Ships and the Sea

[Waterways]

Having just done a long sea voyage it made a nice change to sail up the Canal to Manchester, To see the green fields and trees and sheep and cattle, it wasnt all industry. It was the same when outward bound, the last sight of trees and grass for maybe many months.
and I was only ten minutes from home.

In the `old` days cotton camefrom Batton Rouge 200 miles up the Mississipi, down to New Orleans on barges to be loaded onto a Harrison boat and all the way to Manchester then unloaded onto barges then up the canal to the town center of Bolton, to make Bolton the `Cotton Town` of the world, the cotton travelled all those thousands of miles and had never been on a road.What a wonderful way of transportation.

But, off loading at Liverpool, or Eastham if Manchester wanted to bi-pass Liverpool, and trains direct to Bolton is quicker and cheaper and more flexible and trains could go directly into companies sidings, preventing another handling from one transport mode to another.

The canal is poorly sold. Lay-bys can easily be cut into the side of the canal at any point along its length. That means companies can have cargo loaded and unloaded directly into the plant. It is a 36 mile long linear dock.

[az_gila]

.....
In the `old` days cotton camefrom Batton Rouge 200 miles up the Mississipi, down to New Orleans on barges to be loaded onto a Harrison boat and all the way to Manchester then unloaded onto barges then up the canal to the town center of Bolton, to make Bolton the `Cotton Town` of the world, the cotton travelled all those thousands of miles and had never been on a road.What a wonderful way of transportation.

Yes... but those old days were before the car and the train were invented.... Canal beats horse most times for large volumes.

We wanted to take a Mississippi cruise this summer, but alas, the only operator who did overnight trips quit last year.
Not a very efficient way of traveling, but it would be nice as a tourist...

The Mississipi was (and still is) the entry into the heartland of the US. The levies are strange though... walking along a city street and looking UP at a ocean freighter sailing by is strange.

[brian daley]

Another picture from Pictorial Knowledge, I don't think any words are necessary from me ;spot the difference?
Or was this taken before the Gladstone was fullly opened?
BrianD