Locally known as the Lanky Cut, construction of the Stockport Branch Canal was authorised by the second Act of the Ashton Canal Company (33 George III Cap. 21, Royal Assent on 28 March 1793). This authorised the construction of a lock-free branch from between locks 10 and 11 of the Ashton Canal at Clayton to the top of Lancashire Hill in Stockport/Heaton Norris via Openshaw, Gorton/Abbey Hey and Reddish. The same Act also authorised the construction of a lock-free branch (Beat Bank Branch Canal) from the Stockport Branch at Taylor's Barn, Reddish, via Beat Bank, Denton, for the purpose of serving coal mines around Burton Nook, Denton. In the event, the Beat Bank Branch was abandoned before work on its construction was completed.

The Stockport Branch opened for trade in January 1797 and in due course it became heavily industrialised over most of its length. It was principally used to supply coal to the many factories and mills along its length, as well as coal for domestic use. Furthermore, it carried raw cotton to the mills, general cargo and finished goods. It was also noted for carrying supplies of grain to Albion Corn Mill (W Nelstrop & Company) at Stockport Basin. In the early years of operation, there was also a passenger-carrying service between Manchester and Stockport.

From the start, the canal was very busy but as the 19th century progressed it became subject to competition from the rapid development of rail and road transport that produced a long period of decline. By the 1920s there was very little trade throughout its length although factories and mills took advantage of it for water supplies. By the 1930s trade had virtually ceased and the canal was becoming overgrown, particularly with reeds. This deterioration continued until the 1950s by which time the canal was, to all intents and purposes, unnavigable although it was still physically intact. During the 1950s it was dredged in an attempt to attract some trade back but this work was of no avail. In 1962 the British Transport Commission (precursor of British Waterways) officially abandoned it. Work on filling in the canal commenced in the same year and there is evidence to show that this was being undertaken to the south of Gorton Aqueduct. Nevertheless, work of filling it in became very protracted and it was not completed until c.1975.

Luckily, much of the route of the canal has remained unharmed and there are now plans to re-open it as an amenity canal. These plans have the support of Manchester and Stockport Metropolitan Borough Councils and British Waterways has reported that re-opening is technically feasible.

Please use the Scrollbar to scroll down the map of the Stockport Branch Canal.

†Manchester, Sheffield and Lincolnshire Railway/Great Central Railway.
‡London and North Western Railway.

Clayton Junction between locks 10 and 11 of the Ashton Canal, 3 March 1983. The side bridge carries the towpath of the Ashton Canal over the entrance to the Stockport Branch and it is listed Grade II. The bricked-up entrance on the right accessed a canal basin belonging to the engineering firm of Armstrong Whitworth.	Ashton Old Road (Pack Horse) Bridge, Openshaw, 2 March 1980. View looking southwards and the towpath was on the right.
Ogden Lane (Crab Croft) Bridge, 2 March 1980. View looking southwards and the towpath was on the left.	Side bridge over the canal arm into the Gorton Canal Depot and Boat Dock, 2 March 1980. This bridge carried the towpath of the Stockport Branch over the arm leading into the canal depot.
Gorton Aqueduct over the Manchester, Sheffield & Lincolnshire Railway/Great Central Railway main line, 1 March 1980. This iron-trough aqueduct was constructed in 1905/06 to replace the original masonry aqueduct that was demolished when the railway line was widened.	Gorton Aqueduct, 1 March 1980. View looking northwards towards Clayton Junction.
	Broadstone Mills, Reddish. These cotton spinning mills were built on the eastern side of the Stockport Branch Canal adjoining Broadstone Road. As built the complex was comprised of twin mills with central engine houses and a floor area of some 640,000 square feet. Construction work for the Broadstone Spinning Co Ltd commenced in 1903 and it was completed in 1907. It had 260,000 spindles. The mills were designed by Stott and Sons of Oldham. They are of red-brick construction on a steel frame with terracotta bands and a moulded dentil eaves cornice. Design features were octagonal turrets with copper cupolas at either end of the complex but only the northern one is still extant. The Broadstone Spinning Co Ltd was incorporated in 1904, Company No. 81586, and it went into voluntary liquidation in 1927. Later it was owned by Broadstone Mills Ltd. The complex closed as cotton spinning mills in 1959 after which it was converted for multi usage. The southern mill and engine houses were demolished in 1965. The surviving building now forms part of the Houldsworth Village development used for small businesses and as a shopping outlet. The surviving building, now known as Broadstone House, was listed Grade II on the 10 March 1975, List Entry No. 1356825.