What is a Big Woolwich?
I've never heard of a big woolwich, what is it then?
A big woolwich is a circa 1930's solidly built, over-engineered, ill designed narrow boat, originally made to carry cargo on the English canals. The boats managed this feat for many years, finally calling it a day in the 1970's. They are called Big Woolwich to differentiate them from the smaller Little Woolwich and surprise, surprise, because they were built in Woolwich!
This site is called BigWoolwich.com because I had a passion for them, mostly because they have become so sad. Like a limited number of gallant but foolhardy people, I owned and played about with them for a few years before realising how 'sad' the people and the boats are.
Why then do I think a big woolwich is so sad? Firstly, they were built by the Grand Union
Canal Carrying Co to revive the fortunes of the canal carrying world. 
The Grand Union was (
by English standards) deep and wide and had a good deal of money spent on it to keep
it that way. Unfortunately as it turned out, the new boats were too deep for these
canals, and could never be fully loaded and actually get anywhere. With the railways
they never had a chance. And the people, why are they sad? Those around now are trying
make believe it is all still possible and strive to recreate those dying days. Verdict,
like Douglas Adams wrote, "Mostly harmless".
For what it's worth here is a picture of a couple of motors, including a Big Woolwich tied by on the Shropshire Union Canal. (Please note the boats are not parked, tied up or moored). Beautiful aren't they?
