Wigan Album

Most interesting David . Another question if I may . When it was finally decided to go via Wigan , why didn't they simply use the Douglas Navigation instead of building the canal link ?

They used the douglas navigation to reach wigan from the main line at parbold. The main line was going to go from parbold to blackburn but they carried on to ince, built the flight of locks and connected to the lancaster canal southern section instead. This is the reason why the leeds liverpool canal is not the longest canal in britain built as a single waterway by a single company, as is regularly claimed.

Cheers JN for that history . I understand the necessity of constructing the Wigan Flight to Top Lock , yet I'm still left wondering why , if the Douglas was navigable from Parbold to Wigan , there was a need to cut through Appley Bridge / Gathurst etc , to reach town .
Apologies from a dim , but fascinated student .

Although the Navigation had been purchased by the canal company in 1771 the river was still being used for transport to and from the Ribble estuary. The canal aqueduct over the river at Parbold however was causing problems for larger masted boats to pass. Alexander Leigh one of the owners proposed that a flight of locks north of the aqueduct would allow boats to be lifted onto the canal. A branch from the canal would then allow boats back onto the river further upstream. In the end only the branch was built - known as Leigh’s cut it was completed in1774 and stretched all the way to Dean near Gathurst (where a lock enabled the boats to get back on to the river). This opened up the markets in Liverpool to the Wigan coalfields. The river continued in use right up until the canal was extended into Wigan in 1781 when the Navigation finally abandoned and all the locks on it removed (info from Mike Clark’s website http://www.mikeclarke.myzen.co.uk/Douglas%20Navigation.html).

My thanks Bill

According to at least one account as to why the canal was extended via Wigan, the Yorkshire business men putting up the money for this project asked for a contribution to the cost. Lancashire business men agreed to pay some of the costs as long as the extension benefited the Wigan coalmines and steel works.

To answer Poet's question - the reason why a new cut was made, rather than continuing to use the Douglas Navigation, was because navigations on relatively minor rivers are not dependable enough to carry traffic on a sustained, regular basis. Once the Industrial Revolution got under way, that became more of an issue. As you know, the Douglas is fed from Winter Hill, and is subject to the vagaries of the weather - too much water in the winter months, and too little in the summer. It is also tidal for 16 miles from the Ribble estuary, adding to access problems. Factories requiring coal to keep their steam engines going need a constant supply. Although canals have their own problems - they can ice up easier than rivers, and run short of water in dry summers - for most of the time their locks and reservoirs enable them to operate uninterrupted for most of the year.
As for walt's comment - in general terms, Yorkshire money built the Yorkshire side of the L&L, and Lancashire money the Lancashire side. There was a Committee for each side from the beginning, and many discussions about the route - with Liverpool interests also being involved with proposals for other canals to tap into Wigan coal for their businesses. Also, the growth of industry was so rapid that the entire financial basis for the canal was turned on its head - limestone was thought to be the most lucrative trade for the new canal (for fertilising fields), but was soon displaced by coal and other goods. That changed the power dynamics between the Counties.

I wondered why the River wasn't used more for industry, now I know. It seemed strange having a river and a canal. Thanks for the information. They say you learn something every day ...

Thanks Rev David . That explains things nicely .
Another question that had always niggled me was , why the Lancaster was ever built to Top Lock in the first place . After all , there was nothing there . An apparent dead end !
I've learned of course that the intention was to continue on to Westhoughton to link it with Kendal and her cloth trade . I wonder why the plan was abandoned .

In 2014 Channel 4 broadcast "Walking Through History" series with Tony Robinson. One of the episodes was Liverpool -Wigan on the L&LC. There was a printed download of the walk on the net. Interesting, as they mention that the Wigan spur was only a temporary measure because the of the Liverpool merchants wanted access to our coal. The original route was via Leyland & Preston. They got as far as Parbold when the money ran out so the original route was abandoned and the temporary route via Wigan became the permanent route 10 years later. This episode was repeated earlier this year so may be still available on demand

Were there any commercially productive coal mines in Wigan when the Leeds and Liverpool canal was constructed ? The canal was constructed primarily to transport cotton to the many mills built in Wigan at that time. Up to eight mills were built in Wigan and they needed the coal from the surrounding pits to run their own steam engines.

James you're right about the mills they provided employment for thousands. I think Eckersleys was the biggest mill in the country and the firm was the biggest employer at some point.

Walking Through History Series 3 Episode 1. The Way To Wigan Pier. Is on youtube. https://youtu.be/WmvCEQ6LeM8

James Hanson, there's some interesting information on a Wigan (Haigh) built mine steam engine here:

"Robert Daglish, was a prominent local engineer and the first to use a steam engine in Wigan. He obtained the design and patent from John Blenkinsop in Leeds and built the engine at Haigh in 1812. It was then put to work on the Orrell coalfield in 1813. In 1825 Robert Daglish commenced the survey for the Bolton and Leigh Railway. He was elected a member of the Institute of Civil Engineers in 1830. He was a mining and civil engineer and was consulted by many railway companies both English and foreign."

He was the father of Dr George Daglish Honorary Surgeon at the Wigan Dispensary. That excerpt is from a write up about the Wigan Dispensary and Wigan RAEI by Chris Heaven and the essay can be found here:

https://oldrailwaystuff.com/wigan-dispensary/

It is a very interesting and informative read, Chris also posted some photos on the Album of the new wards at RAEI being built, you can also find a link to his write up on there also.

Yes, I've read a bit about him, Cyril.

https://www.gracesguide.co.uk/Robert_Daglish_and_Co

Thanks James I've had a read of that.

Re the question about the Lancaster canal.

It was being built with the intention of joining the Bridgwater Canal at its Southern end. It had reached the environs of Westhoughton when the decision to extend the L&L to it was made. Since L&L would go on to develop their Leigh branch to access The Bridgewater, further southern development of Lancaster canal was unnecessary.

Priscus, the Lancaster Canal never got close to Westhoughton. It stopped in Aspull. Don't believe anything you read on the canal and river trust site, they call themselves experts but seem to know nothing. They are still saying "The Leeds & Liverpool Canal is the longest canal in Britain built as a single waterway " when it was clearly built in two sections, each joining opposite ends of an existing, and in use, waterway.

Never seen ANY canal and river trust site stuff, thank you very much.

James, the Lancaster Canal Trust are as bad. They say " .... only the section from Wigan to Walton Summit, five miles south of Preston, had been completed".
But the Lancaster Canal southern section did not go from Wigan to Walton Summit as stated. The canal never reached Wigan and was never intended to.