Waterways of England and Wales

1930 - 1940

History

Introduction to 1930 - 1940

Click on one of the coloured areas to see an enlarged view.

INDEX MAP

These historical maps are the work of the late Dr. Mike Stevens

Continued Decline

Among waterways lost in this decade were the Dearne & Dove, the Grantham, the Nottingham (apart from the section by-passing a length of the Trent) , the Pocklington, many of the canals in South Wales and several river navigations.

The recently-formed Grand Union bought the Loughborough and Leicester Navigations and the Erewash Canal, so now controlled not only the route from London to Birmingham, but also that between London, Leicester and the Nottinghamshire coalfield, as well as all but the last few miles of the London to Nottingham route. They began a series of improvements to their line, most notably widening the locks on the two Warwick Canals, although an accompanying widening of the channel of those and the the Grand Junction was never done. The GUCC bought a small carrying company, Associated Canal Carriers, renamed them the Grand Union Canal Carrying Company and ordered a massive fleet of new boats, which were never to be fully utilised because of the lack both of cargoes and of crew.

On the outbreak of World War 2 the waterways were again taken under Government control.