Saltisford Arm Warwick
The search through old slides continues, including a 1976 canal trip in Warwick. This Saltisford Arm Warwick is part of the Warwick & Birmingham/Grand Union Canal. Most canal enthusiasts entering the arm—the original terminus of the canal—will not realise it was in serious danger. It was at risk of being filled in during the mid-1970s. The original twin-pronged basin had long been filled in. The truncated spur remained ending at the bridge carrying the GWR Birmingham Snow Hill to Leamington railway line. A short section of the route into the centre of Warwick beyond the railway line could also still be traced. However, this has now all been replaced by new housing. Several individuals regarded the threat of filling in the arm with horror. They took it upon themselves to prove that it was still navigable, a major plank in the case for retention.
I became involved in a trip up the arm. The name of the gentleman escapes me; was it Peter Webb? We were joined by his young son and three Warwick School Sixthformers. Bob Bleasdale, Simon Rowberry and Paul Waterworth joined alongside my wife, only recently married. She was aware of my interest in industrial heritage. However, she was taken aback by my invitation of a boat cruise up the canal becoming a pioneering trip. Saltisford Arm Warwick framed the adventure as a near-redundant, stagnant waterway awaiting change. The trip was a success. Nobody fell in the canal, and evidence of the arm’s navigable nature was recorded on camera.
In the 1980s, efforts began to restore the arm. It has now become Saltisford Arm Warwick, a canal centre busy with a residential community. This is captured in other photographs, including a winter scene. It shows how community effort and pressure for restoration contribute to our unique waterways heritage. Additional newspaper cuttings from around 1983-86 kindly provided by Richard Sanders.
Copyright © Martin Green 2020
