NEWTON JUNCTION TO MANCHESTER,
Fourteen and .75 Miles.
ON leaving the Newton (or, as it is called in the neighbourhood,
Warrington) Junction, the neat little town of Newton is seen N. of the
line, not far from the Legh Arms Hotel, a comfortable and reasonable
house.
[Picture: Town of Newton]
Opposite, lying S. of the line, we again see the spire of Winwick Church,
Mow Copp, and the Cheshire and Rivington hills appear in the distance.
Park Side Station.
HERE the machine and apparatus for supplying the engines with fuel and
water is well worth observing, though with great caution, as there are
five lines of rails in this place; and the difficulty of escaping from a
coming train is no small one to a stranger, who, standing upon, or among
them, would find himself greatly bewildered in any emergency. The
horrible death of Mr. Huskisson, from the injuries he received at this
very spot, may be a salutary warning to the adventurous. A white marble
slab in the wall commemorates the awful event, which it is useless to
allude to further, the particulars being so well known. The Wigan
Junction Line branches off a short distance from this point. Passing a
short cutting on Highfield Moor, we reach the most considerable one on
the Manchester and Liverpool line, the Kenyon excavation, the materials
taken from which contributed mainly towards the adjacent embankments.
The Bolton Junction line turns N. from this part, at which is
The Bolton Junction Station.
WE now enter on the Brossley embankment, and observe Culcheth Hall, S.,
and Hurst Hall, N. of the line; the former the residence of T. E.
Withington, Esq., the latter of T. Molineux Steel, Esq.
Bury-Lane Station
closely adjoins the Chat Moss tavern, near which the line crosses the
little stream Glazebrook. S. is a farmhouse, called Light Oats Hall.
Here commences an embankment planted with trees; passing which we enter
on the famed Chat Moss, formerly a barren and cultureless waste; but at
length yielding to agricultural skill and industry, several portions
having already been drained and successfully cultivated.
[Picture: Chat Moss]
The road traverses this immense bog for a distance of four miles and
three quarters. S. of the line is a fine view of the Cheshire and
Derbyshire hills, with the village of Astley and Tildsley Church spire.
Rivington Pike, and the Billinge Beacon lie on the N., and the Chat Moss
all around. Immense labour and perseverance were required to achieve the
great work of forming a firm and durable road over this swampy tract,
which varies in depth from ten to above thirty feet.
* * * * *
Several neat habitations are now erected on the farmlands redeemed from
the swamp: of these, Barton Moss Farm is the chief. N. of the Moss lies
Worsley Hall, seen from the line, on an eminence. Botany Bay, a place of
singularly ill-omened name, is also on the left, or N. side. The hills
before mentioned still form the back ground of the views on either side.
Leaving the Chat Moss by the Barton embankment, the line passes
Patricroft Station;
Near to this are large iron foundries and silk works. The Bridgewater
Canal passes under, and the turnpike-road over, the line. Monton Church
and village appear N. of the road; and shortly after, the village and
Church of Eccles are seen on the S.
[Picture: Eccles Church]
This small place has achieved fame by two means: the death of Mr.
Huskisson, which took place at the house of the Rev. Mr. Blackburn; and
by its cakes, which the traveller is invited to purchase by a board over
the door of a house close by the station, on which is inscribed, "This is
the noted Eccles cake shop." Passing
Waste Lane Station
some cottages and factories, and the city of chimneys, Manchester, appear
in view. The village of Tinker's Hollow, and
Cross Lane Bridge Station
being passed, also sundry arches and bridges across the river Irwell, and
the engine, trains, and travellers, are received into the Company's yard
in Manchester.