Stockport, Disley and Whaley Bridge Railway
Encyclopedia
The Stockport, Disley and Whaley Bridge Railway was an early railway company in England
which was opened in 1857 between Stockport Edgeley
and Whaley Bridge
.
and the Liverpool and Manchester Railway
were still under construction, a Mr Thomas Legh had proposed in Stockport, that they could well be connected by a railway line from the former's terminus at Whaley Bridge
. There were also number of other ideas for lines from London to meet the C&HPR at Cromford to reach Manchester. The main problem had been that of carrying passengers on the series of cable operated sections (see Derby station)
In the next few years the route of the line was hotly contested by the three major railways of the time. The Manchester, Sheffield and Lincolnshire Railway
had gained approval in 1848 for an extension of the Whaley Bridge branch of the Peak Forest Canal
, which it owned, from Bugsworth to the tramway, with the eventual aim of reaching Buxton. This was succeeded by plans for a railway line, but neither scheme had been proceeded with due to lack of funds.
The Midland Railway
and the Manchester and Birmingham Railway
had jointly leased the impecunious Manchester, Buxton, Matlock and Midlands Junction Railway
which had reached Rowsley
by 1849, with the view of running through Buxton and up the Goyt Valley to Whaley Bridge and thence to a junction with the M&B at Cheadle Hulme
. However when the M&B merged into the new LNWR
the latter naturally sought to restrict competition with its own London to Manchester service.
and J. E. Errington. When the Bill was put before Parliament there was opposition from both the MS&LR and the LNWR, however the Stockport and Whaley Bridge Railway Act was passed on July 31, 1854. The line would be operated on the company's behalf by the LNWR. A further Act in 1855 allowed for a short line from Whaley Bridge to the end of the Cromford and High Peak.
Construction of the line produced very few problems, the main one being an embankment between Hazel Grove and Norbury. The line was opened on May 28, 1857 and a special train left Stockport for Whaley Bridge where on the return a celebratory dinner was held in the schoolroom at Disley. That evening a supper was provided for the workmen.
The actual first service was on the 9 June, the intermediate stations being Hazel Grove, Disley, New Town (south of New Mills) Mills and Furness Vale. Coaching connections were provided to Buxton and Chapel-en-le-Frith.
A viaduct to connect the line with the Cromford and High Peak was not complete when traffic began in August 1857. The carrier had to transfer the limestone using his own horses and carts. The wagons carrying the limestone were added to the passenger trains, and it was reported that three wagonloads were despatched with each. The viaduct was completed towards the end of the year.
In 1855 there a meeting of the three companies at Euston Square, where it was noted that the S&WB line was virtually complete. The possibility of extending it to Buxton or Rowsley was discussed. Both the MS&LR and the Midland proposed that no one of the three companies should proceed alone with any scheme, but the meeting ended with them more than a little suspicious of the LNWR.
The SD&WBR's capital was £150,000, of which £85,000 came from the LNWR and £3,750 from the C&HPR. Although, the public message was that the line was independently financed, James Allport
of the Midland Railway felt justified in saying it was an LNWR undertaking - moreover deliberately designed to prevent other railways from entering the area.
was willing to add £50,000, even allowing the line to pass through Chatsworth Park
if necessary. The LNWR turned down the offer and, in fact, were quietly pursuing plans for an extension of the SD&WB.
When the Bill went before Parliament the Midland made no opposition. They had been refused a hearing about the original railway on the ground that they had no locus standi. The Stockport Disley and Whaley Bridge Railway Extension Act was passed on the 27 July 1857. Fox suggests this was facilitated by the Duke of Devonshire and discussions with the MSL and Midland Railways. While these may have been amicable at first they were not the destined to stay that way. Additional capital of £200,000 was to be raised for the extension and, once again, the LNWR contributed the lion's share - £105,000 with the MS&LR providing up to £35,000.
Moreover, while the Midland's original plan had been to cross from Buxton to the Goyt Valley then north to Whaley Bridge, the LNWR took a roundabout route through Chapel-en-le-Frith thence by an immense curve to Dove Holes
before travelling south to Buxton. It certainly didn't suit the expresses that the Midland intended to run,
The Midland felt that, simply for political reasons, the LNWR had built an inferior line. As Allport
put it "The proposed railway, for some reason which does not appear on the face of it" is run along the high country where there is little or no population; and instead of taking the valley with a gradually rising ascent, "it goes up the steep gradient out of Buxton, to fall down again. The line appears to me to have gone up the hill for the sake of going down again."
Work began in 1859 and progressed fairly smoothly. There were problems at Combs
where there was to be a road underbridge. In the end, it proved necessary to divert the road to a point where the embankment was shallower. There was one tunnel planned - Eaves Tunnel. It had been expected to be 300 yards, but finished as 431 yards long. On the same stretch over the Barmoor, north of Dove Holes
, a planned 87 feet deep cutting, became Barmoor Clough Tunnel of 111 yards. The company was now openly under the control of the LNWR with its secretary, C. E. Stewart, also the secretary of the SD&WBR.
The line was open to Buxton on the 30th of May 1863. On the same day as the Midland line from Rowsley, although full passenger services did not begin until June 15.
Please see also the Buxton Line
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
which was opened in 1857 between Stockport Edgeley
Stockport railway station
Stockport railway station is in Greater Manchester, England, 8 miles south-east of Manchester Piccadilly station on the West Coast Main Line from Manchester Piccadilly to London Euston. It was opened on 15 February 1843 by the Manchester and Birmingham Railway, following completion of the large...
and Whaley Bridge
Whaley Bridge railway station
Whaley Bridge railway station serves the town of Whaley Bridge in Derbyshire, England.The station is on the Manchester-Buxton Line 26 km south east of Manchester Piccadilly....
.
Origins
As early as 1828 when the Cromford and High Peak RailwayCromford and High Peak Railway
The Cromford and High Peak Railway in Derbyshire, England, was completed in 1831, to carry minerals and goods between the Cromford Canal wharf at High Peak Junction and the Peak Forest Canal at Whaley Bridge -Origins:...
and the Liverpool and Manchester Railway
Liverpool and Manchester Railway
The Liverpool and Manchester Railway was the world's first inter-city passenger railway in which all the trains were timetabled and were hauled for most of the distance solely by steam locomotives. The line opened on 15 September 1830 and ran between the cities of Liverpool and Manchester in North...
were still under construction, a Mr Thomas Legh had proposed in Stockport, that they could well be connected by a railway line from the former's terminus at Whaley Bridge
Whaley Bridge
Whaley Bridge is a small town and civil parish in the High Peak district of Derbyshire, England, situated on the River Goyt. Whaley Bridge is approximately south of Manchester, north of Buxton , east of Macclesfield and west of Sheffield, and had a population of 6,226 at the 2001 census. This...
. There were also number of other ideas for lines from London to meet the C&HPR at Cromford to reach Manchester. The main problem had been that of carrying passengers on the series of cable operated sections (see Derby station)
In the next few years the route of the line was hotly contested by the three major railways of the time. The Manchester, Sheffield and Lincolnshire Railway
Manchester, Sheffield and Lincolnshire Railway
The Manchester, Sheffield and Lincolnshire Railway was formed by amalgamation in 1847. The MS&LR changed its name to the Great Central Railway in 1897 in anticipation of the opening in 1899 of its London Extension.-Origin:...
had gained approval in 1848 for an extension of the Whaley Bridge branch of the Peak Forest Canal
Peak Forest Canal
The Peak Forest Canal, is a narrow locked artificial waterway in northern England. It is long and forms part of the connected English/Welsh inland waterway network.-General description:...
, which it owned, from Bugsworth to the tramway, with the eventual aim of reaching Buxton. This was succeeded by plans for a railway line, but neither scheme had been proceeded with due to lack of funds.
The Midland Railway
Midland Railway
The Midland Railway was a railway company in the United Kingdom from 1844 to 1922, when it became part of the London, Midland and Scottish Railway....
and the Manchester and Birmingham Railway
Manchester and Birmingham Railway
The Manchester and Birmingham Railway was built between Manchester and Crewe and opened in stages from 1840. Between Crewe and Birmingham, trains were worked by the Grand Junction Railway...
had jointly leased the impecunious Manchester, Buxton, Matlock and Midlands Junction Railway
Manchester, Buxton, Matlock and Midlands Junction Railway
The Manchester, Buxton, Matlock and Midland Junction Railway ran from a junction with the Midland Railway at Ambergate to Rowsley north of Matlock and thence to Buxton....
which had reached Rowsley
Rowsley
Rowsley is a village on the A6 road in the English county of Derbyshire.It is at the point where the River Wye flows into the River Derwent and prospered from mills on both.-Overview:...
by 1849, with the view of running through Buxton and up the Goyt Valley to Whaley Bridge and thence to a junction with the M&B at Cheadle Hulme
Cheadle Hulme railway station
Cheadle Hulme railway station is an open triangular railway station serving Cheadle Hulme in Greater Manchester. It is located on the West Coast Main Line and is included in Network Rail Route 20...
. However when the M&B merged into the new LNWR
London and North Western Railway
The London and North Western Railway was a British railway company between 1846 and 1922. It was created by the merger of three companies – the Grand Junction Railway, the London and Birmingham Railway and the Manchester and Birmingham Railway...
the latter naturally sought to restrict competition with its own London to Manchester service.
Construction
In 1853 Thomas Legh, together with other landowners and financiers from London, formed the committee of the Stockport Disley and Whaley Bridge railway, with its first meeting at the Swann Inn Disley. The engineers would be Joseph LockeJoseph Locke
Joseph Locke was a notable English civil engineer of the 19th century, particularly associated with railway projects...
and J. E. Errington. When the Bill was put before Parliament there was opposition from both the MS&LR and the LNWR, however the Stockport and Whaley Bridge Railway Act was passed on July 31, 1854. The line would be operated on the company's behalf by the LNWR. A further Act in 1855 allowed for a short line from Whaley Bridge to the end of the Cromford and High Peak.
Construction of the line produced very few problems, the main one being an embankment between Hazel Grove and Norbury. The line was opened on May 28, 1857 and a special train left Stockport for Whaley Bridge where on the return a celebratory dinner was held in the schoolroom at Disley. That evening a supper was provided for the workmen.
The actual first service was on the 9 June, the intermediate stations being Hazel Grove, Disley, New Town (south of New Mills) Mills and Furness Vale. Coaching connections were provided to Buxton and Chapel-en-le-Frith.
A viaduct to connect the line with the Cromford and High Peak was not complete when traffic began in August 1857. The carrier had to transfer the limestone using his own horses and carts. The wagons carrying the limestone were added to the passenger trains, and it was reported that three wagonloads were despatched with each. The viaduct was completed towards the end of the year.
In 1855 there a meeting of the three companies at Euston Square, where it was noted that the S&WB line was virtually complete. The possibility of extending it to Buxton or Rowsley was discussed. Both the MS&LR and the Midland proposed that no one of the three companies should proceed alone with any scheme, but the meeting ended with them more than a little suspicious of the LNWR.
The SD&WBR's capital was £150,000, of which £85,000 came from the LNWR and £3,750 from the C&HPR. Although, the public message was that the line was independently financed, James Allport
James Joseph Allport
Sir James Joseph Allport , English railway manager, born in February 1811, was a son of William Allport, of Birmingham and was associated with railways from an early period of his life....
of the Midland Railway felt justified in saying it was an LNWR undertaking - moreover deliberately designed to prevent other railways from entering the area.
The Buxton extension
At the end of 1856, the Midland approached the LNWR with a proposal to extend the jointly leased MBM&MJR as a through route. They offered to subscribe £200,000 and the Duke of DevonshireDuke of Devonshire
Duke of Devonshire is a title in the peerage of England held by members of the Cavendish family. This branch of the Cavendish family has been one of the richest and most influential aristocratic families in England since the 16th century, and have been rivalled in political influence perhaps only...
was willing to add £50,000, even allowing the line to pass through Chatsworth Park
Chatsworth House
Chatsworth House is a stately home in North Derbyshire, England, northeast of Bakewell and west of Chesterfield . It is the seat of the Duke of Devonshire, and has been home to his family, the Cavendish family, since Bess of Hardwick settled at Chatsworth in 1549.Standing on the east bank of the...
if necessary. The LNWR turned down the offer and, in fact, were quietly pursuing plans for an extension of the SD&WB.
When the Bill went before Parliament the Midland made no opposition. They had been refused a hearing about the original railway on the ground that they had no locus standi. The Stockport Disley and Whaley Bridge Railway Extension Act was passed on the 27 July 1857. Fox suggests this was facilitated by the Duke of Devonshire and discussions with the MSL and Midland Railways. While these may have been amicable at first they were not the destined to stay that way. Additional capital of £200,000 was to be raised for the extension and, once again, the LNWR contributed the lion's share - £105,000 with the MS&LR providing up to £35,000.
Moreover, while the Midland's original plan had been to cross from Buxton to the Goyt Valley then north to Whaley Bridge, the LNWR took a roundabout route through Chapel-en-le-Frith thence by an immense curve to Dove Holes
Dove Holes
Dove Holes is a village in the High Peak district of Derbyshire, England. It has a population of about 1,200. It straddles the A6 road and it lies three miles from Buxton and three miles from Chapel-en-le-Frith. Trains run from Dove Holes railway station into Manchester.Residents of the village...
before travelling south to Buxton. It certainly didn't suit the expresses that the Midland intended to run,
The Midland felt that, simply for political reasons, the LNWR had built an inferior line. As Allport
James Joseph Allport
Sir James Joseph Allport , English railway manager, born in February 1811, was a son of William Allport, of Birmingham and was associated with railways from an early period of his life....
put it "The proposed railway, for some reason which does not appear on the face of it" is run along the high country where there is little or no population; and instead of taking the valley with a gradually rising ascent, "it goes up the steep gradient out of Buxton, to fall down again. The line appears to me to have gone up the hill for the sake of going down again."
Work began in 1859 and progressed fairly smoothly. There were problems at Combs
Combs, Derbyshire
Combs is a small village in Derbyshire, England within the Peak District National Park. 'Combs' is spoken to rhyme with 'looms'. There are some local residents who prefer the older pronunciation of Combs to rhyme with 'foams'....
where there was to be a road underbridge. In the end, it proved necessary to divert the road to a point where the embankment was shallower. There was one tunnel planned - Eaves Tunnel. It had been expected to be 300 yards, but finished as 431 yards long. On the same stretch over the Barmoor, north of Dove Holes
Dove Holes
Dove Holes is a village in the High Peak district of Derbyshire, England. It has a population of about 1,200. It straddles the A6 road and it lies three miles from Buxton and three miles from Chapel-en-le-Frith. Trains run from Dove Holes railway station into Manchester.Residents of the village...
, a planned 87 feet deep cutting, became Barmoor Clough Tunnel of 111 yards. The company was now openly under the control of the LNWR with its secretary, C. E. Stewart, also the secretary of the SD&WBR.
The line was open to Buxton on the 30th of May 1863. On the same day as the Midland line from Rowsley, although full passenger services did not begin until June 15.
Please see also the Buxton Line
Buxton Line
The Buxton Line is a railway line in northern England, connecting Manchester with Buxton in Derbyshire. Passenger services on the line are currently operated by Northern Rail and most continue through Manchester from Blackpool North.-History:...