Editing Manchester Bolton & Bury Canal (section)

=== Traffic ===
[[File:Ladyshore Waterson.JPG|left|thumb|[[Ladyshore Colliery]]]]

Most of the traffic along the canal transported coal from the many collieries that existed along its length, such as [[Outwood Colliery]] and [[Ladyshore Colliery]]. Some of these pits were linked to the canal by road, and some by short [[Tramway (industrial)|tramlines]].<ref>{{Harvnb|Hindle|2005|p=8.}}</ref><ref>{{Harvnb|Waterson|1985|p=23.}}</ref> In the late 19th century as much as {{convert|650000|MT|LT|lk=on}} of coal and {{convert|43000|MT|LT}} of other materials<ref>{{Citation |title=Canal rates and tolls |newspaper=The Times | url=http://archive.timesonline.co.uk/tol/viewArticle.arc?toDate=1896-12-31&fromDate=1892-01-01&currentPageNumber=1&resultsPerPage=10&sortBy=default&offset=0&viewName=&addFilters=&removeFilters=&addCat=&queryKeywords=bolton+canal&sectionId=1040&currPgSmartSet=1&pageId=ARCHIVE-The_Times-1893-10-18-04&articleId=ARCHIVE-The_Times-1893-10-18-04-006&xmlpath=&pubId=17&totalResults=255&addRefineFilters=&removeRefineFilters=&addRefineCat=&next_Page=false&prev_Page=false&date_dd_From=1&date_mm_From=01&date_yyyy_From=1892&date_dd_to_range=31&date_mm_to_range=12&date_yyyy_to_range=1896&date_dd_from_precise=1&date_mm_from_precise=01&date_yyyy_from_precise=1892&isDateSearch=false&dateSearchType=range&refineQuerykeywordText= |url-access=subscription |date=18 October 1893}}{{dead link|date=September 2024|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}} Retrieved on 29 June 2008</ref> including [[night soil]]<ref>{{Harvnb|Waterson|1985|p=21.}}</ref> and fruit<ref>{{Harvnb|Waterson|1985|p=33.}}</ref> were transported annually. The canal also enabled the transport of [[Salt in Cheshire|salt from Cheshire]] to the many [[bleach]] and [[dye]] works in its area – hence the name of Salt Wharf on the Bolton arm of the canal. Tolls were easily calculated as milestones were placed along the towpath at {{convert|1/4|mi|m}} intervals. This was important as journeys were often quite short, the collieries being so close to industry along the canal's length.<ref>{{Harvnb|Owen|1988|p=60.}}</ref>

The boats used to transport coal were short and narrow, and each contained a row of boxes used for carrying coal. Each box had a base of two halves, hinged and held closed with chains. These boxes would be lifted out of the boats, positioned by [[crane (machine)|crane]] over a bunker or cart and emptied by releasing the chains on the base. This design helped keep the canal competitive, as it increased the speed with which loading and unloading of the boats could be performed.<ref>{{Harvnb|Owen|1988|p=53.}}</ref>

The canal would often freeze in winter, so an [[icebreaker]] was used to ensure the canal remained navigable during the cold weather. Named "Sarah Lansdale"<ref name="sarahlansdale">{{Citation | title = Boat Museum Society Report | url = http://www.boatmuseumsociety.org.uk/report-index.pdf | publisher = The Boat Museum Society | access-date = 29 July 2008 | url-status = dead | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20080820041000/http://www.boatmuseumsociety.org.uk/report-index.pdf | archive-date = 20 August 2008 }}</ref> and owned by James Crompton Paperworks, it was towed by a team of horses while the crew stood astride the deck, secured to the handrails, rocking the boat from side to side and breaking the ice in the process. Often, ice would be encountered that was so thick the boat would rise up onto the surface of the ice.<ref name="Owen 1988 p=61">{{Harvnb|Owen|1988|p=61.}}</ref> This boat did once reside at the boat museum in [[Ellesmere Port Dock]]<ref name="sarahlansdale"/> but was later destroyed by fire.

Food and drink was made available to those using the canal in several places including Margaret Barlow's Tea Gardens, Kilcoby Cottage and Rhodes Lock. A camping ground was also available at Kilcoby Cottage.<ref>{{Harvnb|Owen|1988|p=55.}}</ref> The nearby Giant's Seat House was for some time the home of the canal manager.<ref>{{Harvnb|Corbett|1974|p=80.}}</ref>

The canal also carried [[Packet trade|packet services]], with passengers facing a three-hour journey between Bolton and Manchester.<ref name="Tomlinsonp101">{{Harvnb|Tomlinson|1991|p=101.}}</ref> The first passenger boat to Bolton was launched in 1796 from the Windsor Castle public house, and in 1798 a new packet boat was built for the use of the company.<ref name="Mercury"/><ref name=Tomlinsonp98>{{Harvnb|Tomlinson|1991|p=98.}}</ref> Fares were initially fixed by the canal company (although from 1805 contracted-out) and based upon the service required; a passenger using the state cabin from Bolton to Manchester would be charged one&nbsp;[[Shilling (British coin)|shilling]]&nbsp;six&nbsp;[[Penny (British pre-decimal coin)|pence]], and a single shilling on the return journey.<ref name=Tomlinsonp98/> Passengers would change boats at Prestolee to avoid delays at the lock flight and also to save water,<ref name="Corbett"/> and a purpose-built covered walkway the length of the road was constructed for their benefit.<ref name="Tomlinsonpp9899">{{Harvnb|Tomlinson|1991|pp=98–99.}}</ref><ref>{{Harvnb|Britton|1807|p=36.}}</ref><ref>{{Harvnb|Waterson|1985|p=18.}}</ref> Another passenger service ran along the two arms from Bolton to Bury, and over 60,000&nbsp;passengers per year travelled on the canal; between July 1833 and June 1834, 21,060&nbsp;made the journey from Bolton to Manchester, 21,212&nbsp;people travelled from Manchester to Bolton, and 20,818&nbsp;intermediary passengers hopped on and off the boats en route.<ref name="Watersonp7">{{Harvnb|Waterson|1985|p=7.}}</ref> In 1834 the Bolton to Manchester service earned £1,177 and the Bolton to Bury service earned £75.<ref name="Watersonp7"/> The service was quite luxurious compared to some packet boat services: central heating was provided in winter and drinks were served on board. This caused a tragedy in 1818, however, when a party of twenty drunken passengers managed to capsize the boat and a number of passengers, including two children, were drowned.<ref name="Tomlinsonp101"/><ref name="Watersonp7"/>

Several fatal incidents combined with general passenger concern caused the canal company to improve passenger safety; in 1802 a wall was built at the wharf at Oldfield Lane in Salford and in 1833 a [[Gas lighting|gas lamp]] was installed at Ringley Wharf.<ref name="Tomlinsonpp9899"/>

A parcel service was also offered, although this proved unpopular as it was unreliable.<ref>{{Harvnb|Tomlinson|1991|p=102.}}</ref>