Preserving, Improving, Living –

CASTLEFIELD in the heart of our city

Liverpool and Manchester Railway

The Coming of the Railways From the Roman Road at Castlefield Fort to the rail link across the Irwell known as the ‘Ordsall Chord’, this part of Manchester and has always played an important role in the city’s links with the rest of Britain and the world.

Lithograph, 1833, showing the water tower, ramp and bridge. © From Coloured Views on the Liverpool and Manchester Railway, 1833

Liverpool and Manchester Approach Viaduct Railway Line Between the river and Water Street, the railway was The Liverpool and Manchester Railway was opened in carried on the Grade II listed Approach Viaduct. 1830 to link the factories of Manchester with the port at Negotiations over land purchase meant that a cart Liverpool. The railway also provided a passenger service way had to be constructed over the river alongside the and was the first public railway to rely exclusively on steam track on the bridge and Approach Viaduct. Access to power. It was built as a double-track line over the entire the Salford bank and Water Street was provided by length — a world first. The railway was advertised as means of ramps. The Water Street ramp was capped being cheaper and quicker than by road or water and with an ornate water tower. proved popular with passengers. The original 1830 colonnaded railway bridge over Water Street. Courtesy of Manchester Libraries, Information and Archives, Manchester City Council

Liverpool Road Station The Georgian House on the corner of Water Street and Liverpool Road forms the earliest part of Liverpool Road Station. It was built as the dwelling for John Rothwell, the owner of the local dye-works and later became the station master’s house. The attached Liverpool Road Station was built between 1830 – 1831 as Manchester’s departure station on the Liverpool and Manchester Railway. Both first and second class passengers had their own booking hall and waiting room. In the booking hall a clerk issued passengers with a counterfoil before they made their way to the waiting room. Licensed “porters” would take charge of their luggage before the ringing of the station bell announced that passengers could go through to the platform and board the train. Liverpool Road station was closed to passengers in 1844 when the new Victoria Station opened but it continued to function as a goods and livestock depot. It was finally Travelling on the Liverpool and Manchester Railway. abandoned by in 1975. The building now forms part of the From Coloured Views on the Liverpool and Manchester Railway, 1833 Museum of Science and Industry, is Grade I listed and is the oldest Water Street Bridge surviving passenger station in the world. A report on the first train to carry merchandise on the In order to address concerns about the clearance for carts railway states that it consisted of 18 wagons containing using Water Street, a flat rather than arched bridge was bags and bails of American cotton, sacks of oatmeal and required. Scottish structural engineer William Fairbairn malt, barrels of flour and15 people. The total weight was designed a pioneering cast-iron bridge. The bridge exactly 80 tons, exclusive of the engine which weighed represented the first girder bridge erected on a main line about six tons. Three stops of five minutes were made to railway. Eleven Doric columns on either side formed refuel and the journey took 2 hours and 54 minutes. colonnades which, according to a contemporary account : “give the interior the appearance of an elegant classical The Irwell Bridge temple”. The position of the columns has been marked in the pavements. This bridge was demolished and replaced The bridge which carried the Liverpool and Manchester in 1905 ; the replacement bridge, which incorporated the Railway over the River Irwell is now commonly referred new technology of riveted steel, survives to this date. to as Stephenson’s Bridge after George Stephenson, the railway’s chief engineer. The original stone crossing survives today and is a Grade I listed structure. A more Further information about the Ordsall Chord can be found across Water Street John Rothwell’s house. With the construction of the Departure Station this was occupied by the Liverpool by the zig-zag arches. The information panel at MOSI provides more information Road Station Master. © Copyright Stephen Woodcock detailed description of this bridge can be found on about the Liverpool Road Station. additional panels at location 5 (see map on adjacent panel).

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