The canals were the long-distance transport network of their day, so keeping them open was a priority. Being freshwater without a flowing current, ice forms easily, rapidly blocking passage, particularly for a large boat towed by a single horse! The heyday of the canals happened to coincide with a mini ice-age, making it imperative to find a solution. This came in the form of massively built boats with a rounded form and a solid bow, which could be hauled through the ice by teams of up to 24 horses while being rocked by a dozen men; using sheer brute force to create a passage for the following cargo boats. In his talk Alec, with the aid of slides and pictures, highlighted the importance of canals showing the extensive network, especially in the Midlands. The next set of pictures showed the challenges of working ice-boats, outlining the problems and hazards faced by the operators.
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