When the Grand Junction canal Company took over the Leicestershire and Northamptonshire Union Canals and The (Old) Grand Union canal in 1894 they set about marking the boundary and the mileage of the canal with cast iron marker plates. This is the one of three, which were not used because they coincided with the three tunnels on the Leicester Line waterways. In this case, Crick Tunnel. They were saved from being scrapped when British Waterways were clearing out Kilby Bridge yard.
This type of plate starts at west bridge in Leicester. Replicas have replaced most missing plates. In between each mile plate were quarter and half mile markers.
The junction marker for the Harborough Arm is still in place at the bottom of the Foxton Lock Flight.
They also put cast iron posts along the boundary of the canal.
