Somerset Coal Canal [AMAZING HISTORY]

In this video we uncover the largest dry dock in England. theres work happening at The Somerset Coal Canal (originally known as the Somersetshire Coal Canal) was a narrow canal in England, built around 1800. Its route began in basins at Paulton and Timsbury where we are investigating today, ran to nearby Camerton, over two aqueducts at Dunkerton, through a tunnel at Combe Hay, then via Midford and Monkton Combe to Limpley Stoke where it joined the Kennet and Avon Canal. Paulton and Timsbury basins


The spoil tip in Paulton, referred to locally as "The Batch"
located between the villages of Paulton and Timsbury was the terminus of the northern branch of the Somerset Coal Canal and was a central point for at least 15 collieries around Paulton, Timsbury and High Littleton, which were connected to the canal by tramroads. Timsbury basin was some 600 ft (180 m) to the west of Paulton basin.
The area has been designated as an 'area of special architectural or historic interest, the character or appearance of which it is desirable to preserve or enhance
The archæological dig has revealed some of the remaining walls of the Dry Dock, which appears to have been designed to take up to three boats at a time. The curved corners allow a distance of 3ft working space around each boat. In the South East corner is a culvert which would have been used to drain the dock into the Cam Brook when the entrance was blocked off by a watertight gate or stop planks. The floor of the dock appears to have been paved, and further digging should reveal whether it was completely flat or whether it included supports for the boats.
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[stevesindustrialadventures]

This was the original pilot for my channel.
Please comment, like and subscribe to see more...Cheers

[KempSimon]

During my student days at Bath University I took the Hiking Club on a pub crawl - correction, route march - entitled "The Lost Canals and Railways of the Somerset Coalfield" which started at Green Park Station in Bath and ended up (via the "Hope and Anchor" at Midford and "The Wheatsheaf" at Coombe Hay) in the bar of the "Waldegrave Arms" at Radstock!

[lindseyclay]

What a lovely video. Thank for making it.

[poshingtonno]

Great video. I got a book on this yesterday and am going to try and walk the whole canal route.

[philipareed]

What has happened to this guy? Please let us know!

[AlanLancasterAlanRLancaster]

What's the difference between vandalism and abandonment, dereliction? Ultimately none. British Railways Board, British Waterways Board and industry (chemicals, coal, steel) all contributed to large swathes of land becoming unusable and unused, poisoned, overgrown with weeds, trees, sometimes inundated with water and potentially lethal to those who accidentally fall foul of unseen hazards. Few local authorities challenge previous owners or bother to find out who owns the sites. We know what kids are like, full of adventure and wonder. They're usually the ones that come a cropper, lightly wounded at best, poisoned or killed at worst. Wire fences are abused by uninsured and unauthorised scrap dealers who leave and don't care who's next on the sites. Canals have been cleared up by enthusiasts, but old railway lines or half-demolished factories, mills aren't 'fashionable' and remain hazardous. Nobody's got the money to clear up, so there'll be more casualties yet... They make for scenery alongside model railway lines, but does anyone model the skeletons of the lost or murdered in ruins, half drained quarry pools or marshes?