Pembrey Canal

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While Pinkerton and Allen were building the southern extension of the Kidwelly & Llanelly Canal, Thomas Gaunt had been active in the area. He was extracting iron ore to be processed in new furnaces at Pembrey, had obtained Kilrhedyn colliery, and had constructed a harbour on the sands at Pembrey.

Rennie and Bankes had dismissed the idea of a connection from the Kidwelly & llanelly canal to Gaunt's harbour, as it was not felt to be adequate for the likely volumes of coal traffic, but Gaunt was keen for a canal link. Between late 1823 and April 1824 he built two miles (3.2 km) of canal, including a lock at Cross Lane cottage. At its northern end it joined the Kidwelly and Llanelly canal at Ty Gwyn, just to the north of the disused Ashburnham Canal, and at its southern end, a short tramway linked its terminus to Gaunt's harbour. The Cambrian newspaper carried reports of a ceremonial opening on 30 April 1824, and a formal opening on 26 May.

By 1843, the canal had become disused, with traffic going to the new harbour at Pembrey instead.