in 1770, a short branch of the calder and hebble navigation was completed, linking dewsbury to the canal system giving access to manchester and hull. by the time of the industrial revolution, dewsbury was a centre for the shoddy and mungo industries which recycled woollen items by mixing them with new wool and making heavy blankets and uniforms. the town benefited economically from the canal, its location at the heart of the heavy woollen district, and its proximity to coal mines. the railway arrived in 1848 when dewsbury wellington road railway station on the london and north western railway opened; this is the only station which remains open. other stations were dewsbury central on the great northern railway which closed in 1964 and dewsbury market place on the lancashire and yorkshire railway which closed in 1930; a fourth goods-only railway station was built in the early 20th century at savile town by the midland railway. in 1985 a bypass road was built on the site of central station and its adjacent viaduct, and nothing remains of market place railway station. the 19th century saw a great increase in population, rising from 4,566 in 1801 to around 30,000 by 1890.