TRANSPORT IN THE FYLDE BY ROAD, RAIL, SEA AND AIR 67 



main focus point of all descriptions of traffic into and out of the Fylde, and 

 its market was the magnet which attracted the produce of the Fylde. 



In its early days the River Ribble was an uncontrolled waterway wandering 

 out to sea on an ever-changing course, rendering navigation very precarious. 

 Moreover, the river was a source of potential destruction to the land through 

 which it flowed, and it is not, therefore, surprising to find that the first efforts 

 to obtain some control over the waters were made by the riparian landowners 

 who were seriously affected by its sudden changes of course. 



A company was formed in 1806 to provide funds for the building of training 

 walls on the banks of the river for a few miles towards the sea. Owing to the 

 limited capital available, the results were somewhat unsatisfactory, and the 

 company sought further borrowing powers in 1830, with the object of extending 

 the sea walls still further towards the sea. As a result of the stabilising of 

 the river channel within the length of the new walls, the trade passing on the 

 river began to improve, and it was decided in 1838 to form a joint stock 

 company known as the Ribble Navigation Company, to carry out certain 

 further improvements to stimulate trade on the river. 



There was at this time no dock at Preston, and vessels, which were 

 necessarily of shallow draught, had to lie at a short quay in the tidal river. 

 In 1845 the Ribble Navigation Company and the North Union Railway 

 Company jointly constructed a branch railway from the quay to the main line 

 running through the town. This branch is known as the Ribble Branch 

 Railway, and is still jointly controlled. In 1883 the Corporation of Preston 

 finally secured full control of the Navigation undertaking, and it was decided 

 to divert the river and to build a 40-acre dock on the old bed and the adjoining 

 land. The foundation stone of the dock was laid on the 16th July, 1885, by 

 H.R.H. the Prince of Wales (afterwards King Edward VII.), and the dock was 

 finally opened for traffic on the 25th June, 1892, by the Duke of Edinburgh. 



The equipment has been modernised from time to time to keep pace with 

 requirements, thereby affording excellent facilities for the rapid handling of 

 merchandise from ships to railway wagons alongside, and since the Corporation 

 took it over in 1883 the history of the dock has been one of continual growth 

 and expansion. 



Air Transport. 



The Fylde, represented by Blackpool, has always been in the forefront of 

 aviation, and it was towards the end of the 1909 season that Lord Northcliffe 

 suggested Blackpool should have an aviation week. This idea was received 

 with much enthusiasm. After preliminary enquiries at Rheims, where France 

 was holding its aviation ' premiere,' a deputation was sent from Blackpool 

 to that town to ensure the presence of the leading Continental aviators at 

 Blackpool for what was hoped to be Britain's first aviation week. Actually, 

 however, Doncaster stole a three days' march on Blackpool on this occasion, 

 and commenced their meeting on October 15th, 1909 ; but it can be claimed 

 that Blackpool's aviation week, which began on October 18th, was on a larger 

 scale, and included in its programme such world-famed pilots as Hubert 

 Latham, Henry Farman, Paulhan and Leblanc, who were at that time making 

 flying history. 



