Early History

Aeolus was a 2-4-0 passenger engine, seen here at Burnley, Manchester Rd. about 1867.

Introduction

THE L&Y styled itself as the ‘Business Line’ but that soubriquet had not been achieved easily. The Company had its origins in the 1790s with the Manchester, Bolton & Bury Canal Co (conversion to a railway company commenced in 1831) which amalgamated with the Manchester & Leeds in 1846.

Even as far back as the development of the Liverpool & Manchester Railway there were aspirations to connect Leeds and Manchester. After completion and opening in 1841 the M&L began to expand, building branches such as the one to Burnley and absorbing existing railways. The name “The Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway” was adopted in July 1847 to reflect its wider ranging scope. The major amalgamation with the East Lancashire Railway in August 1859 (although full integration was not in place until the mid 1870s) created the base from which the aim of profit motive grew supreme as it realised its near monopoly of trans-Pennine traffic.

A brief flirtation with the LNWR, quashed by government opposition in 1873, caused a rethink, the result of which was the gradual improvement of services through the development of locomotives, rolling stock, better permanent way, speed of delivery and pride in the job. The final absorption, the West Lancashire Railway in 1897, only served to consolidate the L&Y’s stranglehold over Lancashire’s railways.

continue to page 2 >