The narrowboat has been part of an industrialised transport system stretching back over 200 years. Narrow boats were first built in the late 18th century to move goods, such as coal, iron, and cotton along the rapidly expanding canal system in England.

One of the earliest canals, opened in 1761, was developed by a renowned engineer, James Brindley, to carry coal to Manchester. This canal proved highly effective as it allowed larger quantities of coal, up to 30 tons, to be loaded into a narrow boat and be pulled by one horse along a canal. The effect of moving large quantities of coal was to reduce the price of coal in Manchester by nearly two-thirds within a year. Previously, low volumes of coal were pulled by horse and cart along tracks, which kept the price high.

Over the next 70 years huge sums of money were invested in building canals for transporting large quantities of goods and commodities around the country. But, by the mid 19th century the railways had taken over most of the canal-based transport market and by the middle of the 20th century the Goverment was considering closing many of the canals. However, the leisure industry was rapidly expanding during the 1960s and people began to fit modern engines into narrowboats and use them as floating holiday homes.

Today, 27,000 narrowboats chug along the canals, and with the intrepid walker using the towpaths, people have the time to slowly discover fascinating places and explore something of the history of an industrial revolution.