c. clxiii), being an amalgamation of several important lines, the chief of which was the Manchester and Leeds Railway (itself having been incorporated in 1836).

The dates shown are, in most cases, the acts of Parliament authorising the incorporation and amalgamation of each company.

In addition, the L&YR had a one-third stake in the Dearne Valley Railway, the remaining two-thirds of which was owned by private shareholders.

The system consisted of many branches and alternative routes, so that it is not easy to determine the location of its main line.

The line from Bury Bolton Street to Holcombe Brook was electrified with the overhead 3.5 kV DC system; rolling stock was also supplied at their cost.

In 1913 a decision was taken to electrify the Manchester to Bury route at 1.2 kV DC in an attempt to overcome competition from electric trams.

Using the third rail system, trains powered by electric motor cars (or carriages) began running on 17 April 1916 but as Horwich was by then involved in war work, deliveries of the new electric stock were delayed and it was not until August 1916 that steam trains were withdrawn from the route.

Locomotives of the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway were originally painted dark green with ornate brasswork and copper-capped chimneys.

Brake vans were black and special traffic wagons were painted in various colours, such as red for gunpowder, white for fish, and pale blue for butter.

[25] The 1923 Grouping duly occurred one years later, which involved the expanded LNWR forming part of the new London Midland and Scottish Railway (LMS).

The general manager, secretary and chief mechanical engineer positions of the expanded company were taken by L&YR employees.

The Caldervale Line, as named by West Yorkshire Metro, is also operated by Northern and uses a large part of the former L&YR.

The Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway locomotive works were originally at Miles Platting, Manchester.

By the early 20th century there were 32 depots, of which 27 were owned outright, three were jointly-owned with the LNWR, and two belonged to another railway.

[49] Many L&YR carriages, that were sold to the Barry Railway Company also survive, one being a birdcage brake from 1882.

By 1913 they owned 26 vessels, with another two under construction, plus a further five under joint ownership with the London and North Western Railway.

The L&YR ran steamers between Liverpool and Drogheda, Hull and Zeebrugge, and between Goole and many continental ports including Amsterdam, Copenhagen, Hamburg, and Rotterdam.