East Lancashire Railway (1844–1859)
Industry | Railway company |
---|---|
Founded | 24 July 1845 |
Defunct | 13 May 1859 |
Fate | Amalgamation |
Successor | Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway |
Headquarters | Lancashire |
Key people | John Shae Perring (resident engineer)[1] |
The East Lancashire Railway operated from 1844 to 1859 in the historic county of Lancashire, England. It began as a railway from Clifton via Bury to Rawtenstall, and during its short life grew into a complex network of lines connecting towns and cities including Liverpool, Manchester, Salford, Preston, Burnley and Blackburn.
During a period of rapid growth the company acquired several of its competitors, including the
History
Manchester and Bolton Railway
In 1830, the
Manchester, Bury and Rossendale Railway
On 14 September 1843, a group of local businessmen including John Grundy,
The land between Clifton and Bury, partly owned by the Earl of Derby, John Robinson Kay, William Grant and others, was mostly "waste, woodland, pasture or reservoirs, except at Brookbottoms where arable land was avoided by the tunnel".[7] Strong financial support was offered to the MB&RR by local businesses, who were unhappy with the idea of the M&LR building their own railway.[8] The Manchester and Leeds District Board of Trade produced a report in 1845 which gave their backing to the M&LR[12] and the line was sanctioned in 1846, however the MB&RR project was unaffected by this connection.[8]
Manchester contractors Pauling & Henfry, who tendered £167,529 (£17.8 million in 2024),
The railway ran north from Clifton through a cutting at Outwood. This required the removal of about 600,000 cubic yards (460,000 m3) of earth.[14] It then passed north-east through Radcliffe Bridge and Withins station,[15] and from there into Bury Bolton street station. From Bury, it ran through Summerseat, Ramsbottom, Stubbins and finally to Rawtenstall. The railway climbed a constant gradient, across a mixture of viaducts, tunnels, cuttings and embankments, one of which, the mile–long section from Ramsbottom to Stubbins, was substantial.[16] The extant Clifton Viaduct was built to cross the River Irwell, which flowed 80 feet (24 m) below, and also the Manchester Bolton & Bury Canal. Its largest span is 96 feet (29 m) wide.[9]
Expansion
By 1844, the
The following year, the ELR acquired the
Meanwhile, the former MB&RR line from
In November 1846 the company submitted proposals for a new line from Buckley Wells (south of Bury) through Whitefield and Prestwich, to a new terminus at Victoria Station. The plan did not progress any further than the initial planning stages; Whitefield and Prestwich eventually got their own railway stations in 1879.[24]
In two years the ELR grew from a company authorised to build 14 miles (23 km) of railway into one with the authority to build 50 miles (80 km) of railway.[8] In February 1848 with 24 miles (39 km) of track open, the company reported for the week ending 5 February 1848 an annual income of £553 18s 8d (£59,000 in 2024)[11] for passengers and parcels, and £498 10s 4d for freight (£53,000 in 2024)[11] – almost double the previous year's income.[25] By March 1848 the line between Rawtenstall and Newchurch was complete, followed in June by the Blackburn to Accrington connection (5.25 miles (8.45 km)),[26] and, in August, the Stubbins junction to Accrington section. The line was extended east to Burnley (5.5 miles (8.9 km))[26] by September 1848, and, in February 1849, from Burnley to Colne, where it made an end-on junction with the Leeds and Bradford Extension Railway, providing the ELR with a connection to Bradford and Leeds.
The LO&PR line to Lostock Hall (26 miles (42 km))[26] was completed on 2 April 1849,[27] and the (3 miles (4.8 km))[26] extension into Preston station opened on 2 September 1850.[28] The line ran into new platforms built on the east side of the NUR's station, which were managed and staffed by the ELR, and which had their own booking hall and entrance. The new platforms were effectively a separate station.[29][30]
More lines followed with a connection between Newchurch and
Clifton Junction
In 1846, the Manchester and Bolton Railway (whose line the ELR used to gain access to Manchester) was taken over by the Manchester and Leeds Railway,[33][34] which, the following year, became part of the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway (L&YR).[35] The ELR's expansion and the opening of new routes—including an alternative route between Manchester and Leeds—had caused a degree of consternation at the L&YR, but the two companies initially managed to work together successfully.
After about three years a dispute flared up over the collection of tolls for the ELR's use of the line. The ELR had become accustomed to running their trains on to the L&YR line and then later declaring of the number of passengers liable for a toll but, in March 1849, the L&YR insisted that ELR trains stop at Clifton so that passenger numbers and tickets could be checked by their own employees. The ELR accused the L&YR of trying to impede their traffic, particularly as they had recently gained a connection to Bradford, in competition with the L&YR. They stated that the L&YR had access to their accounts, and to the returns made by their staff.[36]
On the morning of 12 March 1849, despite the presence of police from Bury and
The General Manager of the ELR, Richard Hacking, wrote to
Hacking stated that he had received a letter from the L&YR porter at Clifton requesting that all ELR trains stop at Clifton Junction so that tickets could be collected by L&YR staff, and that all ELR goods trains would have to supply invoices at the junction. In his letter he concluded that the purpose of the L&YR's demands was to impede the flow of ELR traffic to Manchester and onwards to Yorkshire.[37]
Hacking's account of the events of 12 March is similar to that reported by The Times. He claims to have travelled to Clifton to witness an L&YR clerk being prevented from collecting tickets, and to have then continued on another train to Manchester. On his arrival there, he saw L&YR employees ready to pull up the rails to the ELR platform, although the rails were left intact. He then mentions returning to Clifton after hearing that L&YR employees had recently left for the station. He blamed the Managing Director of the L&YR, Captain Law, and Mr Blackmore, superintendent of the Bolton line, for ordering the line to be blocked with the baulk of timber. Hacking also mentions an approaching up-train from Bolton, which on encountering the blockage apparently moved across to the down line to bypass it – in the face of oncoming traffic. Expressing his shock, he claims to have ordered the ELR's stone train onto the down line, changing the signals accordingly. Hacking's account ends by claiming that Blackmore ordered the L&YR train to move, effectively resolving the dispute.[37]
The matter was so serious that it was raised in the House of Commons.[38] It was eventually settled in court, with the ELR thereon making a pro rata payment according to the distance travelled on each railway. The court also found in favour of the L&YR who had argued that the original agreement to share the line did not extend to a vastly extended ELR network. The amount of compensation to the L&YR was left at the discretion of both companies.[39]
Relations between the two companies were, therefore, not entirely amicable. In 1853 the ELR made further proposals for a new line from Clifton to Salford, roughly parallel to the L&YR line, however in 1854 an agreement between the two companies meant that the Clifton Junction to Salford line was vested jointly in both companies.[40] Amalgamation had been discussed since the early 1850s and in 1859, by an act of parliament,[41] the ELR was absorbed by the L&YR.[31]
Closure and legacy
Following the
Locomotives
The ELR used a range of locomotives. One of its earliest orders was for twelve Long Boiler 2-2-2s from Fenton, Craven and Company (at least one of these was used on the inauguration of the railway[14]), but dissatisfied with the locomotives they accepted only four,. Four were diverted to the Leeds, Dewsbury and Manchester Railway, and two to the Eastern Counties Railway. In 1848, the ELR's four 2-2-2s were rebuilt as 2-4-0s by R and W Hawthorn. In about 1858, they were again rebuilt as 0-6-0s by Sylvester Lees. Richard Walker, a director of the ELR between 1838 and 1854, was the supplier of about twenty locomotives to the company, including, in the 1850s, four 2-4-0s and several 0-6-0s.[51]
Walker, Richard & Brother supplied four 2-2-2 locomotives, Medusa, Hecate, Diomed and Lynx. All were later rebuilt as a 2-4-0 tank engine. In 1847, two 0-4-2s were supplied by R and W Hawthorn, rebuilt in 1868 as 2-4-0s. In 1845 the MB&RR ordered four 0-6-0s from the Haigh Foundry, and a fifth engine from Fenton, Craven and Company. Another engine was built by Haigh in 1848.[51]
The largest ELR class was a series of outside-frame 2-4-0s with 15 in × 20 in (38 cm × 51 cm) cylinders and 5 ft 6 in (1.68 m) driving wheels. Some may have originated as 2-2-2s, and some were later rebuilt as 2-4-0 tank engines. One was rebuilt as a 2-4-0
In 1857 (two years prior to the amalgamation with the LYR), the ELR had 32 passenger locomotives and 31 goods. They were numbered 1–63, and all were named. For a few years after the two railways amlgamated in 1859, the LYR maintained a distinct number list for locomotives of what became the East Lancashire section (EL section): new LYR locomotives intended for use on the EL section were given numbers in that section's list, instead of the main LYR list, and those built up to mid 1872 were also named. The EL section locomotive list eventually reached 142, and in March 1875, they had their numbers increased by 600, becoming LYR nos. 601–742.[52][53]
The ELR locomotive works was at Bury, and the locomotive superintendent there was Sylvester Lees. He was appointed in 1846, and following the 1859 amalgamation continued in office until his death on 22 March 1865. To succeed Lees at Bury, the LYR appointed John Jacques and Henry Critchley as outdoor and indoor locomotive superintendent respectively: both took up their duties on 24 April 1865. Critchley died in September 1867 and was succeeded by William Hurst on 18 September 1867. When Hurst was transferred to Miles Platting locomotive works in January 1868 (as outdoor locomotive superintendent alongside William Yates, indoor superintendent), R. Mason was appointed to take his place at Bury. He in turn died on 15 October 1873, and was replaced by George Roberts. Having four locomotive superintendents (two at Miles Platting and two at Bury) was causing difficulties for the LYR as a whole, and on 1 November 1875, William Barton Wright was appointed chief locomotive superintendent for the LYR, combining the outdoor and indoor roles of both works. The following day, Jacques and Roberts (together with Yates and Hurst) were told that they would now report to Barton Wright. Jacques was given the opportunity to resign with six months salary, whilst Roberts became works manager at Bury. He remained in this post until the closure of Bury works in 1888, following the transfer of locomotive maintenance to the new Horwich Works.[54]
Like many of its contemporaries, the ELR obtained its locomotives from various private manufacturers. Chief amongst these were the firms of Richard Walker and Brothers of Bury, who supplied 24 locomotives between 1846 and 1854, and
Bury works did not build new locomotives until 1862, and between then and 1877, approximately sixteen new locomotives were built there, although at least one incorporated parts from an older locomotive. All of them were of the 2-4-0 wheel arrangement, some being tank engines: several 2-4-0 locomotives were altered from tender to tank, or vice versa. Most had outside frames and were continuations of an ELR design dating back to 1848, but four built in 1873 had inside frames and were similar to 2-4-0s to the design of Yates that were being built at Miles Platting at the same time.[55][56][57]
Infrastructure
Station buildings
Station buildings generally followed one of three designs. The principal stations at Bury and Accrington were based on the same design by a Manchester-based firm of architects. Most of the other stations were designed by the company's resident engineer. They were stone-built and consisted of a station master's room, adjoining a seated waiting area, a ladies waiting room and the booking office. The third and cheapest design followed the standard design but utilised brick and timber as materials. The platform was normally roofed.[9]
Signals
Track signals were based on two designs—station signals on posts, each post with two moveable arms—and portable signals; flags were used by day, and coloured lanterns at night. The signals on posts were patented semaphore designs from J Stevens & Son. Each post had two arms—linked by chain to a foot control at the base—which were used to alert drivers on both the up and down lines. Each foot control was held in place by a hook on the post. An arm set at an angle would indicate that the train should approach slowly, before stopping at the station. The same arm set vertically (and out of sight) would indicate that the train could pass through without stopping. The posts were also illuminated to allow use at night. Signals at Accrington station were more complex, linked to the station building with wires, and by default set at 'stop' when released. The coloured lanterns used as portable signals were painted red on one side (stop), green on another (go slowly), and clear on the third (proceed).[9]
Rails
The line was
Accidents
In the early history of the railways accidents were not uncommon, and the ELR was no exception. Several incidents were reported in The Times. During
Inclement weather was also a problem; in January 1867 trains were delayed for several hours at Hoghton due to snow on the line,[63] and on 30 January 1877 a heavy storm blew the roof completely away from Preston railway station.[64]
References
Notes
- required.)
- ^ a b Hadfield 1970, pp. 256–257.
- ^ Paget-Tomlinson 2006, pp. 148–149.
- ^ Hadfield 1970, p. 257.
- ^ Canal at Pendleton on 19 November 1966, Manchester Libraries, retrieved 30 June 2008
- ^ Expanded index and summary of Backtrack Volume 17, www.steamindex.com, retrieved 30 June 2008
- ^ a b c Wells 1995, p. 3.
- ^ a b c d e f Broadbridge 2006, pp. 18–19.
- ^ a b c d e f Harrison and Sale's Guide to the East Lancashire Railway, Bury Local Library: Harrison and Sale, 1 Spring Gardens, 1849
- ^ a b c d e Scrivenor 1849, p. 13.
- ^ a b c d UK Retail Price Index inflation figures are based on data from Clark, Gregory (2017). "The Annual RPI and Average Earnings for Britain, 1209 to Present (New Series)". MeasuringWorth. Retrieved 11 June 2022.
- ^ Parliamentary papers - Report of the Board of Trade on the Manchester and Leeds District, HMSO, 1849, p. 17, retrieved 13 April 2009
- ^ a b c d Wells 1995, pp. 3–4.
- ^ a b c Opening of the East Lancashire Railway, yesterday, The Preston Chronicle and Lancashire Advertiser, 26 September 1846, archived from the original on 27 August 2008, retrieved 27 April 2009
- ^ Withins station closed in 1851 - Wells (1995) p. 10.
- ^ Hyde & Selby 1991, pp. 5, 10.
- 7 & 8 Vict.c. 34
- 9 & 10 Vict.c. 302
- 9 & 10 Vict.c. 381
- ^ Greville & Holt 1960a, pp. 99–100.
- ^ Lewis 2001, pp. 329–330.
- required.)
- ^ Wells 1995, p. 6.
- ^ Townley et al. 1995, p. 24.
- ^ "East Lancashire Railway", The Times, vol. G, no. 19783, p. 6, 11 February 1848, retrieved 14 April 2009
- ^ a b c d Scrivenor 1849, p. 432.
- ^ "Opening of the Liverpool, Ormskirk and Preston Railway", The Times, vol. E, no. 20140, p. 8, 3 April 1849, retrieved 14 April 2009
- ^ Greville & Holt 1960b, p. 197.
- ^ Greville & Holt 1960a, p. 101.
- ^ Suggitt 2003, p. 59.
- ^ a b Broadbridge 2006, p. 20.
- ^ Hyde & Selby 1991, p. 6.
- ^ 9 & 10 Vict. c.378
- ^ Scrivenor 1849, pp. 145–146.
- ^ Awdry 1990, pp. 90–91.
- ^ a b "Extraordinary Scene At A Railway Junction", The Times, vol. F, no. 20124, p. 8, 15 March 1849, retrieved 14 April 2009
- ^ a b c d e Hacking, Richard (15 March 1849), "Letters to the Editor - Obstruction of East Lancashire Railway", The Times, vol. F, no. 20124, p. 6, retrieved 14 April 2009
- ^ "House Of Commons", The Times, vol. A, no. 20126, p. 3, 17 March 1849, retrieved 14 April 2009
- ^ Bennett & Smith 1852, pp. 573–574.
- ^ Townley et al. 1995, p. 25.
- ^ Rickards 1859, p. 293.
- ^ Wells 1995, p. 114.
- ^ A History of the East Lancashire Railway, east-lancs-rly.co.uk, retrieved 5 April 2009
- ^ The Irwell Sculpture Trail (PDF), irwellsculpturetrail.co.uk, archived from the original (PDF) on 26 March 2009, retrieved 26 April 2009
- ^ Butt 1995, p. 118
- ^ Suggitt 2003, p. 60.
- ^ Northern Rail Network Map, northernrail.org, archived from the original on 29 November 2010, retrieved 26 April 2009
- ISBN 0-7153-8003-6, p.93
- ^ Merseyside Route Utilisation Strategy (PDF), networkrail.co.uk, March 2009, archived from the original (PDF) on 7 April 2009, retrieved 26 April 2009
- ^ Merseyrail Network Map, merseytravel.gov.uk, archived from the original on 21 June 2008, retrieved 26 April 2009
- ^ a b c Lancashire & Yorkshire Railway locomotives, steamindex.com, 28 October 2006, retrieved 14 April 2009
- ^ Marshall 1972, pp. 46–52, 215–217.
- ^ Baxter 1982, pp. 20–23, 35–39.
- ^ Marshall 1970, pp. 202–6, 216, 301.
- ^ Marshall 1972, pp. 49, 77, 215–6, 228.
- ^ Baxter 1982, pp. 20–23, 36–38.
- ^ Lowe 1989, pp. 365, 366.
- ^ Hall 1990, p. 25.
- ^ "The Late Accident On The East Lancashire", The Times, vol. F, no. 20380, p. 4, 8 January 1850, retrieved 14 April 2009
- ^ "Serious Accident On The East Lancashire", The Times, vol. D, no. 20939, p. 5, 22 October 1851, retrieved 14 April 2009
- ^ "Fatal Accident", The Times, vol. B, no. 25596, p. 10, 6 September 1866, retrieved 14 April 2009
- ^ "Railway Collision", The Times, vol. F, no. 28785, p. 9, 13 November 1876, retrieved 14 April 2009
- ^ "The Late Snow Storm", The Times, vol. D, no. 25704, p. 12, 10 January 1867, retrieved 14 April 2009
- ^ "The Gale. Meteorological Reports", The Times, vol. D, no. 28853, p. 6, 31 January 1877, retrieved 14 April 2009
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- ISBN 0-7153-4992-9
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- ISBN 0-7153-4906-6
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- Paget-Tomlinson, Edward (2006), The Illustrated History of Canal & River Navigations 3rd edition, Ashbourne, UK: Landmark Publishing Ltd, ISBN 1-84306-207-0
- Rickards, George Kettilby (1859), The Statutes of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland (1807–1868/69), His Majesty's statute and law printers
- Rush, R.W. (1983), The East Lancashire Railway, The Oakwood Press, ISBN 0-85361-295-1
- Scrivenor, Harry (1849), The Railways of the United Kingdom, Smith, Elder, and co.
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External links