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Connecting the waterways to the Norfolk and Suffolk Broads


jetzi

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8 minutes ago, Scholar Gypsy said:

I'd read a bit about plans to connect Bishops Stortford to Cambridge, but this link refers to  a much grander scheme to connect London to Norwich! As far as  I can see the latter would have broadly followed the coast, and so would have connected to the Chelmer and Blackwater, which is a bit tricky to get to by narrow boat ...  

I think many of the improvements to the Ely Ouse were made after 1802, though many of the guide books are rather vague!

http://www.leeandstort.co.uk/Stort History/Part 1.pdf

Thanks for that link - must surely be the one my quote was talking about. I was taken by the poesy of part of the publicity for it, encouraging landowners to go along with the necessary land purchases -

 

“And here it must be allowed, that to have a lawn terminated by water, with objects passing and repassing upon it, is a finishing, of all others the most desirable. And if we add the amusements of a pleasure-boat, that may entertain us with cheering prospects, and views of unwearied application to agriculture, which is productive of a superabundance not only of the necessities but the luxuries of life; and leads us to the reflexion that the inhabitants are opulent and healthy, and the county populous and pleasant; imagination can scarcely conceive the charming variety of such a landscape.”

 

I have never understood all the nonsense spouted as to how pleasure boating was never envisaged by original canal companies; it was a vital element of their campaigns to persuade the public of the general pleasure benefits, and overcome resistance to what was seen as purely industrial intrusion.

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2 minutes ago, NigelMoore said:

Thanks for that link - must surely be the one my quote was talking about. I was taken by the poesy of part of the publicity for it, encouraging landowners to go along with the necessary land purchases -

 

“And here it must be allowed, that to have a lawn terminated by water, with objects passing and repassing upon it, is a finishing, of all others the most desirable. And if we add the amusements of a pleasure-boat, that may entertain us with cheering prospects, and views of unwearied application to agriculture, which is productive of a superabundance not only of the necessities but the luxuries of life; and leads us to the reflexion that the inhabitants are opulent and healthy, and the county populous and pleasant; imagination can scarcely conceive the charming variety of such a landscape.”

 

I have never understood all the nonsense spouted as to how pleasure boating was never envisaged by original canal companies; it was a vital element of their campaigns to persuade the public of the general pleasure benefits, and overcome resistance to what was seen as purely industrial intrusion.

Very nice. Didn't work with the Nimbys at Audley End, though...

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On 20/08/2018 at 16:09, ivan&alice said:

I'm from Norwich and I spent much of my childhood around the Norfolk Broads. I still have a lot of family in East Anglia and I really love this part of the country. The Broads are not connected to the rest of the waterways and the rivers, lakes and New Cut canal are populated by substantially different craft than on the main network of canals!

 

I noticed this thread from someone asking if there was a connection, and if there isn't, how to transport his boat to the main waterway network:
 

 

Personally, I'd love it if the extensive waterways of the Broads were linked to the main system.

 

How pie-in-the-sky an idea is it to cut a link - have there ever been plans to do so? If a connection was constructed, where would it be, would it need many locks, would it be ? How would the different lengths of narrowboat fare on the Broads...?

 

What about an over-ground link? How about a permanent road-based boat transport service with cranes on either end, like a "ferry", that would move your boat from the Broads waterways to the main network?

 

I'm really just dreaming, this is a not-so-serious thread. Just wondering if anyone else has any dreams or thoughts about this, or if you have any links to articles or maps that hint at such a connection. 

I think it is many pies in the sky, indeed a few pies too many for us even to hope.

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