Edinburgh, Union Canal. General view.

Description Edinburgh, Union Canal. General view.

Date 1900 to 1930

Collection Collection of photographs by George Chrystal and Francis Maxwell Chrystal, photographers, Edinburgh,

Catalogue Number SC 785617

Category On-line Digital Images

Copy of ED 7009

Scope and Content Lochrin Basin, Union Canal, Edinburgh, looking south-east (closed 1965 and navigation restored 2002) This wide basin at Lower Gilmore Place, Viewforth, was established as the canal's new eastern terminal when the original terminal basin at Port Hopetoun closed in 1922. Its high sides gave it the appearance of a tidal basin, and its broad quays were once busy with the loading and unloading of cargoes from the barges that docked alongside. Johnston's boat-houses, the long, low timber sheds (centre) on the south side of the basin, specialised in the hire of pleasure boats. There was a steady decline in the canal's income in the late 19th century. The final collapse in its carrying trade came during the early years of the 20th century, and in 1922 Port Hopetoun was finally abandoned. The canal's main function then became that of leisure, with pleasure boats running on the waterway and small craft available for hire. Boats could be hired near the city centre at Johnston's boat-houses where they could be rowed out into the countryside. Serious boating became a popular pastime, with several rowing and canoe clubs established near the basin. The Union Canal, the last of Scotland's major canals, was a commercial venture begun in 1818 and completed in 1822. It was built principally as a means of importing coal and lime into Edinburgh, and ran from Port Hopetoun in Edinburgh to join the Forth & Clyde Canal at Camelon, Stirlingshire. However, within 20 years of completion most of its passenger traffic was lost to the railways, and the Edinburgh basins closed in 1922. The rest of the canal remained navigational until 1965 when it was finally closed by an Act of Parliament. In 2002, Britain's largest canal restoration project, The Millennium Link, restored navigation, and with an extension to the Union Canal and a link with the Forth & Clyde Canal through the Falkirk Wheel, boats were once more able to travel between Edinburgh and Glasgow. Source: RCAHMS contribution to SCRAN.

Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/collection/785617

File Format (TIF) Tagged Image File Format bitmap