The Grand Junction Railway Companion to Liverpool, Manchester, and Birmingham/Journey

by Arthur Freeling

JOURNEY, &c. &c.

The traveller, having taken his place in the Grand Junction Carriages at the Station at Lime-street, will immediately proceed through the Great Tunnel, which was opened in August, 1836. It is 2,230 yards long, 17 feet high, and 25 feet wide, and cost one hundred and fifty thousand pounds; the carriages are drawn up by means of a stationary engine at Edge-hill; the steam to supply this engine is furnished by boilers situated at a considerable distance, viz. at the area from whence the locomotive engines formerly started. This communication and its machinery are well worthy of the traveller's notice, if he has time to examine them. (See Liverpool and Manchester Railway Companion.)

Emerging from the tunnel, we arrive at the Edge-hill station, at which is the stationary engine before-mentioned.

As it is not our object to give a minute account of the Railroad from Liverpool to Manchester, we shall just give a rapid sketch of it, referring our readers to the "Liverpool and Manchester Railway Companion," for more detailed information respecting the road, seats, villas, &c.; and at the end of the book we shall give a Guide to Liverpool. Manchester, and Birmingham, as stated in our Prospectus.

Immediately after the trains leave the Edge-hill station (at which place the locomotive engine is attached), two lines of rails will be observed turning to the right; they lead to the Crown-street station, situated at the end of the small tunnel, now, we believe, used principally for coals, and to the large tunnel which communicates with the Company's warehouses at Wapping. The tunnel through which the trains with merchandise pass, is 2,250 yards in length, 22 feet wide, and about 16 high, and rises 1 in 48. The small one parallel to it, formerly used by the carriage trains from Liverpool, is 291 yards long, 15 feet high, and 12 wide; it has an inclination of half an inch to the yard. In the area, at the head of these tunnels, are the stationary engines, employed to draw the waggons up the large one and down the smaller, the former being an inclined plane downwards, the other upwards; here also are the boilers which supply the steam to the engine at the Edge-hill station. A little further on we arrive at the

WAVERTREE-LANE STATION,

which is 1¾ miles from Liverpool; the seat on the left is the residence of Charles Lawrence, Esq., shortly after, the carriages pass through the

OLIVE MOUNT EXCAVATION.

This is cut through the solid rock, and is in some places 70 feet below the fields above. Here is an inclined plane, the declination of which is about four feet in the mile, and causes a decided acceleration of speed. The next place we arrive at is the

BROAD GREEN STATION,

which is little more than 3½ miles from Liverpool.

A little further on is the Broad Green Embankment, which is near two miles in length, and in some places 50 feet above the valley; from hence may be seen many seats of the nobility and gentry.^[1] The view here is worthy of the traveller's attention. After having crossed this embankment, we arrive successively at the Roby-Lane and Huyton Stations. The latter is 5¾ miles from Liverpool. Proceeding for one mile further, the Whiston inclined plane commences; at the foot of which is a stationary engine to assist the trains when necessary. This acclivity rises eighty-two feet in one mile-and-a half, and very sensibly decreases the speed of the ascending, and of course accelerates that of the descending carriages. Having arrived at the summit of the incline, we proceed along the Rainhill Level for about two miles, and then descend the Sutton incline, which is very quickly perceived by the increased velocity of the carriages. (It was at the Rainhill Level that the engines, with their tenders, contended for the prize of £500, which was gained by Mr. Stephenson's engine, the Rocket.^[2]) We now pass under an iron bridge of two arches, over which passes the Railway from St. Helens to Runcorn Gap; the engine-house, for the assistant engine, is on the right, at the bottom of the incline; the railroad to the left is the St. Helens Junction Line, and close to it is the

ST. HELENS JUNCTION STATION.

We now proceed across Parr Moss. The township in which it is situated was formerly the property of the family of Catherine Parr, wife of Henry VIII. The

COLLIN'S GREEN STATION

is the next we arrive at; and shortly after cross the Sankey Embankment. Burton Wood is on the right: Newton Race-course is on the left, and may be discovered by the Grand Stand, which from hence is a conspicuous object. The Sankey Embankment, over which the traveller has been passing since he left the post marked 13½ miles, is the heaviest on the line, being, in some places, 70 feet above the level of the canal. The viaduct is built on piles; the road is 25 feet wide, and is supported by 9 arches of 50 feet span; the work cost £45,000. We now arrive at the Sankey Viaduct; it is an object well worthy of the traveller's attention. The Sankey Canal flows beneath it; this canal was the first ever cut in England.

A quarter of a mile further on, we shall arrive at

THE NEWTON JUNCTION STATION.

If the reader is occupied in tracing the progress of the carriages, he had better turn to page 28, on which commences the Grand Junction Line. In the mean time, as it is possible the carriages may stop here, we shall give a hasty glance along the road to Manchester.

Proceeding towards Manchester, then, we cross the Sandymain's Embankment, and arrive at Newton Bridge. The railroad here is at an elevation of 40 feet from the road below; the bridge which carries it across this valley has 4 arches, each of 30 feet span. After passing this, we arrive at

THE NEWTON BRIDGE STATION,

distant from Liverpool 16 miles, from Manchester rather more. We shall notice the extinct borough of Newton when we return to the Newton Junction Station, as it is not a part of our present plan to notice the towns on the Liverpool and Manchester line. At the above station is the Newton Hotel and Post Office. Half a mile further on is

PARK-SIDE STATION.

This station will always be deemed worthy of attention, as here the late Mr. Huskisson received the dreadful injury which terminated in his death. Opposite the site of the accident a white marble slab is let into the wall, and on it the event is recorded. A quarter of a mile further on we must direct the reader's attention to what has hitherto been called the Wigan Junction Railway. There is no station here; passengers going to Wigan get into the carriages at Parkside. This branch railway will shortly become of vast importance: it will be the grand connecting line between the Grand Junction Line and the North; the works are nearly complete as far as Preston, and we expect that next year the line will be opened to Lancaster. We now enter the Great Kenyon Excavation, and proceeding along a slightly inclined plane, we soon pass the

BOLTON JUNCTION STATION,

which is only remarkable as being near to Culcheth, in which township, we are informed, one of our Saxon kings held a council. Across Brossley Embankment we are quickly conveyed

BURY LANE STATION.

which brings us within 11 miles of Manchester; and half a mile further we enter the dreary waste of Chat Moss. Some attempts at cultivation will be perceived—successful or not in point of profit, time will tell. The road across the Moss is perfectly safe, although, at one time, it was deemed scarcely possible to make it sound. After passing over the Moss for three miles and a hall, the traveller will reach the Barton Moss Station; and 2½ miles further, the

PATRICROFT STATION,

which is not quite 5½ miles from Manchester.

The next Station is that of Eccles, 4½ miles from Manchester. To the right is the village of Eccles, unexpectedly immortalised in history as the place where Mr. Huskisson breathed his last. To this place he was conveyed in a carriage drawn by the Northumbrian, and the house of the Rev. Mr. Blackburn, vicar of Eccles, was the scene of his last agonies; after his decease bis remains were conveyed to Liverpool, and buried in St. James' Cemetery, where a splendid monument has been erected to his memory.

CROSS LANE BRIDGE STATION

is the next we come to, and is 2½ miles from Manchester. From hence a few minutes more will bear us across the Irwell into the Company's yard at Manchester.

For an account of Manchester. Liverpool, and Birmingham, see end of book.

We shall now return to the Newton Junction Station, where we left our readers some minutes since; and here we must inform them that the mile-posts (from which we shall direct their attention to various objects) are on their right hand, as they proceed to Birmingham, and that, although the Grand Junction Line in fact commences here, the posts are numbered from Liverpool, or, if they are not yet, they shortly will be: eventually there will also be posts on the other side, numbering from Birmingham.

1. Every information respecting this Railroad to Manchester, including the charges from every station, are in the Author's other work, "The Liverpool and Manchester Railway Companion," which could not be inserted here without much enlarging the book. Those who wish for that information, can purchase it separately at Mr. Lacey's, 64, Bold-street, Liverpool; Wrightson & Webb's, New-street, Birmingham; and at the principal Booksellers in Manchester; price 1s.
2. For the further particulars, see "Liverpool and Manchester Railroad Companion."