Tub boat

Tubs could be lifted more easily than larger boats and tub boat lifts and inclined planes were developed as an alternative to canal locks, particularly in or near a colliery or similar industrial works.

Because of their small size, the canals that were built for tub boats could also be smaller, saving considerable construction cost.

One tub-boat is preserved in the Blists Hill Victorian Town museum.

Before its discovery, it was thought that all tub boats on the Shropshire Canal were made of wood.

In later years, larger versions of tub boats included the Tom Pudding on the Aire and Calder Canal and the Hargreave barge used on the same waterway.