Crinan Canal

| repeal_date = | amendments = Crinan Canal Act 1799 | repealing_legislation = | related_legislation = | status = Amended | original_text = https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=XwbC08mcZ-4C&pg=PA363 | collapsed = yes }} The canal was built to provide a shortcut for commercial sailing and fishing vessels and later Clyde puffers to travel between the industrialised region around Glasgow to the West Highland villages and islands. Authorised by the (33 Geo. 3. c. 104), it was designed by civil engineer John Rennie and work started in 1794, but was not completed until 1801, two years later than planned. The canal's construction was beset with problems including finance and poor weather.…

The Crinan Canal has 15 locks and is crossed by seven bridges: six swing bridges and a retractable bridge. Stone for the 15 locks was brought from Mull, the Isle of Arran and Morvern. From Ardrishaig, three locks raise the canal's 4 mi east reach to 32 ft above sea level. The 1100 yd summit reach, between Cairnbaan and Dunardry, is 64 ft above sea level. The west reach between Dunardry and Crinan is 18 ft above sea level. The canal is deep, although the declared maximum draught for a vessel is 2.5 m, and power lines which cross the canal restrict the height limit to 30 m. The retractable bridge at Lock 11 replaced the original swing bridge in 1900. It is operated by a rotating handle and a…