Charlie
Basically the wool was transported by rail, after shearing from numerous outlying North UK sheep farms, the baskets were used to transport the wool for processing to MILLS . Spun, dyed and put onto spools for weaving.
This method was adopted until closure or axed? (Dr Beeching,a politician) of local railway lines and eventual closure of the Yorkshire mills.
The collapse of all this industry starting in and around the 1960?s.The Yorkshire area for industry has never recovered and you can draw a parallel to the Rust Belt.
The US was a major world source of producing steel, and industrial tools, Pittsburgh steel second to none. UK Sheffield HSS and Stainless similar.?
A lot of the axed lines are now a "mecca" for steam railway buffs. We all owe a lot to the Industrial revolution and inventions using steam.
Thanks for your interest.
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John
John Lindo