▁composed ▁of ▁pe at , ▁started ▁to ▁sw ell . ▁This ▁caused ▁the ▁canal ▁itself ▁to ▁rise ▁and ▁the ▁cl ay ▁p ud d ling ▁to ▁f ract ure , ▁resulting ▁in ▁further ▁loss ▁of ▁water , ▁and ▁a ▁reduced ▁depth ▁for ▁navigation . ▁Tra ffic ▁had ▁to ▁be ▁trans hi pped ▁to ▁smaller ▁boats ▁at ▁High bridge , ▁which ▁added ▁to ▁the ▁costs ▁of ▁delivery . ▁Rece i pts ▁for ▁ 1 8 4 8 ▁were ▁£ 3 0 0 , ▁which ▁would ▁indicate ▁that ▁the ▁canal ▁was ▁probably ▁only ▁carrying ▁about ▁ ▁per ▁an num . ▁ ▁Cl os ure ▁ ▁Rail ways ▁arrived ▁in ▁the ▁area ▁in ▁ 1 8 4 1 , ▁with ▁the ▁opening ▁of ▁part ▁of ▁the ▁Br istol ▁and ▁Ex eter ▁Railway ▁on ▁ 1 4 ▁June , ▁which ▁eventually ▁reached ▁Ex eter ▁in ▁ 1 8 4 4 . ▁In ▁late ▁ 1 8 4 6 , ▁the ▁railway ▁company ▁attempted ▁to ▁buy ▁the ▁canal ▁to ▁prevent ▁its ▁use ▁by ▁rival ▁railway ▁companies . ▁The ▁sale ▁was ▁agreed ▁in ▁principle ▁in ▁June ▁ 1 8 4 7 , ▁and ▁was ▁author ised ▁by ▁an ▁act ▁of ▁Parliament ▁passed ▁on ▁ 3 0 ▁June ▁ 1 8 4 8 . ▁The ▁share hold ers ▁received ▁£ 7 , 3 7 2 ▁in ▁ 1 8 5 0 , ▁and ▁the ▁canal ▁company ▁was ▁dissol ved ▁in ▁ 1 8 5 1 . ▁ ▁There ▁was ▁fr iction ▁between ▁the ▁new ▁own ers ▁and ▁the ▁Commission ers