of pictures show all the locks and bridges as well as other canal features and items of interest on the Grand Union Canal's trip between Braunston and Wolverton.

Turnover Bridge no.47 on the Grand Union Canal near Gayton The photograph on the left is of Turnover Bridge (Bridge no.47) - this beautiful old canal bridge not only carries a small road across the Grand Union 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 the canal.
Wake up British Waterways... you can always stick a pound or so charge if you are that desperate - you say you are interested in getting visitors and people on holiday onto your canals - funny way to show it.

Canal views - Grand Union Canal at Braunston An iron-side bridge at Braunston Braunston Marina - Grand Union Canal in England Butchers Bridge - 1 Butchers Bridge - no.1
General views at Braunston Iron Side Bridge at Braunston Braunston's Marina Butchers Bridge no.1 The first bridge - Butchers Bridge no.1  
Bridge 2 - Grand Union Canal Canal Bridge 2 Braunston Bottomlock 1 Braunston's Bottomlock - Lock 1 Grand Union Canal Bridge no.3
Bridge 2 Bridge 2 Braunston Bottom Lock 1 Bottom Lock 1 Bridge 3
Bridge 3 Braunston Flight - Lock no.2 Canal Lock no.2 at Braunston Canal Bridge 4 Lock no.3 and Bridge no.4 at Braunston
Bridge 3 Lock 2 - Braunston Lock 2 Bridge 4 Bridge 4 and Lock 3
Lock no.3 at Braunston Braunston Flight - Lock 3 Lock no.4 - Braunston Lock no.4 - Braunston Flight Lock no.5 - Braunston Flight
Braunston Flight - Lock 3 Lock 3 Lock 4 Lock 4 at Braunston Lock 5
Branston Lock Flight - Lock no.5 Canal Bridge 5 Grand Union Canal Bridge no.5 Toplock no.6 - Braunston Flight Braunston Locks - Toplock no.6
Lock 5 - Braunston Bridge 5 Bridge 5 Braunston Toplock 6 Braunston Toplock 6

Around Braunston and especially the last 200 yards or so before Braunston Tunnel entrance the towpath is in a poor state with quite deep mud, some side bank collapse and just 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. The towpath thereafter is in very good condition both for walking and for cycling right along this stretch of the Grand Union Canal. If walking the canal's towpath you have to walk across the top of Braunston's Tunnel as only boats can actually go through - this walk is on a quite nice track in mostly open countryside and is around 2060 yards long and very easy to follow.

Northern end of Braunston Tunnel - England Airshaft in the fields above Braunston Tunnel Southern entrance to Braunston Tunnel Grand Union Canal Bridge no.6 - Welton Wharf Bridge Welton Wharf Bridge no.6
Nothern end of Braunston Tunnel Airshaft ventilating Braunston Tunnel Braunston Tunnel South end Welton Wharf Bridge 6 Welton Wharf Bridge 6
Bridge no.7 Grand Union Canal Bridge 7 Canal Bridge no.8 Bridge 8 Bridge 9 - Grand Union Canal
Bridge 7 Bridge 7 Lords Bridge 8 Lords Bridge 8 Bridge 9
Canal Bridge 9 Grand Union Canal bridge no.10 Bridge 10 View of Norton Junction - Grand Union Canal and Leicester Canal Buckby Top Lock no.7
Grand Union Bridge 9 Bridge 10 Bridge 10 Norton Junction - GU/Leicester Buckby Locks - Toplock 7
Grand Union Canal - Buckby Locks TopLock-7 Buckby Locks TopLock-7 Bridge no.12 Grand Union Canal Bridge 12 Buckby Locks Lock-8
Buckby Locks - 7 (Toplock) Watling Street Bridge 11 Bridge 12 Bridge 12 Buckby Locks - 8
Buckby Locks - Lock 8 - Grand Union Canal Grand Union Canal Buckby Locks - Lock 8 Buckby Locks - Lock8 Grand Union Canal Bridge 13 Canal Bridge 13 Grand Union Canal
Buckby Locks - 8 Buckby Locks - 8 Buckby Locks - 8 Bridge 13 Bridge 13
Buckby Locks - Lock 9 Buckby Locks - Lock 9 Grand Union Canal Grand Union Canal Bridge 13b Bridge 13b Grand Union Canal Buckby Locks - Lock 10
Buckby Locks - 9 Buckby Locks - 9 Bridge 13b Bridge 13b Buckby Locks - 10
Buckby Lock 10 Bridge 14 Grand Union Canal Bridge 14 Grand Union Canal - Buckby Locks - Lock 11 Buckby Locks - Lock 11
Buckby Locks - Bridge 14 Bridge 14 Buckby Locks - 11 Buckby Locks - 11
Buckby Lock 12 Buckby Locks - Lock 12 Canal Bridge 15 Grand Union Canal - Bridge 15 Buckby Locks - Bottom Lock 13
Buckby Locks - 12 Buckby Locks - 12 Grand Union Canal Bridge 15 Bridge 15 Buckby Locks - Bottom Lock 13
Grand Union Canal - Buckby Bottom Lock 13 Grand Union Canal Buckby Marina Bridge 15a Bridge 16 Grand Union Canal Grand Union Canal Bridge 16 Muscott Mill Bridge 18 - Grand Union Canal
Buckby Locks - Bottom Lock 13 Buckby Marina - Bridge 15a Bridge 16 Bridge 16 Muscott Mill Bridge 18
Grand Union Canal - Muscott Mill Bridge 18 Diamond Bridge 19 Grand Union Canal - Diamond Bridge 19 Grand Union Canal - location of missing bridge 20 Brockhall Road Bridge no 21 - Grand Union Canal
Muscott Mill Bridge 18 Diamond Bridge 19 Diamond Bridge 19 Location of missing Bridge 20 Brockhall Road Bridge 21
Grand Union Canal - Brockhall Road Bridge 21 A5 Road Bridge 22 - Grand Union Canal A5 Roadbridge 22 Dodford Bridge 23 Dodford Bridge 23 and a nice Pipe Bridge
Brockhall Road Bridge 21 a5 Roadbridge no.22 Road Bridge a5 - 22 Dodford Bridge 23 Dodford Bridge 23 and Pipe Bridge
Grand Union Canal - Weedon bridge 24 Weedon Bridge 24 - The Grand Union Canal Grand Union Canal - Aqueduct-Bridge at Weedon Aqueduct-Bridge at Weedon Really nice railway bridge close to the Grand Union Canal at Weedon
Weedon Bridge 24 Weedon Bridge 24 Aqueduct-Bridge at Weedon (N) Aqueduct-Bridge at Weedon (N) Lovely railway bridge at Weedon nr canal
Aqueduct Bridge at Weedon - Grand Union Canal Grand Union Canal Aqueduct-Bridge at Weedon Weedon Beck Bridge no.25 Weedon Beck Bridge 25 - Grand Union Canal Stowehill Bridge no.26
Aqueduct-Bridge at Weedon (S) Aqueduct-Bridge at Weedon (S) Weedon Beck Bridge 25 Weedon Beck Bridge 25 Stowehill Bridge 26
Grand Union Canal - Stowehill Bridge 26 Grand Union Canal Sluices near Bridge 27 Flore Lane Bridge 27 - Grand Union Canal Flore Lane Bridge 27 Standingham Bridge 28
Stowehill Bridge 26 Some nice sluices Flore Lane Bridge 27 Flore Lane Bridge 27 Standingham Bridge 28
Grand Union Canal Bridges - Standingham Bridge no.28 High House Bridge 29 - Grand Union Canal High House Bridge 29 Probable site of a lift bridge either no 30 or 31 - Grand Union Canal Heyford Wharf Bridge 32 - Grand Union Canal
Standingham Bridge 28 High House Bridge 29 HIgh House Bridge 29 Missing lift bridge either 30 or 31 Heyford Wharf Bridge 32
Heyford Wharf Bridge 32 Heyford Wharf - Grand Union Canal Bridge 33 - Grand Union Canal Bridge 33 Bridge 34
Heyford Wharf Bridge 32 Heyford Wharf Bridge 33 Bridge 33 Bridge 34
Bridge 34 - Grand Union Canal Grand Union Canal - Heyford Fields Marina Elliots Bridge 35 - Grand Union Canal Elliots Bridge 35 Bugbrooke Wharf Bridge 36 - Grand Union Canal
Bridge 34 Heyford Fields Marina Entrance Elliots Bridge 35 Elliots Bridge 35 Bugbrooke Wharf Bridge 36
Bugbrooke Wharf Bridge 36 Bugbrooke Wharf - Grand Union Canal Bridge 38 Bridge 38 - Grand Union Canal Bridge 40
Bugbrooke Wharf Bridge 36 Bugbrooke Wharf Bridge 38 Bridge 38 Bridge 40
Bridge 40 - Grand Union Canal Bridge 41 - Grand Union Canal Bridge 41 Grand Union Canal Bridge 42 Bridge 42 - Grand Union Canal
Bridge 40 Bridge 41 Bridge 41 Bridge 42 Bridge 42
Banbury Lane Bridge 43 - Grand Union Canal Grand Union Canal Banbury Lane Bridge 43 Banbury Lane Bridge 43a Grand Union Canal, Banbury Lane Bridge 43a Bridge 44 - Grand Union Canal
Banbury Lane Bridge 43 Banbury Lane Bridge 43 Banbury Lane Bridge 43a Banbury Lane Bridge 43a Easts Bridge 44
Bridge 44 - Grand Union Canal Wrights Lane Bridge 45 Grand Union Canal - Wrights Lane Bridge 45 - Bridge 46 - Grand Union Canal Grand Union Canal Bridge 46
Easts Bridge 44 Wrights Lane Bridge 45 Wrights Lane Bridge 45 Bridge 46 Bridge 46

At Gayton Junction The Northampton Canal Line branches off from the Grand Union Canal by Junction Bridge 48 - horses pulling the barges to and from the Northampton Arm would have used Turnover Bridge 47. There are a nice series of 17 canal locks along the 5 mile long Arm including the 13 Rothersthorpe Lock Flight. See our Northampton Arm topic for photos and more information.

Turnover Bridge no.47 Turnover Bridge 47 The towpath as it crosses Turnover Bridge Junction Bridge 48 Junction Bridge no.48
Turnover Bridge no.47 Turnover Bridge no.47 The towpath on Turnover Bridge Junction Bridge 48 (Gayton jc.) Junction Bridge 48
The A43t roadbridge over the Grand Union Canal A dismantled railway bridge at Blisworth Grand Union Canal Bridge 48b Bridge 48b Station Road Bridge 49
Roadbridge crossing the Grand Union Canal A dismantled Railway Bridge near Blisworth Bridge 48b Railway Bridge 48b Station Road Bridge 49
Station Road Bridge no.49 Candle Bridge no.50 Candle Bridge no.50 Blisworth Mill Bridge 51 Blisworth Mill Bridge 51 and an old warehouse behind it
Station Road Bridge 49 Candle Bridge 50 Candle Bridge no.50 Blisworth Mill Bridge 51 Blisworth Mill Bridge with old warehouse
Blisworth Mill Area showing the bridge in the distance approaching Blisworth Tunnel from the north The northern entrance to Blisworth Tunnel Blisworth Tunnel air vent or shaft the towpath which goes over Blisworth Tunnel
Grand Union Canal - Blisworth Mill bridge 51 in the distance View of Blisworth Tunnel when approaching from the North The North Entrance to Blisworth Tunnel - Grand Union Canal One of the airshafts which ventilate Blisworth Tunnel You have to walk over the top of Blisworth Tunnel - there is no internal towpath

Constructing Canal Tunnels: Building long tunnels such as the 3076 yard long Blisworth Tunnel (completed in 1805) was probably the most difficult and certainly the most dangerous part of the construction of the canal systems in the U.K. The tunnels would be started from either side of the hill but also shafts were opened along the route and miners would work outwards from these as well - the idea being of course to all meet up to create the tunnel. At the time the only tools available to the miners were picks, shovels and wheelbarrows - parts of Blisworth Tunnel's original route which started construction in 1793 came across quicksand in 1796 (and the intended route had to be abandoned) for instance and this made the work exceedingly dangerous. Once the tunnels were completed some of the airshafts were filled in whilst others were left to provide ventilation as at Blisworth Tunnel and Braunston's Tunnel where they can still be seen.
If out towpath walking or cycling when you reach the northern end of Blisworth Tunnel there is no towpath going through the actual tunnel - you have to go over the top - about two thirds of this is along a fairly quiet road and the last bit takes you slowly down on a wide path to the Southern side of the Tunnel. Just below is a photo of one of the segments which was used to re-line Blisworth Tunnel during the 1980s when the original brick lining was replaced with similar concrete segments.

Southern entrance to Blisworth Tunnel Blisworth Tunnel southerly entrance shows a ring segment of the Blisworth Tunnel Old building by the Tunnel entrance Tunnel workers old hut at Blisworth Tunnel
View of Blisworth Tunnel as you walk back onto the canal-side towpath The southern entrance to Blisworth Tunnel One of the segments which was used in the Blisworth Tunnel The area around Blisworth Tunnel An old tunnel worker's hut

At Stoke Bruerne you can expect the area to be quite busy - especially on a nice sunny spring or summer weekend when people on holiday tend to arrive. There is a canal museum there and also a very large public house next to the canal bridge. The museum does have a car-park which at the time of our visit in May 2008 had a parking charge of UKstg 2.50 - there are also toilets available next to the museum (these are only open whilst the museum is open).

A drydock at Stoke Bruerne Stoke Bruerne Lock 14 and it's footbridge Stoke Bruerne Bridge 53  Stoke Bruerne Bridge no.53 Grand Union Canal - Stoke Bruerne Bridge 53
A single dry-dock next to the main lock at Stoke Bruerne Footbridge and then Lock 14 at Stoke Bruerne Bridge 53 - Stoke Bruerne Stoke Bruerne Bridge 53 Bridge 53
Lock 15 at Stoke Bruerne Stoke Bruerne Lock Gates (Lock 15) Bridge 53a Stoke Bruerne Lock 16 Lock 16 Gates and Lock-keepers house 
Lock 15 - Stoke Bruerne Stoke Bruerne's Lock 15 - lock gates Bridge 53a outside of Stoke Bruerne Stoke Bruerne Lock 16 Lock gates and Keepers Cottage - Lock 16 Stoke Bruerne flight
Lock 17 at Stoke Bruerne Stoke Bruerne Lock 17 - Lockgates Stoke Bruerne flight - Lock 18 Looking into Stoke Bruerne Lock 18 View of Locks 16 17 and 18 at Stoke Bruerne
Stoke Bruerne Lock 16 Lock 16 - gates Stoke Bruerne Lock 18 View inside Lock 18 at Stoke Bruerne Looking back down the flight of locks at Stoke Bruerne - locks 16 17 and 18
Bridge 54 Grand Union Canal Bridge 54 Canal slipway Stoke Bruerne Lock no.19 Grand Union Canal lock gates - lock 19
GU Bridge 54 Bridge no.54 Slipway by Grand Union Canal Lock 19 Stoke Bruerne Locks - no.19 The lock gates at Lock 19
Lock 20 Stoke Bruerne Lower Lock no.20 A footbridge next to Grand Union Canal Lock 20 Sidearm off the Grand Union Canal near Lock 20 Grand Union Canal Bridge 54b
 Stoke Bruerne - Lower Lock no.20 Stoke Bruerne Lower Lock no.20 Footbridge by Lock 20 A sidearm leaving the Canal near Lock 20 Canal Bridge 54b
weirs off the Grand Union Canal long brick sluices along the Grand Union Canal Canal sluices Canal Bridge 56 Grand Union Canal Bridge no.56
Canal weirs Impressive sluices on the Grand Union Canal Sluices/Syphon Grand Union Canal Bridge 56 Bridge 56
Canal Bridge no.58 - Grand Union Bridge 57 Weirs at Grafton Regis on the Grand Union Canal Canal Bridge 58 Grand Union Canal Bridge no.58
Canal Bridge 57 Bridge 57 Weirs at Grafton Regis Canal Bridge no.58 Bridge 58
Bridge 59 Grand Union Canal Bridge 59 Yardley Wharf Marina Canal Bridge 60 Bridge 60 - Grand Union Canal
Canal Bridge no.59 Bridge 59 The Marina at Yardley Wharf Bridge no.60  Bridge no.60
Canal Bridge 61 Bridge 61 - Grand Union Bridge 62 Bridge no.62 Grand Union Canal Bridges - no.63
Grand Union Canal Bridge 61 Bridge 61 Canal Bridge no.62 Bridge 62 Bridge 63
Bridge 63 Concrete Bridge 64 Canal Bridge 64 Sluices at Cosgrove Solomons Bridge no.65
Bridge 63 Bridge 64 Grand Union Canal Bridge 64 Some nice sluices at Cosgrove Solomons Bridge no.65
Grand Union Canal - Solomons Bridge Solomons Bridge no.65 Canal Bridge 65 - Solomons Bridge Small tunnel under the canal at Cosgrove Tunnel at Cosgrove - gave access to the canal for the horses
Solomons Bridge no.65  Solomons Bridge 65 Solomons Bridge no.65 Tunnel under the canal Horse tunnel Cosgrove

The two photos above right are where a short tunnel was built under the canal to allow access for the horses to get onto the towpath. There were several stables situated on both sides of the canal at Cosgrove. A little below are photos of the Great Ouse Aqueduct - initially the Canal was taken across the Ouse Valley by the use of 9 temporary locks but because of flooding in December 1799 a brick aqueduct was built instead - this opened for business in the Summer of 1805. Just a few months later part of the embankment collapsed followed some weeks later by the entire structure. In 1811 a cast iron trough which was held up on stone pillars and supported by long earth embankments was completed. Only one of the original locks remains - Lock 21 shown below. The Old Stratford Cut was opened in 1800 and went to several wharfs at Old Stratford - this cut was extended into Buckingham in 1801. The Arm was fully closed in 1964 and is now mostly destroyed however there is a plan to rebuild/re-open this 17 kilometre long Buckingham Arm keeping to the original line where possible.

Pipe bridges at Cosgrove One of the pipe bridges at Cosgrove Pipe Bridges - Cosgrove Cosgrove Lock no.21 Lock no.21 at Cosgrove - Grand Union Canal
Pipe Bridges A Pipe Bridge Pipe Bridges - Cosgrove Cosgrove Lock no.21 Lock 21 at Cosgrove
Old Stratford Cut The Great Ouse Aqueduct pipe bridge crossing the Great Ouse by the canal narrow tunnel going under the canal's aqueduct view of the canal aqueduct from the River (Great Ouse)
The Old Stratford Cut leaving the Grand Union Canal Really nice aqueduct taking the canal over the Great Ouse A nice pipebridge across the Ouse and running alongside the Canal Small tunnel going under the Grand Union Canal Aqueduct The Great Ouse Aqueduct seen from the river
Bridge 68 Grand Union Canal Bridge no.68 Canal Bridge 69 Grand Union Canal Bridges - no.69 old warehouse - Wolverton
Grand Union Canal Bridge 68 Bridge no.68 Canal Bridge 69 Bridge no.69 Warehouse at Wolverton
Wolverton - Grand Union Canal - old warehouses Old warehouses alongside the Grand Union Canal Bridge 69a Bridge 69a Grand Union Canal Bridge 69b
Warehouses Old Warehouses Wolverton Bridge 69b Bridge 69a Bridge 69b
Canal Bridge no.69b Bridge 71 Canal footbridge at Wolverton derelict warehouses - Grand Union Canal at Wolverton
Bridge 69b Bridge 71 Footbridge Wolverton Wolverton Warehouses

The following are our other Grand Union Canal Main Line photos - this series of pages show every one of the Canal's Locks and Bridges:
Birmingham (Salford Junction) through to Lapworth
Lapworth via Hatton Locks to Royal Leamington Spa
Leamington Spa to Braunston
Grand Union Canal Wolverton to Horton
Ivinghoe Lock to Kings Langley
Kings Langley to the end of the Grand Union at The Thames

Please see our Home Page for many other items about England including 100s of English Church Photos, wildflowers, toadstools and quite a few walks to try some of which involve using canal towpaths. Also take a look towards the bottom of our Home Page where there are links to our other travel sites about The Canary Islands, Cyprus, Portugal's Algarve, The Greek Islands and Athens, Egypt, India, New Zealand, Singapore, Hong Kong, Vietnam, Cambodia, Bangkok, Bali and several other Indonesian Holiday Islands.   Visit our Resources topic if you wish to Email Us and/or to see our site privacy policy.

www.foxysislandwalks.co.uk