 The canal company could not really afford the purchase price, but needed to secure the water supply to prevent the rival scheme from using it.The Leeds and Liverpool completed Leigh's Cut, built locks to enable sailing boats on the river to avoid having to pass under the aqueduct which carried the canal over the river at Newbugh, and improved the upper river into Wigan in time for a formal opening in October 1774.The final of river section into Wigan was replaced by a parallel canal, completed in 1780, and the lower river was superseded by the Rufford Branch, opened in 1781.