Historical Background
The idea of linking Leeds and Liverpool by water had its beginnings in the middle of the eighteenth century and was primarily driven by the well established woollen manufacturing industry in Yorkshire. In 1770 an Act of Parliament authorized the construction of an artificial waterway between Leeds and Liverpool via Skipton, Gargrave, Colne, Whalley, Walton-le-Dale and Parbold. It was also agreed that a branch line from Parbold to Wigan would be constructed.
By 1773, under the direction of engineer John Longbottom, the lock- free section from Bingley to Skipton was completed; four years later Leeds was connected through to Gargrave but further work on the main line ceased at this point because of a lack of capital. In 1780 Liverpool to Wigan was completely canalized; prior to this time the Douglas Navigation had been used between Gathurst and Wigan .
In 1790 a new Act of Parliament was passed to raise additional funds and work recommenced on the trans-Pennine section westward from Gargrave with Robert Whitworth as engineer. Once again a shortage of money, this time caused by the Napoleonic Wars, resulted in further delays. During this period East Lancashire was developing rapidly as an industrial area and in 1794 it was agreed that the proposed line should be revised to included the towns of Burnley and Blackburn; a route originally suggested by the Lancashire businessmen. A major milestone was reached two years later with the completion of Foulridge Tunnel
In 1816, after 46 years, the longest single canal in the country was completed and became one of the most prosperous waterways. In actuality the authorized route of the Leeds & Liverpool Canal was never completed. Rather than continue the line to Liverpool, as authorized by the Act of Parliament, the company worked out an arrangement with the Lancashire Canal Company whereby they could use the southern section of their canal between Johnson's Hillock and Wigan thereby completing the link through to Liverpool. Control of this 10 mile stretch of canal was assumed by the L & L Co. in 1864.
The branch linking Bradford to the main line at Shipley was completed in 1774 and remained open until 1922. The Rufford Branch, which connects the main line to the tidal River Douglas was completed in 1805 and remains open today. The opening of the Leigh Branch in 1820 connected the L & L main line to the Bridgewater Canal and the narrow canals of central and southern England.
Initially limestone from the Dales area had been envisaged as the primary cargo but coal quickly superseded it. However the canal company made just as much money from carrying merchandise such as wool, grain, beer and cement. The canal was efficient and survived the onslaught of the railways in the 1880s and it was not until the lorry came on the scene after WW I that trade began to decline. The last regular commercial traffic on the main line ended in 1964 but coal continued to be carried between the Plank Lane Colliery and Wigan Power Station up until 1972.
to return to the journey.
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