Canal society celebrates 40 years
Over 100 members of the Society gathered at Marsden Mechanics Hall, who can be justly proud of the 'Impossible Dream' of the complete restoration of the Huddersfield Narrow Canal, including founder members from the very first meeting in 1974, Alan Tilbury tells us.
The canal
The Huddersfield Narrow Canal is a narrow canal 19½ miles long and connects the Peak Forest Canal to the Huddersfield Broad Canal.
Though the construction that started in 1794 was largely completed in five years, the construction of the three miles long Standedge Tunnel through the Pennines from Diggle to Marsden, took 12 years to build with a reported 50 deaths, and is widely advertised as the longest, highest (above sea level) and deepest canal tunnel in Britain.
Worked for 140 years
The waterway was officially opened for through navigation on April 4th 1811 and carried freight for 140 years before being abandoned in 1944.
It was a group of enthusiasts who formed the Huddersfield Canal Society with the ambitious aim of restoring the canal to through navigation. It was during the eighties and the time of generous donations, with the Millennium Commission and English Partnerships providing £32 millions, that together with British Waterways, Kirklees, Oldham and Tameside councils formed a long-standing and obviously successful partnership.
Formally openend
So after 27 years of hard campaigning, the restoration was complete, and the Huddersfield Narrow was formally re-opened by the Prince of Wales in September 2001.
The great pity now is that there are only a very limited number of boats allowed through the tunnel, and only on certain days.