The Aylesbury Canal Society is a waterway society on the Grand Union Canal, Buckinghamshire, England. The society was launched in 1971 to promote the use of the Aylesbury Arm, and to run moorings leased from British Waterways.
Aylesbury Basin was sold by British Waterways to Aylesbury Vale District Council in 2007. However, Aylesbury Canal Society hold the lease until 2018.
Construction of the 6.25-metre (20.5 ft) Aylesbury canal from Marsworth on the Grand Junction (now Grand Union) Canal into Aylesbury started in 1811. It opened in 1814 and was used for the transport of agricultural produce and coal. Its profitability was undermined by the development of the railways from the 1840s.[1]
It is a narrow beam canal, the maximum length of boats is 72 feet (22 metres) and the width of the locks is 7 feet (2.1 metres). The canal falls a total of 94 feet 8 inches (28.85 metres) between Marsworth Junction and Aylesbury via 16 locks:
There are 19 numbered over-bridges on the canal carrying roads, footpaths and farm accommodation bridges. Two bridges are named: No.2 Dixon's Gap Bridge, and No.3 Wilstone Bridge. There are three pipe bridges: one between Lock No.6 and Bridge No.2, one between Bridges Nos.15 and 16, and one between Lock No.16 and Bridge No.17.[1]
