canal lincolnshire england connects river don navigation river trent way near opened passed control year controlled railway companies sheffield attempt remove canals railway control plans upgrade larger barges improve port facilities completion unnecessary easily reached thriving port canal centre moved yard yard closed company pioneers use construction innovative propulsion systems operation restricted size vessels longer lock pass river level canal sets gates opened largest ship built required build dam canal canal company feared stuck lock resulting flooding draining canal canal passes region largely rural drained artificially length flanked disrupted established drainage scheme lie north lies south demise canal crossed swing bridge retained years closure nearby taken away repairs road bridges support weight history flows sheffield originally split channels emptied close junction headed north join near following work dutch drainage engineer drain outlet closed channel passing improved flow scheme entirely successful severe flooding near accompanied riots new channel cut near old course don gradually navigation don improved construction cuts locks lowest lock situated boats artificial drain hazardous fast flows tides times idea don trent raised assisted manager river don navigation survey route canal second survey time don navigation engineer canal miles river trent agreement build canal locks cost reached action occurred plan revived time cost risen act parliament work obtained allowed canal navigation company raise issuing shares necessary work began end late second act obtained allowed company raise additional shareholders instead original raise mortgage canal opened ceremony early canal lock joined river trent lock sets gates level river higher lower canal feet carry tons development proposal build canal river trent river don bypassed plan lower don bypass connect direct avoiding difficult scheme progressed end canal improved new deep water constructed trent traffic improved boats canal easier way reach don proposed new canal needed buy miles don started negotiate applying act parliament opposed bill agreement reached don buy canal bill sale opposed shareholders rejected house_of_lords abortive plans amalgamation pulled minute agreement finally reached don navigation took control canal january year later river company don navigation railway companies merged act parliament south yorkshire company absorbed manchester sheffield lincolnshire railway despite railway competition traffic levels remained healthy waterways carrying total tons growing dissatisfaction situation particularly high tolls compared railways refusal allow steam use neighbouring years attempt improve situation sheffield formed intention buying canals railway company upgrading offer effective competition railways result efforts sheffield south yorkshire navigation created act parliament dated august powers raise million purchase improve canals river don navigation dove canal intention upgrade don ton barges investigate use compartment boats build new port facility coal trans shipped vessels negotiations railway company long bitter navigation company managed raise million purchase price result ownership waterways transferred railway company nominated directors retained significant control protracted negotiations company talking compartment boats resulted proposal jointly fund build canal mile authorised finally opened removed need build new port planned upgrade larger vessels shelved company unable raise significant working capital despite lack investment difficulties world war waterways busy traffic recovering tons year general strike tons lock lengthened new constructed enable compartment boats reach lock connected canal closed winter particularly severe closed period ice second world war canals sheffield january operational canals britain initially managed control passed british waterways passing transport act disbanded divided british canals commercial waterways carrying commercial traffic cruising waterways potential leisure use remainder waterways economic use seen time designated commercial traffic restricted working boats carrying freight steady demise freight traffic british waterways encouraged use canals leisure cruising walking fishing later recognised environmental value following cessation coal carrying closure use canal leisure change ownership took place creation took assets british waterways large numbers boats built set north bank lock selling previous initially constructed built sailing barges capable carrying tons fairly self contained timber grown locally hand yard included ropes industries locality rigging boats supplied sails masts region gradually built barges hulls replaced built ones boat sizes standard sheffield sized larger shortly richard grandson took yard build iron steel ships wooden boat built subsequently issues yard size boats built restricted locks site sheffield sized boats feet leave yard passing don navigation travelling entering trent restricted route larger size largest boats built 1940s brake horsepower ton coasters ton yard began experimenting construction steam constructed admiralty continued lead field developments propulsion 1960s 1970s build seventeen rudder steering propulsion systems yard bought largest britain self diesel measuring feet draught feet largest vessels constructed built admiralty use bristol area delivering coal power stations fitted engine single propeller shorter ship sail river level canal sets gates opened time canal company worried width jam lock cause flooding high tide draining canal low tide build dam canal lock prevent consequences built ship successfully passed lock dam removed second world war designed built dock constructed pre fabricated sections manufactured companies normally involved sections weighted tons maximum size feet feet feet delivered yard joined women fitted steam engines completed february year left yard days early 1980s workers involved construction work staff total vessels built end yard closed completely cleared subsequently housing estate number roads reflect use site including rope way drive spelling route follows fairly direct course west east running miles meets river don navigation joins lock ends way smaller maximum boat sizes entire canal feet long feet wide boats draw feet restricted feet leave end river don navigation head broadly north east continues straight line entire length gradually turns east shortly junction level canal flowing joins canal continues close north bank miles swing bridges operated tiny village north canal river notable buildings include church dates fourteenth fifteenth centuries twelfth century southern doorway building grade listed structure hamlet lies south grade listed storey bay eighteenth century country house rebuilt early nineteenth century situated close canal canal passes north fixed bridge basin connection don section generally considered originally don navigation far large pipe bridge canal widens form loading bay coal transferred barges railway dismantled connected site mile don turns north canal continues east passing motorway approaches passes sheffield near railway station immediately bridge followed swing bridge crossing head canal turns briefly south pass road railway near railway station railway remains close northern bank way marina near lift bridge canal crosses open countryside land canal low lying evidence strip farming series farms long thin strip land case strips acre strips yards size land crossed drainage ditches north south drains include boating export seventeenth eighteenth centuries network canals largely destroyed cutting canal boating feeds crosses swing bridge long straight stretch railway north bank south drain flank canal sides built canal disrupted natural drainage area near works exported railway closed swing bridge northern drain crosses north railway canal approaches large lakes north sailing carries road railway canal railway station canal little east remains railway bridge carried joint railway canal consisted arches built bricks central swinging section allow sail canal bridge retained railway closed heavy transported road bridge carried road loaded railway crossed bridge transferred road vehicle process unnecessary rebuilt bridge railway bridge demolished outskirts bridges conventional swing bridge railway crosses south canal sliding bridge bridge deck feet level water boats need pass deck sideways crosses angle bridge built rebuilt controlled signal box nearby bridge gas fired power station located north bank final bridge situated head lock controls passage tidal point sets gates main structure lock dates opening canal grade listed gates replaced river larger ships pumping station situated south built 1930s pumps water trent dealt water north south drains opened line banks canal terminated lock diverted south cross trent bridge points interest
Stainforth and Keadby Canal