ParrotofDoom
Tourist
Reged: 07/12/05
Posts: 32
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Has anybody produced a complete layer of Britain's canals and waterways?
It would be a very valuable addition I'm sure, I use Google Earth constantly to map out and plan my rides. Its an excellent resource 
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PippinSadler
Tourist
Reged: 03/03/06
Posts: 3
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I was wondering about this for ages, that and national walking routes. (anyone?)
I have a map of British Canal ways from the 80s (or maybe before), which I picked up in a second hand shop.
Can I put that on with the Basic Google earth package?
I know you can do image overlays, but don't know how to draw lines. Is there a tutorial somewhere? Help!
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PriceCollins
Inspector Detector
Reged: 08/10/05
Posts: 1618
Loc: Fairfax, VA, USA
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Upgrading to Google Earth Plus lets you easily draw lines and polygons. It's the best $20 I've spent in years.
I don't know how the pricing works outside of the United States.
EDIT: Nowadays, the tools are available for free in the plain version of Google Earth.
Edited by PriceCollins (06/30/08 09:41 AM)
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simon_a
Master Guide
Reged: 08/21/05
Posts: 1773
Loc: London, UK
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Hello,
I don't think anyone has done this yet; it would be a great project - and I imagine a lengthy one but if you have the time and resources, rewarding!
As PriceCollins says, the path tool (from Google Earth Plus onwards) is by far the best way of detailing this kind of information. Although overlays are great for adding detail at a single altitude, they can be a bit cumbersome, are a pain to line up and don't work so well as you zoom in.
I would also agree that (for this kind of thing) GE Plus it is well worth the money. When I subscribed (from the UK), the amount was simply converted to GBP at the appropriate rate; and the rate's quite good for us at the moment
If you really don't want to pay the money you can write the KML code manually and / or use freeware (I think) tools to convert lists of placemarks into paths. But don't do that - buy the upgrade, it's far easier!
As for creating the paths themselves, it's quite easy once you're used to it. You just keep clicking on the Earth for each point you want in order. If you want to adjust a point, click on it and drag it. If you want to insert points, click on the point before and any subequent points will follow immediately after. There's no easy way in the client of concatenating two paths but it's fairly simple to just save them both as KML (not KMZ), open them with a text editor and cut and paste the co-ordinates from one to the end of the other.
Oh, and don't wait to finish it before you post. When you've got a certain amount done, post it as work-in-progress then update the same post as and when. This way, others can offer suggestions and people will know that someone has already started the work so as to avoid duplication and wasted effort.
Good luck!
Simon.
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cha0tic
Tourist
Reged: 08/10/05
Posts: 128
Loc: Wolverhampton, UK
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I'd not actually thought about it until I saw this post. The UK canal network isn't in any of the obvious layers. Whilst I was looking at layers, the UK rivers don't seem to be on any layers either.
Surely you're not suggesting tracing over several thousand miles of canal manually simon_a? A quick glance at GE shows that might be possible (if laborious) in the high-res areas. It would be quite difficult in the low-res areas though.
Surely it would be easier to*ahem* 'obtain' the data file from Some source & use conversion tools.
Admittedly there would be copyright problems. The OSGB people are notoriously tight with their data & charge an arm & a leg for it.
Another method might be to take a GPS unit for a cycle ride down the towpaths or take an extensive canal holiday with it & then up load the track Anyone fancy lending me a GPS unit? I'm in need of a Holiday in some beautiful British countryside
Finally. I wonder if a toadying e-mail to British Waterways would grab the info?
--------------------
Any technology. From the stick & the rock onwards.
If you're bothered I've got a blog or two: cha0tic stuff &
Another set of cha0tic stuff
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ParrotofDoom
Tourist
Reged: 07/12/05
Posts: 32
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Quote:
Another method might be to take a GPS unit for a cycle ride down the towpaths or take an extensive canal holiday with it & then up load the track Anyone fancy lending me a GPS unit? I'm in need of a Holiday in some beautiful British countryside
I have actually done this, but the problem is that because the towpath is often covered by trees, the GPS signal is quite poor. I have a Nokia 6680, and run a piece of software called Phone2GEarth. I also have a bluetooth GPS (for car satnav). I've attached a sample. I was on the cycle.
Edited by ParrotofDoom (08/01/06 11:26 AM)
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simon_a
Master Guide
Reged: 08/21/05
Posts: 1773
Loc: London, UK
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Hello,
To be honest, I've no idea how many miles of waterways there! I don't suppose I was suggesting anything in particular - just giving advice on different methods, whether electronic or manual.
Assuming it might be similar to rail lines, I know I wouldn't take on the task of detailing the the whole lot manually (the London Underground lines to a fair while although much of this is high resolution) but I guess it depends how many people are doing it, how much detail to go into, how much time you have and how much you want to do it; large amounts of work can be a labour of love.
Having said that, I probably wouldn't have detailed the UK and then French rail stations if I'd known how long it would take from the beginning but when you've already started something it's sometimes difficult to stop until you finish.
I'd certainly try and get some kind of electronic data if you can. If that can't be done, maybe start with the major wayerways and see how long it's going to take manually.
Simon.
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cha0tic
Tourist
Reged: 08/10/05
Posts: 128
Loc: Wolverhampton, UK
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Hmmm. I see what you mean about using GPS.
--------------------
Any technology. From the stick & the rock onwards.
If you're bothered I've got a blog or two: cha0tic stuff &
Another set of cha0tic stuff
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ParrotofDoom
Tourist
Reged: 07/12/05
Posts: 32
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The system would need to be in several layers.
Layer 1 would be fully navigable sections of canal
Layer 2 would be unnavigable sections of canal
Layer 3 would be infilled sections of canal
Layer 4 would be proposed new sections of canal (where the original route has been built over)
I only have the basic version of Google Earth, I can create paths but I can't save them? I would be more than happy to contribute to this exercise though, I know the canals around Manchester quite well. I've even contributed to Wiki pages on the subject (wiki the Manchester, Bolton & Bury canal for example)
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PriceCollins
Inspector Detector
Reged: 08/10/05
Posts: 1618
Loc: Fairfax, VA, USA
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Enough talk ! 
This overlay should help in evaluating the job.to be done. It shows the canals and waterways over an area of about 100 x 90 miles in the northwest of England. On balance, it appears to me that there is not enough high-resolution coverage in the UK to do the job at this time.
Source Dr. Steven Anderson James Madison University, Harrisonburg, Virginia
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