13 Miracles of Modern Waterways

[Heartland]

There are probably more than 13

 

But to start of the list

 

(1) Restoration of the Huddersfield Canal

(2) Restoration of the Scottish Canals and the construction of the Falkirk Wheel

(3) Restoration of the Rochdale Canal

(4) Restoration of the Kennet & Avon Canal and a link to the Somerset Coal Canal

(5) On going restoration of the Montgomery Canal

(6) The improvement of locks on the Sheffield & South Yorkshire Navigation

(7) Improvements on the Aire & Calder Navigation

(8) Improvements on the River Trent

(9) Restoration of the Southern Stratford upon Avon Canal and the Upper Avon Navigation

(10) Droitwich Canals restoration and new locks

(11) Improvement of the Rufford Branch and subsequent Ribble Link to link up with the Lancaster Canal

(12) Dudley Canal tunnel restoration and the new underground canal connected with that restoration

(13) The general improvements made by British Waterways to towpath improvement and navigation

 

There may be many opinions but restoration and modern navigation improvement are perhaps important. That they are miracles is evinced from the nationalisation of the waterways network and a determination for perhaps " Beeching approach" to the network.

 

[reg]

In not sure that individually any of these could be called a miracle but maybe an argument could be made that it's a miracle that somewhere it was decided that the canal system should be restored and preserved. I'm sure many a good argument could of been made to fill them in as that had seized to have a valid or viable commercial role. So we have to thank the visionaries who brought them back to life.

[Stroudwater1]

I would add Restoration of the Stourbridge Canal, in that it gave ongoing belief and a needed catalyst that things can be done, made BWB realise that people did care about inland waterways.

Progress already made to the Stroudwater navigation. 

Progress made on the Chesterfield 

 

I would separate the South Stratford and the Upper Avon though, the challenge of the Upper Avon was on a different scale and done separately some years apart?   

 

 

[Dav and Pen]

The formation of WRG and events like the Ashton big dig 

kept the pressure un BW to at least stop closures and then slowly and at first very grudgingly join in the restoration effort.

Think the Droitwich deserves to be on the list.

[Alan de Enfield]

All of these restorations (over the years and for those in the future) are a great benefit to boaters etc, but because they have been done 'on a shoestring' to get them opened with great fanfare, the problems come when the restoration charity, say to C&RT "we have done our bit, its over to you to keep them operational" and C&RT blindly accept them knowing full well that they cannot afford to maintain the regularly used 'mainline' canals they already have in their portfolio.

 

It is maybe time that C&RT refused to accept these restorations and that the charity doing the restoration take financial responsibility for the canal for 10 years / 20 years / perpetuity.

 

C&RT are not legally obliged to accept any canal 'thrust on them'. maybe its time they said "NO" - in fact, C&RT can legally close, or dispose of any of the remainder waterways it chooses.

 

3.2.13 The salient changes brought about by the Transport Act 1968,were :—

 

(a) the division of all the waterways into three categories, Commercial, Cruising and the remainder.

 

(b) an obligation to preserve and maintain for navigational use the waterways in the Commercial and Cruising categories substantially in accordance with conditions obtaining during 1967.

 

(c) the abolition of other public and private rights of navigation over the Board's waterways deriving from any local enactments, of the maintenance obligations under Section 17 of the Regulation of Railways Act, 1873, and of similar maintenance obligations in local enactments.

 

(d) a new obligation imposed on the Board to deal with all waterways not in the category either of Commercial or Cruising waterways, i.e. the remainder (termed for the sake of convenience the ‘Remainder waterways”) in the most economical manner e.g. either retention, elimination or disposal, as most appropriate.

 

(e) local and certain other statutory and charitable authorities were given powers to enter into agreements with the Board for maintaining or taking over any Remainder waterways or parts thereof and to assume full responsibility or (in the case of local authorities) for making financial contributions towards the cost of maintenance in inland waterways.

Edited July 14, 2022 by Alan de Enfield

[Dav and Pen]

Apologies just re read the list and the Droitwich is on it. Enjoyed the work parties there and learnt to drive a Smalley digger as well.

[magpie patrick]

10 minutes ago, Alan de Enfield said:

 

 

It is maybe time that C&RT refused to accept these restorations and that the charity doing the restoration take financial responsibility for the canal for 10 years / 20 years / perpetuity.

 

C&RT are not legally obliged to accept any canal 'thrust on them'. maybe its time they said "NO".

 

CRT came into existence in 2012  - I'm not aware that they have accepted ANY new waterways

[Alan de Enfield]

6 minutes ago, magpie patrick said:

 

CRT came into existence in 2012  - I'm not aware that they have accepted ANY new waterways

 

Agreed, but BW did accept several which have resulted in the financial situation handed over to C&RT and exacerbated C&RTs financial position.

There are several  restorations on going that will in time be handed over to C&RT, but, maybe C&RT should refuse when it happens, or, make sure that the restorers are made aware of C&RTs position before commencing the restoration.

Edited July 14, 2022 by Alan de Enfield

[Chris Lowe]

8 minutes ago, Alan de Enfield said:

 

Agreed, but BW did accept several which have resulted in the financial situation handed over to C&RT and exacerbated C&RTs financial position.

There are several  restorations on going that will in time be handed over to C&RT, but, maybe C&RT should refuse when it happens, or, make sure that the restorers are made aware of C&RTs position before commencing the restoration.

 

May depend on weather they are the legal owners of said canals 

[magpie patrick]

10 minutes ago, Alan de Enfield said:

 

Agreed, but BW did accept several which have resulted in the financial situation handed over to C&RT and exacerbated C&RTs financial position.

There are several  restorations on going that will in time be handed over to C&RT, but, maybe C&RT should refuse when it happens, or, make sure that the restorers are made aware of C&RTs position before commencing the restoration.

 Quite so - and I agree with that analysis

 

When working with canal societies at the moment I always start with "don't work on the basis CRT will take it over" 

[Alan de Enfield]

2 hours ago, buccaneer66 said:

 

May depend on weather they are the legal owners of said canals 

 

So, if C&RT are the 'owners' of the canal they could refuse permission for the retoration to commence.

If someone else is the owner of the canal C&RT could refuse to accept it becoming their responsibility

 

If it is a C&RT owned canal they have options  :

 

Transport Act 1968 section 107(1)(2)(a)

 

(2) It shall be the duty of the Board-

(a) to secure that each of the inland waterways comprised in their undertaking which is not a commercial waterway or cruising waterway is dealt with in the most economical manner possible (consistent, in the case of a waterway which is retained, with the requirements of public health and the preservation of amenity and safety), whether by retaining and managing the waterway, by developing or eliminating it, or by disposing of it

 

As my old company Chairman used to say, there are only three things to do with a business : grow it, close it or sell it, staying where you are is not an option".

 

Edit : So many spelling errors in so few words !!

Edited July 14, 2022 by Alan de Enfield

[IanD]

3 hours ago, reg said:

In not sure that individually any of these could be called a miracle but maybe an argument could be made that it's a miracle that somewhere it was decided that the canal system should be restored and preserved. I'm sure many a good argument could of been made to fill them in as that had seized to have a valid or viable commercial role. So we have to thank the visionaries who brought them back to life.

...and Barbara Castle (Transport Act 1968), without who many of them would undoubtedly have been abandoned.

[magpie patrick]

CRT are not obliged to take anything over - nor were BW. Agreements were made when canals were being restored. In the 21st century BW "took over" the Rochdale and the Droitwich Canals.* Prior to this they had taken back the Southern Stratford (it was theirs pre-restoration). They also built a brand new navigation with the Ribble Link. Other restorations either were their waterway to start off with or is still not theirs now. 

 

*BW also took over the Yorkshire Ouse and Linton lock, but these were not restorations

 

 

So in total BW took over about 40 miles of canal and took back another 11. 

 

It is significant that the plans for the Cotswold Canals do not include CRT taking over - it will be run by the Stroud Valley Canals Company. There are no proposals for CRT to take on any of the schemes I'm currently working on.

 

The miracle was probably the turning of attitudes not just for restoration but that we didn't lose much of what survived to nationalisation. 

Edited July 14, 2022 by magpie patrick

[Tim Lewis]

12 hours ago, Heartland said:

There are probably more than 13

 

But to start of the list

 

(1) Restoration of the Huddersfield Canal

(2) Restoration of the Scottish Canals and the construction of the Falkirk Wheel

(3) Restoration of the Rochdale Canal

(4) Restoration of the Kennet & Avon Canal and a link to the Somerset Coal Canal

(5) On going restoration of the Montgomery Canal

(6) The improvement of locks on the Sheffield & South Yorkshire Navigation

(7) Improvements on the Aire & Calder Navigation

(8) Improvements on the River Trent

(9) Restoration of the Southern Stratford upon Avon Canal and the Upper Avon Navigation

(10) Droitwich Canals restoration and new locks

(11) Improvement of the Rufford Branch and subsequent Ribble Link to link up with the Lancaster Canal

(12) Dudley Canal tunnel restoration and the new underground canal connected with that restoration

(13) The general improvements made by British Waterways to towpath improvement and navigation

 

There may be many opinions but restoration and modern navigation improvement are perhaps important. That they are miracles is evinced from the nationalisation of the waterways network and a determination for perhaps " Beeching approach" to the network.

 

I would add the campaign to get the Cheshire Ring restored, if the northern bits had been allowed to close their would have been less incentive to restore the Rochdale and Huddersfield etc

[sueb]

The restoration of the Basingstoke canal because that got us involved with restoration.

[David Mack]

1 hour ago, magpie patrick said:

They also built a brand new navigation with the Ribble Link.

And the Liverpool Link. I had a peripheral professional connection with that project, and the BW folk involved were very keen to promote the project and make it happen, in the face of some reluctance by the other parties involved.

[Heartland]

The Liverpool Link is another remarkable development, in deed, passing through a former dock area and forging a new connection with the River Mersey