 With news of the planned Rochdale Canal link into Manchester , the company proposed to extend the canal from Bury through Littleborough , and to connect with the Rochdale Canal at Sladen . The new route , known as the Bury and Sladen Canal , was intended as a rival scheme to the proposed Rochdale link into Manchester . A survey was also carried out on a proposed extension from Sladen to Sowerby Bridge . The company also considered links to the Leeds and Liverpool Canal and the Mersey and Irwell Navigation . These plans would have substantially increased the trans @-@ Pennine traffic using the company 's canal , and caused a potential loss of traffic and revenue on the nearby Bridgewater Canal . With this in mind , the owner of the Bridgewater Canal , the Duke of Bridgewater , agreed to allow the Rochdale Canal Company to connect to his canal at Manchester . Despite the persistence of the canal company , the Rochdale Canal plan won the day and in 1797 the company abandoned the Bury and Sladen Canal plan . 
