Lost Railways of Merseyside and Greater Manchester
From the very beginning, the development of a rail network in the Merseyside and Greater Manchester area was driven by the need to serve local mines, mills and docks. Only ten years after the first steam-hauled public railway journey in 1825 — from Stockton to Darlington — six routes in the area had been opened, the most notable being the Liverpool & Manchester Railway. This was well before most other towns and cities had a service, including London, and earned the region the reputation of being the cradle of Britain's railways.
Many later lines adopted innovations pioneered on the North West's early railways; for example the six-foot space between running lines introduced on the Wigan Branch Railway in 1832. This line is still open today, as part of the West Coast Main Line, but many other passenger lines have long since closed. Some forty of these lines are covered in this book, ranging from single-track branches to former main lines.
Modern photographs accompany those from earlier times. These, together with seven specially _drawn maps, will help the enthusiast to explore many of the old lines, stations, tunnels and viaducts that have survived from the heyday of the railway age.
Softback, 160 pages, black & white photographs
Condition: Very Good
ISBN: 9781853068690
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Updated: 2 January 2025