Where are the canal boats????

We saw these lock gates on a walk on the towpath by the Bude Canal along the Devon and Cornwall border. Lock gates were a major feat of engineering to ensure goods could be transported, as these were the 1800's, when lime-bearing sand was transported from beaches to farms for use as agriculture fertilizer. A great pity more of our goods are not transported via canals, it would save a good many hours being caught in traffic jams on our major roads behind heavy lorries.