Canals and railways combined interest

[Philip]

How many people here have an interest in the canals as well as the railways, be it enjoying a regular canal walk/cycle, narrowboating, kayaking, fishing or just appreciating the beauty of the canals? And do you think the two interests go hand in hand, at least to an extent?

 

[Falcon1200]

I do, through a general interest in transport (albeit railways are supreme!) but also because the canals were superceded by the railways, in some cases were bought by them, and even occasionally had their routes used for railways, eg the Paisley Canal line. Also because their routes nowadays provide excellent level cycling opportunities, Falkirk to Glasgow via the Forth & Clyde Canal being a great example.

 

[Intercity110]

until the 1950s the two were in near direct competition, if i remember correctly, so yes up until a certain time point they do appear to cross over. (Canals also provide really good places for trainspotting when the railways go over them)

 

[Lost property]

I do, through a general interest in transport (albeit railways are supreme!) but also because the canals were superceded by the railways, in some cases were bought by them, and even occasionally had their routes used for railways, eg the Paisley Canal line. Also because their routes nowadays provide excellent level cycling opportunities, Falkirk to Glasgow via the Forth & Clyde Canal being a great example.

I would concur with your comments and suggest you are far from alone. I would suggest, irrespective of their prime interest as a hobby, or involved professionally, transport of all forms tends to have a mutual attraction at whatever level for many people

Liz McKiver (sorry if I've misspelt her name ) did an excellent series on the history of canals, and, more recently "Canal Boat Diaries " offered a further unromanticised insight.

I do feel, that, compared to aviation and the railways, the history and development of canals tends to be very much overlooked in the UK's transport history.

 

[Egg Centric]

I have a mild interest in the canals but its relatively cursory.

Recommend cruising the cut on YouTube for those starting out. He recommends a forum on the FAQ on his website for those with a deeper interest

 

[Ken H]

The southern bit of the brum x-city line is alongside the Worcester and Birmingham canal from 5 Ways to Bournville. The railway bought land from the canal to build the railway

 

[Ashley Hill]

Many years ago I spent several holidays on the canals of central England. Whilst not a canal fanatic I do appreciate the interest and history of them.

 

[172007]

Coming from Birmingham I have to love canals. Got told off by my parents for counting canals on a map of Brum the once. Its when counting I got to "four canal that's a lot" that the telling off occurred.

 

[satisnek]

My parents were boat owners (they went through three, which got progressively larger as the kids grew up!) so inland waterway boating is in my blood. Therefore, having a narrowboat of my own had always been at the back of my mind in my adult life and I finally bought my first one in 2012.

I'll never stop thinking back to those family holidays in the '70s/80's and how they expanded my railway interests. Hailing from third rail land (Wey Navigation), trips up the Thames exposed me to the GWML (the earliest would have been in pre-HST days), the Grand Union Canal to the electrified WCML and the Lee & Stort to the Cambridge line with the suburban leccies going to Hertford East and Bishops Stortford (as they did back then). So yes, the two interests certainly go hand in hand for me.

Canals are the direct predecessor to railways in terms of civil engineering and it's noticeable how they were built along similar courses. Early ones (Brindley era) followed a contour, which presumably would have been quite an easy task back then when most of England was just fields, but the later ones (Telford era) were constructed using earthworks, just like railways - except that you couldn't have gradients! The Shropshire Union main line is a particularly fascinating one - a late build (1830s), it was apparently very nearly one of those new-fangled railways and looking at it on a map, it's easy to see the similarity.

 

[Ken H]

Walking towpaths is a nice day out. But you can also use the train for one direction. For instance, park up at Shipley, train to Leeds then walk back. Up north where both canals and railways are constrained by valleys there is quite a lot of scope to do this.

 

[duncanp]

The southern bit of the brum x-city line is alongside the Worcester and Birmingham canal from 5 Ways to Bournville. The railway bought land from the canal to build the railway

Similarly for the Birmingham Main Line canal, which parallels the railway for much of the way between Birmingham and Wolverhampton.

 

[Bill EWS]

I also take interest in Canals, in particulary the Ex Aberdeen-Inverurie Canal which the Great North of Scotland railway was mainly built upon between these two places.
The railway diverted from the canal bed in a number of places and this has left a reasonable amount of canal bed still possible to make out. You may find my web site
dedicated to the canal & railway of some interest. I started my railway career at Kittybrewster Loco Depot in 1963 and Waterloo Quay (Station) and yadr was a daily shunting duty
as well as local trips between Aberdeen, Twin Spires Milk Depot, Bucksburn, Port Elphinstone and Inverurie.
second manned trains

Aberdeen-Inverurie Canal

 

[Springs Branch]

When I first started exploring the local railway environment as a young teenager by bike, the Leeds & Liverpool Canal towpath provided a nice traffic-free cycling route to get to various railway hotspots (Bamfurlong Jn, Standish Jn and the WCML just south of Wigan NW)

There were very few other cyclists or dog-walkers on canal towpaths in those days, and no cruising narrow boats, gaggles of ramblers or grumpy old men (or women) asserting their right of way - so a much less congested and more conflict-free environment than might occur today. In fact, I think back then cycling on the towpath was technically contrary to some British Waterways Board byelaw (there were rare 'No Cycling' signs at some entry points from roads) - but this regulation was universally ignored and never policed.

As a relative youngster, I was quite taken by the "simple but clever" principles used in canal construction and operation, especially around flights of locks, and the quality of the substantial late 18th/early 19th century masonry. I would linger around, taking in the details and figuring out how the various lock components, sluices and overflow channels worked, before cycling on to my rail-focused destination.

While the railway infrastructure and varied types of rail traffic of the early 1970s always trumped the canals for my interest, even now, if I'm somewhere with a canal in the vicinity, I'll always pop down for a good look around. Most recent occasion was on a day trip to Saltaire - I wasn't there specifically for the canal, but thought "well I'm here, so may as well have a look".

 

[swt_passenger]

I‘ve had my own boat for over 20 years now, though I’m probably easing off on the use of it now as I’m approaching 70. I’ve travelled all over the country, (except the Leeds and Liverpool area), and you‘re rarely far from the railway. So in my case I think travelling the canals has given me a different perspective on railway infrastructure.

 

[Falcon1200]

You may find my web site dedicated to the canal & railway of some interest.

It is indeed interesting @Bill EWS, many thanks.

 

[Bill EWS]

I found a bad link plus an odd page with missing photos. It took a while but I think I now have all the links working correctly again and a page that was missing added. Check the web site again to see what you may have missed.

 

[birchesgreen]

Yes i have a huge interest in canals, i like to clear them (by walking the full length) just like i clear stations*, in fact i was able to tick off the Wednesbury Oak Loop on thursday.

* obviously usually takes a bit longer

 

[zero]

My main interest is "transport networks" which would include canals. I would want to travel along every possible canal but the problem is that I would need a boat. If there were public boats which you could take along all canals I would travel on them, however walking and even cycling would take far too long. Maybe something to do if I manage to retire early and after completing the railways in all the countries I am interested in.

 

[THC]

I grew up in a house beside the Grand Union so always had a soft spot for canals to go with my lifelong interest in railways. As an adult I have walked most of the towpath network in Britain and am next turning my attention to those in Ireland and France, although I expect that my time will be up before finishing both of them!

THC

 

[Calthrop]

I've been a besotted railway enthusiast basically for my entire life (nearly 75 years to date); ever since first discovering the existence of canals, I've had a fondness for them, and a slight interest -- which has never gone as far as making an active study of "things canal". Have never experienced a boat-borne canal-cruising holiday -- feel that it would probably be very enjoyable: been near to doing it a couple of times, but as things have worked out, it's never actually happened for me.

Canals are the direct predecessor to railways in terms of civil engineering and it's noticeable how they were built along similar courses. Early ones (Brindley era) followed a contour, which presumablwould have been quite an easy task back then when most of England was just fields, but the later ones (Telford era) were constructed using earthworks, just like railways - except that you couldn't have gradients! The Shropshire Union main line is a particularly fascinating one - a late build (1830s), it was apparently very nearly one of those new-fangled railways and looking at it on a map, it's easy to see the similarity.

As here: railways and canals are easily and recognisably akin -- similarities constructional and operational, though of course with many detail differences. I'd think that if you're so made as to be susceptible to the charm of one; you're more likely than not, to have at least some of the same feelings about the other -- though that doesn't go for everyone in that ballpark. I treasure the memory of a university contemporary of mine, who was a very big-time canal fan; but regarded railway enthusiasts and their passion, with pity and contempt -- considering them extremely "sad". Talk about -- in the words of George MacDonald Fraser's character Harry Flashman -- the pot calling the kettle "grimy arse" ...

 

[M&NEJ]

I've always had a passion for railways and an interest in canals; but I think that's co-incidence. I enjoy a narrowboat holiday (especially dealing with the locks).

I briefly needed temporary accommodation a few years ago and rented a canal-side apartment for a year. Whereas I like my current position overlooking the WCML, I did find it very restful being part of the canal environment for a while.