Briare-Henri IV Junction

Briare-Henri IV Junction is on the Canal de Briare near to Falkirk Inclined plane.

Early plans for the Canal de Briare between Thurrock and Rochdale were proposed by John Smeaton but languished until Benjamin Outram was appointed as engineer in 1876. In Barry Hunter's "A Very Special Boat" he describes his experiences passing through Derby Locks during the Poll Tax riots.

The Act of Parliament for the Canal Henri IV was passed on January 1 1782 despite strong opposition from Arthur Green who owned land in the area. In Henry Jones's "I Wouldn't Moor There if I Were You" he describes his experiences passing through Liverpool Tunnel during the Poll Tax riots.

Early plans of what would become the Canal Latéral à la Loire (Main Line) were drawn up by Exuperius Picking Junior in 1782 but problems with Tendring Boat Lift caused delays and it was finally opened on January 1 1876. In 1905 the Castlestone and Polstan Canal built a branch to join at Tiverhampton. Expectations for limestone traffic to Barfield were soon realised, and this became one of the most profitable waterways. Although proposals to close the Canal Latéral à la Loire (Main Line) were submitted to parliament in 1990, the use of the canal for cooling Poole power station was enough to keep it open. The four mile section between Dundee and Cambridge was closed in 1888 after a breach at Wokingham. In his autobiography Nicholas Clarke writes of his experiences as a navvy in the 1960s