Forth and Clyde Canal
Introduction
This canal runs from Bowling Basin on the River Clyde to the River Carron, near Grangemouth.
Dates
| 08/03/1768 | Forth and Clyde Canal Act receives Royal assent. Canal authorised from Grangemouth to Dalmuir with branches to Bo'ness and Glasgow. |
| 10/06/1768 | Forth and Clyde Canal First sod cut by Sir Lawrence Dundas. |
| / /1769 | Forth and Clyde Canal Roman house found at Castlecary while searching for construction stones. |
| / /1771 | Forth and Clyde Canal Amending Act. |
| /08/1771 | Forth and Clyde Canal More Roman remains found at Castlecary. |
| / /1773 | Forth and Clyde Canal Port established on Canal at Hillhead, Kirkintilloch, as the Aqueduct over the Luggie had not been completed |
| 03/09/1773 | Forth and Clyde Canal Water let into the canal from Grangemouth Canal Basin to Kirkintilloch. Port established on Canal at Hillhead, Kirkintilloch, as the Aqueduct over the Luggie had not been completed. |
| / /1775 | Forth and Clyde Canal Construction workforce join army (American War of Independence) which delays construction. |
| 10/11/1775 | Forth and Clyde Canal Water let into the canal from Kirkintilloch to Stockingfield Junction [Canal]. |
| 10/11/1775 | Forth and Clyde Canal Water let into the canal from Stockingfield Junction [Canal] to Hamiltonhill Basin. |
| / /1783 | Forth and Clyde Canal Track boats TB Glasgow and TB Lady Charlotte operate between Grangemouth and Glasgow for goods and passengers. |
| / /1784 | Forth and Clyde Canal An Act authorises that money made from selling forfeited Jacobite estates can be granted to the canal owners. |
| / /1784 | Forth and Clyde Canal Amending Act. |
| 06/07/1786 | Forth and Clyde Canal Work restarts on extending the canal from Stockingfield Junction [Canal] west to the River Clyde. |
| / /1787 | Forth and Clyde Canal Extension to Bowling authorised. Depth of canal to be increased 8ft. |
| / /1789 | Forth and Clyde Canal Twin-hull paddle steamer, PS Experiment, tried by William Symington on canal. |
| / /1789 | William Symington Trials made of larger prototype steam engine on the Forth and Clyde Canal. |
| / /1790 | Monkland Canal Andrew Stirling of Drumpellier (Drumpeller) and William Stirling and Company take over canal and decide to extend it west to the Forth and Clyde Canal in Glasgow and east to Calderbank. Extensions authorised. |
| 31/08/1790 | Forth and Clyde Canal Canal opened from Stockingfield Junction [Canal] to Bowling Basin. The sloop Agnes becomes the first vessel to sail from Grangemouth Canal Basin (River Carron by Firth of Forth) to Bowling Basin (Firth of Clyde). Alternative date 28/07/1790. |
| 11/11/1790 | Forth and Clyde Canal Hamiltonhill Basin to Port Dundas Basin opened. |
| / /1793 | Monkland Canal Forth and Clyde Canal Monkland Canal and Forth and Clyde Canal joined by a new section of canal at the Blackhill Locks. |
| / /1799 | Forth and Clyde Canal Hillend Reservoir built for water supply, thought to be the largest reservoir in the world at the time. |
| / /1802 | Charlotte Dundas, first practical steamship, on Forth and Clyde Canal Engine built by William Symington. |
| / /1810 | Carron Iron Works Tramway (see Carron Company) to Bainsford Basin on the Forth and Clyde Canal opened, replacing an earlier navigable cut. |
| / /1811 | Glasgow, Paisley and Ardrossan Canal Last section built into Port Eglinton Basin, Glasgow. The canal ran from Johnstone to Port Eglinton Basin. An aqueduct across the Clyde to join up with the Forth and Clyde Canal was considered, but not built. (The route between Elderslie and Port Eglinton Basin was later used by the Paisley Canal Line (Glasgow and South Western Railway)). |
| / /1814 | Forth and Clyde Canal Authorised to increase depth to 10ft. |
| / /1816 | Port Dundas Road Waggonway Port Dundas Road, Glasgow, laid with rails by John Baird of Shotts for the Forth and Clyde Canal from Port Dundas to Glasgow. Replaced the scheme of 1793. |
| / /1830 | Forth and Clyde Canal Some canal boats fitted with rails, at the suggestion of Thomas Grahame. |
| / /1830 | Forth and Clyde Canal Branch to the Lennoxtown Alum Works proposed, not built. |
| /05/1836 | Forth and Cart Canal Act passed for the Forth and Cart Canal for a short half mile canal running south from the Forth and Clyde Canal at Clydebank to the River Clyde via a ladder of locks, single midway lock and lower ladder of locks. The canal was to provide a short cut from the Forth and Clyde Canal to Paisley via the River Cart. |
| / /1841 | Forth and Clyde Canal Authorisation to build Grangemouth Dock and built a sea wall extending out to the outer buoy at Carron Mouth. |
| / /1841 | Grangemouth Railway (Forth and Clyde Canal Company) Line authorised. |
| / /1843 | Forth and Clyde Canal Authorisation to enlarge Hillend Reservoir. |
| / /1843 | Forth and Clyde Canal Grangemouth Dock opened. |
| / /1846 | Monkland CanalForth and Clyde Canal Monkland Canal authorised to be taken over by the Forth and Clyde Canal. |
| / /1848 | Andrew Carnegie Leaves Dunfermline by the Charlestown Railway, Forth paddle-steamer ferry, Forth and Clyde Canal and steamer from Glasgow. |
| 15/07/1850 | Caledonian and Dumbartonshire Junction Railway Opened from Balloch [1st] via Dumbarton to Bowling on the River Clyde, and beside the Forth and Clyde Canal. Steamers ran in connection with the line on Loch Lomond and the River Clyde. A turntable is installed to the north west of the Balloch [1st] station. |
| / /1851 | Drumpeller Railway
Forth and Clyde Canal The Drumpeller Railway is purchased by the Forth and Clyde Canal (not the Monkland Canal with which it connected). |
| / /1857 | Grangemouth Railway (Forth and Clyde Canal Company)
Stirlingshire Midland Junction Railway Grangemouth to Falkirk Grahamston line bill. Not authorised. |
| / /1860 | Grangemouth Railway (Forth and Clyde Canal Company) Line opened to minerals. Worked by the Edinburgh and Glasgow Railway. (At the time the Carmuirs Curve did not exist and approach from the west was from Larbert.) |
| / /1860 | Carron Iron Works Tramway to Bainsford Basin on the Forth and Clyde Canal abandoned after railway opened from Stirlingshire Midland Junction Railway. |
| / /1860 | William Baird and Company
Forth and Clyde Canal
Baird's Private Railway Open mines at Twechar, Twechar Swing Bridge laid across the Forth and Clyde Canal for the private line which ran from Kilsyth to Gartshore Loops on the Edinburgh and Glasgow Railway. |
| /10/1861 | Grangemouth Railway (Forth and Clyde Canal Company) Line opened to goods. |
| /11/1861 | Grangemouth Railway (Forth and Clyde Canal Company) Line opened to passengers. |
| / /1865 | Twechar Colliery Pit No 1 Opened to the north of the Forth and Clyde Canal by William Baird and Company for ironstone and later coal. |
| / /1867 | Forth and Clyde Canal
Monkland Canal
Forth and Cart Canal
Grangemouth Railway (Forth and Clyde Canal Company))
Drumpeller Railway
Caledonian Railway Forth and Clyde Canal (Forth and Clyde Navigation) including the Port Dundas branch, Monkland Canal, Forth and Cart Canal and various assets such as the Grangemouth Railway (Forth and Clyde Canal Company)) and Drumpeller Railway, bought by the Caledonian Railway to compete with the North British Railway in the Forth - Clyde Valley. The North British Railway is given running powers over the Grangemouth Railway (Forth and Clyde Canal Company)). Caledonian Railway given running powers over the Stirlingshire Midland Junction Railway to Larbert Junction |
| / /1867 | Glasgow, Dumbarton and Helensburgh Railway With the Caledonian Railway's take over of the Forth and Clyde Canal the North British Railway is given running powers over sidings at Bowling Basin, Bowling Basin Sidings [NB]. |
| 14/08/1869 | Grangemouth Railway (Forth and Clyde Canal Company) North British Railway ceases to work the branch with the impeding take over by the Caledonian Railway. |
| 15/08/1869 | Grangemouth Railway (Forth and Clyde Canal Company) Caledonian Railway begins to operate the line. |
| / /1870 | Stobcross Railway Act passed. To be worked by the Edinburgh and Glasgow Railway with running powers for the Caledonian Railway. The two companies to have separate goods stations. A 30 chain diversion of the Forth and Clyde Canal was required. The line curved round the west of Glasgow after opposition for a more direct route, particularly of James Fleming of Kelvinside Estate. |
| 11/03/1870 | Forth and Clyde Canal Alteration to Possil Road authorised. Confirmed by canal owner (Caledonian Railway), Police Commissioners of Glasgow and Glasgow and Kirktintilloch Road Trustees. (Building of new aqueduct.) |
| / /1872 | Grangemouth Railway (Forth and Clyde Canal Company) Railway extended to Grangemouth Old Dock and lines taken to quaysides. |
| / /1873 | Grangemouth Railway (Forth and Clyde Canal Company) Extension to dock (Railway 16) authorised. |
| / /1876 | Forth and Clyde Iron Works Founded by lock 16 of the Forth and Clyde Canal. |
| / /1876 | Forth and Clyde Canal Caledonian Railway, authorised to dredge the River Carron. |
| / /1876 | Grangemouth Railway (Forth and Clyde Canal Company) New Dock (Carron Dock) authorised along with lines to the dock. Agreement made with landowner, Lord Zetland. North British Railway to be granted access, on certain terms. |
| / /1877 | Grangemouth Railway (Forth and Clyde Canal Company) Carron Dock construction begins. |
| / /1880 | Lion Foundry (Kirkintilloch) Opened, served by both the Forth and Clyde Canal (raw materials) and the Campsie Branch (Edinburgh and Glasgow Railway) (outgoing products). |
| / /1880 | Forth and Clyde Canal Deviation of the canal in Maryhill authorised. Agreement with the Glasgow Water Commissioners (Loch Katrine pipe) and Garscube Road Trustees. This was to replace the Maryhill Road Aqueduct with an aqueduct giving more clearance for trams on Maryhill Road. The new structure was further south east. |
| / /1881 | Grangemouth Railway (Forth and Clyde Canal Company) Connecting line from Grangemouth to Larbert authorised (both locations being Caledonian Railway owned). The line may have been a ploy to gain favourable terms for use of the Stirlingshire Midland Junction Railway. |
| / /1881 | Grangemouth Railway (Forth and Clyde Canal Company) Larbert and Grangemouth Connecting Lines Act - regulation of Grangemouth Branch Junction by the Caledonian Railway. |
| / /1881 | Grangemouth Railway (Forth and Clyde Canal Company)
Stirlingshire Midland Junction Railway Grangemouth Branch Junction rebuilt with branch doubling. Forth and Clyde Canal sidings at junction modified. |
| / /1882 | Grangemouth Railway (Forth and Clyde Canal Company) Authorisation to buy land for expansion. Boundaries: north of Bo'ness Road and west of the Grange Burn. |
| /04/1882 | Forth and Clyde Canal Canal burst in Maryhill, during replacement of the Maryhill Road Aqueduct. |
| 03/06/1882 | Grangemouth Railway (Forth and Clyde Canal Company) Line doubled and Carron Dock lines opened. |
| / /1883 | Grangemouth Railway (Forth and Clyde Canal Company) Carron Dock construction complete. |
| 01/08/1883 | Grangemouth Railway (Forth and Clyde Canal Company)
Stirlingshire Midland Junction Railway Caledonian Railway granted access to the various industrial sidings by Falkirk Grahamston. |
| /09/1883 | Forth and Clyde Canal Deviation opened following a canal burst in Maryhill, during replacement of the Maryhill Road Aqueduct. |
| / /1884 | Grangemouth Railway (Forth and Clyde Canal Company) Authorised connecting line from Grangemouth to Larbert abandoned. |
| / /1884 | Grangemouth Railway (Forth and Clyde Canal Company) Proposed Larbert and Grangemouth Connecting Lines abandoned and a new agreement confirmed. |
| / /1886 | Forth and Clyde Canal Caledonian Railway granted an extension of time to dredge the River Carron. |
| 01/08/1886 | Glasgow City and District Railway Knightswood North Junction to Knightswood South Junction opened. The section included a tunnel under the Forth and Clyde Canal and Glasgow, Dumbarton and Helensburgh Railway. |
| / /1889 | Forth and Clyde Canal J&J Hay open a slip dock at Kirkintilloch for repairs to Puffers by their boatyard. |
| / /1891 | Glasgow Corporation Buy Temple Gasworks and link them to Dawsholm Gas Works with a tunnel and the Forth and Clyde Canal. |
| / /1891 | Forth and Clyde Canal Caledonian Railway granted a further extension of time to dredge the River Carron. |
| / /1893 | Glasgow, Yoker and Clydebank Railway Extension to Dalmuir authorised, along with deviation of a portion of the Forth and Clyde Canal. |
| / /1896 | Forth and Clyde Canal Caledonian Railway granted a further extension of time to dredge the River Carron. |
| / /1897 | Grangemouth Railway (Forth and Clyde Canal Company) New Dock and entrance channel authorised for the Caledonian Railway. This will be the Grange Dock, linked to the existing Carron Dock by the Grangemouth Western Channel and itself approached by the Grangemouth Eastern Channel. (The North British Railway is granted running powers.) |
| / /1901 | Forth and Clyde Canal Caledonian Railway granted a further extension of time to dredge the River Carron. |
| / /1903 | Grangemouth Railway (Forth and Clyde Canal Company) Further time granted to complete Grange Dock. |
| 12/09/1904 | Grangemouth Railway (Forth and Clyde Canal Company) New lines at the Grange Dock opened. |
| 01/10/1904 | Grangemouth Railway (Forth and Clyde Canal Company) The first vessel enters the Grange Dock. (The 1891 SS Corunna of Donald Currie and Co, Leith.) |
| 02/04/1906 | Grangemouth Railway (Forth and Clyde Canal Company) Grange Dock opened to shipment of coal. |
| 08/10/1906 | Grangemouth Railway (Forth and Clyde Canal Company) Grangemouth Eastern Channel opened. First vessel enters (the Norwegian RMS Norway). With the opening of the dock and Grangemouth Eastern Channel the Caledonian Railway was able to cease dredging the River Carron. |
| 01/03/1909 | Grangemouth Railway (Forth and Clyde Canal) Caledonian Railway hands over the trimming over coal at the Grangemouth Docks to a contractor. |
| 18/02/1913 | Grangemouth Railway (Forth and Clyde Canal Company) Grangemouth]town goods shed authorised (north east of Grangemouth station, across Station Road and Dock Road). |
| 25/11/1914 | Grangemouth Railway (Forth and Clyde Canal Company) All Grangemouth Docks closed due to the outbreak of the Great War. |
| / /1915 | Forth and Clyde Canal
Dumbarton Burgh and County Tramways Bascule Bridge at Kilbowie Road replaced with steel bridge to allow trams to run. |
| 01/10/1918 | Grangemouth Railway (Forth and Clyde Canal Company) Entrance lock to Grangemouth Old Dock converted into dry dock by stopping up seaward end. |
| / /1931 | Sir William Arrol and Company Build the rolling bridge at Temple over the Forth and Clyde Canal. |
| 01/01/1948 | Forth and Clyde Canal
British Transport Commission British Transport Commission take over the Forth and Clyde Canal. |
| / /1961 | Forth and Clyde Canal J&J Hay's slip at Kirkintilloch closed to boat maintenance. |
| / /1962 | Forth and Clyde Canal
British Waterways Board Forth and Clyde Canal transferred to British Waterways Board. |
| / /1962 | Forth and Clyde Canal Twechar Swing Bridge, at 90 degrees to the canal, closed. |
| 13/10/1962 | Forth and Clyde Canal Glasgow University Railway Society charter Ashton for a trip along the canal |
| 01/01/1963 | Forth and Clyde Canal Canal closed. |
| 29/01/1968 | Grangemouth Railway (Forth and Clyde Canal Company) Grangemouth to Falkirk Grahamston (Grangemouth Junction) closed to passengers. |
| /03/1997 | Grangemouth Railway (Forth and Clyde Canal Company) Grangemouth Docks to Fouldubs Junction re-opened to freight. |
