Company History

1940s - NATIONALISATION

1948 - The arteries of the industrial revolution come into public ownership in post war nationalisation. Canals are somewhat of an afterthought with one government official in the newly formed British Transport Commission remarking: "Oh, do we get the canals too?"
Late 40s - Formed in 1946, the fledgling Inland Waterways Association lobbies government for the declining canal network to be saved and revitalised - highlighting its leisure and recreation potential.

1950s - FREIGHT SURVIVAL

1950s - As many waterways are abandoned there is still little prospect of alternative use. A British Transport Commission survey concludes that there is no market for waterside property.
1952 - Albeit in decline, the waterways' published annual report documents a slight increase in freight traffic to almost 12 ½ million tons (at their height they carried 30 million tons).
1958 - British Waterways' staff magazine states that the development of pleasure boating "will not mean greatly increased earning in the kitty and our main efforts must always be directed towards getting commercial traffic."
Late 50s - Already impacted by the growth of the railways and road transport, waterborne freight is further pressured by the opening of motorways (starting in 1959 with the first stretch of the M1).

1960s - FROM BIG FREEZE TO LEISURE REVOLUTION

1960s - Derelict canals become standing jokes in comics like the Beano whilst local authorities including Glasgow and Manchester start filling in canals. Later in the decade the network will have shrunk by 2,225 miles from its peak of 5,000 miles.
1962 - The British Transport Commission was disbanded by Harold Macmillan's Conservative government under the 1962 Transport Act, creating the British Waterways Board to operate 2,000-miles of the inland waterway network and its associated docks and land.
1962 - The winter of 1962/63 brought the worst conditions for many years with the canals freezing over and boats stuck between Christmas and March - virtually finishing off British Waterways' own narrow boat carrying.
1967 - A two page article in the Daily Mirror entitled 'The Wasted Heritage' draws attention to the plight of derelict canals heralding ...
1968 - Barbara Castle's 1968 Transport Act giving first official recognition to the recreation value of waterways with a new remit for British Waterways to develop their leisure potential.
1969 - With the canals' relevance in society diminishing, a report by the Greater London Council states "old workshops and warehouses, having turned their backs on the canal, stack refuse and scrap materials beside it, marring what could, very often, be a pleasant scene. Some bridges crossing the canal have advertisement hoardings on either side concealing it so effectively from view that many Londoners do not know that there is a canal."

1970s - THE GREAT STAGNATION

1970s - Long term underfunding becomes a way of life for the waterways and the dice are loaded heavily in favour of continued decline. However the work of enlightened enthusiasts is central in saving and restoring many miles of the waterway network we enjoy today.
1974 - Seeking a move towards less traditional industries in the area, British Waterways is thankfully unsuccessful in its application to demolish the historic warehouses at Gloucester Docks.

1980s - THE REGENERATION POTENTIAL

Early 80s - leisure boat numbers top 20,000 as canals are becoming increasingly used for leisure.
Mid 80s - Redevelopment of Brindleyplace in Birmingham and London's Docklands further the shift in attitudes towards waterways.
1988 - Revenues generated for canal maintenance exceed £60m - a third of income is self generated (a mix of freight income, estate management, water sales and a growing income from leisure).
1989 - English Heritage points a finger at British Waterways for a skills gap in its conservation work: "Poor craftsmanship and inappropriate materials ruined the appearance of many historic structures...British Waterways officers do not have adequate training or access to professional advice on the conservation of historic structures."

1990s - LOTTERY

1990s - The value of the waterways is increasingly realised and research shows that properties next to well maintained waterways now attract a premium of up to 20%.
1998 - Revenues generated for canal maintenance exceed £100m - almost half of which is self generated through commercial activity. British Waterways is now looking at innovative ways to earn additional income to support the waterways - including the opening of a 400-mile fibre optic cable network beneath the towpaths.
1999 - The case is successfully made for increased investment in the network to overcome major arrears in canal maintenance. The Deputy Prime Minister, John Prescott, announces new support and funding for BW.
Late 90s - Waterway restoration schemes championed by the voluntary sector for many years pick up pace as funding and community support is achieved. Major lottery grants enable the biggest expansion in the network in 150 years...

2000s - WATERWAY RENAISSANCE

Early 2000s - 200 miles of new and restored waterways are added to the BW network, which now stands at 2,200 miles. At one point the network is expanding at a faster rate than at the height of the Industrial Revolution.
2000 - Publication of 'Waterways for Tomorrow', the first charter for inland waterways in more than 30 years, underlines the Government's commitment to the long-term sustainability of the network.
2003 - As more visitors come to the waterways, they become 'safe', as a considerable backlog of safety works that built up through years of under funding is eliminated. Just seven years earlier, the backlog of safety works had been almost £100m.
2006 - Topping 30,000, boat numbers reach record levels - there are now more boats on the network than at the height of their carrying heydays.
2008 - Waterways heritage is now in better shape than it has been for many decades.
2008 - Whilst self generated revenues for the waterways lessen the potential burden on the tax payer there remain some exciting and challenging times ahead.