The Abandoned Canal that Crossed the UK - Thames and Severn.
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 1 มิ.ย. 2020
- Welcome to another video where we explore the Abandoned Thames and Severn Canal. We have been meaning to explore here for sometime and so pleased we did. There is so much exploring to be done and we probably only scratch the surface.
If you enjoy what we do why not consider the following links:
/ everydisusedstation
www.paulwhitewick.co.uk
Music Credit:
Epidemicsound.com
Maps: railmaponline.com
PhotoCredit: Historic England Archive. - บันเทิง
Thanks for watching folks. We hope you like the Abandoned Canals which we feel complement the Railways quite nicely. What do you think?
Hell, yes!
They complement each other perfectly, both canals and railways are a very interesting part of our social and economic history.
Yes, it's a great combination! I really like to cycle along a disused (but still watered) canal near where I live
Yes hope to see more soon !!
Yes absolutely! It's very strange to see places I walk quite regularly on video! (Daneway portal towards Gloucester) I live in stroud
As a bricklayer it always amazes me the shear amount of graft that went into to building these structures only to be left to be reclaimed by nature. A shame really.
Very much so, but if the CCT get their way we might perhaps see some justice done to those that built it.
mac4564 Another marvel of the bricklayers art is all those Napoleonic & Palmerston fortifications littered around the UK- all arches & domes & what-not....
I agree its a shame to see such things left forlorn & going to waste...
Truly temples to hard graft!
@@pwhitewick CCT?
@@tonywellard458 sorry Tony. I've completely lost the context of this thread now
@@tonywellard458 - Cotswold Canals Trust?
We can thank Barbara Castle for the foresight in th 1950's where she saw a possible leisure industry by the restoration of the canals. As an MP she encouraged and drove the restoration forward to what we have today.
The CCT often restore canals. There's a list of the ones they are going to restore, and Thames and Severn is on that list, so it will probably be restored.
Awesome guys as usual, must admit I'm a bigger canal fan than railway fan, but you could talk me in to watching paint dry. Stay safe and have fun👍
Canals are all a bit new to us, but we will admit that they are a fascination to us as much as the iron road.
"We don't want to bore you because it's lock after lock after lock"... au contraire!
Haha...... You can translate that to.... "I am shattered and want to go home".
And each lock had a name - often that of a local pub, such as the Red Lion - and as the gradient eased the spacing between them gradually increased until you came to Brimscombe Port, which has a fascinating history which some viewers might be interested in!
Wow brilliant, love those old Locks
Cheers Boss. You're going to love the video accompanying this a week Tuesday.
You were in my neck of the woods! I've walked all of the canal from it's junction with the Sheerness canal through to the tunnel portal, and I've visited the gap between the two tunnels.
You must do the restored section, and the missing link under the M5 and A38 that is currently being restored, with the lock in the middle of A38 roundabout.
Like you I have a fascination with disused canals and railways, I was born in a town created by the arrival of a canal that joined the River Severn in Worcestershire. The canal trade was killed off by the GWR railway to the town, but the canal has had the last laugh as it's a busy leisure route now and the railway has long gone (I'm old enough to remember when they were both active with trade!).
A spell in the RAF got me interested in old airfields, I could probably bore your socks off for several hours on that subject.
Haha thanks for sharing Sarge. We would like to do the Stroud Water at some point soon for sure.
I AM INTERESTED,PETER,CLAPTON LONDON.,LOST LOWER LEGS,INDIRECT 2ND WAR CASUALTY.
Provision of water to canals is a complex and underappreciated subject. If build a canal, you need to provide water.
Sometimes there's a convenient River, sometimes it's a lot more complicated - you'll find dams and reservoirs on top of hills for the purpose.
Go to Skipton castle, and there's a complex system on the hill next to it that was built to feed the canal.
The "tanks" along side locks are often there to reduce the amount of water is released each time a boat goes through. There are some good animations to be found explaining how this works. When I get back to my computer, I'll try and find one for you.
A great video, and fascinating to see the old locks almost untouched. Thought Rebecca looked especially lovely in that outfit.
Ended up walking along this a few weeks ago after the Thames flooded at Cricklade and I was forced to divert from the Thames path. So glad I did! The structures and the roundhouses were just so interesting.
There are plenty of goods that could still be transported by canal instead of road. Just requires the vision to do it.
And some patience to. But perhaps that the life we need!
@@pwhitewick just think of goods that need storage when imported.
That's what I think too. Household recycling and other non time dependent items/slow turnover. In fact with our online habit of cheap goods from China we are quite used to 3 week delivery periods now! Instead of making new scars across the countryside why don't they repurpose what is already there. In fact I think they should consider using disused railway beds for water transport. Free up the roads, clean diesel hybrid engines and a boat costs about half of what a lorry does plus unskilled pay grades and no driver's hours legal red tape.
I came to this channel for the railways, but you are slowly winning me round to old canal appreciation.
Top video!
Welcome to Canals Alan. They are equally as enjoyable to explore and I guess equally as relevant.
Hi from Stroud, just down the valley!
Just by the Daneway portal of Sapperton tunnel was the lengthmans cottage from where he would control the comings and goings through the tunnel. As you would have seen, it’s just a pile of rubble now.
The Stroudwater canal, who’s only remarkable feature is that it is still owned by the company of proprietors that was set up to build it, was built up to Stroud to take the Severn trows. The Thames and Severn was built to take these up to Brimscome Port, where the cargo would be put into the narrower Thames style boat.
A railway connection is that the Thames and Severn was brought by the GWR to prevent the Midland Railway from buying it and turning it into a railway.
The Stroudwater canal has just received the funding it needs to completely reopen to the Sharpness ship canal. I hope the Thames and Severn is opened one day too.
Thanks Pete. Do you know how he controlled the flow of traffic? Perhaps a token system?
@@pwhitewick It was on a time based system: the Sapperton end from 6am, 2pm, 10 pm.
The Coats end from 2am, 10, am, 6 pm. So a 4 hour rotation.
'The Stroudwater and Thames and Severn canals in old photographs' has a print of the tunnel bye-laws which I can just about read, if I squint enough!
That's fantastic! I get very excited by abandoned canals. Nice drone shots.
Much more to come!
@ 15.45, no it isn't, you showed the site of the first one in the pub picture @ 15.20 and at 17.12. you were standing on it!
untill the pandemic shut us down, there was a very active ongoing restoration project on this waterway along with several others, which i have been a very small part of for some years. how we proceed in the future with social distancing remains to be seen. for more information see www.cotswoldcanals.org.uk and www.waterways.org.uk
Great video. So much interesting industrial heritage! Those locks are amazing. It looks like you left your children behind half-way through - glad you found them at the end ;) Love the soundtracks too.
Yup, never a harm in losing ones kids! Yup they got a tad bored with all the walking so had some "Car Technology" time.
We live in such a wonderful country with so much history, exploring it is wonderful.
It's become an obsession.
The Whitewicks so it seems, I have done a bit of railway exploring here in north Cumbria mainly by bike and it is truly fascinating
Great video Siddington is 10 miles from my home, I had no idea the lock gates were there and had not heard of the Thames and Severn canal, the tunnel close to the pub used to have small boat trips into it a few years ago, if the water was deep enough.
Been on that trip which takes you part way into the tunnel. The tunnel has partly collapsed due to a spring. The person running the trip said this could be the start of the river Thames.
When I lived in NJ, I learned about another abandoned canal called the Morris Canal. It connected the Delaware to New York Harbor. There’s a park on the NY Harbor side to mark where it ended. The canal was a key part of NJ’s growing iron industry
Thanks For sharing Avery
Morris Canal had planes, where they pulled the barges up a hill too steep to use locks. The subway under Raymond Blvd, in Newark, is in the canal bed. The end of the Morris by the Hudson is now used by two or three marinas.
Thank folks! I'm watching and rewatching some of your videos. I love your quiet voice and relaxing music.
Awesome, thank you!
It's amazing how nature take it all back
There will be plenty of unemployment after this awful virus has been brought under control, the government should open up these canals and the disused line beds and use the people who want to work and also love the land we live in , pay a proper wage and use the workforce for a good reason instead of just sitting at home losing their respect for themselves, every time I open the paper I read about people’s mental health surely working outdoors and restoring something that would be appreciated would do wonders for physical and mental health, I worked outdoors all my adult life and thoroughly enjoyed every minute winter and summer
I couldn't agree more John. I am sure there is room for scope with projects like that but sadly the money has to come from somewhere. Mainly its the tax payer... vicious circle.
There is a long term project to restore all the canals in this area. This canal has been restored through Stroud and the next phase is to connect to the Gloucester and Sharpness Canal to the West. Tunnels are currently being dug under the A38 at its junction with the A419. The Eastern section will the third phase followed by the tunnel.
i left.school in 82 and the job creation scheme set up to restore.rochdale canal i worked in lockgate factory got a job two years later restoreing old buildings at 7 quid and hour
Take heart. Since my interest in canals was piqued over 40 years ago, a lot of canals have indeed been restored - Kennet & Avon, Rochdale, Huddersfield Narrow to name but three. Volunteer groups preserve what they can until funding may eventually become available. Some land buying and re-buying would be needed to restore the T&S.
John Mehaffey - I’m sure that’ll offend some union slugs, academic SJWs, and useless, do-nothing bureaucrats all at the same time. I like it.
You should have a chat with Andy Tidy (canal hunter on YT) between you, you could bring the whole network alive again in pictorial/video format. The canal system in the UK was not just a transport aide, it's creation and development created the wealth and power for this country that came from the Industrial Revolution. Trains , air travel and road networks may rule today for transport but they were late on parade compared to the canals.Well done.
Just watching one of his videos now actually.
That was brilliant guys. Thank you so much for showing this sad canal. Probably one of the least used waterways in the UK. In the Summer it ran dry and the winter it froze. They had huge problems along the summit level due to porous ground and rocks. The Summit level was fed by the same spring that feeds the Thames and somewhere at that point you would find the remains of the steam pumping engine and house built to supply the canal. The Trows only went as far as Stroud but the Thames barges could navigate the whole length. Most of the Locks had houses for the Keepers and many were octagonal, one or two survive I think between Sapperton Tunnel and the Thames. I had no idea so much has survived. Thank you both so much for your work.
Thanks Douglas very interesting information, really appreciated.
The railway killed the canal in the end.
We were on the northern part of the Lancaster canal this week. If you're ever up here it's dead easy to get to. It's straight off "Burton in Kendal" services. When they built the M6 they thought it was a good idea to cut the canal in 2. Plenty of good scenery, wildlife and history. Some of it is useable but isn't used and some of it is filled in further toward Kendal. Next time we're at our friend's in Tewksbury we'll have a look at this one.
Thanks Wavey Davey. When the hotels open once again for leisure purposes we will be back!
All that work, all that infrastructure, all gone to waste. sometimes humans are so short sighted.
Sadly it seems that way.
"Gone to waste' in a sense yes but also a victim of the very process that created them in the first place. For Britain to industrialise, good transport links were essential. In the 1750s, goods were usually carried in horse-drawn carts along dirt roads that
were often badly pot-holed, or they were transported along rivers. Rivers, however followed winding courses and could vary greatly in width and depth.The solution was to build canals, which were effectively artificial rivers. The first true canal was opened in 1761. ‘Canal mania’ soon began and within the next 20 years a vast network of canals was created across England but of course within another 20 years the very reason for the canals, the Industrial Revolution, would developed the very thing that would bring an end to the canals - Railways. If anything the massive, rapid construction of this infrastructure followed by its rapid replacement and abandonment demonstrate the unbelievable speed at with the Industrial Revolution took place. It is great to see these sites get recorded in videos like this one before they disappear into the earth.
Luckily there is a long-running campaign to restore parts of this canal. Some of it has already been restored in fact.. Near to Stroud. Refer to bit.ly/3dA2UpO for the details of the progress. I've also walked down this canal near Stroud... It's quite eerie in places in a cool way! The real reason for its closure in the first place is that it simply didn't stay full with water and was costing too much to repeatedly pump in water. Refer to the "Operation" section here: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thames_and_Severn_Canal
many UK canals fell into disuse because they were superseeded by more effective means of transport, in the case of this one, the Great Western Railway, not a matter ob being short sighted, but why take two or three day to transport goods from Bristol to London when the GWR could get it there in a matter of hours
True, but ‘Creative Destruction’ is necessary for economic growth. Imagine if we still used canals infrastructure solely because individuals weren’t encouraged to innovate or institutions frowned upon development!?
However as a kayaker I love a ‘used’ canal.
That skirt was a great choice! Beautiful countryside and an absolute treat to hear the English birds again. Best wishes from Australia.
The videos where you two have to really dig through the brush are always the most awe inspiring scenes.
It certainly feels that way thanks
CS Forester, Honblower and The Atropos has a fun description of travelling along the T&S canal. Loved the video and yes, canals are as good as railways to explore, thank you.
Your channel has given me a new appreciation for canals as well as railways. thank you!
Cheers Finn.
So much history and such a beautiful location! I am as intrigued by the Canals as I am the Railways! Seeing that Sapperton Canal Tunnel map picture, i am looking forward to your video on it! Its nice they turned the tow path into a walking trail ! Thanks guys and yes Rebecca looked beautiful in her outfit!
Thanks Miles. The Tunnel is just something else.... I shall start editing soon!
Thanks for posting this very enjoyable vlog!
Super video, really enjoyed this one. Thanks!
Superb as usual. Great length video too. Thanks both (all) :)
That was really interesting & much appreciated - Thanks..
It’s so nice to see you both out and about, a brilliant video as always, so interesting. Thankyou x
One of your best, not that any are poor you understand. Enjoyed that. Thank you both.
Nice to see u out and about again
Another excellent inspiring video, thank you Paul and Rebecca. Keep up the good work.
Great interesting video thanks to both of you. Unbelievable how nature takes over.
Fascinating and very informative 👍. Great background music track too.
Thanks Andy.
Beautyful video🥰
Lovely weather and wonderful seightings!!
Walked this old canal route many times over the years, another excellent video.
I imagine having Rebecca strolling behind you while you’re talking is like being followed by Wikipedia. Every fact you mention but need clarification on, you simply look over your shoulder, ask for clarification and authoritative confirmation ensues 😋
Superb stuff. Thank you 😊
I lived on a narrowboat for 7 years, did the Severn to Gloucester it would have been amazing to have been able to travel to the Thames. Hope one day this canal is opened once more.
I appreciate your efforts bringing everyone these little explores. Always very interesting. Looking forward to the tunnel video.
Thanks Barry. It's epic. Stay tuned
Excellent photography guys!
As always, the time and effort that you put into making and editing your videos makes them compulsive viewing. So good to see you outdoors again.
Effin amazing video brilliant subject and we'll presented. .the bridge at 9:00...wow!
Really interesting stuff, great job both
Very nice and interesting video you pair 😎
Many thanks for all your hard work
🙂🍻🥂👍🏻
Don't you just love it when you stumble across industrial memories. You're right Paul, it sends a little shiver down your spine and you have to touch it to connect with the history. A great find and another string to your bow, yep, I'm liking it👍👍
Great work , amazing architecture.
Cheers Stuart
Nice work Paul and Rebecca. I have always had an interest in the History of Britain's Mills, Mines, Railways, Canals, Thanks again from Australia.
Nice vid and info,keep safe you both and your kids.
Another great film Mr and Mrs W, thank you!
Always a pleasure
I have to agree with many of the other comments, I love the canals in the same way as railways. Just the brickwork skills alone make all the infrastructure interesting. Understanding the reason for the investment reveals so much about our past. Then there are all the additional businesses, and therefore buildings that evolved because of the investment. Canals also seem to have a tranquillity about them that railways don't. Great Video. Regards Garry
Your videos are always very interesting thank you from New Zealand
Thanks Terry
Thanks Guy`s thats another bit of my local area I didn`t know about. Great video again.
Thanks! Great stuff 👍👍👍
Lovely evocative video - home from home for me. Back in the early 60s my parents had wanted to buy and live in the Roundhouse at Coates, a little way east of the Tunnel Inn. It belongs (or belonged) to the Bathurst Estate at Cirencester who, sadly, showed no interest in the offer. It's still derelict half a century later. Instead, they bought a narrow (butty) boat on the Stroudwater and we lived on that for about four years.
Abandoned canals!!! Absolutely wonderful....please keep the stations and railways coming too. Forgotten transports links and engineering feats in this country should be remembered a lot more. Great video, as usual, keep them coming, please!!!!
Beautiful scenery, great to see these little corners of the country!
We love to dig them out!
Great work from you all, as always! I love how you show me all of these amazing, nearly forgotten constructions. You are inspiring me for summer and autumn walks once this lockdown eases! Thank you for the work that it takes you to produce your videos!
Thanks Stephen very kind. Glad we are able to inspire, good luck with the walks.
Sitting out in my garden in the sun relaxing watching another one of your excellent videos. Keep up the good work 👍
Thanks Darren. Enjoy the sun!
Just found my new favourite TH-cam channel 😊 Big thank you to Paul and Rebecca for making and posting their awesome videos. Great videos guys 👍 keep up the good work 😊
Can't quite put my finger on what's different but this video seems incredibly slick and well produced. More please.
Thanks Sebastian. Essentially its down to how much time I have. A had a little extra on my hands so went to town on this one!
@@pwhitewick I like :) Keep it up.
Very interesting, thanks P&R, looks like you had lovely weather for the trip - so nice to be out and about again!
100% Dave. So good to be able to walk out and about again.
Great video, love all the historical facts.
Thanks John.
Can never have enough whitewicks , great job as always
Brilliant, love the canal stuff.
Wonderful film. Thank you os much for making it. The history of old canals fascinates me especailly when you consider that they were built using shovels, hand tools and wheelbarrows. What a feat of civil engineering using gangs of itinerant navvies. Really looking forward to the next bit!
Railways, canals, tunnels or stations it matters not. Love the content and appreciate the hard work and passion that you put in to it. Thankyou.
i lov abandoned places, enjoying your videos
Glad you like them!
That would make a great cycle route across country. Very interesting
Don't know for the whole canal, but the section between Cirencester and Cricklade makes a great XC route, there is then a old rail line the runs parallel if you are going both ways.
Super cool video. Very interesting how you both tell the history of all you video. Great job!
Thanks Justin. It's quite addictive
Seeing the beautiful countryside you walk through on your adventures makes me realise how lucky we all are to live in such a magnificent country, and the history is fantastic too.
Thanks Nick. Couldn't agree more
Thanks for that video. Magical and atmospheric are two words that sprang to mind as I was watching your latest offering. I was also pleased to hear you give a mention to the men who built these amazing structures and the architects and engineers who drew up the plans. I sometimes find it sad and disrespectful to their memory that these monuments have been abandoned and all but disappeared from the landscape. It's great that you're bringing them back to life with your videos.
Thanks Keith, in our eyes a tunnel is as important as a viaduct for the same reasons. We hope we can at the leat give a hat tip to those that lost their lives and gave everything they had to their work.
I just found your channel via Geoff marshal least used station and I like watching abandoned stuff
Welcome Nathan.
Thank you so much, a perfect complement to the railway series. I think you might find the Bridgewater Canal ran from the Duke of Bridgewater's colliery at Worsley, Lancashire into Manchester. Cheers both!
Thanks Rob, yes someone mentioned to us post production that this was actaully "Up North"!
What a fascinating journey...you'll have to forgive my ignorance but I had no idea there was so much left of this mammoth undertaking...thank you!
It's more expensive in time and money to remove the earthworks associated with an abandoned canal than it is just to let it grow over with scrub and woodland as nature takes its inevitable course. Same with disused railways, where most of the cuttings and embankments remain six or seven decades after closure.
Super nice video Whitewicks ... would have liked to have seen more ...
Great video Paul and Rebecca, amazing feat of engineering,all dug by hand,no machinery, beautiful scenery and aerial shots, great to see you and the family exploring again 👍😀👌
Thanks Shaun its been great to be out and about again thats for sure.
hey paul and rebecca , great video , wow that old lock was so cool , i love walking along canals , if you keep your eyes open you can find some interesting stuff , rebecca looked as gorgeous as ever , :)
Love your work. Thanks for taking the time to make these. Very, very cool to watch. Thanks. 🖖🏻🇦🇺🇦🇺
A complete pleasure
Yet another fabulous video! I love all these. I remember first discovering your videos and not being able to spot a damn thing when you pointed out old roads, and railways etc. But the more I watch, the more I can see! It’s SO interesting and I really want to go myself and explore. Just trying to work out how to do it all with a 4 and a half month old baby in tow!
Fantastic, loved it!
Glad you enjoyed it!
Fascinating as ever guys! Never thought I'd see a canal lock from such an angle :o nice to see the young'uns tagging along too :)
When you are talking about the dangers of construction it reminded me of the Genesis track 'Driving the last Spike' which is about that subject.
I dropped my dinner, so I came here to console myself. Thanks for the video. Enjoyable as ever. And who said locks were boring? From what I heard, this canal was a disaster from beginning to end, with many workers having died during the building phase and loss of water during the time it was in use. A real pity that it's never been repaired and reopened. Can you imagine the money that could be made from it? Instead of Costa del Sol, you could have Costa del Barge. :)
Love all the history around canals and it’s great to see this enthusiasm. Also it’s great that there is so much restoration going on - nothing more relaxing than a few days on the water. Now if only my better half agreed 😂
I wouldn't mind a boating holiday myself... maybe one day.
I lived in Faringdon for several years before moving to San Diego and we found several disused railways in the area but I never knew about the canals to the west beyond Swindon. Love the exploration.😊😊
Hi I live in Faringdon great place for history, not far from the oldest manmade track the Ridgeway, then you have Brunel's GWR railway going to Bristol, just below it.
Loved it. First time here. It's obvious that you all love this stuff. well done.
We really enjoy your videos especially as they contain so much local interest. We farm next to the Hampshire Avon, which was the subject of a more recent canal exploration, but last night while looking at some of our detector finds, we came across a token issued by the Thames and Severn Canal around 1795, and intended to be cashed in at their port. It shows a sai
ling barge on one side and the tunnel on the other. I thought it was interesting as the water meadows on many of the rivers in the South were supposedly constructed by the same workers who built the canals, and this would tie in with the water meadows here.
this is a very scenic canal walk, you covered so many different angles from aerial to eye level, its really interesting to watch your journey, great sharing 👍
Thanks Kevin, very kind
Excellent video chaps, as I said a few months ago, Abandoned canals a whole new world, looked like you enjoyed it, I did parts of the Thames and Severn canal a few years ago, as you probably know some of the locks have been restored, North Wilts as you mentioned and there is a 3rd in the area, Wilts & Berks also lots to still see, looking forward to the Sapperton tunnel video, thanks again.
Really enjoyed the video, keep up the great work 😀
That was really good guys.
Thanks Mike
Very enjoyable video. Lovely photography. 👍🙂
Thanks Ian, very kind.