The Heritage Working Boats project was set up in 1990s by British Waterways. It was designed to generate interest and understanding in the canal system, whilst protecting the boats and skills the waterways network once depended upon.

How the project began – Atlas leading the way

During the early 1990’s, British Waterways used Atlas, a 1935 ex-Grand Union Canal Carrying Company working boat, for rubbish collection during community clean-up events in the West Midlands.  So great was the public interest in this boat that it became clear that Atlas could be a valuable asset in helping to change attitudes towards canals.  The boat, became a focus for educational events and living history reconstructions throughout the Birmingham & Black Country Canals which attracted over 31,000 visitors.

A helping hand from the Heritage Lottery Fund

With the success of the Atlas pilot project British Waterways successfully attracted funding for three years from the Heritage Lottery Fund. With this support in place the Heritage Working Boats Project could get properly underway with the employment of a designated Project Officer and the acquisition of some ‘at risk’ working boats. The role of the Project Officer was to coordinate the:

1. Researching and recording the techniques required to conserve, work and maintain the collection of traditional boats in order to preserve these skills for posterity.
2. Conserving the collection of traditional boats sympathetic to their historical setting, and operating them in the area of which they were historically linked.
3. Establishing a local “Friends” organisation to ensure the ongoing sustainability of the project.
4. Interpreting these Working Boats in order to communicate their cultural significance.
5. Developing and managing a programme of events and educational visits, targeting new audiences for this heritage.
6. Working with local communities to develop canal focused community interpretation projects in order to encourage sustained interest in canals and canal heritage.

Looking to the future by protecting our heritage

As a result of the funding and the work of the project officer, we have since been able to secure the futures of many more heritage working boats. We have gathered a learned group of volunteers to restore and sail them, as well as promote understanding the importance of the canal network in the UK. Our aim is now to build on these promising developments to ensure that the canals and their working boats are protected and understood for generations to come. However, we are no longer funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund so in order to meet our objectives we are constantly striving to find new ways in which the project can be sustainable. To this end we have rationalised the existing fleet and created new sponsorship, educational and commercial opportunities for our fleet to preserve them for the future.

If you would like to get involved in the project or discover more, contact us today. We’d be delighted to hear from you.