Canals were rather different then. In 1961, the legally navigable Ashton Canal lay in ruins. Inland Waterways Association enthusiasts nailed a declaration to a Derby Canal lock gate demanding the waterway's restoration, but eventually failed to prevent its destruction. The Caldon Canal was navigated to its Leek and Froghall extremities by the converted narrow boat Saturn, no vessel of similar dimensions having completed such a feat for many years. Still used by commercial and pleasure traffic, the coast-to-coast Forth & Clyde Canal was featured in British Waterways' house journal: the report casually mentioned that the whole line would shortly be closed to navigation. And, astonishingly, British Waterways presented a challenge shield to Shipley which was judged to be its "best all round freight depot" although not a single ton arrived or departed by water!
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