The Manchester, Salford Junction Canal was opened in 1839 as a way of allowing coal traffic from the Manchester, Bolton and Bury Canal access to the canal network via the Rochdale Canal. The canal with its long tunnel under Manchester's street was built to avoid carting goods across Manchester to the Rochdale Canal. Later a link canal was opened at Hulme and the remarkable MSJc canal became a white elephant. The Canal started almost opposite the exit lock from the Manchester, Bolton and Bury Canal. A short but often dangerous boat journey (if the river was in spate) was needed to enter the MSJc.
PHOTO: The entrance lock was so constructed that if the Irwell started to inundate the lock a second lock prevented it damaging the Brunswick Basin. A kind of double-ended lock. KH