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91-548: The River Irwell Railway Bridge was built for the Liverpool & Manchester Railway (L&MR), the world's first passenger railway which used only steam locomotives and operated as a scheduled service, near Water Street in Manchester , England. The stone railway bridge, built in 1830 by George Stephenson , was part of Liverpool Road railway station . The bridge was designated a Grade I listed building on 19 June 1988. The bridge

182-529: 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

273-476: 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

364-422: 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

455-474: A lime made from kankar which is a form of calcium carbonate. Selenitic lime, also known as Scotts' cement after Henry Young Darracott Scott , is a cement of grey chalk or similar lime, such as in the Lias Group , with about 5% added gypsum plaster (calcined gypsum ). Selenite is a type of gypsum, but selenitic cement may be made using any form of sulfate or sulfuric acid . Sulfate arrests slaking, causes

546-464: A limitation on its unhydrated oxide content." The term Type S originated in 1946 in ASTM C 207 Hydrated Lime for Masonry Purposes. Type S lime is almost always dolomitic lime, hydrated under heat and pressure in an autoclave, and used in mortar, render , stucco , and plaster . Type S lime is not considered reliable as a pure binder in mortar due to high burning temperatures during production. Kankar lime,

637-549: 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

728-479: 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 the development of colliery lines and locomotive technology in the north of England. The Liverpool and Manchester Railway Company

819-530: 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)

910-536: 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

1001-535: 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 was shown to be inaccurate. Francis Giles suggested that putting the railway through Chat Moss

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1092-529: A variation to the intended route of the railway which was planned to terminate in Salford . The route was extended into Manchester necessitating a bridge over the River Irwell to a station at the west end of Liverpool Road. The bridge was probably designed by George Stephenson , the L&MR's chief engineer but elements of its design may have originated from Jesse Hartley or Thomas Longridge Gooch . The bridge

1183-418: 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

1274-479: Is a masonry skew arch bridge, with two equal arches of 20.1 metres (66 ft) skew span, 19.7 metres (65 ft) square span, and 16.2 metres (53 ft) between the parapets. The bridge carries a twin standard gauge track layout and a 5.5-metre (18 ft) wide roadway. The decision to include a road is alleged to have been made in the face of opposition by the Mersey and Irwell Navigation Company who had objected to

1365-471: Is also known as rich, common, air, slaked, slack, pickling, hydrated, and high calcium lime. It consists primarily of calcium hydroxide which is derived by slaking quicklime (calcium oxide), and may contain up to 5% of other ingredients. Pure lime sets very slowly through contact with carbon dioxide in the air and moisture; it is not a hydraulic lime so it will not set under water. Pure lime is pure white and can be used for whitewash, plaster, and mortar. Pure lime

1456-400: Is called the lime cycle . The conditions and compounds present during each step of the lime cycle have a strong influence of the end product, thus the complex and varied physical nature of lime products. An example is when slaked lime (calcium hydroxide) is mixed into a thick slurry with sand and water to form mortar for building purposes. When the masonry has been laid, the slaked lime in

1547-479: Is done by composition as high calcium, argillaceous (clayey), silicious , conglomerate , magnesian , dolomite , and other limestones . Uncommon sources of lime include coral, sea shells, calcite and ankerite . Limestone is extracted from quarries or mines . Part of the extracted stone, selected according to its chemical composition and optical granulometry , is calcinated at about 900 °C (1,650 °F) in lime kilns to produce quicklime according to

1638-501: Is made by adding forms of silica or alumina such as clay to the limestone during firing, or by adding a pozzolana to pure lime. Hydraulic limes are classified by their strength: feebly , moderately and eminently hydraulic lime. Feebly hydraulic lime contains 5-10% clay, slakes in minutes, and sets in about three weeks. It is used for less expensive work and in mild climates. Moderately hydraulic lime contains 11-20% clay, slakes in one to two hours, and sets in approximately one week. It

1729-670: Is named for the Dolomite Mountains in the Italian and Austrian Alps. In the United States the most commonly used masonry lime is Type S hydrated lime which is intended to be added to Portland cement to improve plasticity , water retention and other qualities. The S in type S stands for special which distinguishes it from Type N hydrated lime where the N stands for normal. The special attributes of Type S are its "...ability to develop high, early plasticity and higher water retentivity and by

1820-425: Is similar to hydraulic lime but has less soluble silica (usually minimum 6%) and aluminates , and will set under water but will never harden. Hydraulic lime is also called water lime . Hydraulic lime contains lime with silica or alumina and sets with exposure to water and can set under water. Natural hydraulic lime (NHL) is made from a limestone which naturally contains some clay . Artificial hydraulic lime

1911-492: Is soluble in water containing carbonic acid , a natural, weak acid which is a solution of carbon dioxide in water and acid rain so it will slowly wash away, but this characteristic also produces autogenous or self-healing process where the dissolved lime can flow into cracks in the material and be redeposited, automatically repairing the crack. Semi-hydraulic lime, also called partially hydraulic and grey lime, sets initially with water and then continues to set with air. This lime

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2002-527: 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

2093-632: Is used for better quality work and exterior walls in freezing climates. Eminently hydraulic lime contains 21-30% clay, slakes very slowly, and sets in approximately a day. It is used in harsh environments such as damp locations and near saltwater. Hydraulic lime is off-white in color. "The degree of hydraulicity of mortars will affect many characteristics. By selecting an appropriate ratio of clay to limestone mortars that carbonate or set hydraulically to varying extents can be designed for particular application requirements such as setting time, strength, colour, durability, frost resistance, workability, speed of set in

2184-407: Is usually crushed limestone, not a product of a lime kiln. Otherwise it most commonly means slaked lime , as the more dangerous form is usually described more specifically as quicklime or burnt lime . In the lime industry, limestone is a general term for rocks that contain 80% or more of calcium or magnesium carbonate , including marble , chalk , oolite , and marl . Further classification

2275-658: 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, the Mersey and Irwell Navigation , the Bridgewater Canal and the Leeds and Liverpool Canal , dated from

2366-549: 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; the first to be fully timetabled ; and the first to carry mail . Trains were hauled by company steam locomotives between

2457-558: 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

2548-516: 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 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

2639-496: The Chat Moss section, was completed in 2013; the line onwards to Liverpool opened on 5 March 2015. Lime (material) These materials are still used in large quantities as building and engineering materials (including limestone products, cement , concrete , and mortar ), as chemical feedstocks, for sugar refining , and other uses. Lime industries and the use of many of the resulting products date from prehistoric times in both

2730-462: 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 was a relative of one of the trustees, and

2821-455: The Irwell. Located to the south, it was built of masonry and follows a broadly similar alignment. During 1869, a plate-iron-girder viaduct, was constructed at an angle near to the bridge's northern side. The viaduct had a large circular cast-iron support column set on a central river pier. It has been demolished, although proposals for its reinstatement have been mooted. Over time, the underside of

River Irwell Railway Bridge - Misplaced Pages Continue

2912-513: The L&MR opened the line and the bridge. In 2016, the bridge was restored as part of the programme to construct the Ordsall Chord , but the railway line severed the link between the bridge, which remains in use, and the former Liverpool Road Station. The River Irwell Bridge was built by the Liverpool & Manchester Railway who built the world's first intercity railway between Liverpool and Manchester . During 1829, parliament authorised

3003-486: 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

3094-537: The Old World and the New World. Lime is used extensively for wastewater treatment with ferrous sulfate . The rocks and minerals from which these materials are derived, typically limestone or chalk , are composed primarily of calcium carbonate . They may be cut, crushed, or pulverized and chemically altered. Burning ( calcination ) of calcium carbonate in a lime kiln above 900 °C (1,650 °F) converts it into

3185-479: The arches and forms the spandrel panels. Horizontal stone courses make up the parapet and the pilasters of the central cutwater and span ends, and the coping and cornices are made of plainly dressed stonework. On 15 September 1830, the bridge was opened, along with the L&MR line. During 1849 an adjacent two-span bridge was constructed to carry the Manchester South Junction and Altrincham Railway over

3276-564: The bridge has been covered by stalactites , some reportedly up to 230 mm (9.1 in) in length. They are the result of the moist environment leaching lime from mortar between the masonry blocks. Efforts to remove them have been conducted in the past. During June 1988, the Manchester side of the rail bridge was designated a Grade I listed structure . The Salford end was not designated until February 2007. The bridge designated for its "special architectural and historic interest due to its early date, intactness, and design by George Stephenson,

3367-449: The bridge's construction because of the bridge pier in the centre of the river. This central pier was constructed by workers inside a cofferdam ; workers were ferried between the pier and the river banks by boat. In April 1830, an overcrowded boat collided with the cofferdam and sank and eleven workers drowned. The navigation company insisted that the bridge should clear the water by at least 8.8 metres (29 ft). The clearance meant that

3458-420: 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

3549-543: 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

3640-600: 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

3731-633: The formation of magnesium sulfate salts." Magnesium sulfate salts may damage the mortar when they dry and recrystallize due to expansion of the crystals as they form, which is known as sulfate attack . Lime used in building materials is broadly classified as "pure", "hydraulic", and "poor" lime; can be natural or artificial ; and may be further identified by its magnesium content such as dolomitic or magnesium lime. Uses include lime mortar , lime plaster , lime render , lime-ash floors , tabby concrete , whitewash , silicate mineral paint , and limestone blocks which may be of many types . The qualities of

River Irwell Railway Bridge - Misplaced Pages Continue

3822-581: 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

3913-421: The highly caustic material burnt lime , unslaked lime or quicklime ( calcium oxide ) and, through subsequent addition of water, into the less caustic (but still strongly alkaline ) slaked lime or hydrated lime ( calcium hydroxide , Ca(OH) 2 ), the process of which is called slaking of lime . When the term is encountered in an agricultural context, it usually refers to agricultural lime , which today

4004-409: 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

4095-405: 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

4186-413: 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

4277-400: 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 the London and Birmingham Railway and the Manchester and Birmingham Railway to form the London and North Western Railway . During

4368-437: The magnesium compounds also slake to periclase which slake more slowly than calcium oxide and when hydrated produce several other compounds. Thus, these limes contain inclusions of portlandite , brucite , magnesite , and other magnesium hydroxycarbonate compounds. These magnesium compounds have very limited, contradictory research which questions whether they "...may be significantly reactive with acid rain, which could lead to

4459-747: The many types of processed lime affect how they are used. The Romans used two types of lime mortar to make Roman concrete , which allowed them to revolutionize architecture, sometimes called the Concrete revolution . Lime has many complex qualities as a building product including workability which includes cohesion, adhesion, air content, water content, crystal shape, board-life, spreadability, and flowability; bond strength; comprehensive strength; setting time; sand-carrying capacity; hydraulicity; free lime content; vapor permeability; flexibility; and resistance to sulfates. These qualities are affected by many factors during each step of manufacturing and installation, including

4550-420: The mortar slowly begins to react with carbon dioxide to form calcium carbonate (limestone) according to the reaction: The carbon dioxide that takes part in this reaction is principally available in the air or dissolved in rainwater so pure lime mortar will not recarbonate under water or inside a thick masonry wall. The lime cycle for dolomitic and magnesium lime is not well understood but more complex because

4641-469: The nationally renowned railway engineer". To improve railway services in the north of England, the Northern Hub programme proposed a link between Victoria , Oxford Road and Piccadilly requiring the construction of a 1 kilometre (0.62 mi) link, the Ordsall Chord . A section of the chord is carried on a viaduct across the Irwell, where it bisects the Manchester end of the Irwell bridge approach and

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4732-558: The original L&MR tracks into the Museum of Science & Industry (the former Liverpool Road Station , which was closed to traffic in 1975 and opened as a museum in 1983), severing the former station's connection to the railway network. The chord forms a curve that connects the Castlefield and Deal Street Junctions. Following legal challenges its construction was officially sanctioned. The viaduct that covered Irwell bridge's north-eastern face

4823-476: The original ingredients of the source of lime; added ingredients before and during firing including inclusion of compounds from the fuel exhaust; firing temperature and duration; method of slaking including a hot mix (quicklime added to sand and water to make mortar), dry slaking and wet slaking; ratio of the mixture with aggregates and water; the sizes and types of aggregate; contaminants in the mixing water; workmanship; and rate of drying during curing. Pure lime

4914-464: 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,

5005-460: 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

5096-405: The presence of water, vapour permeability etc." Poor lime is also known as lean or meager lime. Poor lime sets and cures very slowly and has weak bonding. Poor lime is grey in color. Magnesium lime contains more than 5% magnesium oxide (BS 6100) or 5-35% magnesium carbonate (ASTM C 59-91). Dolomitic lime has a high magnesium content of 35-46% magnesium carbonate (ASTM C 59-91). Dolomitic lime

5187-444: The quicklime to a form referred to as lime putty. Because lime has an adhesive property with bricks and stones, it is often used as a binding mortar in masonry works. It is also used in whitewashing as a wall-coat to allow the whitewash to adhere the wall. The process by which limestone (calcium carbonate) is converted to quicklime by heating, then to slaked lime by hydration, and naturally reverts to calcium carbonate by carbonation

5278-415: The railway line would be high above ground level on the Manchester bank and a brick viaduct was built to carry the line over Water Street governing the location of the platforms at Liverpool Road Station. The bridge has "two segmental arches on a slightly skewed plan". Its span measures 66 feet (20 m). The bridge is built of sandstone with rusticated ashlar facings and radiating stonework that frames

5369-546: 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 the Oystermouth Railway near Swansea (1807). The original promoters are usually acknowledged to be Joseph Sandars ,

5460-415: 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,

5551-409: The reaction: Before use, quicklime is hydrated , that is combined with water, called slaking, so hydrated lime is also known as slaked lime, and is produced according to the reaction: Dry slaking is slaking quicklime with just enough water to hydrate the quicklime, but to keep it as a powder; it is referred to as hydrated lime. In wet slaking , a slight excess of water is added to hydrate

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5642-726: 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

5733-457: 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 a crossing of

5824-528: 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

5915-422: 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 the previous bill. From Huyton

6006-649: 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

6097-424: 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:

6188-518: 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 the Port of Liverpool and the cotton mills and factories of Manchester and surrounding towns. Designed and built by George Stephenson ,

6279-559: 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 ,

6370-577: 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

6461-615: 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

6552-417: 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

6643-403: 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 the levels of the track and how he calculated the cost of major structures such as

6734-468: Was built by the L&MR on its line between Liverpool and Manchester. The bridge spanned the Irwell just before the terminus at Liverpool Road and was not part of the original plan. Construction was marred by an accident in April 1830 when eleven workers were drowned after an overcrowded boat sank after colliding with a cofferdam being used in the construction of the bridge's central pier. On 15 September 1830,

6825-576: 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

6916-439: Was demolished, revealing the bridge's full elevation. By October 2016, the arch soffits had been cleaned and all the stalactites removed. Italics denote building under construction Liverpool %26 Manchester Railway Manchester Line & stations shown as of 1845 The Liverpool and Manchester Railway ( L&MR ) was the first inter-city railway in the world. It opened on 15 September 1830 between

7007-776: 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

7098-476: 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

7189-428: 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

7280-470: 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

7371-519: 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 was drafted in 1825 to Parliament, which included a 1-inch to the mile map of the railway's route. The first bill

7462-502: 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 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

7553-472: 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

7644-417: 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

7735-509: 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 the line was carried out by James in 1822. The route

7826-429: 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 the proposed route by Lords Sefton and Derby, Robert Haldane Bradshaw ,

7917-485: 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 )

8008-402: 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

8099-405: 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

8190-479: 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

8281-482: 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

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