Stockport and Woodley Junction Railway

[a][2] Together the MS&LR and GNR formed a joint committee to operate this railway along with three others that had been authorised but were not yet open.

[b] Together these railways connected up to provide an alternative route into North Cheshire that avoided Manchester.

This arrangement was confirmed by the Great Northern Railway (Cheshire Lines) Act 1863 (26 & 27 Vict.

[c] This act had not, however, formally set up a separate legal body, providing instead for the two companies to manage and work the four railways through their existing structures.

c. ccvii) as a fully independent organisation with a board formed from three directors from each of the parent companies.