Outline History of the Leeds and Liverpool Canal

OUTLINE HISTORY OF THE LEEDS AND LIVERPOOL CANAL

The Leeds and Liverpool canal extends for a total of 127 miles across the Pennines and was constructed over a period of 46 years (1770-1816) with various sections becoming operational at different times during the construction period. From Liverpool the canal ascends to its summit level at 148.5 metres above sea level descending again to terminate in the city of Leeds at an elevation of 36.5 metres. To achieve these changes in level the canal has a total of 91 locks.

LOCATION MAP

As its name suggests the canal connected the major seaport of Liverpool with the industrial city of Leeds and along its length the principal industrial areas of that period in of the north of England. From Leeds that link could be extended further to connect with the canal network to the south and on to the east coast ports of the Humber estuary.
During its working life the canal was a major transport system carry all manner of cargoes for the businesses and communities along its length including coal, wool, cotton, limestone, grain, guano, manure, farm produce and general goods.

* The "Short Boat" was
applied relative to the 72
foot barges which were able
to use the Eastern section
of the canal between
Liverpool and Wigan.
The "shorter" 62 foot boat
was the standard of the
entire length of the canal.

The L&L is a wide canal by British standards unlike those usually encountered further south and was designed to accommodate a particularly wide, high volume work boat referred to as the Leeds and Liverpool "Short Boat"* having a length of 18.9 metres (62ft.) and beam of 4.4 metres (14 ft. 4 ins.).

The canal was operated as a commercial enterprise with income being generated by the levying of tolls based upon the types of materials and distances that they were carried. Therefore maintaining the passage of boats at all times was essential to the profitability of the company. To this end the company operated various craft for special operations such as maintenance and repair work, dredging and ice breaking.

British canals, including the Leeds and Liverpool, were nationalised in 1948 and underwent a general decline as commercial traffic transferred to the railways and road. Regular traffic over the summit of the Leeds and Liverpool ceased in 1960 ending on the canal generally in 1964.

Unlike many other canals in Britain, the Leeds and Liverpool was never completely closed to navigation and is now an important leisure and recreational waterway.