Manchester to Leigh, at the south end of the town of Leigh, being a distance of six miles, seven furlongs and twenty-one poles, and with a lockage down to the Duke's Canal of 15 feet 2 inches, by two locks. At the road leading from Ashton to Platt Bridge, the side cut or railway branches off nearly north for about a mile in length. By this branch another communication by water is made between Liverpool and Manchester; it also affords the first communication which had ever been made to connect Kendal, Lancaster and Preston, with Manchester, Rochdale and other trading towns in that part of the country. In the execution of this branch, which was completed by the end of the year 1821, above £50,000 was expended. The tonnage rates are the same as upon the main line of the Leeds and Liverpool Canal, excepting the side cut or railway, which shall not exceed 4d. per ton for any article what ever; and the fractions of tons and miles to be reckoned as on the Leeds and Liverpool Main Line; but the devisees of the late Duke of Bridgewater have authority by this act to charge and receive for articles passing into or out of the said Leigh Branch, as under.
TONNAGE RATES.
| For every Article, except Flags | 1s 2d per Ton. |
| For Flags | 0s 2d ditto. |
Fractions of a Quarter of a Ton to be paid for as a Quarter of a Ton.
These Rates shall exempt the above-named Articles from any Charge at the Castlefleld Lock, situate upon the Rochdale Canal in the Town of Manchester.
The reservation clause in the Leeds and Liverpool Canal Acts, and in those for making the River Douglas navigable, which restrained any boat or vessel from passing locks, without tonnage was paid for a burthen of twenty tons, is by this act repealed; and in lieu thereof, it is enacted, that empty boats or vessels shall each pay at the first lock they shall arrive at, the sum of five shillings only; provided also, that every empty boat or vessel passing through or returning out of the summit level upon the line of the Leeds and Liverpool Canal, either through the Greenberfield Lock on the Yorkshire side, or through the Barrowford Lock on the Lancashire side of the said summit level, shall pay a further sum of five shillings.
By this act for making the Leigh Branch the company obtained power to raise £50,000, either by admission of new subscribers, or
