Ashton Canal Route UK Waterways Yellow Tea Towel

Ashton Canal Route Map UK Waterways Yellow. The Ashton Canal was constructed in 1796. It is just under 7 mile long and contains 18 locks. Built to provide transportation of coal from the mines at Ashton under Lyne and Oldham into Manchester. It prospered until competition from railways, and later road transport, forced it into decline. Through traffic had all but ended by 1945. Following nationalisation in 1947-8, traffic did not revive, and had stopped completely by 1958, after which maintenance was run down. By 1961, combined with vandalism, the canal had become unnavigable. Following pressure from the Inland waterways Association and the Peak Forest Canal Society for restoration of the canal, the waterway was reopened in 1974. It connects to the Peak Forest Canal, The Huddersfield Narrow Canal and the Rochdale Canal to form part of the Cheshire Ring, which circles much of East Cheshire and provides a popular one week leisure cruise.