Deansgate Locks

A week ago I showed photographs of the Rochdale Canal at Castlefield. Originally that section of the canal up to lock 91 at the end of Whitworth Street West ran through a shallow tunnel. In 1902 this was opened up except for the short Gaythorn Tunnel taking it under Deansgate.

Lock 91 is one of the "Rochdale Nine". When the rest of the Rochdale Canal was closed to navigation in 1952, the nine locks, which link the Ashton and Bridgewater Canals through the centre of Manchester, were the only part of the canal to remain open, forming part of the "Cheshire Ring".

This bar above the Rochdale Canal at Deansgate Locks, takes its name from the number of the lock below. It was originally built in 1804-5 as the lock keeper's cottage.

Both the lock and the lock keeper's cottage are Grade II listed buildings.

The "bridge" at the top is the walkway that links Deansgate Station with the Castlefield-Deansgate Metrolink tram stop.

Between locks 91 and 90 the canal passes between Whitworth Street West on the right and the Deansgate Locks Viaduct on the left that now carries the Metrolink tramway. Footbridges connect the business (mostly bars) under the arches with Whitworth Street West.

  © Copyright Dr Neil Clifton and licensed for reuse under this Creative Commons Licence.

This is how it looked in 1981.

Lock 90 is also known as Albion Lock after the name of a nearby mill.

A contribution to Sunday Bridges at San Francisco Bay Daily Photo.