The term “railway company” includes any person being the owner or lessee of or working any railway in the United Kingdom constructed or carried on under the powers of any Act of Parliament:
The term “canal company” includes any person being the owner or lessee of, or working, or entitled to charge tolls for the use of any canal in the United Kingdom constructed or carried on under the powers of any Act of Parliament:
The term “person” includes a body of persons corporate or unincorporate:
The term “railway” includes every station, siding, wharf, or dock of or belonging to such railway and used for the purposes of public traffic:
The term “canal” includes any navigation which has been made under or upon which tolls may be levied by authority of Parliament, and also the wharves and landing-places of and belonging to such canal or navigation, and used for the purposes of public traffic:
The term “traffic” includes not only passengers and their luggage, goods, animals, and other things conveyed by any railway company or canal company, but also carriages, waggons, trucks, boats, and vehicles of every description adapted for running or passing on the railway or canal of any such company:
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F2
The term “special Act” means a local or local and personal Act, or an Act of a local and personal nature, and includes a Provisional Order of the Board of Trade confirmed by Act of Parliament, and a certificate granted by the Board of Trade under the M1Railways Construction Facilities Act 1864:
. . . F3

Textual Amendments

F2Definition of “mails” repealed by Statute Law (Repeals) Act 1989 (c. 43), s. 1(1), Sch. 1 Pt. X

F3Definition repealed by Railway and Canal Traffic Act 1888 (c. 25), Sch. and Statute Law Revision (No. 2) Act 1893 (c. 54)

Marginal Citations

M11864 c. 121.

4. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F4U.K.

Textual Amendments

F4S. 4 repealed by Railway and Canal Traffic Act 1888 (c. 25), Sch.

5. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F5U.K.

Textual Amendments

F5S. 5 repealed by Railway and Canal Commission (Abolition) Act 1949 (c. 11), Sch.

6—10.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F6U.K.

Textual Amendments

F6Ss. 6–10 repealed by Transport Act 1962 (c. 46), s. 95(3), Sch. 12 Pt. I

Explanation and Amendment of LawU.K.

11—13.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F7U.K.

Textual Amendments

F7Ss. 11–13 repealed by Railway and Canal Traffic Act 1888 (c. 25), Sch.

14. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F8U.K.

Textual Amendments

F8S. 14 repealed by Transport Charges &c. (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1954 (c. 64), Sch. 2 Pt. I

15, 16.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F9U.K.

Textual Amendments

F9Ss. 15, 16 repealed by Statute Law Revision Act 1960 (c. 56)

17 Maintenance of canals by railway companies. U.K.

Every railway company owning or having the management of any canal or part of a canal shall at all times keep and maintain such canal or part, and all the reservoirs, works, and conveniences thereto belonging, thoroughly repaired and dredged and in good working condition, and shall preserve the supplies of water to the same, so that the whole of such canal or part may be at all times kept open and navigable for the use of all persons desirous to use and navigate the same without any unnecessary hindrance, interruption, or delay.

Modifications etc. (not altering text)

C8S. 17 excluded by Transport Act 1968 (c. 73), s. 105(5); power to exclude s. 17 conferred by ibid., s 112(1)