Canal Transport

[MandM]

We are currently out on our Narrow Boat cruising around the rivers and canals of the UK. Rosie our boat is built in a semi-traditional style. With the traditional roses and castles designs, many of the old working boats were decorated in this way. Do you have any memories of the canals and working boats. As a child the canal was my playground in the summer months when school was out. There were still some materials being carried along my section of the cut at that time. Steel, wood and grain were the main cargoes.

I would be interested in your memories and observations.


Nb Rose of Arden

[Richard1978]

Re: Canal Transport

My parents live near the Peak Forest Canal in Marple (which forms part of the Cheshire Ring), so quite often we would walk along it.

[battyrat]

Re: Canal Transport

I live close to the kennet and avon canal.For all of my childhood in the 70's it was badly silted up from Devises to Trowbridge.In places you could walk across it and stay dry.It remained that way untill people started to renovate parts of it in the very late 70's early 80's.Today after much work its a great looking canal,and it's so hard for some people to ever believe it was just let to rot the way it was when I was a kid.We also had a very bad outbreak of duckweed back in the early 80's that covered the surface of the water completely all the way along it.My only grumble now is that some people that live on the canal sometimes are too lazy to walk their rubbish to the nearest place to dispose of it and the banks of the canal are full of black rotten rubbish bags thrown down the banks amongst the trees and shrubs.

[MandM]

Re: Canal Transport

The canals as a form of transport has almost come to an end. There are still some oil, aggregates and sand being moved in large quantities in some parts of the country. In the 1950s many canals were abandoned and a small group of people got together to form the Inland Waterways Association. because many canals were opened by acts of parliament there was a requirement that they should be kept open for navigation. Some of the work done by the IWA was to force the British Waterways board and their predecessors to reverse the trend.

People don't realise that the canals play a very important role in helping to remove surface water which is directed into them by means of drainage. I enjoy moving around the canals and visiting many places out of he way places. For anyone interested in the history of the canals. Then Tom Rolts "Narrow boat" is well worth reading.

The wonderful work carried out by volunteers has been amazing. A very important part of our social history has been preserved for future generations. There is still much to do. But if you want a great holiday, one where all the family have to pull together. One that the kids and the dog will love. Why not try a narrow boat holiday. Doing locks can be good fun, but there are large sections of canals with few locks. Such as the North Oxford or the Coventry canal.

I look forward to reading about other peoples experiences.

Mick

[80sChav]

Re: Canal Transport

I must admitt owning a Barge or Boat would be a true dream for me, as an alternative form of living to a Bungalow, Flat or House as would spending 8 out of 12 months in a caravan on the Coast. We had Caanl's in the area I grew up in, but not many Barges etc, this was at a point when Canal's had declined badly and more so Barges etc in my area.

I recall fondly visiting a converted one turned into a Cafe/may-be Bistro in Newark around 1996, that was amazing - it had so much detail but was awe inspiring in a way you never could catch on to until you appreciated it like a Fine Wine etc say.

[MandM]

Re: Canal Transport

I recall fondly visiting a converted one turned into a Cafe/may-be Bistro in Newark around 1996, that was amazing - it had so much detail but was awe inspiring in a way you never could catch on to until you appreciated it like a Fine Wine etc say.

The "Newark Barge" is still in business, I celebrated my birthday and the queens jubilee on the same day moored opposite the barge. Now we are on the Oxford Canal, just south of Rugby. Still making our way south towards ... well to be honest I'm not sure. However tomorrow I will have to decide to continue South towards the River Thames, Turn East towards Leamington Spar heading towards Stratford and the River Avon, or East and the River Nene into the Fens. Its a hard life with so many choices to make!

As for living aboard a boat, it is less expensive than living in a house (no council tax for instance) and many people in the UK choose to live the dream on retirement. We are lucky in being able to do both. But when the housing market returns back to normal. The house will be sold and the dream will then spread to the rivers and canals of mainland Europe.

There are two questions we are always asked by "Gongoozelers." (people who watch boats) The first is - "is it cold in the winter?" to which I answer "It depends on where I set the thermostat." We have central heating aboard. The second is "what about the toilet?" to which I answer "Its the same as the one at home, its made of porcelain and it flushes. We also have a bath as well as a shower." (Its a bit like a country cottage sceptic tank which we pump out from time to time)

The decline in the canals has gradually been reversed over the last 50 years. Many canals have been refurbished and reopened by "Canal Preservation Groups."

regards

Mick

[MandM]

Re: Canal Transport

My only grumble now is that some people that live on the canal sometimes are too lazy to walk their rubbish to the nearest place to dispose of it and the banks of the canal are full of black rotten rubbish bags thrown down the banks amongst the trees and shrubs.

I am genuinely sorry to read about your experiences on the K and A. As in all walks of life there are good and bad. Fly tipping is not unique to the land and its always a minority rather than the majority. We do from time to time find shopping trolleys and other kinds of rubbish dumped in the canal. I am not going to defend canal dwellers, I'm not there to witness your experiences but most boaters would not dump rubbish in the canal because it ultimately ends up wrapped around their propeller and is the devil of a job to clean off.

In many places the canals have sanitary stations with toilets, sluices, showers, rubbish skips. More and more include separate skips for bottles and other such items so we can sometimes recycle. Its getting better is some places and others are slowly catching up. Because many canals were abandoned, they did become the dumping ground for all sorts of rubbish. Old habits die hard. Last year, we were passing a set of new canal side flats. I watched a young mother come to the balcony, throw a soiled baby nappy into the canal. When I looked around there were dozens of similar items floating in the water. A canalside property, possibly sold and purchased for its views over the waterside was being used by an owner as a dumping ground.

The answer, is given enough time things will change.