Description: Trip boat 'The Stenson Bubble' at Swarkestone Junction on hire to the Railway and Canal Historical Society, whose logo can be seen mounted on the side of the vessel. Swarkestone Lock is off camera to the right, while in the background is the truncated stub of the former Derby Canal, retained in water as far as the overbridge solely as moorings.
The Trent and Mersey Canal runs for 93.5 miles (150.5 km) from the River Trent at Derwent Mouth near Shardlow (Derbyshire) to Preston Brook in Cheshire (where it links with the Bridgwater Canal). It was engineered by James Brindley and opened in 1777. The Derby Canal came somewhat later, in 1796, but saw no traffic after 1945 and was officially abandoned in 1964. It linked Swarkestone with Derby, Little Eaton and Sandiacre.