Hawkesbury Canal Junction

Hawkesbury Junction is a historic canal junction in England,  where the Oxford Canal meets the Coventry Canal. The Coventry Canal was authorised by an an act of the UK parliament in 1768, and the first 10 miles  between Coventry and coal mines at Bedworth were completed in 1769. Coal traffic was very profitable.  It was extended, eventually, a further 28 miles to Fradley Junction on the Trent and Mersey Canal. The Oxford Canal was authorised by Parliament in 1769 ( from the Thames at Oxford to join the Coventry Canal), and was also built  by James Brindley (but for a different company. 

The Oxford Canal Act contained complex provisions (forced by Coventry Canal interests) to compensate the Coventry Canal Company for appropriation of coal traffic at the junction. This caused great friction between the companies and, to minimise compensation payments, caused the Oxford Canal to be diverted, from its original planned route, such that the two canals ran parallel for about a mile. This resulted in a difference in levels at the junction necessitating a "stop lock" , with a fall of a mere 7 inches, almost unique on the British canal network. 

Water supply issues also necessitated the installation of a steam engine to pump groundwater to top up the canal (with coal supplied from nearby coal mines which were happy to have their workings de-watered). Originally a Newcomen type engine (100 years old when installed)  was used and the  engine house is still present at the junction. After a further 90 years of service the pump  could no longer lift groundwater from the necessary depths and it had to be supplemented by a more powerful pump. The Newcomen engine was eventually removed and it is currently housed in a Dartmouth Museum.

The junction also has a fine cast iron footbridge constructed at the Britannia  Foundry (Derby) in 1837 and numerous examples of 19th and early 20th century canal architecture and a fantastic 18th century canal side pub. Apart from diesel powered boats rather than horse drawn vessels one could imagine being here at the start of the 20th century.