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Large Canals

Telford worked on a number of new waterway schemes across Europe. In 1808 he was consulted by King Gustav of Sweden on the best way to cut a canal between Lake Wenern and the Baltic Sea. He visited Sweden, and along with Count Baltzar Von Platen the canals instigator, drew up plans and specifications. His plans were adopted and in 1810 he visited again to see the new excavations, to supply patterns for specialist tools and teach the local builders the art of good lock construction. At 120 miles long the Gotha Canal was an artificial waterway connecting a series of lakes much like the Caledonian Canal, it was however a much larger project and took 22 years to complete.

Old and new basins at Weston Point on the River Weaver in 1921.

The River Weaver in Cheshire was a very important waterway in the late 18th century busy with traffic from the salt manufacturing areas of Nantwich, Northwich and Frodsham. Unfortunately the river was very tortuous and shallow in places. In 1809 Telford was called in to report on the unfinished Weston Canal section of the river started in 1807. He made a number of major improvements including the construction of new locks, weirs and side cuts bypassing the worst areas and completing the works by 1811.

A double leaf, wooden, swing bridge at Purton on the Gloucester and Sharpness Canal in 1955.

In 1817 Telford was appointed engineering advisor to the Government’s Exchequer Loans Commission, which offered cheap loans to encourage public works to offset an economic slump following the Napoleonic Wars. This entailed surveying and inspecting proposed sites and plans for projects seeking government loans. The first canal Telford visited in this new capacity was the Gloucester and Berkeley Canal which had been in difficulty since the 1790s. Although he only visited the canal occasionally, he had a significant impact on its design and the methods used to construct the canal in its later stages, particularly the employment of a reliable resident engineer and contractor.

Account book of the payments made to Hugh McIntosh, contactor for the completion of the Gloucester and Berkeley Canal. Certified and signed by Thomas Telford. 1823-1828.