Table of Contents

Introduction; Chapter 1 Canal Genesis; Construction of the first canals; Chapter 2 First Canal Links; Coal and metal; Chapter 3 Canal Age; Chemicals, Iron smelting, limestone, and quarry stone; Chapter 4 Merchandise Traffic; Bricks, flour and timber; Chapter 5 Railway Age; Railway interchange traffic; Chapter 6 Engineering & Innovation; The rise of the steel industry and tube making; Chapter 7 Dawn of a New Century; New traffic in cyanogens and gas oil; Chapter 8 Canals in Decline; Electric generation, rubbish & spoil; Conclusion; Appendix