Saltisford Canal Arm facts for kids
The Saltisford Canal Arm is a short canal in Warwick, Warwickshire, England. It opened in the 1790s. At first, it was the start of a bigger canal called the Warwick and Birmingham Canal. It became an 'arm' or branch when another canal, the Warwick and Napton Canal, was finished. Today, it's the last part of the famous Grand Union Canal that's still around.
It opened in 1799. Its main job was to bring goods close to Warwick town centre. This helped people get things to Warwick Castle and the town's market. Later, a gas works was built nearby in 1822. This made the canal arm even busier.
A Changing Canal
The Saltisford Canal Arm was part of the Warwick and Birmingham Canal for many years. It changed hands a few times. In 1927, the Regent's Canal company bought it. Two years later, this company became the Grand Union Canal.
In the 1930s, the canal arm was a busy workyard. It stored materials for building the nearby Hatton Locks. These are a famous set of canal locks.
After World War II, the government took control of all canals. This happened in 1947. A new group called British Waterways was formed in 1962. They looked after the canals.
At this time, the canal arm was about 750 metres long. It went under a railway bridge. It ended near a pub and a supermarket today. But in the 1970s, things changed. The gas works closed down. The town market became smaller. A new road, the A46 road bypass, opened. People used the canal arm less and less. It eventually stopped being used.
Bringing It Back to Life
Because it wasn't used, part of the canal arm was filled in. This made it much shorter. It now ends before the railway bridge. Its length is about 440 metres. The part that was filled in is now covered by houses and offices. You can barely see where it used to be. Only a hidden bridge near a car park remains.
In 1982, a group called the Saltisford Canal Trust was formed. They worked for six years to bring the canal arm back to life. They cleaned it up and made it beautiful again. More work was done in 2007. This was helped by money from the Inland Waterways Association.
Today, the Saltisford Canal Arm is a lively place. Many families live on boats here. It also welcomes boats that are travelling. You can even rent a boat yourself to explore the canal!
