[1] The canals of the time were the major freight routes being faster and able to transport greater loads than the carriers using the turnpike road system.
[3] Even with the demand the canals were not always able to provide the desired service, for example in February 1830 there was a severe frost which closed them and coal had to be carted into Liverpool at nearly twice the cost.
[3] Rail roads, tramroads and railways had been around for some time, mainly used to transport goods, especially coal to the canal network.
4. c. lvi), on 29 May 1830 to build a 6 miles 47 chains (10.6 km) line from the Liverpool and Manchester Railway (L&MR) near Parkside to Wigan.
The contract was not a success and they were relieved of the maintenance element before the end of the contractual period resulting in legal action that the contractors won.
[8][23] The line opened to traffic on 3 September 1832 without ceremony, the directors travelled in a separate carriage attached to the first train in each direction before dining together at Wigan.
Instead the line was worked under contract by the L&MR who provided a locomotive and a few coaches for passengers to run thrice daily each way between Parkside and Wigan.
[30] There is no evidence that through carriages ran between Wigan and Liverpool or Manchester at this time, it appears that passengers had to change at Parkside where they walked between the trains.
[24][31] In October 1832 the WBR arranged for a glass coach to run from Parkside to Newton Junction to meet the morning first class trains from Liverpool and Manchester.
[g][9] The L&MR provided locomotives and wagons to convey freight between Wigan and Liverpool or Manchester at 5s per ton.
[h] The railway announced in October 1832 that it would begin moving goods along the line and began construction of a warehouse at Wigan for this purpose.