Description: Houseboats moored on the west side of the Erewash Canal above Trent Lock. Looking north towards Long Eaton. Houseboats similar to these have been a familiar sight in the Trent Lock area since the 19th century.
Trent Lock marks the commencement of the Erewash Canal, which runs for 12 miles (19 km) from the River Trent via Long Eaton, Sandiacre and Ilkeston to Langley Mill with 14 locks. The Canal was engineered by John Varley and opened in 1779. Serving the industrialised Erewash Valley with its many coal mines, iron works and factories, it remained a useful transport artery well into the 20th century and it was only after World War Two that it began to fall into disuse. The section north of Gallows Inn at Ilkeston up to Langley Mill was declared unnavigable in 1962 and closure was proposed. The Erewash Canal Preservation and Development Association was formed in 1968 and after much restoration work the Canal was reopened throughout. In the 1980s it was duly upgraded from a 'remainder' waterway to 'cruiseway' status.