As the 19th century began, Britain was in the grip of canal mania and canals were built all over the country so that factory owners could get coal and other materials cheaply.
Barges moved only slowly on canals. Canals were expensive because they had always to be level and watertight.
40 years later, railway mania began and wiped out canals almost overnight – railways were cheaper to build and trains moved so much faster than barges.
