Page:Rivers, Canals, Railways of Great Britain.djvu/602

 and a half. Situated as this canal is, with a fall at one extremity into the Trent Navigation, and into the Leicester at the other, it obtains a communication with the Grand Junction Canal through the Grand Union, and thus becomes a link in the great chain of inland navigation; thereby proving no less profitable to the proprietors than convenient to the public; for this is considered one of the most lucrative concerns of the kind in the kingdom.

SOMERSETSHIRE COAL CANAL.
34 George III. Cap. 86, Royal Assent 17th April, 1794.

36 George III. Cap. 48, Royal Assent 24th March, 1796.

42 George III. Cap. 35, Royal Assent 30th April, 1802.

THIS work commences in the Kennet and Avon Canal at Limpley Stoke, near Bradford, in Wiltshire, and running parallel with Mitford Brook to Mitford Mill, proceeds from thence in a westerly direction by Coombe Hay, Dunkerton, Camerton, High Littleton and Timsbury, to Paulton; a railway branching off from it in the parish of South Stoke, proceeds by Wellow, Foxcote, Writhlington and Radstock, to the collieries at Welton and Clandown, in Somersetshire.

At the commencement of the undertaking, it was designed to have a canal branch to Radstock, running upon one level to within a few hundred yards of the main line between Coombe Hay and Mitford Bridge; but in consequence of their funds being exhausted in completing so much of the canal, the company were unable to carry their lockage down to the level; a short railway was in consequence made on the Radstock Branch, to connect that portion of it, which was completed, with the main line of the canal; but here it may be observed, that above twenty years afterwards, a railway was substituted for the branch canal the whole distance.

To connect the Paulton line of canal with the lower level, the company, in the first instance, made whimsey and jenny roads or inclined planes at Coombe Hay, in lieu of lockage, of 138 feet descent; but after a short time it was found that they did not succeed, and that the company would be obliged to substitute locks for them. To raise funds for this purpose, an act, passed in 1802,