Bolton and Leigh Railway

[1] The canals of the time were the major freight routes: they were faster and could transport greater loads than the carriers using the turnpike road system.

[4] As costs rose, it was no wonder that business leaders and industrialists began to look for another means of transporting their goods and products.

[4] Rail roads, tramroads and railways had been around for some time, mainly used to transport goods, especially coal to the canal network.

This railway used "Blenkinsop and Murrays" patent cog and rack steam locomotives to haul the coal wagons.

[5] Sometime before 1 October 1824 a committee was formed by local businessmen, including William Hulton, Benjamin Hick and Peter Rothwell to promote a railway in the area.

Stephenson was familiar with the area as he was in the process of surveying the route of the future Liverpool and Manchester Railway (L&MR).

Stephenson's response was to commission another engineer, Hugh Steel, to conduct a survey of the viable routes for the railway.

[2] The committee had decided that if they tried to cross the canal at Leigh, with the ultimate aim of making a connection to the proposed L&MR, they would create so much opposition that their parliamentary bill could fail.

[1] The railway was to be a single track with two rope-worked inclines using stationary steam engines, to run from Lecturers Closes at Bolton to the Leeds and Liverpool canal at Leigh.

[12] In 1826 work began on the construction of the railway starting from Bolton levelling the ground for the line up to Chequerbent under the supervision of local engineer, Robert Daglish.

[7][2] The B&LR found it needed to revise some of the clauses set out in the original act of Parliament and they prepared a second bill in 1828.

[12] The first section of track between Derby Street Bolton and William Hulton's collieries at Pendlebury Fold near Chequerbent in Westhoughton was officially opened on 1 August 1828[12] The official opening of the completed part of the railway (which the Manchester Guardian reported as being from Checkerbent [sic] to the town of Bolton) was witnessed by "an immense concourse of people".

They saw a procession of a "new locomotive engine made by Messrs. R. Stephenson and Co. of Newcastle ... to which were attached six waggons[e] filled with people, and decorated with numerous flags and streamers; then followed a very elegant and commodious coach, intended at some future period to convey passengers on the railway.

Then followed seven other wagons, decorated with flags, and crowded with passengers, including the musicians of the Bolton old band, who occupied the two last waggons, and played a variety of appropriate airs, during the procession".

The procession started at 12.15 pm with the locomotive drawing the thirteen waggons and the coach from Pendlebury Fold, near Hulton Park, to Top o' th' Pike where the stationary engine was situated.

The engine was sent back to one of Mr. Hulton's collieries from whence it returned hauling six waggons containing about 2 tons of coal which it drew with great ease at about 7 mph (11 km/h).

The locomotive was again detached from its train and demonstrated some of its abilities, starting and stopping under control even from speeds estimated up to 14 mph (23 km/h).

After the demonstration the coach and waggons were attached to the rope of the stationary engine and proceeded down the inclined plane towards Bolton.

Upon arrival, a considerable number of gentlemen sat down to an excellent dinner at the Commercial Inn, Mr. Hulton in the chair.

[15] Whishaw (1842) gives a description of the line, starting from Bolton Great Moor Street the train is worked by horse-power to the bottom of the Daubhill incline.

[f] In the other direction a 50 horsepower (37,285 W) stationary steam engine hauls trains (including their locomotives) up from Bag Lane through Chequerbent towards Bolton.

[17] The rope for the Chequerbent incline is made by Webster of Sunderland and is 6 inches (150 mm) in circumference, it weighs about 5 long tons (5,100 kg) when new and costs £2 10s per hundredweight.

4. c. xxxvi) authorising it to build a single-track line from the end of the Bolton and Leigh Railway near Twiss (now Twist) Lane in Westleigh to Kenyon, where a junction would be made with the L&MR which was at an advanced stage of construction.

[7] He was required to provide his own locomotive power, carriages, and wagons, except a few for ballasting which belong to the company.

The Lancashire Witch had some innovative features, it was built with 45° inclined cylinders that allowed the axles to be sprung resulting in improved stability.

They had spring buffers, were painted green with the company arms on the panels, and had interiors lined with blue cloth.

[54] All other stations and the line closed to passengers on 29 March 1954 but temporarily reopened in five successive years to cope with Bolton Wakes Week traffic.