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Boatmen 'legging' through a canal tunnel, a common technique in longer passages with unmotorized vessels, 1961, UK
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this post was submitted on 20 Nov 2025
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1961?
Was this a staged photo to promote restoration of the canal system (if so, neat!)? Because I'm pretty sure canal boats had been diesel since the late 1800's (or steam powered, thee are a couple that have been restored).
The longest tunnel in the canal system is 3 miles... 19th century engineers dug a tunnel 3 miles long under 600ft of English countryside. Amazing stuff.
Cruising the Cut on YouTube has a lot of video on the canal system.
I'm wondering if it's nothing to do with the propulsion, but simply a way to keep from touching the sides in a narrow tunnel
Good point.
I do know this was how they through tunnels when they used mules/horses.
Makes sense that once they had engines this would still be useful.