The Oldham Branch Railway was an early railway of the Manchester and Leeds Railway Company connecting Oldham to Manchester.
116-457: The Manchester and Leeds Railway (M&LR) opened its Middleton Junction and Oldham Branch on 31 March 1842 from its mainline, the Manchester to Littleborough railway line (which had opened on 4 July 1839), at Middleton Junction (called at the time Oldham Junction) to Oldham Werneth . This was the first railway to reach Oldham , albeit up a severe incline to Werneth on the west side of
232-452: A 5 ⁄ 8 in (16 mm) diameter ball and key fitted into grooves in each side of the stem of the rail. Sleepers consisted of sandstone blocks of about 4 cubic feet (0.11 m ) each in cuttings, and Kyanised larch sleepers, 9 ft (2.7 m) by 11 in (28 cm) by 5 in (13 cm), on embankments. On Wednesday 3 July 1839, the line was formally opened from Manchester to Littleborough and two trains conveying
348-750: A crossing of the river at the last moment in return for access for their carts over the intended railway bridge. The Manchester station was therefore fixed at Liverpool Road in Castlefield . The first contracts for draining Chat Moss were let in June 1826. The Rennies insisted that the company should appoint a resident engineer, recommending either Josias Jessop or Thomas Telford , but would not consider George Stephenson except in an advisory capacity for locomotive design. The board rejected their terms and re-appointed Stephenson as engineer with his assistant Joseph Locke . Stephenson clashed with Vignoles, leading to
464-534: A decision that had repercussions across the country and triggered the " railway mania of the 1840s". John B. Jervis of the Delaware and Hudson Railway some years later wrote: "It must be regarded ... as opening the epoch of railways which has revolutionised the social and commercial intercourse of the civilized world". At first trains travelled at 16 miles per hour (26 km/h) carrying passengers and 8 miles per hour (13 km/h) carrying goods because of
580-480: A fixed signal was used, with red and white chequered boards on 12-foot high posts being turned to face trains from one direction if another train was ahead. In 1837 the London and Birmingham Railway conducted trials using a Cooke and Wheatstone telegraph to direct signalling and in 1841 held a conference to propose a uniform national system of coloured signals to control trains, but despite these advances elsewhere
696-655: A high profit level, owing to the density of population along the route and the fact that in the early years much southbound traffic from Manchester was routed this way owing to disputes affecting the Grand Junction Railway. In July 1844, the M&;LR seized all the Midland Railway goods wagons on its system in order to run a cheap excursion from Dewsbury to Liverpool —at the time a commonplace form of accommodation. The Midland reacted by taking all
812-447: A large drum at the head of the incline. This arrangement continued until some time between 1851 and 1856, after which ordinary locomotive working was used. "There is a steep gradient in this branch of 1 in 27, 1 mile [1.6 km] in length, situated between Middleton Junction and Werneth, Oldham, and a stationary engine was fixed at the top of the incline, with a rope attached to it, for the purpose of pulling up and letting down trains to
928-422: A level of profitability that would never again be attained by a British railway company. The railway was purposefully designed for the benefit of the public, carrying passengers as well as freight. Shares in the company were limited to ten per person and profits from these were limited. Although the intention had been to carry goods, the canal companies reduced their prices, leading to a price war between them and
1044-571: A line from Manchester to Normanton where it made a junction with the North Midland Railway , over which it relied on running powers to access Leeds . The line followed the valley of the River Calder for much of the way, making for easier gradients but by-passing many important manufacturing towns. Crossing the watershed between Lancashire and Yorkshire required a long tunnel. The line opened throughout in 1841. Early on,
1160-486: A machine for printing railway tickets on cards of standard size, numbered progressively, and another machine for stamping the date on each ticket. Edmondson's ticket system and machines were used into the 1970s, almost identical with those first used on the M&LR in 1839. The next section that opened was from Normanton to Hebden Bridge on Monday 5 October 1840. The North Midland Railway had opened its line to Leeds, using its own terminus at Hunslet Lane on 30 July. As
1276-559: A mile down the track to stop oncoming traffic. After the opening of the Warrington and Newton Railway four policemen were placed constantly on duty at Newton Junction , at the potentially dangerous points where the two lines met. Initially a gilt arrow was used to point towards Warrington to indicate that the points were set in that direction, with a green lamp visible from the L&;MR line being used to indicate this at night. Later
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#17327902445411392-442: A portion of the invert failed, allowing the side walls to move by 3 ⁄ 4 inch (19 mm), requiring them to be rebuilt. Stephenson explained the failure by saying The blue shale through which the excavation passed at that point, was considered so hard and firm, as to render it unnecessary to build the invert very strong there. But shale is always a deceptive material... In this case, falling away like quicklime, it had left
1508-533: A secondary line between the two cities—the southern route, the former Cheshire Lines Committee route via Warrington Central is for the moment the busier route. This however has already started to change (from the May 2014 timetable) with new First TransPennine Express services between Newcastle/Manchester Victoria and Liverpool and between Manchester (Airport) and Scotland (via Chat Moss, Lowton and Wigan). From December 2014, with completion of electrification (see below)
1624-536: A system of hand-held flags was developed, with a red flag being used to stop a train, green indicating that a train should proceed at caution, blue indicating to drivers of baggage trains that there were new wagons for them to take on and a black flag being used by platelayers to indicate works on the track. Any flag waved violently, or at night a lamp waved up and down, indicated that a train should stop. Until 1844 handbells were used as emergency signals in foggy weather, though in that year small explosive boxes placed on
1740-444: A through line from Liverpool to Hull . As well as the inconvenience to passengers, goods had to be unloaded and carted across Manchester and reloaded into railway wagons. The companies agreed to make a connecting line from the M&LR at Miles Platting to a new station at Hunt's Bank and on to the terminus of the Manchester and Bolton Railway (close to the present-day Salford Central station ) and over an S-shaped link to join
1856-418: A variety of collisions and derailments. On 23 December 1832, a passenger train ran into the rear of another passenger train at Rainhill. A passenger was killed and several were injured. On 17 April 1836, a passenger train was derailed whilst travelling at 30 miles per hour (48 km/h) when an axle of a carriage broke. There were no fatalities. The original Liverpool and Manchester line still operates as
1972-518: A wire rope; descending trains were controlled by brake wagons in front. In the Railway Chronicle , Hawkshaw is reported as saying that the use of the stationary engine had been largely discontinued, the ordinary engines taking up passenger and goods trains weighing over 80 long tons (81 tonnes). It thus seems that the rope haulage might have been in operation for only a year and a half. With the opening of Victoria station, Oldham Road station
2088-537: Is supplemented by an additional all-stations service between Liverpool and Earlestown, which continues to Warrington Bank Quay . Between Warrington Bank Quay, Earlestown and Manchester Piccadilly, there are additional services (at least one per hour) operated by Transport for Wales , which originate from Chester and the North Wales Coast Line . In 2009, electrification at 25 kV AC was announced. The section between Manchester and Newton, including
2204-829: The L&;MR to the west of its terminus in July 1838. The Hunt's Bank site was purchased privately by Samuel Brooks, vice-chairman of the M&LR , and presented to the company in August 1838. The section from Miles Platting to Hunt's Bank was built by the M&LR , and the western section by the L&MR . Royal assent was given to the Liverpool and Manchester Railway Act 1839 ( 2 & 3 Vict. c. xli) for this arrangement on 14 June 1839, followed by an Manchester and Leeds Railway Act 1839 ( 2 & 3 Vict. c. lv) on 1 July, which also authorised branches to Oldham and Halifax. There
2320-589: The M&LR had been retitled the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway. This 13-mile (21 km) line was authorised by the Huddersfield and Sheffield Junction Railway Act 1845 ( 8 & 9 Vict. c. xxxix) on 30 June 1845 to connect Huddersfield with the Sheffield, Ashton-under-Lyne and Manchester Railway near Penistone . There was to be a branch to Holmfirth . Amid considerable political tactics,
2436-779: The East Lancashire Railway at Bury to join the Heywood branch extension and to make an east to north connection between the two railways at Bury. On 28 January 1845, the boiler of locomotive No. 27 Irk exploded at Miles Platting, Lancashire. Line & stations shown as of 1847 Not showing the Manchester and Bolton Railway acquired by the M&;LR in 1846 Liverpool and Manchester Railway Manchester Line & stations shown as of 1845 The Liverpool and Manchester Railway ( L&MR )
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#17327902445412552-621: The Great Northern Railway . As the scope of the network of the Manchester and Leeds Railway was extending considerably, it was decided on 9 December 1846 to change the name of the company; the title "the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway" was settled upon, and this was confirmed by an act of Parliament, the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway Act 1847 ( 10 & 11 Vict. c. clxvi), of 9 July 1847. The act also incorporated
2668-596: The London and Birmingham Railway and the Manchester and Birmingham Railway to form the London and North Western Railway . During the Industrial Revolution , huge tonnages of raw material were imported through Liverpool and carried to the textile mills near the Pennines where water, and later steam power, enabled the production of the finished cloth, much of which was then transported back to Liverpool for export. The existing means of water transport,
2784-571: The Manchester and Leeds Railway . The line opened on 4 May 1844 and Liverpool Road station was then used for goods traffic. On 8 August 1845, the L&MR was absorbed by its principal business partner, the Grand Junction Railway (GJR), which had opened the first trunk railway from Birmingham to Warrington in 1837. The following year the GJR formed part of the London and North Western Railway . The Liverpool and Manchester Railway
2900-573: The Manchester, Bolton and Bury Canal Company had been created. In 1832, it decided to build a railway beside its canal, changing the company name to the Manchester, Bolton & Bury Canal Navigation and Railway. It never reached Bury , and its "Manchester" terminal was in fact in Salford, and its title is usually shortened to the Manchester and Bolton Railway. The railway opened for public traffic as far as Bolton on 29 May 1838; there were six trains each way on weekdays and two on Sundays. From May 1844,
3016-593: The Mersey and Irwell Navigation , the Bridgewater Canal and the Leeds and Liverpool Canal , dated from the 18th century, and were felt to be making excessive profits from the cotton trade and throttling the growth of Manchester and other towns. Goods were transported between Liverpool and the factories around Manchester either by the canals or by poor-quality roads; the turnpike between Liverpool and Manchester
3132-543: The North Union Railway in 1846, the Manchester and Leeds Railway had now extended its influence to Preston. It had already had a close association with the Preston and Wyre Railway in running excursion traffic, and a closer connection was appropriate. The amalgamation of the two companies was authorised by the Manchester and Leeds Railway Act 1846 ( 9 & 10 Vict. c. cclxxvii) of 3 August 1846. A branch
3248-485: The Oystermouth Railway near Swansea (1807). The original promoters are usually acknowledged to be Joseph Sandars , a rich Liverpool corn merchant, and John Kennedy , owner of the largest spinning mill in Manchester. They were influenced by William James . James was a land surveyor who had made a fortune in property speculation. He advocated a national network of railways, based on what he had seen of
3364-455: The Port of Liverpool and the cotton mills and factories of Manchester and surrounding towns. Designed and built by George Stephenson , the line was financially successful, and influenced the development of railways across Britain in the 1830s. In 1845 the railway was absorbed by its principal business partner, the Grand Junction Railway (GJR), which in turn amalgamated the following year with
3480-601: The Bolton company was absorbed by the M&LR . Industrialists in Bolton and Wigan were dissatisfied with the service offered by the Liverpool and Manchester Railway and they formed what became the Liverpool and Bury Railway . It was authorised on 31 July 1845 to make a 28-mile (45 km) line from a junction at Sandhills , near Liverpool Exchange station , to Bury. The L&BR directors continued to fear coercion by
3596-506: The LNWR route through Batley in 1848. This crossed over the Midland Railway 's Leeds–Bradford line at Holbeck and terminated at a temporary station, about 1 ⁄ 4 mile (0.4 km) from Wellington, near the site of Leeds Central where the permanent structure was opened about 1851. When the company obtained its original act of Parliament, the Manchester and Leeds Railway Act 1836 ( 6 & 7 Will. 4 c. cxi), on 4 July 1836, this
Oldham Branch Railway - Misplaced Pages Continue
3712-434: The Liverpool and Manchester Railway continued to be controlled by policemen and flags until its merger with the Grand Junction Railway in 1845. On opening the L&MR represented a significant advance in railway operation, introducing regular commercial passenger and freight services by steam locomotives with significant speed and reliability improvements from their predecessors and horse carriages. The L&MR operation
3828-480: The Liverpool and Manchester Railway, and sought the protection of the Manchester and Leeds Railway; the M&LR was delighted to be gifted a route to Liverpool and amalgamation was quickly agreed. The Manchester and Leeds Railway absorbed it on 1 October 1846 (by an act of Parliament, the Manchester and Leeds Railway (No. 2) Act 1846 ( 9 & 10 Vict. c. cclxxxii) on 27 July 1846) before it had been completed. It opened for traffic on 20 November 1848, by which time
3944-403: The M&LR wagons it could find and moving them to Derby . On 16 September 1847, a train headed by a 2-2-2 engine was derailed by a broken rail at Sowerby Bridge, killing two passengers and injuring one. In his report Captain J L A Simmons, the government inspector, strongly condemned the permanent way. Over a distance of 410 yards (370 m) the chairs had worked loose in the stone blocks,
4060-554: The MB&;BR reached Victoria station over the rails of the Liverpool & Manchester Railway. The Manchester and Bolton Railway saw that an ally in Manchester was necessary, and after failed talks in 1844, more favourable terms were offered by the M&LR at a meeting on 30 January 1846. An operating agreement came into force on 1 July, and by the Manchester and Leeds Railway (Manchester, Bolton and Bury Canal and Railway) Act 1846 (9 & 10 Vict. c. ccclxxviii) of 18 August 1846,
4176-521: The Sheffield, Ashton and Manchester Railway, the predecessor of the Manchester, Sheffield and Lincolnshire Railway, which was authorised on the same day. The respective branches were required to be connected at Stalybridge. The Ashton, Stalybridge and Liverpool Junction Railway Act 1845 ( 8 & 9 Vict. c. cix), on 21 July 1845, authorised the branch from Miles Platting to connect with the Manchester and Birmingham Railway at Ardwick. The line to Ashton
4292-525: The Wakefield, Pontefract and Goole Railway and the Ashton, Stalybridge and Liverpool Junction Railway into the L&YR . The Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway Act 1847 also authorised a south connection at Castleton from the M&LR main line onto the Heywood branch, allowing direct running from Manchester to Bury. In addition it authorised the Liverpool and Bury Railway to extend eastwards under
4408-702: The Wakefield, Pontefract and Goole Railway. The planned line ran from the east end of the L&MR Wakefield Kirkgate station and headed broadly east through Crofton , Featherstone , Pontefract , Knottingley and Hensall to Goole. The line was opened on 1 April 1848 by which time the company had amalgamated with the M&LR and others to form the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway on 9 July 1847. An act of Parliament ( 9 & 10 Vict. c. ccxii) of 16 July 1846 authorised dock improvements at Goole, and another ( 9 & 10 Vict. c. clxxxv) also of 16 July 1846 authorised branches from Pontefract to Methley , opened on 12 September 1849, and from Knottingley to Askern , joining
4524-474: The bottom of the incline." Also authorised in the Hunt's Bank Act was a Halifax branch. It too was a short line, 1 + 3 ⁄ 4 miles (2.8 km) with severe gradients. Its junction with the main line at North Dean (later Greetland) faced Wakefield. The Halifax station was at Shaw Syke, and the branch opened on 1 July 1844. Through the Manchester, Bolton and Bury Canal Act 1791 ( 31 Geo. 3 . c. 68),
4640-406: The branch to be extended through the higher ground into Oldham town centre and beyond. A 1 mile (1.6 km) extension was built by the construction of two tunnels with a cutting between them to the only intermediate station at Oldham Central located just beyond the second tunnel and then to Oldham Mumps . The line and stations opened on 1 November 1847. On 12 August 1914 a goods and coal depot
4756-420: The cable haulage was indisputable but the steam locomotive was still untried. The L&MR had sought to de-emphasise the use of steam locomotives during the passage of the bill, the public were alarmed at the idea of monstrous machines which, if they did not explode, would fill the countryside with noxious fumes. Attention was turning towards steam road carriages, such as those of Goldsworthy Gurney's and there
Oldham Branch Railway - Misplaced Pages Continue
4872-413: The company realised that the initial route required expansion, and branches were built by the company or by new, sponsored companies. In Manchester steps were taken to make a railway connection with the Liverpool and Manchester Railway , and a connecting line was built, including an important joint passenger station, named Victoria station . The pace of expansion accelerated, and in 1846 it was clear that
4988-477: The company was reconstituted with capital fixed at £800,000; Stephenson was again appointed chief engineer, and plans were deposited for the following parliamentary session. The 51-mile (82 km) route was altered from the earlier proposals to run via Wakefield to Normanton to join the North Midland Railway over which it would have running powers from Normanton into Leeds. The eastward diversion
5104-399: The company's name was no longer appropriate, and the opportunity was taken, when getting Parliamentary authority for further amalgamations, to change the name to the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway ; this took effect by an act of Parliament, the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway Act 1847 ( 10 & 11 Vict. c. clxiii) of 9 July 1847. From that time, coupled with the considerable expansion of
5220-549: The development of colliery lines and locomotive technology in the north of England. The Liverpool and Manchester Railway Company was founded on 20 May 1824. It was established by Henry Booth , who became its secretary and treasurer, along with merchants from Liverpool and Manchester . Charles Lawrence was the Chairman, Lister Ellis, Robert Gladstone, John Moss and Joseph Sandars were the Deputy Chairmen. A bill
5336-417: The direct route towards Leeds. Running powers over 9 miles (14 km) of the North Midland Railway to Leeds were given and a clause in the act that should the North Midland Railway fail to build its line, the Manchester and Leeds Railway would have the power to do so. The Manchester and Leeds Railway Act 1836 ( 6 & 7 Will. 4 . c. cxi) was given royal assent on 4 July 1836. Authorised share capital
5452-399: The directors and invited guests ran as far as Summit Tunnel. On the following day the line opened to the public over that section; 3,100 passengers were carried. The fare for the 13 + 1 ⁄ 2 miles (21.7 km) from Manchester to Littleborough was first class 4s, second class 2s 6d, and third class 6d. The chief booking clerk at Manchester was Thomas Edmondson who had invented
5568-400: The dissenters, but a new Liverpool and Manchester Railway Act. the Liverpool and Manchester Railway Act 1842 ( 5 & 6 Vict. c. cviii) was obtained on 30 July 1842, finalising the matter. The M&LR part of the construction was beset by accidents, but it was opened on 1 January 1844. The extension descended to Hunt's Bank with gradients from 1 in 47 to 1 in 59. A stationary engine
5684-551: The drainage ditches either side of the railway. The railway over Chat Moss was completed by the end of 1829. On 28 December, the Rocket travelled over the line carrying 40 passengers and crossed the Moss in 17 minutes, averaging 17 miles per hour (27 km/h). In April the following year, a test train carrying a 45-ton load crossed the moss at 15 miles per hour (24 km/h) without incident. The line now supports locomotives 25 times
5800-600: The early days of the L&MR meant accidents were not uncommon. All were investigated by the L&MR board or Management Committee. Fatal accidents to travelling passengers were rare, the first two years seeing one for over a million passengers carried, though injuries were more commonplace. These were often caused by passengers failing to heed company regulations and advice. Staff accidents were more commonplace, with some staff preparing to take what later would be considered to be inadvisable risks and disregarding regulations. Locomotives, wagons and infrastructure were involved in
5916-452: The eastern end of the M&LR was isolated by the uncompleted Summit Tunnel, the NMR provided locomotives for this section until the line was completed. Passengers could now book from Manchester to Leeds, the journey from Littleborough to Hebden Bridge was made in road coaches provided by the company. The line from Hebden Bridge to Summit tunnel opened on 31 December 1840. When Summit Tunnel
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#17327902445416032-521: The effort required. The next descending train would be used to draw the balancing load back up the incline. There were sufficient descending trains, both regular service trains and coal trains from Stockfield Colliery to ensure the service ran without much interruption. This arrangement continued until some time between 1851 and 1856, after which ordinary locomotive working was used. The branch carried heavy traffic in its first few years, an average of 750,000 passengers per year, and plans were quickly made for
6148-457: The first to be fully timetabled ; and the first to carry mail . Trains were hauled by company steam locomotives between the two towns, though private wagons and carriages were allowed. Cable haulage of freight trains was down the steeply-graded 1.26-mile (2.03 km) Wapping Tunnel to Liverpool Docks from Edge Hill junction. The railway was primarily built to provide faster transport of raw materials, finished goods, and passengers between
6264-527: The gauge varied by up to 1 inch (2.5 cm) each way and the rails were badly worn. Between 1844 and 1846, some 17 + 1 ⁄ 2 miles (28 km) of line had been relaid with 80 lb/yd (40 kg/m) double-head rails in chairs, but much remained to be done. After the opening of the Leeds to Manchester line, only the gap between the M&LR 's Oldham Road station and the L&MR 's Liverpool Road terminus in Manchester, prevented there being
6380-590: The growing rail network. Although Fairbairn tested the girders before installation, not all were so well designed, and there were many examples of catastrophic failure in the years to come, resulting in the Dee bridge disaster of 1847 and culminating in the Tay Bridge disaster of 1879. The line was laid using 15-foot (4.6 m) fish-belly rails at 35 lb/yd (17 kg/m), laid either on stone blocks or, at Chat Moss, wooden sleepers . The physical work
6496-553: The latter calling at eight intermediate stations compared with 15 intermediate stops for all-stations trains. The stopping trains took about 3 hours and 20 minutes to and from Leeds, the semi-fast trains took 2 hours and 45 minutes. The fact that the line by-passed many important towns is emphasised by the notes in the timetable: Mills Hill (for Oldham ); Blue Pitts (for Heywood ); Todmorden (for Burnley ); Sowerby Bridge (for Halifax ); Brighouse (for Bradford ); and Cooper Bridge (for Huddersfield ). The M&LR quickly achieved
6612-409: The latter resigning as resident Surveyor. The line was 31-mile (50 km) long. Management was split into three sections. The western end was run by Locke, the middle section by William Allcard and the eastern section including Chat Moss , by John Dixon. The track began at the 2,250-yard (2.06 km) Wapping Tunnel beneath Liverpool from the south end of Liverpool Docks to Edge Hill . It
6728-509: The levels of the track and how he calculated the cost of major structures such as the Irwell Viaduct. The bill was thrown out on 31 May. In place of George Stephenson, the railway promoters appointed George and John Rennie as engineers, who chose Charles Blacker Vignoles as their surveyor. They set out to placate the canal interests and had the good fortune to approach the marquess directly through their counsel, W. G. Adam, who
6844-405: The limitations of the track. Drivers could, and did, travel more quickly, but were reprimanded: it was found that excessive speeds forced apart the light rails, which were set onto individual stone blocks without cross-ties. In 1837 the original fish-belly parallel rail of 50 pounds per yard (24.8 kg/m), on sleepers started to be replaced. The railway directors realised that Crown Street
6960-413: The line began to be used instead. Trains were controlled on a time interval basis: policemen signalled for a train to stop if less than ten minutes had elapsed since a previous train had passed; the signal to proceed at caution was given if more than ten minutes but less than seventeen minutes had passed; otherwise the all clear signal was given. If a train broke down on the line, the policeman had to run
7076-409: The line was carried out by James in 1822. The route was roughly the same as what was built, but the committee were unaware of exactly what land had been surveyed. James subsequently declared bankruptcy and was imprisoned that November. The committee lost confidence in his ability to plan and build the line and, in June 1824, George Stephenson was appointed principal engineer. As well as objections to
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#17327902445417192-484: The lip of the invert alone to support the pressure of the arch above, and hence its springing inwards and upwards. At the time of its completion it was the longest railway tunnel in the world, at 2,885 yards (2,638 m). The brickwork varies from five to ten rings in thickness. The total cost of Summit Tunnel was £251,000. There was a problem at Charlestown Tunnel, between Eastwood and Hebden Bridge . The ground consisted of loose, sandy earth which gave trouble from
7308-404: The network, the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway took on a new dynamic. . Proposals to build a railway from Manchester to Leeds originated at about the same time as those for the Liverpool and Manchester Railway and a company was formed in 1825 but despite the involvement of George Stephenson , the scheme was abandoned, and a reintroduced scheme in 1831 also failed to gain approval. In 1835,
7424-520: The other. Even in the 21st century, adjacent tracks on British railways tend to be laid closer together than elsewhere. The line opened on 15 September 1830 with termini at Manchester, Liverpool Road (now part of the Museum of Science and Industry in Manchester ) and Liverpool Crown Street . The festivities of the opening day were marred when William Huskisson , the Member of Parliament for Liverpool,
7540-412: The pattern for European practice and practice in many other places. Even before the L&MR opened, connecting and other lines were planned, authorised or under construction, such as the Bolton and Leigh Railway . The best-known accident associated with the L&MR was the death of William Huskisson , hit by the locomotive Rocket on the opening day. Thereafter the pioneering and evolving nature of
7656-536: The previous bill. From Huyton the route ran directly east through Parr Moss , Newton , Chat Moss and Eccles . In Liverpool, the route included a 1.25-mile (2.01 km) tunnel from Edge Hill to the docks, avoiding crossing any streets at ground level. It was intended to place the Manchester terminus on the Salford side of the River Irwell, but the Mersey and Irwell Navigation withdrew their opposition to
7772-523: The proposed route by Lords Sefton and Derby, Robert Haldane Bradshaw , a trustee of the Duke of Bridgewater 's estate at Worsley , refused any access to land owned by the Bridgewater Trustees and Stephenson had difficulty producing a satisfactory survey of the proposed route and accepted James' original plans with spot checks. The survey was presented to Parliament on 8 February 1825, but
7888-415: The railway. The line did not start carrying goods until December, when the first of some more powerful engines, Planet , was delivered. The line's success in carrying passengers was universally acclaimed. The experience at Rainhill had shown that unprecedented speed could be achieved and travelling by rail was cheaper and more comfortable than travel by road. The company concentrated on passenger travel,
8004-528: The same as the track gauge itself, so that it would be possible to operate trains with unusually wide loads up the middle during quiet times. Stephenson was criticised for this decision; it was later decided that the tracks were too close together, restricting the width of the trains, so the gap between tracks ( track centres ) was widened. The narrowness of the gap contributed to the first fatality, that of William Huskisson , and also made it dangerous to perform maintenance on one track while trains were operating on
8120-453: The start. On 8 June 1840 it was reported that the masonry inside the tunnel was collapsing and eventually, after much further consideration, the tunnel was abandoned and the line built round the hill at ground level on curves of 12 to 15 chains (240 to 300 m) radius. Whishaw wrote in 1842, "The [track] gauge is 4 feet 9 inches [1,448 mm], in order to allow 1 ⁄ 4 of an inch [ 6.4 mm] play on either side for
8236-425: The time the locality was known only as Blue Pitts, 2 miles (3.2 km) south-west of Rochdale . It cost £10,000 to build. The branch trains used horse traction, until a locomotive was used on the line from 1 May 1847. When the Hunt's Bank extension was authorised, an Oldham branch was included in the Manchester and Leeds Railway Act 1839 ( 2 & 3 Vict. c. lv) of 1 July 1839. It opened on 31 March 1842. The line
8352-451: The top of the incline. The method of working was devised by Captain Laws, the company General Manager; it used a balancing load of mineral wagons and a brake van on a reserved track, with a cable passing round a large drum at the head of the incline. Traffic proceeding up the incline would be attached to the rope and drawn up under control by its own locomotive using the descending load to reduce
8468-584: The town. The branch had two stations, the junction at Middleton and the terminus at Oldham . Connecting the two stations the branch was 2 miles (3.2 km) long most of which was the Werneth Incline at 1 mile 1,383 yards (2.874 km) long it was one of the steepest passenger worked railway line in Britain, with a gradient of 1:27 for about one mile (1.6 km). The earliest trains to use this line required cable assistance to get to
8584-649: The two routes between Manchester and Liverpool will have much the same frequency of service. On the original route, a new (May 2014) hourly First TransPennine Express non-stop service runs between Manchester Victoria and Liverpool (from/to) Newcastle), an hourly fast service is operated by Northern Rail , from Liverpool to Manchester, usually calling at Wavertree Technology Park , St Helens Junction , Newton-le-Willows and Manchester Oxford Road , and continuing via Manchester Piccadilly to Manchester Airport . Northern also operates an hourly service calling at all stations from Liverpool Lime Street to Manchester Victoria. This
8700-424: The two towns closed shortly after the railway opened as it was impossible to compete. Within a few weeks of the line opening, it ran its first excursion trains and carried the world's first railway mail carriages; by the summer of 1831, it was carrying special trains to the races. The railway was a financial success, paying investors an average annual dividend of 9.5% over the 15 years of its independent existence:
8816-450: The unbuilt Huddersfield and Sheffield Junction Railway was absorbed into the Manchester and Leeds Railway on 27 July 1846. The H&SJR opened to the public on 1 July 1850. At first the MS&;LR worked the line (as it was disconnected from the M&LR ), but in 1870 the L&YR began running Sheffield-Huddersfield trains from Penistone. The West Riding Union Railways Company
8932-569: The use of locomotives on this part of the line. To determine whether and which locomotives would be suitable, in October 1829 the directors organised a public competition, known as the Rainhill trials , which involved a run along a 1 mile (1.6 km) stretch of track. Ten locomotives were entered for the trials, but on the day of the competition only five were available to compete: Rocket , designed by George Stephenson and his son, Robert ,
9048-581: The vicarage. Thus he became the world's first widely reported railway passenger fatality. The somewhat subdued party proceeded to Manchester, where, the Duke being deeply unpopular with the weavers and mill workers, they were given a lively reception, and returned to Liverpool without alighting. A grand reception and banquet had been prepared for their arrival. The L&MR was successful and popular, and reduced journey times between Liverpool and Manchester to two hours. Most stage coach companies operating between
9164-630: The weight of the Rocket . The railway needed 64 bridges and viaducts, all built of brick or masonry , with one exception: the Water Street bridge at the Manchester terminus. A cast iron beam girder bridge was built to save headway in the street below. It was designed by William Fairbairn and Eaton Hodgkinson , and cast locally at their factory in Ancoats . It is important because cast iron girders became an important structural material for
9280-465: The wheels of the locomotives and carriages. The rails are of the single parallel form... They are in 15-foot [4.6 m] lengths, having 3-foot [0.9 m] bearings..." The track consisted of T-section rails, 5 in (13 cm) deep with heads 2 + 1 ⁄ 2 in (6.4 cm) wide and 1 + 1 ⁄ 4 in (3.2 cm) deep, weighing 56 pounds per yard (28 kg/m), secured in chairs 10 by 5 in (25 by 13 cm) by means of
9396-404: Was 2 miles (3.2 km) long, climbing 186 feet (57 m) from a junction on the main line at Middleton ; a station there was named Oldham Junction at first. The branch had a gradient of 1 in 27 for more than half the distance. The method of working was devised by Captain Laws, the company General Manager; it used a balancing load of mineral wagons on a reserved track, with a cable passing round
9512-417: Was a division in the L&MR board between those who supported Stephenson's "loco-motive" and those who favoured cable haulage, the latter supported by the opinion of the engineer, John Rastrick . Stephenson was not averse to cable haulage—he continued to build such lines where he felt it appropriate—but knew its main disadvantage, that any breakdown anywhere would paralyse the whole line. The line's gradient
9628-433: Was a relative of one of the trustees, and the support of William Huskisson who knew the marquess personally. Implacable opposition to the line changed to financial support. The second bill received royal assent as the Liverpool and Manchester Railway Act 1826 ( 7 Geo. 4 . c. xlix) on 5 May 1826. The railway route ran on a significantly different alignment, south of Stephenson's, avoiding properties owned by opponents of
9744-465: Was an important industrial centre, home to numerous cotton mills and an iron foundry. A 1 + 3 ⁄ 4 -mile (2.8 km) single line branch to Heywood was made, opening on 15 April 1841 without getting parliamentary authorisation, until obtained retrospectively on 10 May 1844 in the Manchester and Leeds Railway Act 1844 ( 7 & 8 Vict. c. xvi). It left the main line at Castleton , but at
9860-585: Was carried out by a large team of men, known as "navvies", using hand tools. The most productive teams could move up to 20,000 tonnes of earth in a day and were well paid. Nevertheless, the work was dangerous and several deaths were recorded. In 1829 adhesion-worked locomotives were not reliable. The experience on the Stockton and Darlington Railway was well-publicised, and a section of the Hetton colliery railway had been converted to cable haulage. The success of
9976-598: Was closed to passengers after only four and a half years of use, and became a goods station. The first terminus in Leeds used by the Manchester and Leeds Railway was at Hunslet Lane situated to the south of the city centre and shared with the Midland Railway. In 1846, the Midland Railway transferred most of its services to the centrally situated Wellington Station which was built by the Leeds and Bradford Railway . The Manchester and Leeds Railway stayed at Hunslet Lane after 1846, but diverted most of its trains via
10092-747: Was completed, the line was inspected by Sir Frederick Smith who sanctioned its opening to the public on behalf of the Board of Trade in February 1841. The main line opening took place on Monday 1 March 1841. The timetabled four trains each way on Sundays encountered strong opposition from religious bodies. The board was divided and the chairman and two directors resigned in protest against running Sunday trains. The first timetable showed nine passenger trains each way except Sundays when there were four. The first weekday eastbound train started from Sowerby Bridge. The trains alternated between all stations and semi-fast,
10208-409: Was considerable controversy because a southern route was strongly advocated; the L&MR in particular was attracted to a connection to the Manchester and Birmingham Railway, giving better connections southwards, at the cost of failing to connect the Bolton line at all, and of requiring some form of transshipment for Leeds traffic, because of incompatibility in the levels. It took some time to pacify
10324-747: Was derived from a George Stephenson recommendation that was accepted at an L&MR board meeting in July 1826: "Resolved that the width of the Wagon Way between the rails to be the same as the Darlington Road , namely 4 feet 8 inches clear, inside the rails". This enabled the Stephensons to test their locomotives on the lines around Newcastle on Tyne before shipment to Lancashire. The L&MR used left hand running on double track, following practice on British roads. The form of couplings using buffers, hooks and chains, and their dimensions, set
10440-500: Was described as "crooked and rough" with an "infamous" surface. Road accidents were frequent, including waggons and coaches overturning, which made goods traffic problematic. The proposed railway was intended to achieve cheap transport of raw materials, finished goods and passengers between the Port of Liverpool and east Lancashire , in the port's hinterland . There was support for the railway from both Liverpool and London but Manchester
10556-483: Was designed to concentrate the steep grades in three places, at either side of Rainhill at 1 in 96 and down to the docks at Liverpool at 1 in 50 ) and make the rest of the line very gently graded, no further than 1 in 880. When the line opened, the passenger section from Edge Hill to Crown Street railway station was cable hauled, as was the section through the Wapping Tunnel , as the act of Parliament forbade
10672-558: Was done on 17 November 1846; the actual construction of the line was carried out by the M&LR , which changed its title the following year to the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway. The section from Low Moor to Mirfield was opened on 18 July 1848, but the more difficult construction from Bradford to Low Moor was delayed until 9 May 1850, and Mirfield to Halifax on 7 August 1850; the Sowerby Bridge section opened on 1 January 1852. The Preston and Wyre Railway and Harbour Company
10788-580: Was drafted in 1825 to Parliament, which included a 1-inch to the mile map of the railway's route. The first bill was rejected but the second passed as the Liverpool and Manchester Railway Act 1826 ( 7 Geo. 4 . c. xlix) in May the following year. In Liverpool 172 people bought 1,979 shares, in London 96 took 844, Manchester 15 with 124, 24 others with 286. The Marquess of Stafford held 1,000, making 308 shareholders with 4,233 shares. The first survey for
10904-428: Was easy for passengers to get down and stretch their legs, despite being instructed not to, particularly as there was an interval between the delayed passing trains. Huskisson decided to alight and stroll alongside the train, and on spotting the Duke decided to start a conversation. The Rocket was spotted heading in the opposite direction as people shouted at Huskisson to get back on the train. The Austrian ambassador
11020-458: Was eventually lifted in September 1991). 53°32′31″N 2°09′22″W / 53.54199°N 2.15599°W / 53.54199; -2.15599 Manchester and Leeds Railway Line & stations shown as of 1847 Not showing the Manchester and Bolton Railway acquired by the M&LR in 1846 The Manchester and Leeds Railway was a British railway company that built
11136-437: Was for the main line only, between Manchester and Normanton, giving access to Leeds. The main line was complete in 1841; the extension to Victoria station in Manchester followed, being ready in 1844. It was obvious that many other important manufacturing locations were in the general area served by the company, and it began to take steps to connect many of them, by building branches, or later, by absorbing other companies. Heywood
11252-401: Was formed in 1846 from the wreckage of George Hudson's duplicity; he had promised to promote a southward line from Bradford to Halifax and elsewhere. The West Riding Union Railways Act 1846 ( 9 & 10 Vict. c. cccxc) of 18 August 1846 authorised a line supported by the Manchester and Leeds Railway; the act required amalgamation with the Manchester and Leeds Railway within three months. This
11368-470: Was found impossible to drain the bog and so the engineers used a design from Robert Stannard, steward for William Roscoe , that used wrought iron rails supported by timber in a herring bone layout. About 70,000 cubic feet (2,000 m ) of spoil was dropped into the bog; at Blackpool Hole, a contractor tipped soil into the bog for three months without finding the bottom. The line was supported by empty tar barrels sealed with clay and laid end to end across
11484-408: Was founded in 1835 to build from Preston via Poulton to the new town of Fleetwood ; it opened in 1840. The company amalgamated with the Preston and Wyre Dock Company to form the Preston and Wyre Railway, Harbour and Dock Company in 1839. A branch from Poulton to Blackpool North and another to Lytham , both opening in 1846. With the absorption of the Manchester and Bolton Railway and a share of
11600-531: Was just under 2 miles (3 km) long, and opened on 20 November 1848 for goods trains only; regular passenger trains starting operating at the end of 1852. Seeing potential in expanding eastwards, especially in connecting directly to an east coast port, the M&LR sponsored the promotion of a line from its Wakefield station . An act of Parliament, the Wakefield, Pontefract and Goole Railway Act 1845 ( 8 & 9 Vict. c. cxlii), of 31 July 1845 authorised
11716-479: Was killed. The southern line was reserved for the special opening train, drawn by the locomotive Northumbrian conveying the Duke of Wellington , the Prime Minister, in an ornamental carriage, together with distinguished guests in other carriages. When the train stopped for water at Parkside , near Newton-le-Willows , it was intended that the other trains should pass in review on the northern line. It
11832-583: Was largely indifferent and opposition came from the canal operators and the two local landowners, the Earl of Derby and the Earl of Sefton , over whose land the railway would cross. The proposed Liverpool and Manchester Railway was to be one of the earliest land-based public transport systems not using animal traction power. Before then, public railways had been horse-drawn, including the Lake Lock Rail Road (1796), Surrey Iron Railway (1801) and
11948-596: Was opened at Chadderton. This was at the end of the 1,097 yards (1,003 m) long Chadderton Branch off the Middleton Junction and Oldham Branch approximately 400 yards (370 m) from Middleton Junction. The line from Chadderton Junction to Oldham was closed to regular passengers in 1958 although some diverted services used it in 1960 and completely on 7 January 1963. Middleton Junction closed to passengers on 3 January 1966. The Chadderton goods and coal depot remained open and in use until 1988 (the track
12064-444: Was opened on 13 April 1846, and on to Stalybridge on 5 October 1846. The branch was 6 miles 793 yards (10.381 km) long. It was a single line; double track was completed except across Medlock viaduct, by 1 March 1849, but approval for opening this second line was not received until 1 August. The Medlock viaduct was made suitable for double track which was opened towards the end of 1849. The Ardwick branch from Miles Platting
12180-512: Was proposed to run from Miles Platting to Ashton and Stalybridge , with a short branch to Ardwick , in Manchester. The bill was successful and the branch was authorised by the Ashton, Stalybridge and Liverpool Junction Railway Act 1844 ( 7 & 8 Vict. c. lxxxii) of 19 July 1844; there was no intention to build to Liverpool. The line was to terminate adjacent to the Stalybridge station of
12296-436: Was provided at Miles Platting to work the incline by rope. The Hunt's Bank station was named Victoria from the beginning, and at the time of its completion was the largest station in the country. Even so, a single platform was considered sufficient for all the traffic, the west end for the Liverpool trains and the east for the Leeds trains: it was 852 feet (260 m) long. The trains were hauled up to Miles Platting by
12412-417: Was pulled back into the carriage, but Huskisson panicked. He tried to climb into the carriage, but grabbed the open door, which swung back, causing him to lose his grip. He fell between the tracks and the Rocket ran over his leg, shattering it. He is reported to have said, "I have met my death—God forgive me!" The Northumbrian was detached from the Duke's train and rushed him to Eccles , where he died in
12528-419: Was shown to be inaccurate. Francis Giles suggested that putting the railway through Chat Moss was a serious error and the total cost of the line would be around £200,000 instead of the £40,000 quoted by Stephenson. Stephenson was cross examined by the opposing counsel led by Edward Hall Alderson and his lack of suitable figures and understanding of the work came to light. When asked, he was unable to specify
12644-485: Was studied by other upcoming railway companies as a model to aspire to. More recently some have claimed the operation was the first Inter-city railway, though that branding was not introduced until many years later and neither Manchester or Liverpool achieved city status until 1853 and 1880 respectively, nor would the distance between them qualify as long-haul . The subsequently widely adopted gauge of 4 ft 8 + 1 ⁄ 2 in ( 1,435 mm )
12760-464: Was the first inter-city railway in the world. It opened on 15 September 1830 between the Lancashire towns of Liverpool and Manchester in England. It was also the first railway to rely exclusively on locomotives driven by steam power , with no horse-drawn traffic permitted at any time; the first to be entirely double track throughout its length; the first to have a true signalling system;
12876-402: Was the first railway to have a system of signalling . This was undertaken by policemen, who were stationed along the line at distances of a mile or less. Initially these policemen signalled that the line was clear by standing straight with their arms outstretched. If the policeman was not present, or was standing at ease, this indicated that there was an obstruction on the line ahead. Gradually
12992-405: Was the only one to successfully complete the journey and, consequently, Robert Stephenson and Company were awarded the locomotive contract. The line was built to 4 ft 8 + 1 ⁄ 2 in ( 1,435 mm ) ( standard gauge ) and double track . A decision had to be made about how far apart the two tracks should be. It was decided to make the space between the separate tracks
13108-485: Was the world's first tunnel to be bored under a metropolis. Following this was a 2-mile (3 km) long cutting up to 70 feet (21 m) deep through rock at Olive Mount , and a 712-foot (217 m) nine-arch viaduct, each arch of 50 feet (15 m) span and around 60 feet (18 m) high) over the Sankey Brook valley. The railway included the 4 + 3 ⁄ 4 -mile (7.6 km) crossing of Chat Moss. It
13224-430: Was to form easier gradients than previously proposed, but nearer Manchester there were three inclines, each about 4 miles (6 km) long at 1 in 165 and 1 in 130. In 10 miles (16 km) from Manchester the line would climb 358 feet (109 m) to a tunnel, 1,705 yards (1,559 m) long, and two other tunnels of 126 yd (115 m) and 280 yd (260 m). Normanton is some distance east of Wakefield and not
13340-487: Was too far away from the centre of Liverpool to be practical, and decided in 1831 to construct a new terminus at Lime Street . The tunnel from Edge Hill to Lime Street was completed in January 1835 and opened the following year. The station opened on 15 August 1836 before it had been completed. On 30 July 1842, work started to extend the line from Ordsall Lane to a new station at Hunts Bank in Manchester that also served
13456-521: Was £1,300,000. The Manchester and Leeds Railway Act 1837 ( 7 Will. 4 & 1 Vict. c. xxiv) on 5 May 1837 authorised changes to the route. Work on the section from Manchester to Littleborough began on 18 August 1837, and on the Summit Tunnel the following year. The tunnel proved much more expensive than planned, and took longer to complete. It was nearly finished in December 1839 when
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