SK3687 : Narrowboat and Railway Bridge
taken 12 years ago, near to Sheffield, England
The Sheffield and Tinsley Canal was opened in 1814 to carry boats between the navigable River Don at Tinsley and a new basin close to the heart of Sheffield. Before this date, goods had to be carried over poor roads to Tinsley Wharf on the River Don. Link
See also Link
A Narrowboat is a long thin boat, designed to fit the canals of England and Wales. They were 7 feet (2.1 metres) wide, and up to 70 feet (21 metres) in length, the maximum that will fit in a standard lock.
In the 18th century before the age of steam railways and the internal combustion engines, the canals were one of the key systems of transporting goods around the country. The boats were towed by a shire horse walking along the tow-path. Of course boats today are powered by diesel engines.
Most narrowboats today are used for holidays & leisure cruising, and some are used as homes.
Read more at wikipedia Link