Bridgewater Canal

The Bridgewater Canal connects Runcorn, Manchester and Leigh, in North West England. It was started by Francis Egerton, 3rd Duke of Bridgewater, to carry coal from his mines in Worsley to Manchester. It was opened in 1761 from Worsley to Manchester. Later it went from Manchester to Runcorn, and then from Worsley to Leigh. It is connected to the Manchester Ship Canal by a lock at Cornbrook; to the Rochdale Canal in Manchester; to the Trent and Mersey Canal at Preston Brook, southeast of Runcorn; and to the Leeds and Liverpool Canal at Leigh.

The Sankey Canal was built first, but the Bridgewater Canal became more famous and set a lot more canals going. It has an aqueduct to cross the River Irwell, and a tunnel at Worsley.