The canal basin at Albion with LMS boat No.62.
The canal basin at Albion with LMS boat No.62.
A lesser known activity of the LMS was the ownership of 13 lengths of canal totalling 542 miles.
Canal traffic was a relatively cheap form of freight transport which had played an important role in the industrial development of this country with origins in the pre-railway era. Only two stretches of canal are shown as being unused, the Coalport and Ulverston Canals, and both were only short stretches.
LMS Canals were:-
| Length | Tonnage Conveyed | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| England and Wales | Miles & Chains | 1923 | 1938 |
| Ashby | 29 75 | 20,416 | 16,920 |
| Coalport | 1 17 | NIL | NIL |
| Cromford | 16 79 | 20,859 | 16,215 |
| Huddersfield | 23 49 | 46,208 | 16,650 |
| Lancaster (60 miles worked by LMS) | 73 47 | 61,308 | 30,385 |
| Manchester, Bolton and Bury | 15 76 | 262,998 | 86,835 |
| Shropshire Union (Bought 1923) | 194 3 | 324,642 | 214,654 |
| St. Helens | 16 33 | 123,856 | 94,016 |
| Trent & Mersey | 117 28 | 476,385 | 285,870 |
| Ulverston | 1 28 | NIL | NIL |
| Kensington (LMS one-third ownership) | 0 11 | 202,106 | 168,519 |
| Totals | 490.46 | 1,538,878 | 930,064 |
| Scotland | |||
| Forth & Clyde | 38 74 | 140,234 | 109,687 |
| Monkland - closed 1934 | 13 20 | 11.274 | NIL |
| Totals | 52 14 | 151,508 | 109,687 |
| Grand Total | 542 60 | 1,690,386 | 1,039,751 |
| Total Canal Tonnage for Great Britain | 14,594,377 | 12,951,746 | |
Of the 12,951,746 tons, 1,112,076 originated on railway owned canals. LMS thus had very
much the lions share of railway owned canal traffic. However, in spite of these tonnages,
the canal operation was a loss maker, and for the first year of LMS ownership (1923) the
Receipts and Expenditure were as follows:-
| Income | £ | Expenditure | £ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tolls | 84,785 | Superintendence | 5,408 |
| Wharfage & Cranage | 1,614 | Wages, Lock-keepers & Toll Clerks | 33,367 |
| Rents Rec'd | 43,165 | Canal Maintenance | 134,133 |
| Miscellaneous | 8,765 | Water Supply | 6,462 |
| Total Recpts. | 138,329 | Rates | 24,188 |
| Loss for year | 82,984 | Miscellaneous | 17,755 |
| 221,313 | 221,313 | ||
By 1938 gross receipts were £120,926, reduced toll being offset by higher rents and miscellaneous
income of 1923. Expenditure had dropped to £149,790 so that the loss for the year was £128,864. Quite
an improvement, despite a very substantial drop in tonnages carried.
The canal operation was provided for both the LMS owned barges and other large operators of these craft. The LMS had a fleet of narrow boats and they were lettered LMS and No. on a light coloured panel, on either side of the bows.
Lock-keepers, toll clerks and maintenance staff totalled 1046 in 1923 and these had been slimmed down to 815 by 1931. Generally canal traffic was declining throughout the 1920s and in 1929 an Act was passed enabling rate relief of 75% of the rateable value of premises used wholly for industrial or transport purposes to be allowed. Canals were included and the Act provided for the rate relief granted under the Act on canal properties to be passed onto the traders in the form of a Canal Rebate. All merchandise carried was allowed a 10% tolls rebate. Rate relief helped the LMS in 1938 to the tune of £20,000.
The maintenance costs were always high and were the principal factor for the losses on operations occurring. Staff costs were reduced to 16,700 by 1930, less than half the 1923 figure, and with only a 20% reduction in persons employed, wages received by canal employees were obviously low.
Coal, timber, clay, various ores, iron and steel were heavy commodities to be seen on canals.
Throughout the war years the Canals were used much more heavily than immediately prior to the hostilities and after the war, upon Nationalisation the Waterways passed into public ownership.
During researches, no information has been found to indicate how many canal barges the LMS actually owned although photographs clearly indicate that they did. The only official reference found has been in the LMS Organisational Notes for 1947:-
"The Chief Marine Superintendent is also responsible for the maintenance of the canal barges on the Birmingham Canal Navigation System and electric tugs on the Trent and Mersey Canal."
The LMS allowed pleasure craft to use the canals and a scale of rates were applied to operators of these boats.
H.N. Twells, LMS Miscellany. OPC 1982 ISBN 0 860931 72 2