Pennine Pioneer: The Story of the Rochdale Canal

Rochdale Canal - the third of the trans-Pennine canals - was built two hundred years ago and traded successfully until the beginning of the twentieth century. However, the arrival of motor transport had a dramatic effect on the canal and its importance as a trade route, and by the Second World War it was scarcely used and formally abandoned in 1952, quickly becoming impassable. But in 1974, the Rochdale Canal Society was formed to promote restoration of the canal across the Pennines. After a long search for funding and support from the local authorities, restoration finally commenced, resulting in the canal's complete reopening in 2002. The Pennine Pioneer: The Story of the Rochdale Canal follows the life of the Rochdale Canal, from its success to its abandonment, and tells of the more recent battle for its preservation.

Author: Keith Gibson
Publisher: Tempus Publishing Ltd
Extra Details: Pictorial Card Covers 7 x 10 inches tall, lavishly illustrated with B&W photos and artworks throughout.