IMAGES TAKEN NEAR TO
Edinburgh Road, BOLTON, BL3 1TG

Looking west, past the site of the breach. The path here follows the canal bed. To the left, the towpath and embankment were swept away in 1936. The canal wall is still evident on the right hand side.

Looking west, past the site of the breach. The path here is following the canal bed. To the left, the towpath and embankment were swept away in 1936. On the right hand side, the massive canal wall is still clearly evident.

The remains of the canal wall and embankment on the southern side of the canal, where it was breached in 1936. This picture gives an impression of the high quality massive construction of the canal wall and railway lines that had been used to reinforce the steep embankment can still be seen sticking out from the remains. (http://www.boltonmuseums.org.uk/collections/local-history/archivesimages02/1940loc?term=photograph&s_tags=&sort_by=Title&item_number=393&b_start:int=0 and http://www.boltonmuseums.org.uk/collections/local-history/archivesimages02/1941loc?term=photograph&s_tags=&sort_by=Title&item_number=394&b_start:int=0 contemporary photographs in Bolton Museum archives http://www.penninewaterways.co.uk/mbb/mbbc30.htm another contemporary photograph from the John and Margaret Fletcher Collection)

The site of the breach, a short way east of the Nob End locks. Looking west from the canal bed, into the breach, which occurred on 6th July 1936, draining the canal of all its water. Railway lines that had been used to reinforce the steep embankment can still be seen sticking out from the remains. (http://www.boltonmuseums.org.uk/collections/local-history/archivesimages02/1940loc?term=photograph&s_tags=&sort_by=Title&item_number=393&b_start:int=0 and http://www.boltonmuseums.org.uk/collections/local-history/archivesimages02/1941loc?term=photograph&s_tags=&sort_by=Title&item_number=394&b_start:int=0 contemporary photographs in Bolton Museum archives http://www.penninewaterways.co.uk/mbb/mbbc30.htm another contemporary photograph from the John and Margaret Fletcher Collection)

The site of the breach, a short way east of the Nob End locks. Looking west from the canal bed, into the breach, which occurred on 6th July 1936, draining the canal of all its water. In the breach you can see the high quality massive construction of the canal wall and railway lines that had been used to reinforce the steep embankment can still be seen sticking out from the remains. (http://www.boltonmuseums.org.uk/collections/local-history/archivesimages02/1940loc?term=photograph&s_tags=&sort_by=Title&item_number=393&b_start:int=0 and http://www.boltonmuseums.org.uk/collections/local-history/archivesimages02/1941loc?term=photograph&s_tags=&sort_by=Title&item_number=394&b_start:int=0 contemporary photographs in Bolton Museum archives http://www.penninewaterways.co.uk/mbb/mbbc30.htm another contemporary photograph from the John and Margaret Fletcher Collection)

In 1936, a short way east of the Nob End locks, the towpath was swept away when the canal was breached; the path now has to descend into the canal bed to skirt the breach. At this point, a bend of the River Irwell has eroded the valley side into a steep slope. The canal wound round the hillside, over 100 feet above the valley floor. It was supported by massive brick retaining walls, mostly constructed in the 1890s, with a sheer drop from the towpath. The breach occurred on 6th July 1936, and water pressure carried away 20 yards of towpath and canal wall, depositing them in the valley below. When the breach happened, it was so sudden that it swept two boats down into the river below and quickly drained the canal of all its water. (http://www.boltonmuseums.org.uk/collections/local-history/archivesimages02/1940loc?term=photograph&s_tags=&sort_by=Title&item_number=393&b_start:int=0 and http://www.boltonmuseums.org.uk/collections/local-history/archivesimages02/1941loc?term=photograph&s_tags=&sort_by=Title&item_number=394&b_start:int=0 contemporary photographs in Bolton Museum archives http://www.penninewaterways.co.uk/mbb/mbbc30.htm another contemporary photograph from the John and Margaret Fletcher Collection) The breach was not repaired because there wasn’t any through traffic, and the whole area has since become overgrown with trees.

The breach occurred in 1936 and effectively cut off the branch to Bury. The concrete canal bank is seen exposed and metal strengthening rails protrude in the undergrowth.

Looking west at the site where the towpath and embankment were swept away when the canal was breached in 1936, a short way to the east of Nob End Locks. This picture gives an impression of the high quality massive construction of the canal wall and railway lines that had been used to reinforce the steep embankment can still be seen sticking out from the remains. (http://www.boltonmuseums.org.uk/collections/local-history/archivesimages02/1940loc?term=photograph&s_tags=&sort_by=Title&item_number=393&b_start:int=0 and http://www.boltonmuseums.org.uk/collections/local-history/archivesimages02/1941loc?term=photograph&s_tags=&sort_by=Title&item_number=394&b_start:int=0 contemporary photographs in Bolton Museum archives http://www.penninewaterways.co.uk/mbb/mbbc30.htm another contemporary photograph from the John and Margaret Fletcher Collection)

Looking west, past the site where the towpath and embankment were swept away when the canal was breached in 1936, a short way to the east of Nob End Locks. This picture gives an impression of the high quality massive construction of the canal wall and railway lines that had been used to reinforce the steep embankment can still be seen sticking out from the remains. (http://www.boltonmuseums.org.uk/collections/local-history/archivesimages02/1940loc?term=photograph&s_tags=&sort_by=Title&item_number=393&b_start:int=0 and http://www.boltonmuseums.org.uk/collections/local-history/archivesimages02/1941loc?term=photograph&s_tags=&sort_by=Title&item_number=394&b_start:int=0 contemporary photographs in Bolton Museum archives http://www.penninewaterways.co.uk/mbb/mbbc30.htm another contemporary photograph from the John and Margaret Fletcher Collection)

It occurred in 1936 and drained much of the canal, and began its demise - it formally closed in 1961. The towpath goes around the site of the breach.