Oldham

Situated on the brow of a hill above Manchester, the town of Oldham was badly placed for canal access, but as it grew into an industrial centre the need to connect it to the canal system became more urgent. The Manchester, Ashtonunder-Lyne & Oldham Canal was first on the scene, a branch to Park Bridge, SE of Oldham, being authorised with their main line in 1792. It was only built as far as Bardsley (the Fairbottom Branch). At the same time the Rochdale Canal was seeking an Act for its line, not achieved until 1794, with a short branch to Hollinwood.

Meanwhile, the Ashton Canal had already obtained power to construct to Stake Leach, Hollinwood, where it connected with a private extension to Werneth Colliery, cutting off access between Oldham and the Rochdale’s proposed branch, which was never built. A Rochdale & Ashton link canal south of Hollinwood was discussed several times, but never progressed. With the coming of the railways the Oldham area was better served than before, and became the virtual centre of the cotton spinning industry, but by the end of the 19th century the railways could barely cope with the traffic.

The opening of the Manchester Ship Canal boosted interest in better waterways, and an Act was obtained in 1895 for the Oldham & Royton Canal, a level broad-beam navigation branching from the Rochdale Canal at Castleton and running 3.6 miles to Royton, with a 1.6-mile branch to Chadderton, laid out by the engineer J. Tertius Wood. It was a sensible scheme, despite the lengthy detour for Manchester traffic, but the promoters could not raise the £200,000 capital needed and the project died in 1898.

Part of the Oldham & Royton Canal Parliamentary Plan Session 1895.

Proposed canals in the Oldham area shown on Thomas Brown's map c.1794.