Droitwich Canal

Droitwich Canals
One of the Hanbury locks
Specifications
Maximum boat length71 ft 6 in (21.79 m)
(originally 64 ft 0 in or 19.51 m)
Maximum boat beam7 ft 0 in (2.13 m)
(originally 14 ft 6 in or 4.42 m)
Locks14
StatusNavigable
Navigation authorityCanal and River Trust
History
Original ownerSir George Duckett
Principal engineerJames Brindley
Date of act1768
Date completed1771, 1854
Date closed1939
Date restored2010 (Barge Canal)
Geography
Start pointHanbury
End pointClaines
Connects toWorcester and Birmingham Canal, River Severn
Droitwich Canal
Worcester and Birmingham Canal
Westfields Bridge
1-3
Hanbury Locks (3)
Start of new section
new bridge to rugby club
4-5
new double lock
4-5
Old locks (2)
6
new lock
new footbridge
M5 motorway
Bromsgrove Road B4065
7
new lock and weir
Junction with River Salwarpe
canalised River Salwarpe
6
old lock
Junction with Barge Canal
Barge Lock
Netherwich Basin
Netherwich Bridge
Railway bridge
Netherwich Bridge(River)
railway
Salwarpe Road bridge
Siding Lane bridge
Chewson Basin
Ombersley Way bridge
A38 Roman Way bridge
Salwarpe bridge
Porters Mill bridge II(River)
8
Ladywood Lock
Ladywood bridge
4-7
Porters Mill Locks (4)
Porters Mill bridge
3
Mildenham Lock
Mildenham bridge
Hawford Mill House
A449 crossing
1-2
Locks (2)
River Severn

The Droitwich Canal is a synthesis of two canals in Worcestershire, England; the Droitwich Barge Canal and the Droitwich Junction Canal. The Barge Canal is a broad canal which opened in 1771 linking Droitwich Spa to the River Severn at Hawford Bottom Lock, Claines. The Droitwich Junction Canal is a narrow canal, opened in 1854, which linked Droitwich to the Worcester and Birmingham Canal. Both were built to carry salt, and were abandoned in 1939. They have been the subject of a restoration plan since 1973, and the Barge Canal was officially reopened in 2010, while the Junction Canal reopened in July 2011. Following the opening of the canal, ownership transferred to the newly created Canal and River Trust