Britain’s Canals – Exploring their Architectural and Engineering Wonders
The authors have worked together since 1976 on books about canals. It is organised by theme rather than geographically so that, for instance, all the bridges are in one chapter and all the locks in another. There are chapters on topics including route selection, locks, bridges, aqueducts, tunnels, water supply, commercial and industrial structures, and connecting links. At the end of each chapter there is a list of places in Britain to visit if you would like to see the best examples of the subject matter of that chapter. From the start of the canals in the time of George III to the decline caused by the advent of the railways, many examples of the exploits of the leading engineers of the day, particularly Thomas Telford and James Brindley, are given. This is an excellent book for those interested either in canals or engineering. It is really quite amazing to see the challenges that the canal engineers overcame in the late 18th and early 19th centuries.
MS