Legging (canals)
Legging is a method of moving a boat through a canal tunnel or adit containing water. This method of navigating through canal tunnels and adits was commonly used in canal tunnels during the 18th and early 19th centuries.
Legging in canal tunnels
Early
Two people were required. They would lie on a plank across the
On short tunnels the legging was done by the boat owner and crew. At long tunnels, professional leggers were available, such as at
At Blisworth the boatmen were often terrorised into employing leggers, so in 1827 the leggers were registered and issued with brass armlets for identification.[4]
At Standedge Tunnel, the use of official leggers eventually became a requirement for passage.
At Morwellham, boatmen were said to have pushed against the tunnel roof. This tunnel has a considerable flow of water through it, and progress was very slow in one direction.[5]
Berwick Tunnel on the Shrewsbury Canal, opened in 1797 was the first tunnel to be built with a towpath, negating the need for legging.
Legging was also the main form of propulsion used in the man-made adits in Speedwell Cavern until the boats were given electric motors. Sometimes the guide will switch off the boat's engine and leg along the roof of the cave to demonstrate how the boats used to be worked by miners. They got paid £11.05 in today's money.
Canal Tunnels known to use leggers
- Blisworth Tunnel
- Braunston Tunnel
- Butterley Tunnel
- Dudley Tunnel
- Greywell Tunnel
- Harecastle Tunnels. Note: only the old James Brindley tunnel
- Islington Tunnel
- Lapal Tunnel
- Maida Hill Tunnel
- Morwell Down Tunnel
- Norwood Tunnel
- Sapperton Canal Tunnel
- Standedge Tunnel
- Worsley Navigable Levels
References
- ISBN 0-09-907800-7
- ^ Gladwin & White: "English Canals Part II", Oakwood Press
- ^ Marsden History Group website Archived 5 September 2010 at the Wayback Machine
- ISBN 0-7153-5750-6
- ^ Hedges, Carolyn. "The Tavistock Canal", Dartington Amenity Research Trust, 1975
External links
- Towpaths in Tunnels List of canal tunnels, lengths and towpath status. Accessed 17 September 2007.