Remembering the 'Big Dig'

As our charity faces the challenge of keeping our canals open and alive in 2025, it’s worth remembering the amazing team efforts of all those who rolled their sleeves up and got their hands dirty almost 56 years ago.  

Thanks to the carefully preserved archives of the Shropshire Union Canal Society (SUCS) and the amazing Waterway Images of renowned photographer and journalist, Harry Arnold MBE, we’re looking back at the stunning efforts of almost 200 volunteers that helped to transform attitudes to canals, in just one wonderfully muddy weekend of work.

“I think there was this idea it was an anti-establishment activity, trying to keep open something that they wanted to close down,” remembers David Carter, SUCS Chair, who has helped pull together the story and memories from their archives.

David explains that the Big Dig came about primarily in response to a proposed by-pass for Welshpool along the line of the then-derelict canal. The leaders of the initiative wanted to win ‘hearts and minds’ in the town and proposed a tidy up of the canal that became the Big Dig.  

Their plan was in many ways inspired by lessons learned from ‘Operation Ashton’ on the Ashton Canal the year before. Although the Big Dig was entirely led by enthusiastic amateurs and happened long before the days of health and safety, it was still a highly organised, well-thought-out operation, following detailed plans. 

It also needed the tacit co-operation of Brian Haskins, the British Waterways Area Engineer. “There’s no doubt he was one of the stars of the operation,” David explains. “He sanctioned a lot of work, turned a blind eye to quite a number of activities, and crucially helped manage the water supply, which made the whole thing possible.” Thanks to in large part to Brian’s cooperation, the canal section was drained and dewatered on the Friday, so that work could begin in earnest on the Saturday morning.  

Pat Wilson, chair at the time, takes up the story: “Four car loads of us set off from Nantwich early in the morning but about 200 volunteers came from all parts of the country. London, Birmingham, Bristol, Burton-on-Trent, The Potteries, Rugby and descended on Welshpool for the weekend.”

“It was incredible how much work was done. Everything was organised like a military operation. Five diggers lifted the stuff out of the canal, eight dumper trucks carted it away to six lorries, which took it away to local farmers fields for emptying.  

Local townspeople provided a huge amount of help. Accommodation for those staying overnight was provided free of charge. Showers were also available at the local football club. Tea rooms and a running buffet kept everyone going. A barrel of beer arrived with thanks and was quickly despatched. 

By the Sunday, the towpath was thick with black sludge and an estimated 1,000 tons of muck and rubbish had been removed from the canal. The highlight came late on Sunday afternoon when the Mayor of Welshpool took a cruise along a canal which had been full of rubbish, silt and vegetation just the day before.  

What a weekend! What an achievement! What a great start to the restoration of this beautiful canal.

Yet the real significance of the Big Dig wasn’t the section of canal that was cleared, but how it showed the people of Welshpool what their canal could look like. It eventually contributed to the defeat of the bypass proposals and marked the start of the restoration of the entire Montgomery Canal. 56 years on, that restoration is still on-going and as David Carter notes, “we’re now on our third generation of people working on the canal.” 

Our charity is proud to be one of the many stakeholders involved in restoring the Monty today, with new two- and five-mile sections due to be brought back into navigation in years to come. There’s still some way to go, but the day will come when we can all enjoy cruising all the way down to Welshpool. In the meantime, it’s worth remembering all those who rolled their sleeves up to save, restore and protect canals.