Opening in 1816, the Wigan flight allowed the passage of working boats through its 21 locks connecting the weaving mills of Lancashire and Yorkshire with the essential collieries who fed and powered them. Wigan flight is as much an integral part of the local heritage as are the numerous ex collieries and flashes of the area. Without the one, the other could not exist. For anyone navigating the flight they are an impressive challenge! The NTT Red Wheel will celebrate the area's rich industrial heritage and complement the current array of interpretation boards and heritage walks undertaken by Canal and River Trust volunteers.
The NTT is proud that the Deputy Lord Lieutenant Melanie Bryan OBE DL will unveil this latest Red Wheel. The Chief Executive of the Canal & River Trust will also be attending.
The unveiling will take place Thursday 8th June at the 22nd lock on the Wigan Flight (lock 86), Chapel Lane, Wigan, at 11.00 am. You can find the location here.
The flight is approximately 15 minute’s walk from Wigan's railway stations. Nearest parking is here at Trencherfield Mill, Heritage Way, Wigan, WN3 4BF.