Current Status
Almost 60% of the canal's original length is no longer in water. Bury Wharf is now covered by an industrial estate. A car park has been built on top of the canal, near Daisyfield Viaduct, but from there on the towpath remains accessible. The canal, in water but overgrown with weeds, is culverted under Water Street in Radcliffe. It continues in water up to a dam at Ladyshore, following which the foundations of an empty paper mill, built in 1956, may be found.
The 1936 breach was never repaired and presents a significant gap in the canal's route. On the Salford arm, the top three locks at Prestolee are derelict although in good condition (the bottom three locks have been removed). The canal is in water from the bottom of the lock flight through to Ringley Locks. Ringley Bridge is infilled, as is the canal through Ringley Village and Giants Seat Locks. Kilcoby Bridge is missing and the canal is inaccessible from this point up to the M60 motorway. Rhodes Lock is still in reasonable condition although overgrown. One or more electricity pylons straddle the infilled canal between Rhodes Lock and the motorway, which has been built over the line of the canal. A sludge lagoon built during construction of the motorway blocks a short section toward Clifton Aqueduct. The canal does not take water again until beyond Clifton Aqueduct, where a short 900-foot (270 m) length exists between the former Pilkington factory and the Enersys factory. Lumn's Lane Aqueduct is missing but the canal is in water between there and Holland Street. Beyond this point the canal is infilled and in parts built over, especially through Pendleton. Its junction with the River Irwell in Salford has recently been restored and made navigable.
The Bolton arm of the canal is interrupted by the absence of Hall Lane Aqueduct at Little Lever, which was demolished in 1950 to make way for the widening of Hall Lane. In Darcy Lever, Damside Aqueduct, which crossed Radcliffe Road and the Tonge River, is also missing, having been demolished in June 1965. The route of St Peter's Way has almost entirely destroyed a significant section of the canal as it heads into the centre of Bolton and Church Wharf no longer exists. The last section of the Bolton arm of the canal still in water is currently used for fishing.
The entire route of the canal is protected from any adverse development that would prevent its restoration, having been included in the unitary development plans of Salford City Council, Bolton Council and Bury Council.
Read more about this topic: Manchester Bolton & Bury Canal
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