RAILSCOT | Forth and Clyde Canal

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.
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 Luggie Aqueduct had not been completed.
/ /1775	Forth and Clyde Canal Construction workforce join army (American War of Independence) which delays construction.
/ /1775	Knightswood Waggonway Defunct. (It was some years later, in 1790, that the parallel route of the Forth and Clyde Canal opened.)
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 Canal Basin 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.
/ /1790	Cut of Junction Act passed for connecting canal between Port Dundas Basin on the Forth and Clyde Canal and Townhead Basin on the Monkland Canal.
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.
17/10/1791	Cut of Junction Link between Port Dundas Basin on the Forth and Clyde Canal and Townhead Basin on the Monkland Canal opened to through traffic with the passage of the first vessel. The canal was built at the expense of the F&C but to the depth of the Monkland.
/ /1793	Monkland Canal Forth and Clyde Canal Monkland Canal west and east portions are 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.
/ /1799	St Rollox Chemical Works Charles Tennant and Charles Mackintosh open the St Rollox Chemical Works (Tennants Works), on the 'Cut of Junction' between the Forth and Clyde Canal and Monkland Canal in Glasgow, an alkali works for the production of bleaching liquor and powder.
/ /1802	Charlotte Dundas, first practical steamship, on Forth and Clyde Canal Engine designed by William Symington and manufactured by the Carron Company.
/ /1803	Forth and Clyde Canal PS Charlotte Dundas draws two 70 ton barges from Castlecary to Port Dundas, taking six hours.
/ /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.
/ /1824	Cut of Junction St Rollox Canal Charles Tennant & Co, of the nearby St Rollox Chemical Works, form a canal from the Cut of Junction, near the Monkland Canal's Townhead Basin, running north and then east to serve land they owned east of Castle Street and their chemical works. The land was to be sold in lots and the serving of the lots with a canal connected to the Forth and Clyde Canal and Monkland Canal would assist in the sales. The new owners of the land would jointly be responsible for maintaining the canal, Tennant would retain the canal solum.
08/07/1828	Ballochney Railway Monkland and Kirkintilloch Railway A passenger service from Airdrie to Glasgow advertised (before opening, or when partly opened?). A horse drawn spring-less coach ran over the Ballochney Railway from Airdrie Leaend to Kipps, the Monkland and Kirkintilloch Railway from Kipps to Kirkintilloch Basin and, after connecting with track boats on the Forth and Clyde Canal, passengers reached Glasgow.
/ /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.
/ /1830	Forth and Clyde Canal Experiment with locomotive on tow path pulling 'trains' of boats westwards from Falkirk. Despite success a light railway was not laid along the length of the canal.
/ /1833	Forth and Clyde Canal Barges fitted with rails introduced to carry railway wagons from the Monkland and Kirkintilloch Railway.
/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	Monkland and Kirkintilloch Railway Second basin and further sidings opened at Kirkintilloch Basin on the Forth and Clyde Canal.
/ /1841	Forth and Clyde Canal Authorisation to build Grangemouth Dock and a sea wall extending out to the outer buoy at Carron Mouth.
/ /1842	Cut of Junction The portion of canal between St Rollox Depot/Glasgow (Townhead) (Garnkirk and Glasgow Railway) and Port Dundas Basin is improved by increasing the canal depth. This portion was originally only 4ft deep (depth of the Monkland Canal) which prohibited the larger coal boats of the Forth and Clyde Canal reaching St Rollox. The railway depot was rebuilt and enlarged in the 1840s.
/ /1843	Forth and Clyde Canal Authorisation to enlarge Hillend Reservoir.
/ /1843	Forth and Clyde Canal Grangemouth Dock opened.
/ /1846	Monkland Canal Forth and Clyde Canal Monkland Canal authorised to be taken over by the Forth and Clyde Canal.
/ /1846	Forth and Clyde Canal Act to allow Bowling Harbour to be created and a new sea lock opened out into it from Bowling Canal Basin. Authorisation to expand the harbour in anticipation of the opening of the Caledonian and Dumbartonshire Junction Railway.
/ /1848	Andrew Carnegie Leaves Dunfermline by the Charlestown Railway, Forth paddle-steamer ferry, Forth and Clyde Canal and steamer from Glasgow.
/ /1849	Forth and Clyde Canal Bowling Harbour and sea lock completed.
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).
/ /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 & Co Forth and Clyde Canal Bairds of Gartshore's 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.
/ /1862	Grangemouth Railway (Forth and Clyde Canal Company) The Forth and Clyde Canal company buys a 0-4-0ST from Andrew Barclay.
/ /1865	Twechar Colliery Pit No 1 Opened to the north of the Forth and Clyde Canal by William Baird & Co 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 Basin 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].
/ /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.)
/ /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.
/ /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) Stirlingshire Midland Junction Railway Grangemouth Branch Junction rebuilt with branch doubling. Forth and Clyde Canal sidings at junction modified.
/04/1882	Forth and Clyde Canal Canal burst in Maryhill, during replacement of the Maryhill Road Aqueduct.
/09/1883	Forth and Clyde Canal Deviation opened following a canal burst in Maryhill, during replacement of the Maryhill Road Aqueduct.
/ /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.
/ /1901	Forth and Clyde Canal Caledonian Railway granted a further extension of time to dredge the River Carron.
/ /1915	Forth and Clyde Canal Dumbarton Burgh and County Tramways Bascule Bridge at Kilbowie Road replaced with steel bridge to allow trams to run.
/ /1931	William Arrol & Co 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.

Books

A Forth and Clyde Canalbum