The Trent and Mersey Canal first came into use in 1777. A vital transport link for the industries of the midlands - indeed Josiah Wedgewood of the pottery was an early supporter - it carried coal, ironstone, limestone merchandise, pottery and salt. Despite the arrival of the railways and subsequently motorways, the carriage of freight continued up until 1970. After inevitable decline, various restoration programmes have been undertaken and the waterway is now popular with boaters. A workin...

North East Canals Through Time follows on from previous titles by specialist author and canal historian Ray Shill, notably North West Canals Through Time: Manchester, Irwell & the Peaks. As a study of the waterway infrastructure of North East England, this volume focuses particularly on Aire & Calder, Calder & Hebble, Huddersfield Broad Canals, Dearne & Dove, and Barnsley. A broad and varied array of historic and modern photographs complements this insightful commentary. Throughout this vo...

While the first public passenger-carrying railway operated between Liverpool and Manchester from 1830, it was the construction of the Grand Junction and London & Birmingham that created the first long-distance, inter-city route from 1838. The meeting point of these two independent companies was Birmingham. The new railways came to benefit the town, through the carriage of goods, parcels and passengers and complimenting the already extensive canal network in the area. In addition to the Lon...

Northern Canals Through Time follows on from the previous title by well-known author Ray Shill, North West Canals Through Time: Manchester, Irwell & the Peaks, as a study of waterway infrastructure, in this case focusing particularly on Lancaster, Ulverston, Carlisle, and the Pennine Waterways from west to east, including from Nelson to Leeds on the Leeds & Liverpool, the canal from Rochdale to Sowerby Bridge on the Rochdale and the Huddersfield (Narrow) from Ashton to Huddersfield. Throug...

The Wyrley & Essington Canal began as an independent waterway, carrying coal from Essington and Wyrley Bank to Wolverhampton. It was a popular route, in high competition with the mines at Bilston, Cosely and Tipton, which were served by Birmingham Canal Navigations. In 1792 and 1794 the canal was extended, creating routes to a number of new areas - five locks were used for a branch canal to Essington 'New' Colliery, the highest point on the Wyrley & Essington Canal. Although useful in supp...

The history of the canals and waterways of North West England, including the Ashton Canal, Peak Forest Canal, Rochdale Canal, Huddersfield Canals, Manchester Bolton & Bury Canal and River Ribble, is traced through old and modern colour photographs. This is the second volume of North West Canals Through Time. The first volume, North West Canals Through Time: Merseyside, Weaver & Chester, was published in July 2013. Canal historian Ray Shill explores the construction and technical developmen...

This book is a study of waterways infrastructure and investigates through images and maps how the present midland network of canal and river navigations was put together. It is a complex history where some working waterways are approaching 250 years of existence, but where others span the distance of time with construction and modification extending right up to the present day. In some instances their existence has been sound and with other cases fragile. Many might have disappeared by now...