Peter Stockdale wrote: > Now here is a question to ask Adrian (orany other waterway experts). > What is the criteria for naming a length of canal as an arm, as > against a branch ?
In my opinion the best name to use is the one that was used in the Act of Parliament which authorised its building. There's no consistency in use between one waterway and another. In the widest possible terms, "arm" usually referred to something quite short, referred to on some canals as a "dock", whereas a "branch" was something that actually went somewhere. I'm not at all convinced that the Grand Junction Canal Company actually called anything an "arm" - they were all either branches or docks. I believe that the Aylesbury, Wendover, Paddington bits of waterway are properly all called branches and thbe application of the name "Arm" to them is relatively modern, although I stand to be corrected if anyone's got any definite evidence to the contrary. -- Mike Stevens narrowboat Felis Catus III web-site www.mike-stevens.co.uk Defend the waterways. Visit the web site www.saveourwaterways.org.uk
