ABSTRACT
James Pickfords' canal trade, which had taken decades to perfect, was dismantled in a matter of years. Most canal companies, however, derived the bulk of their revenue from relatively local and low-unit-value traffic. Long-distance traffic by canal developed a lot more slowly. By the end of the 1770s the canals which connected the Mersey, Trent and Severn provided a limited number of long-distance routes, but the principal need was a through route to London. The way in which the canal carrying trade developed generally can be illustrated by a brief outline of its growth in Manchester. A private cut was dug from the main canal, special lifting gear erected, loading bays and warehouses were put up, together with a range of administrative offices. Transport services on the canals were supplied by all kinds of agent. Firms and individuals who dealt in large, regular traffics, such as coal, iron-ore, or grain, owned their own fleet of boats.
