Manchester’s Canals

The canals were at the heart of Manchester’s industrialisation; being the key transport system, bustling with barges and boats carrying coal and raw materials into the city as well as finished goods out. The canal system started with the opening of Britain’s first truly man-made canal, the Bridgewater Canal in 1761, and the system continued to grow and thrive throughout the 18th and 19th centuries. However, the expansion of the train network during the end of the 19th century and the road network in the first half of the 20th century caused the decline of the canals as the transport network of Manchester.

Nowadays, the once disused and neglected waterways have been, or are being restored. They are chiefly used for recreation and leisure.

Panoramic views of the Merchant's Bridge and the Castlefield Viaduct in the «360°» gallery.