The Grand Union Canal - between Braunston Lock and Buckby Bottom Lock.

Features, locks and bridges on the Grand Union Canal as it continues it's journey between Braunston Lock Flight and Buckby Lock Flight (Whilton Locks).

The following is a continuation from our Bascote Staircase Lock Flight to Braunston Turn - Grand Union Canal item.
The first photograph shown below is actually out of sequence and is a Turnover Bridge (Bridge no.47) - located at Gayton Junction this beautiful old Grand Union Canal bridge not only carries a small road across the Grand Union Canal but also was built with a walkway so that the horses which towed the barges could go over the canal without having to be unhitched. Note if you are thinking of going to this bridge and using the car park next to it which is currently shown on maps forget it. For some obscure reason the owners - British Waterways - have padlocked the entrance and we believe it is only available for several of the permanent moored boats. We have been several times in and around this area and usually you may see 2 or 3 cars parked inside the car-park i.e. just about empty yet it is the only parking available near this part of the Grand Union Canal.
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Turnover Bridge 47

General view

Iron side bridge

Braunston Marina

Butchers Bridge 1

Bridge 2

Braunston
Bottomlock no.1

Lock 1

Bridge 3

Lock no2

Bridge 4

Bridge 4 and Lock 3

Lock 3

Lock 4

Lock 5

Bridge 5

Toplock no.6

Around Braunston and especially the last 200 yards or so before

Braunston Tunnel

the towpath is in a poor state with quite deep mud, some side bank collapse and really mucky to walk through. In addition the towpath at the Welton Wharf side of the tunnel is also in poor condition as far as Bridge 10 - thereafter it's in good condition for walking and cycling. If walking the canal's towpath you have to go across the top of Braunston's Tunnel as only boats can go through (i.e. the tunnel has no inner towpath - before motorised barges the boatmen had to "leg" their craft through the tunnel - legging is where they lay on their backs and push against the roof with their feet and legs). Braunston Tunnel is 2042 yards long, 15.75 feet wide and 12.3 feet high and was constructed by engineers William Jessop and James Barnes in 1793. The 2060 yard long walk across the top of the tunnel is on a nice track passing through open countryside and easy to follow.

Toplock

Braunston Tunnel N

Tunnel airshaft

Braunston Tunnel S

Bridge
6

Just a little further along from Braunston Tunnel the Grand Union Canal arrives at

Norton Junction

which is from where the very beautiful Leicester Canal Section starts it's long journey via Foxton Locks to reach the City of Leicester where the Leicester Section then becomes a river navigation on The River Soar. (The Bottom of Foxton lock flight is also where the short but equally beautiful Market Harborough Arm heads off for a few miles).

Welton Wharf Bridge 6

Canal Bridge 7

Bridge 7

Lords Bridge 8

Bridge 9

Bridge no.10

Norton Junction

Buckby TopLock no.7

Buckby Top Lock no.7

Watling Street
Bridge no.11

Canal Bridge no.12

Buckby Lock 8

Buckby Lock no.8

Buckby Locks - Lock 8

Lock no.8 lockgates

Canal Bridge no.13

Buckby Lock 9

Buckby Lock no.9

Canal Bridge 13b.

Canal Bridge no.13b

Whilton Locks on the Grand Union Canal - often known as the Buckby Lock Flight - Northants.

This flight of seven Grand Union Canal Locks in Northamptonshire brings the canal down some 63 feet. There is a reasonably sized Marina close to Buckby Bottom Lock and also the M1 motorway and a busy set of railway lines are very close to the canal just here.

Buckby Lock no.10

Buckby Lock 10

Canal Bridge no.14

Canal Bridge 14

Buckby Lock no.11

Buckby Lock 11

Buckby Lock no.12

Canal Bridge no.15

Canal Bridge 15

Buckby Bottom
Lock no.13

Buckby Lock no.13

Marina bridge 15a

The next section of the Grand Union is on our Muscott Mill, Weedon, Blisworth Tunnel on The Grand Union Canal topic.

All of our items about the Grand Union Canal Main Line on it's journey from Birmingham to London can be found on our Following along The Grand Union Canal in England Home Page.
Also find there links to our topics about the Grand Union Canal's numerous Canal Arms and Sections including the excellent Leicester Canal Section.

Other of our websites are about The Stratford-on-Avon Canal, The Kennet and Avon Canal, The Regents Canal, River Stort, River Lee and The Thames Path. Please visit our GUC Resources topic to find links to these.

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