HISTORIC records documenting two-and-a-half centuries of the Scottish canals are to be made available to the public for the first time.
The archive, which features hand-drawn plans, maps and other records, is being transferred to the National Records of Scotland (NRS) where it will be open to all.
The documents stretch back to when the canals were industrial highways carrying coal, goods and people across the heart of the country and Highlands.
They include items thought to be of national significance, including the diagram for the Monkland Canal’s Blackhill Inclined Plane – a precursor to the Falkirk Wheel which carried boats over a height difference of almost 100 feet via a rail system There is also a notice from the British Office of the Admiralty ordering the Crinan Canal in Argyll to “extinguish all lights” at the outbreak of the First World War.
The collection contains thousands of records dating from 1790 to the present day.
The historic material initially accepted by the NRS amounts to 20 per cent of the records currently held by Scottish Canals, and will see the body take on responsibility for their storage, conservation and care.
The public will be given access to them for the first time and they will be cared for by experts who hope to safeguard the history of the network for generations.
Angharad Stockwell, records manager at Scottish Canals, said: “Our record stores hold some incredible documents that give a real insight into the elegant engineering and unforgettable stories of Scotland’s canals.
“Our collections provide a snapshot of pivotal moments in both the history of our canals and Scotland itself.”
Modern canal restoration projects won’t be forgotten, with maps and plans for the creation of The Helix and The Kelpies in the Central Belt also being kept for future historians.
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