Leeds and Liverpool Canal - looking west towards Armley
CANAL INFO
The Leeds and Liverpool canal was built from 1772 to increase industrial transportation between West Yorkshire and the Merseyside ports. Limestone, textiles and coal were in critical demand between Yorkshire and Lancashire at this time where trains were still only beginning to happen. Committees in Bradford and Liverpool formed and for a while disputed over their different respective plans for the route Following appeasement, the route as proposed via engineers John Longbotham and James Brindley was built at a cost of nearly £260, 000 and a length of 109 miles. The first phase, from Bingley to Shipley was up and running by 1774. By this time, Brindley had passed, and Longbotham had taken over as chief engineer. The construction from the Liverpool end reached Wigan in 1781.
The canal's overall construction spanned five decades, delayed further by money and disputes and also the colonial war in the late 1700s. Trade from Yorkshire to Liverpool was already brisk by the time construction finished, including branches - significantly the ones to Bradford and Wigan. Although both steam and horse drawn railways were available by 1800, the canal continued to thrive for a century.
Horse drawn barges would last impressively until 1960 while industrial trade remaining until the 1980s, by which time the bulk of such work was being done, quite inevitably by trains and lorries.
Today, the Leeds and Liverpool canal stretches for 127 miles, crossing the Pennines between the two cities, with additional branches bringing people - and still business - to and from other towns in Yorkshire and Lancashire on its journey. 91 locks are included, notably the notorious 5 Locks at Bingley, which take an apparent 3-4 hours to negotiate.
The towpath is used heavily by both walkers and cyclists on its route, with the Leeds end being notably active especially during commuter hours. At the newly developed Granary Wharf, the canal basin area has been heavily redeveloped in recent years while the new southern entrance to Leeds station also providing additionally quick access to the canal route.
Leeds and Liverpool Canal - looking west towards Armley
CANAL INFO
The Leeds and Liverpool canal was built from 1772 to increase industrial transportation between West Yorkshire and the Merseyside ports. Limestone, textiles and coal were in critical demand between Yorkshire and Lancashire at this time where trains were still only beginning to happen. Committees in Bradford and Liverpool formed and for a while disputed over their different respective plans for the route Following appeasement, the route as proposed via engineers John Longbotham and James Brindley was built at a cost of nearly £260, 000 and a length of 109 miles. The first phase, from Bingley to Shipley was up and running by 1774. By this time, Brindley had passed, and Longbotham had taken over as chief engineer. The construction from the Liverpool end reached Wigan in 1781.
The canal's overall construction spanned five decades, delayed further by money and disputes and also the colonial war in the late 1700s. Trade from Yorkshire to Liverpool was already brisk by the time construction finished, including branches - significantly the ones to Bradford and Wigan. Although both steam and horse drawn railways were available by 1800, the canal continued to thrive for a century.
Horse drawn barges would last impressively until 1960 while industrial trade remaining until the 1980s, by which time the bulk of such work was being done, quite inevitably by trains and lorries.
Today, the Leeds and Liverpool canal stretches for 127 miles, crossing the Pennines between the two cities, with additional branches bringing people - and still business - to and from other towns in Yorkshire and Lancashire on its journey. 91 locks are included, notably the notorious 5 Locks at Bingley, which take an apparent 3-4 hours to negotiate.
The towpath is used heavily by both walkers and cyclists on its route, with the Leeds end being notably active especially during commuter hours. At the newly developed Granary Wharf, the canal basin area has been heavily redeveloped in recent years while the new southern entrance to Leeds station also providing additionally quick access to the canal route.