Manchester Bolton and Bury Canal Camp

Fully booked

Take part in the restoration of a breach of the Manchester Bolton and Bury canal, which collapsed in 1936.

The Manchester Bolton and Bury Canal Society hopes to reopen the entire canal from the River Irwell in Salford, near Manchester city centre, to Bury and Bolton. One of the biggest challenges is a broken embankment, near where the canal split into two arms towards Bolton and Bury

This section of the canal has been closed since a disastrous collapse in 1936. The canal, which runs high up the steep side of the valley, collapsed into the River Irwell, which follows a similar route to that of the canal. The breach has long been seen as a major obstacle to restoration, but recently, in what has been called "the most significant thing to happen to the Manchester Bolton and Bury Canal for many years" , a housing project has been approved which (as part of its building permit) will finance the repair of the breach and the rehabilitation of 700 meters of canal.

Once the breach is repaired, it is possible to reopen five miles from Radcliffe to Nob End and on to Bolton. The canal could then be extended towards Bury, as well as the six locks leading south from the junction, reducing the gap between these locks and a restored length at the end of the River Irwell, which would support the full reopening of the channel.

Work on this site and over the next week will involve rebuilding a 'bullnose' - a semi-circular wall which forms the inside of a sharp bend at Nob End, where boats from Manchester turn sharply left to enter in the Bolton branch of the canal. This will involve masonry work, block masonry, pouring concrete "stones" to replace missing copings, concrete backfilling and landscaping .