New Hope for Forgotten Canal?

April 1st 2009

Canal enthusiasts and historians hope that a long lost branch of the Leeds and Liverpool Canal could once again see the light of day.

The Ince and Strangeways Branch left the Wigan lock flight between the 2nd and 3rd locks and ran in a south-easterly direction through Ince to a terminal basin serving collieries at Strangeways, on the edge of Hindley.

In its heyday, the branch had so much traffic that, when the railways were built, a dual tunnel had to be constructed for the canal (see photo, right).

Local vicar and canal enthusiast Rev David Long says, "This actually forms my parish boundary. Sadly, mining subsidence brought about its demise, and much of its line was subsequently obliterated by opencast working on Ince Moss at Strangeways."

The end of the Ince and Strangeways Branch came in 1918, when the lock that connected the branch with the main line of the canal was destroyed in a Zeppelin raid on the area. This is commemorated by a steel bench near the junction of the branch with the Wigan lock flight. [See photo] The bomb scored a direct hit on the only lock on the branch. The lock was subsequently abandoned and infilled, bringing about the final closure of the branch.

The line of the branch is not, however, entirely forgotten locally, as part of its route is being used for a new cycleway linking Leigh and Hindley with Wigan town centre (see photo, below left).

Parts of the route are still in water, although becoming encroached upon by tree growth (see photo at bottom of page and aerial view). Luckily there are no buildings on the line of the canal but a former canal bridge under Ince Green Lane is now used for a roadway - next to the appropriately named Canal Street! [See location]

The waterway played a key part in the area's development, claim historians.

"The canal ended at an important interchange with tramways from coal mines around Hindley and Bickershaw," explains Joe Kerr, of the Friends Of Old Lancashire. "The Strangeways Hotel was built next to the canal basin. At first some people think this is a joke - you see 'Strangeways Hotel' was the nickname given to the prison in Manchester - but that really was the name of the pub here. It has recently been renamed The Paddock but, oddly, the lettering on the side of the building still says The Strangeways" [more]

"It could have become a very important link in the canal network," he reflected. "As Canal Mania took hold, there were plans to extend it through Bickershaw, Howe Bridge and Tyldesley, with a tunnel under Walkden to meet the Fletcher's Canal and connect with the Manchester Bolton and Bury Canal at Clifton Junction. This tunnel would have made use of existing canal tunnels that were part of the Duke of Bridgewater's mines. There were even plans for an elaborate underground coal wharf where coal could be loaded directly onto full-sized barges, reducing the cost of coal still further. However, an alternative link was built in 1820 by way of Poolstock, connecting with the Bridgewater Canal at Leigh, thus sidelining the Strangeways Branch and dooming it to obscurity."

Now members of Hindley Area History Association (HAHA) are keen to see this historic waterway remembered and even brought back to life.

The group is organising a meeting this morning for those from various organisations who are interested in forming a campaign group to promote the branch.

Anyone interested in being part of the new group should get in touch with HAHA before mid-day, or get in touch with Orla Lipof, the group's secretary.