In the 17th/18th century most goods were transported on the river. That was very expensive and it took several days to travel between towns. When Thomas Newcomen in 1712 the first practical steam engine develops, large loads could be more quickly and cheaply be transported than by road or canal.

 

Canals:

Canals are waterways by man-made. The canals were first used in France and Hollandbefore Britain got canals. Britain had a lot of rivers. These weren’t always that easy to navigate and didn’t always lead to were goods were supposed to go. In 1757 the Sankey Canal was opened. And in 1761 the Bridgewater Canal was opened. Of the river  Irwell the Bridgewater Canal ran independently. It was James Brindley, an engineer, who suggested this costly improvement. He was called by the Duke of Bridgewater, in 1759, to improve the transportation in Worsley to Manchester. Although canals were expensive, canals did get popular after the Bridgewater Canal. Horses walked on either side of the canal, while pulling barges on the canal. This transportation were smooth and fast. Each hors could pull 30 tons of barge. People also used canals to travel between towns. 

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Roads:

Roads were usually repaired six days a year by parishioners. Apparently that wasn’t enough. The parliament decided to make turnpike trusts. Turnpike trusts were a bunch of people who were allowed to tax people who were using the roads. These turnpike trusts maintained the roads full time. This road system was supposed to improve the roads with the tax. The turnpike trusts set up gates where the tolls could be collected. When people had to use the road, they had to pay toll. In 1750 a lot of new turnpike trust were created and at the end of the 18th century most main roads were turnpike roads. Transportation was easier.

Bridges were built. Roads were made harder, flatter and were straightened.

 

Railways:

In 1769 James Watt invented a steam engine that could provide continuous power. In 1804 Richard Trevithick was the on to build the first engine locomotive. After that came the ‘Salamanca’ in 1812 built by Matthew Murray and a year after that the ‘Puffing Billy’ was built. The first railways linked the rivers and canals to the coal mines. These first railways consisted of normal wooden tracks. Sind James Watt the steam engine technology was applied to the railway, the railway industry developed rapidly. Railways became popular and an effective way of transport as the steam engine technology was perfected in locomotives. Railways were now built all over Britain. The most important thing of railways was at which speed goods could be transported. The goods could definitely be quicker transported by railway, than by road or canal and the likelihood of damage was smaller. Goods could be delivered in a bigger area. More towns grew along the railway lines. The communication improved as travelers crossed one side of Britain to the other using the train.

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