this post was submitted on 20 Nov 2025
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Boatmen 'legging' through a canal tunnel, a common technique in longer passages with unmotorized vessels, 1961, UK (media.piefed.social)
submitted 1 week ago by PugJesus@piefed.social to c/historyphotos@piefed.social
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[–] Onomatopoeia@lemmy.cafe 13 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago) (3 children)

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.

[–] PugJesus@piefed.social 12 points 1 week ago (1 children)

Some canal boats in the UK were pulled by horses or mules until the 1960s. This, if it's not just a demonstration, would probably be one of the last of those old dinosaurs.

[–] Onomatopoeia@lemmy.cafe 1 points 6 days ago* (last edited 6 days ago) (1 children)

I though the canals had been abandoned by the 60's, didn't the restoration efforts begin in the 50's?

Still a great photo though.

[–] PugJesus@piefed.social 1 points 6 days ago

Some canals had been abandoned by this point, but a large number remained in use.

[–] funkless_eck@sh.itjust.works 3 points 1 week ago (1 children)

yeah but it's a lot cheaper not to and if you're transporting goods via canal you're probably looking for the cheapest option

[–] Onomatopoeia@lemmy.cafe 1 points 6 days ago

Canal boats used horses/mules - a human can move them.

Then they converted to steam and diesel engines.

Check out the YouTube channel - he covers the history.

[–] usualsuspect191@lemmy.ca 1 points 1 week ago (2 children)

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

[–] Onomatopoeia@lemmy.cafe 1 points 6 days ago

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.

[–] SubArcticTundra@lemmy.ml 2 points 1 week ago (1 children)

Wouldnt they have been better off attaching tyres horizontally

[–] usualsuspect191@lemmy.ca 1 points 1 week ago

Maybe, but if the tunnels aren't consistent in size and they already have the guys there, this might still be the better option

[–] AllNewTypeFace@leminal.space 7 points 1 week ago

I wonder if that’s the Islington tunnel

[–] bomibantai@lemmy.world 5 points 1 week ago (1 children)

I did one of these as a tourist in the UK around 2011! The boating company even gives you a novelty "certificate"

[–] titanicx@lemmy.zip 2 points 1 week ago

I don't know, that certificate looks sus to me....

[–] Ersatz86@lemmy.world 4 points 1 week ago

Washboard obliques

[–] DarrinBrunner@lemmy.world 3 points 1 week ago (1 children)

"Unmotorized"

So, what propulsion method were they using outside that wouldn't work inside the tunnel?

[–] PugJesus@piefed.social 10 points 1 week ago (1 children)

Horsepower. Literal horsepower.

The horses have to go around the tunnel and then be re-hitched to the boat after it emerges.

[–] piccolo@sh.itjust.works 3 points 1 week ago (1 children)

Crazy thought, why did noone think to use a pulley system like a chairlift? Boat comes in and hooks on and is towed through. Then you can have horses at either end to do all the work.

[–] PugJesus@piefed.social 3 points 1 week ago

Maintenance of a system like that probably wouldn't be worth the cost. Easier and cheaper just to tell the fellows guiding the barge to leg it through.

[–] ekZepp@lemmy.world 3 points 1 week ago

900th problems required 900th solutions.

[–] tetris11@feddit.uk 3 points 1 week ago

This is why you only see a legless seacaptain out in the wide sea