Revolution

I pass this twice every day, but have not blipped this scene until now. Today I knew I would have little chance of taking any photos so stopped on my way to work.

In a sense the industrial revolution in Manchester was kicked off by what happened here. Up until the 18th century this was a sandstone quarry, then coal was mined. And then the owner, Francis Egerton Duke of Bridgewater, had an idea. The mines leaked because the sandstone above the coal measures was very porous, and it cost lots of money to transport the coal by packhorse and then onto the Irwell navigation (no Ship Canal then). So his agent John Gilbert employed James Brindley to design a canal system - both underground, so using all that water coming through the sandstone, and overground to Manchester, and on the level - so no locks - with an aqueduct taking this new watercourse over the Irwell. In 1761 the Bridgewater Canal, Britain's first "true" canal opened, and transportation costs to Manchester plummeted so coal became a lot cheaper. Cheaper fuel for all those new fangled steam engines,, and the idea of building canals took off. The rest as they say is (more) history !

The Delph is now inaccessible and looks derelict (but also picturesque from the right angles). However Heritage Lottery funding is going to change all of that, and work will start later this year to open it all up with better visitor facilities.

The underground canal system - all 46 miles of it starting here - will remain inaccessible. Maybe one day ............