History Manchester Bolton & Bury Canal

1 history

1.1 proposal
1.2 subscribers , funding
1.3 work begins
1.4 traffic
1.5 railway proposal
1.6 decline

history
proposal

the local geology of irwell valley, included steep sided valleys fast flowing rivers subject rapid flooding , dry seasons, confined local river transport mersey , irwell navigation, west of manchester. financial unrest , british involvement in american revolutionary war restricted local transport investment road improvements.

with arrival of more favourable conditions, including end of war, proposal canal link towns of manchester, bolton , bury mooted. matthew fletcher had in 1789 been employed technical advisor , had surveyed route of proposed canal, first public notice came manchester on 4 september 1790. initial proposal came group in bolton, support of mersey , irwell navigation company. meeting intended holden @ house of mr shawe, bull s head in manchester aforesaid, on monday, twentieth day of instant, september, @ eleven o clock in forenoon , surveys, plans, levels, estimates , proposals presented. further meeting on 16 september, held in bolton, appointed committee of 6 boltonians chaired lord grey de wilton attend @ manchester. series of resolutions @ meeting followed discussion of route, , authorised necessary actions bring plan fruition, included petitioning of parliament required bill. hugh henshall asked survey proposed route of canal.

for local industries along route of proposed canal, operations relied on water local rivers , brooks canal might use, construction controversial idea. @ meeting in bolton on 4 october 1790, resolved proper clauses inserted in bill prevent injury owners of mills . meeting in bury @ eagle & child public house on 29 september 1790 secured agreement utility of scheme nevertheless cannot propriety ascertained until such time has been certified, whence , in proportion proprietors of intended navigation expect draw resources of water . @ meeting in bury, on 13 october 1790, hugh henshall gave written report on canal, , stated plan not require water river in times of drought, floods , rivulets supply reservoirs. suggested mill owners protected suitable clause in bill, , such clause duly obtained robert peel. businesses in bolton concerned location of canal terminus, , proposed construction of tunnel allow terminus built closer town centre. ralph fletcher, spokesman concerned, reported on proposal committee, although no tunnel built.

subscribers , funding

in document entitled list of subscribers intended bolton bury , manchester canal navigation , kept in greater manchester county record office, of more notable subscribers listed, along amounts invested each. many of 95 investments on list appear have been made proxy. largest £3,000, , smallest £100. total sum of investments £47,700. £5 per £100 share paid, additional £10 call made 10 august 1791. similar share calls made @ regular intervals on following years. first dividend of 4% paid in july 1812, regular payments following thereafter.

work begins

following parliamentary survey of route charles mcniven, bill received royal assent on 13 may 1791 , became act of parliament construction of canal, proprietors empowered purchase land breadth of 26 yards on level ground, , wider required cuttings or embankments. act allowed company raise £47,000, shares of £100. intention @ prestolee route divide 2 branches (arms), 1 branch towards bolton , other bury, not, however, join river irwell. proprietors entitled take water brooks within 1,000 yards (910 m) of canal, or within 3 miles (4.8 km) of canal summits @ bolton , bury.

at meeting in manchester on 30 june 1791, @ house of alexander patten, committee formed following members:

the meeting secured resolution matthew fletcher , mr mcniven shall dispatch or procure 100 wheelbarrows , many planks shall think necessary use , accommodation of canal navigation . further meetings took place 26–29 july. matthew fletcher ordered meet land owners discuss purchase of land along route of canal, , in mind, on 30 july 1791 john seddon of sandy lane ordered survey line of canal beginning within estate of john edenson heathcote, , ending @ southern extremity of reverend dauntesey s estate. fletcher , henshall ordered contact people , companies in building trade discuss construction.

at meeting on 16 august 1791, several persons attended, , made offers contract build canal. mr john seddon of little hulton, labourer, agreed contract on matthew fletcher s terms, part of canal . 5 other persons rejected, proposals not receiving approbation of committee.

with news of planned rochdale canal link manchester, company proposed extend canal bury through littleborough, , connect rochdale canal @ sladen. new route, known bury , sladen canal, intended rival scheme proposed rochdale link manchester. survey carried out on proposed extension sladen sowerby bridge. company considered links leeds , liverpool canal , mersey , irwell navigation. these plans have substantially increased trans-pennine traffic using company s canal, , caused potential loss of traffic , revenue on nearby bridgewater canal. in mind, owner of bridgewater canal, duke of bridgewater, agreed allow rochdale canal company connect canal @ manchester. despite persistence of canal company, rochdale canal plan won day , in 1797 company abandoned bury , sladen canal plan.

map of canal showing features , sections with/without water.

after several years of construction, on 9 january 1794 agreement reached leeds , liverpool canal company create link bolton arm of canal leeds , liverpool canal @ red moss, near horwich. agreement required significant design changes allow canal carry wider boats used on broad gauge leeds , liverpool canal, included change broad locks. benjamin outram employed inspect works, , reported on cost of conversion being £26,924. although necessary changes implemented, route of leeds , liverpool canal altered , link not built. in same year haslingden canal link leeds , liverpool canal proposed, bury arm of canal. although authorised act of parliament, never built. canal company remained hopeful of link between 2 canals, hope of lost when on 21 june 1819 act of parliament enacted create link between leigh extension of bridgewater canal, , leeds , liverpool canal.

a report entitled statement of situation of works of manchester, bolton , bury canal, on eighteenth of december, 1795. gives details of progress of works, including details of bridges, cuttings, raised bankings , aqueducts. of document details work required convert canal broad gauge. 5.75-mile (9.25 km) length between oldfield lane in salford , giants seat locks in outwood navigable 3 ft 8 in (1.12 m) of water. remaining work included strengthening work banks, increase of water depth 5 feet (1.5 m), , gravelling of half of towpath. between giants seat locks , ringley bridge 2 locks had been erected, small section of canal broadened before becoming navigable. ringley bridge prestolee aqueduct 1 lock had been erected. nob end locks still under construction complete, although basin @ bottom had not yet been dug. stretch bolton had @ time been widened, several bridges requiring further work, incomplete embankments, construction of weir, , gravelling of towpath. on bury arm, entire length had been dug, , walls support canal along bank of irwell had been built. widening of narrow sections had yet undertaken, none of towpath had been gravelled, , no fences had been erected along towpath.

significant parts of canal completed 1796, including stretch bury in october of year. completion of bolton arm in following year, of canal opened business. connection fletcher s canal completed in 1800, failure of scheme connect bolton arm of canal leeds , liverpool canal, canal remained isolated other navigable waterway. 1 proposed remedy involved construction of aqueduct on river irwell in manchester, connect directly rochdale canal between castlefield , piccadilly. bill proposed in 1799 after strong objections mersey , irwell navigation company gave , subsequently, on following 7 years, canal company purchased enough land build canal link directly irwell.

during construction company, having spent of money allowed in 1791 act of parliament, incurred debt of £31,345. therefore applied further act raise more money. act, granted in 1805, allowed them raise additional £80,000. allowed them repay debt, , continue work finish canal. inspection in june 1808 reported november 1808 canal complete throughout.

a connection rochdale canal built in 1839 via manchester , salford junction canal, funded in part proprietors of mb&b canal.

traffic

most of traffic along canal transported coal many collieries existed along length, such outwood colliery , ladyshore colliery. of these pits linked canal road, , short tramlines. in late 19th century as 650,000 metric tons (640,000 long tons) of coal , 43,000 metric tons (42,000 long tons) of other materials including night soil , fruit transported annually. canal enabled transport of salt cheshire many bleach , dye works in area – hence name of salt wharf on bolton arm of canal. tolls calculated milestones placed along towpath @ ¼ mile (400 m) intervals. important journeys quite short, collieries being close industry along canal s length.

ladyshore colliery in 1968

the boats used transport coal short , narrow, , each contained row of boxes used carrying coal. each box had base of 2 halves, hinged , held closed chains. these boxes lifted out of boats, positioned crane on bunker or cart , emptied releasing chains on base. design helped keep canal competitive, increased speed loading , unloading of boats performed.

the canal freeze in winter, icebreaker used ensure canal remained navigable during cold weather. named sarah lansdale , owned james crompton paperworks, towed team of horses while crew stood astride deck, secured handrails, rocking boat side side , breaking ice in process. often, ice encountered thick boat rise onto surface of ice. boat did once reside @ boat museum in ellesmere port dock later destroyed fire.

food , drink made available using canal in several places including margaret barlow s tea gardens, kilcoby cottage , rhodes lock. camping ground available @ kilcoby cottage. nearby giant s seat house time home of canal manager.

the canal carried packet services, passengers facing three-hour journey between bolton , manchester. first passenger boat bolton launched in 1796 windsor castle public house, , in 1798 new packet boat built use of company. fares fixed canal company (although 1805 contracted-out) , based upon service required; passenger using state cabin bolton manchester charged one shilling six pence, , single shilling on return journey. passengers change boats @ prestolee avoid delays @ lock flight , save water, , purpose-built covered walkway length of road constructed benefit. passenger service ran along 2 arms bolton bury, , on 60,000 passengers per year travelled on canal; between july 1833 , june 1834, 21,060 made journey bolton manchester, 21,212 people travelled manchester bolton, , 20,818 intermediary passengers hopped on , off boats en route. in 1834 bolton manchester service earned £1,177 , bolton bury service earned £75. service quite luxurious compared packet boat services: central heating provided in winter , drinks served on board. caused tragedy in 1818, however, when party of twenty drunken passengers managed capsize boat , number of passengers, including 2 children, drowned.

several fatal incidents combined general passenger concern caused canal company improve passenger safety; in 1802 wall built @ wharf @ oldfield lane in salford , in 1833 gas lamp installed @ ringley wharf.

a parcel service offered, although proved unpopular unreliable.

railway proposal


the seal of manchester, bolton & bury canal navigation & railway company

in march 1829 idea of building branch railway line oldfield road terminus in salford new liverpool , manchester railway mooted, nothing built. in 1830 canal company, led chairman sir john tobin, began promote proposal build railway along line of canal, salford bolton. alexander nimmo employed report on proposal , told possible far expressed himself capable of judging present cursory view of canal . shareholders sought bill railway bolton manchester , on 23 august 1831 obtained act of parliament become company of proprietors of manchester, bolton , bury canal navigation , railway company . empowered build line manchester bolton , bury, upon or near line of ... the canal , , branch clifton aqueduct through great lever. in 1832 company obtained act allowed build railway. due objections of local mine owners have lost access canal , supplies, , not have had branch railways built them, company agreed amending bill keep canal , allow new railway constructed alongside it. due technical , financial constraints branch bury never built. canal therefore survived, although locks 4 , 5 in salford moved , combined two-rise staircase, second tunnel built underneath line became known manchester , bolton railway.

the line opened on 28 may 1838, , company had purchased 4 locomotives bury, curtis, , kennedy, 2 george forrester , company, , 2 william fairbairn & sons. between opening date , 9 january 1839 railway carried 228,799 passengers – far more had been carried on canal. shortly thereafter passenger services on canal ceased , boats sold off. in 1846 company taken on manchester , leeds railway, became lancashire , yorkshire railway (l&yr) following year. in 1890 l&yr widened line through salford. locks 4, 5 , 6 moved north , tunnel under railway replaced bridge (although still referred tunnel).

in 1922 l&yr amalgamated london , north western railway, , in 1923 company amalgamated london, midland , scottish railway. company nationalised in 1948 under transport act 1947 , became part of british railways.

decline

by 1924 bolton arm had experienced significant fall in traffic, although until 1930s, when colliery closures reduced traffic further, coal trade remained brisk. 1935 fletcher s canal had fallen disuse. burst banks alongside irwell , croal rivers (caused largely subsidence mining activities) common. major breach occurred in 1936 , never repaired. 10.45 acres (42,300 m) of land around breach purchased british transport commission cream s paper mill, subsequently built on part of canal.

on 2 march 1937 london, midland , scottish railway held special general meeting during proposed abandon canal clifton aqueduct bailey bridge, bailey bridge bury, , entire bolton arm nob end locks bolton. proposal not carried 4 years later, under london, midland , scottish railway act of 1941, abandoned 7 miles (11 km) of canal, including section prestolee clifton , entire bolton arm. in 1939, during second world war, ministry of transport ordered half-mile section in agecroft piped, reduce risk of german bomb damage damaging adjacent magnesium elektron company s site.

although continued generate revenue sale of water, tolls produced small proportion of canal s income. in 1946, against expenses of £12,500, earned total of £7,296, of £471 tolls. in 1951 total income £8,815 against total expenditure of £9,574. in same year, canal carried 3,933 long tons (3,996 t) of coal , no other materials.

a british transport commission report of 1955 included canal in list of waterways having insufficient commercial prospects justify retention navigation . following act of parliament, in 1961 canal abandoned. single coal delivery service between sion street , bury moors continued until 1968, last commercial traffic use canal.

cite error: there <ref group=nb> tags on page, references not show without {{reflist|group=nb}} template (see page).