Liverpool and Manchester Railway Trust
@lmrailway.bsky.social
An organisation set up to protect original features of and promote the first modern Inter-City railway in the world between Liverpool and Manchester.
I have started looking into a property I didn't even know was a thing until this week. No. 2 Lionel Street in St. Helens. It sits across from St Helens Junction station and is dated to circa 1830, and was a public house/hotel. Grade II listed with a possible link to the railway.
tinyurl.com/56mfekwu
tinyurl.com/56mfekwu
December 18, 2025 at 11:18 PM
I have started looking into a property I didn't even know was a thing until this week. No. 2 Lionel Street in St. Helens. It sits across from St Helens Junction station and is dated to circa 1830, and was a public house/hotel. Grade II listed with a possible link to the railway.
tinyurl.com/56mfekwu
tinyurl.com/56mfekwu
Have you seen our map of the line?
December 14, 2025 at 8:26 PM
Have you seen our map of the line?
The nearest thing we have as a contemporary image is Isaac Shaw's Sketch of Collins Green. The hut you have with a question mark is a blue police box (yes, like a Tardis) which can be seen in his image of Chat Moss.
December 13, 2025 at 2:41 PM
The nearest thing we have as a contemporary image is Isaac Shaw's Sketch of Collins Green. The hut you have with a question mark is a blue police box (yes, like a Tardis) which can be seen in his image of Chat Moss.
It is listed as 1831, but I think it is 1835, maybe based on Bennison's Map. It shows the Edge Hill station spur
December 13, 2025 at 2:25 PM
It is listed as 1831, but I think it is 1835, maybe based on Bennison's Map. It shows the Edge Hill station spur
Additional detail of Belle Vue in Wavertree
December 9, 2025 at 11:17 PM
Additional detail of Belle Vue in Wavertree
Secondly, Yes Wavertree Lane was a level crossing, with a gate keeper who was an injured navvy who lived in the purpose built house on the other side of the road.
December 9, 2025 at 10:46 PM
Secondly, Yes Wavertree Lane was a level crossing, with a gate keeper who was an injured navvy who lived in the purpose built house on the other side of the road.
Firstly, Vignoles was gone by February 1827, about a month after work started in anger, so his plot was off, but it was caught before any serious digging started. The main reason the tunnel moved was to avoid digging under the corner house at Great George Square.
December 9, 2025 at 10:38 PM
Firstly, Vignoles was gone by February 1827, about a month after work started in anger, so his plot was off, but it was caught before any serious digging started. The main reason the tunnel moved was to avoid digging under the corner house at Great George Square.
Yeah, that claims the South, Walker claims the North. Bedford Street, White Delf and Yellow Delf were definitely all south. The one behind Great George St. Chapel (now known as the Blackie), is also probably south.
December 8, 2025 at 1:13 AM
Yeah, that claims the South, Walker claims the North. Bedford Street, White Delf and Yellow Delf were definitely all south. The one behind Great George St. Chapel (now known as the Blackie), is also probably south.
Here is the full list of bridges from Booth's account book. It is missing the Water Street cast iron bridge, which would be No. 64
December 3, 2025 at 11:31 PM
Here is the full list of bridges from Booth's account book. It is missing the Water Street cast iron bridge, which would be No. 64
"The Rocket" (artist unknown) showing the scene in 1840. Painting is located at Agatha Christie's Greenway home in Devon.
November 28, 2025 at 10:13 PM
"The Rocket" (artist unknown) showing the scene in 1840. Painting is located at Agatha Christie's Greenway home in Devon.
Also, the construction shafts for the Wapping Tunnel came down to the side of the tunnel. This photo is the entrance from the tunnel into the Bedford Street shaft, which is partially reopened.
November 28, 2025 at 5:38 PM
Also, the construction shafts for the Wapping Tunnel came down to the side of the tunnel. This photo is the entrance from the tunnel into the Bedford Street shaft, which is partially reopened.
What year is this, Ed? Wavertree Lane bridge is LNWR era, and I have never looked into when Parks bridge, Old Lane bridge and Wright's bridge were taken down, so I don't know if they would have all been standing at the same time.
November 28, 2025 at 5:25 PM
What year is this, Ed? Wavertree Lane bridge is LNWR era, and I have never looked into when Parks bridge, Old Lane bridge and Wright's bridge were taken down, so I don't know if they would have all been standing at the same time.
It pains to post uncited quotes. One interesting fact that has always been used is that it could take longer to transport cotton from Liverpool to Manchester than it took to get it from the Americas to Liverpool. Turns out the quote is from a Liverpool corn broker called Sir Joshua Walmsley.
September 28, 2025 at 4:53 PM
It pains to post uncited quotes. One interesting fact that has always been used is that it could take longer to transport cotton from Liverpool to Manchester than it took to get it from the Americas to Liverpool. Turns out the quote is from a Liverpool corn broker called Sir Joshua Walmsley.
Locomotive powered for the entire passenger journey.
Timetabled
Ticketed
Dual tracked, never encountering another train coming in the opposite direction
Purpose-built stations
Everything needed for the journey: the track, locomotives and the rolling stock were all supplied by the provider...
Timetabled
Ticketed
Dual tracked, never encountering another train coming in the opposite direction
Purpose-built stations
Everything needed for the journey: the track, locomotives and the rolling stock were all supplied by the provider...
September 14, 2025 at 11:29 PM
Locomotive powered for the entire passenger journey.
Timetabled
Ticketed
Dual tracked, never encountering another train coming in the opposite direction
Purpose-built stations
Everything needed for the journey: the track, locomotives and the rolling stock were all supplied by the provider...
Timetabled
Ticketed
Dual tracked, never encountering another train coming in the opposite direction
Purpose-built stations
Everything needed for the journey: the track, locomotives and the rolling stock were all supplied by the provider...
Today is the 195th anniversary of modern railways. The first inter-city railway opened on this day when eight trains left Crown Street in Liverpool for Liverpool Road in Manchester.
It didn't do a lot of "firsts", it just got the combination right becoming the template for everything that followed.
It didn't do a lot of "firsts", it just got the combination right becoming the template for everything that followed.
September 14, 2025 at 11:29 PM
Today is the 195th anniversary of modern railways. The first inter-city railway opened on this day when eight trains left Crown Street in Liverpool for Liverpool Road in Manchester.
It didn't do a lot of "firsts", it just got the combination right becoming the template for everything that followed.
It didn't do a lot of "firsts", it just got the combination right becoming the template for everything that followed.
We have finally nailed down that we are looking for Leon Potocki, with this we can start to narrow our search parameters. Count Leon Potocki (1788–1860) was a Polish noble who served the Russian Empire as an ambassador all across Europe. including Lisbon, Naples, Vienna, London and Stockholm.
September 13, 2025 at 11:30 PM
We have finally nailed down that we are looking for Leon Potocki, with this we can start to narrow our search parameters. Count Leon Potocki (1788–1860) was a Polish noble who served the Russian Empire as an ambassador all across Europe. including Lisbon, Naples, Vienna, London and Stockholm.
Currently researching the guests present on opening day of the L&MR in 1830. One of the hard ones to find information on is Count Potocki the Russian Ambassador. The problem is there are several simultaneous Counts and most contemporary press reports don't distinguish which is which...
September 13, 2025 at 11:30 PM
Currently researching the guests present on opening day of the L&MR in 1830. One of the hard ones to find information on is Count Potocki the Russian Ambassador. The problem is there are several simultaneous Counts and most contemporary press reports don't distinguish which is which...
Not saying crime was rife in Liverpool in 1978, but apparently, even if it was bolted down, it was not safe. Page 15 of the Liverpool Echo for the 9th June 1978 has two separate railway thefts relating to the Liverpool & Manchester Railway.
August 18, 2025 at 5:38 PM
Not saying crime was rife in Liverpool in 1978, but apparently, even if it was bolted down, it was not safe. Page 15 of the Liverpool Echo for the 9th June 1978 has two separate railway thefts relating to the Liverpool & Manchester Railway.
Next we have a close up of the cutting with and without models of the Moorish arch (model by vrsimility.bsky.social) and the two "Pillars of Hercules" chimneys (model by POD). It may be time to remake our Wapping Tunnel route video...
August 16, 2025 at 4:35 PM
Next we have a close up of the cutting with and without models of the Moorish arch (model by vrsimility.bsky.social) and the two "Pillars of Hercules" chimneys (model by POD). It may be time to remake our Wapping Tunnel route video...
Looking at how much Google Earth has improved in recent times. The 1st image is from 2023, which was made to show the location of the cutting in relation to Edge Hill station. The 2nd image is a 2025 version showing a vast improvement in both image quality and 3D modelling of buildings.
August 16, 2025 at 4:32 PM
Looking at how much Google Earth has improved in recent times. The 1st image is from 2023, which was made to show the location of the cutting in relation to Edge Hill station. The 2nd image is a 2025 version showing a vast improvement in both image quality and 3D modelling of buildings.
A nice old photo of Liverpool Road Station from the Sunday Times. Year unknown.
July 27, 2025 at 12:26 PM
A nice old photo of Liverpool Road Station from the Sunday Times. Year unknown.
Guess where we are now?
July 24, 2025 at 4:43 PM
Guess where we are now?
It's a hard life, on the banks of the Bridgewater canal in Astley. We have been to Chat Moss to see the tracks sink under trains, but modern trains are not heavy enough to see the effect properly... 😕
July 24, 2025 at 3:57 PM
It's a hard life, on the banks of the Bridgewater canal in Astley. We have been to Chat Moss to see the tracks sink under trains, but modern trains are not heavy enough to see the effect properly... 😕
Gah! Forgot to bid on this today. Went for £140 + fees. I meant to bid on it, but was having an eye test 😒
Sepia watercolour by unknown artist in the style of Isaac Shaw. Shows Ducal coaches crossing Water Street Bridge on opening day.
Sepia watercolour by unknown artist in the style of Isaac Shaw. Shows Ducal coaches crossing Water Street Bridge on opening day.
July 22, 2025 at 2:00 PM
Gah! Forgot to bid on this today. Went for £140 + fees. I meant to bid on it, but was having an eye test 😒
Sepia watercolour by unknown artist in the style of Isaac Shaw. Shows Ducal coaches crossing Water Street Bridge on opening day.
Sepia watercolour by unknown artist in the style of Isaac Shaw. Shows Ducal coaches crossing Water Street Bridge on opening day.
This image from the Newland map of 1848 shows the track coming out of the 1829 tunnel, taking the sharp right, then going to the turntable in the top corner, but then that line does not go into coal yards...
July 18, 2025 at 11:55 PM
This image from the Newland map of 1848 shows the track coming out of the 1829 tunnel, taking the sharp right, then going to the turntable in the top corner, but then that line does not go into coal yards...