 Man power was used to tow the boats, but in 1800 land for a towpath between Sollom and Rufford was bought.Plans to make the whole length navigable by fixed-mast boats were dropped when the Leeds and Liverpool Canal became interested in the navigation.Improvements to the river below Gathurst Bridge had begun in 1753, when Leigh started working on a cut to bypass the river from Gathurst to Newburgh, known as "Leigh's Cut".