Although small scale coal digging was widespread in the area it was performed on an industrial scale in the early 1800s on the estates of William Hulton especially around Chequerbent (the Quarter Pit and School Pit at Pendlebury Fold) and the edge of Atherton at the Hulton Collieries Company (eg No 3 Bank Pit or Pretoria Pit). He would supply coal to power the mills of the rapidly growing cotton industry with mills at Atherton, Tyldesley, Leigh and especially Bolton where there was also a substantial domestic demand. His coal would be taken in horse drawn carts along a route close to the present Wigan Road / Deane Road or over Daubhill via the Bolton and St Helens Turnpike.

Although small scale coal digging was widespread in the area it was performed on an industrial scale in the early 1800s on the estates of William Hulton especially around Chequerbent (the Quarter Pit and School Pit at Pendlebury Fold) and the edge of Atherton at the Hulton Collieries Company (eg No 3 Bank Pit or Pretoria Pit). He would supply coal to power the mills of the rapidly growing cotton industry with mills at Atherton, Tyldesley, Leigh and especially Bolton where there was also a substantial domestic demand. His coal would be taken in horse drawn carts along a route close to the present Wigan Road / Deane Road or over Daubhill via the Bolton and St Helens Turnpike.

Hulton Hall. Clipping from Bolton Evening News                 >>>>>>>>>>>>

Snydle a little after 1900

Sign board at "The Hulton Arms", Four Lane Ends

This was changed in 2014 and was removed around 2019.

In 1824, William Hulton decided on the construction of a railway to speed delivery of coal from his mines to Bolton.

The Bolton and Leigh Railway company was formed to get thenecessary bills through Parliament and to raise the necessary finance (not entirely paid for by Hulton as often thought). Hulton formed a committee of about forty local dignitaries and contacted George Stephenson who is reported to have stayed at Hulton Park for three weeks and who was already in the early stages of surveying for the Liverpool and Manchester Railway.

Stephenson commissioned Hugh Steel who had worked with him on L&M to survey the Chequerbent to Bolton route which was then built by a local man Robert Dalglish (who had already constructed the first Railway in Lancashire in 1812 to carry coal from Mr.John Clarke's Orrell Colliery, Winstanley near Wigan to the Leeds and Liverpool Canal at Gathurst near Crooke Village, using “Blenkinsop and Murrays” patent cog and rack steam locomotives to haul the coal wagons) between 1824 and 1828.

Opened for use in 1828 it precedes Stephenson’s Liverpool to Manchester railway which began construction in 1826 and opened in 1830 (the Rainhill Trials at which George Stephenson with “The Rocket” won the contract to build locomotives for the Manchester to Liverpool railway took place on 16th October 1829). In 1829 it was extended to Leigh. Shortly after, the Leigh and Kenyon Railway was built and joined to the Leigh-Bolton track extending this to Kenyon to join George Stephenson’s Liverpool Manchester railway expressly to create a link from Bolton to Liverpool. The Liverpool Manchester railway was the world’s first railway whose primary purpose was the transport of passengers and Kenyon junction (originally Bolton junction but renamed in June 1843) was the first main-line junction.

The Bolton to Kenyon junction line ran from sheds (still in use by Mason’s fireplaces in the early 1960s but demolished in 1963) in the corner of Moor Lane and Deansgate alongside the Bessemer furnace (demolished around 1925), alongside Blackhorse Street, across Great Moor Street and Crook St, Fletcher St, High St, Adelaide Street and across St Helens Road at the level crossing. The gradient up to Adelaide Street was severe (1 in 33) and in the early years the trains were assisted by a cable pulled by a stationary engine. There was a similar arrangement up to Chequerbent from Atherton (1 in 30). Initially just the trucks were cable-hauled down and up an “inclined plane” from Bolton to Adelaide Street leaving the locomotive available to return to Chequerbent, a relatively level journey, for another load. But before long the locomotive remained coupled to the trucks for the whole journey which provided motive power between Crook Street and Deansgate as well as removing the need for coupling and decoupling at Adelaide Street.

It is likely that the trucks without the loco at the bottom of the inclined plane were taken onwards by horses. A little street between Great Moor Street and New Street on the 1891 map is called Stable Row. This may well be where the necessary animals were housed.

The Lancashire Witch

The “Lancashire Witch” had been intended for the Liverpool and Manchester railway but was brought to Bolton because this line was opened first. It was later used on L&MR and the Sans Pareil brought to B&LR. It seems that in the early days the railway only had one locomotive but by 1831 it owned three others, "Union" built in 1830 by Rothwell, Hick and Rothwell of Bolton, and "Salamander" and "Veteran" both built by Crook & Dean in Bolton. (Wikipedia quoting Sweeney, D.J. (1996). A Lancashire Triangle Part One. Triangle Publishing)

The first use of the railway by the public was an excursion to Newton for a horse racing event.

For regular public use, two trains a day from Bolton to Liverpool beginning 13 June 1831, a simple station was established at Great Moor Street / Blackhorse Street where the Bolton and Leigh railway company had offices. The station was at street level (and was known as “Bolton station” with “Great Moor Street” being added in October 1849 some time after the rival Trinity Street station had opened.) whereas the later station that many people still remember was elevated.

Sans Pareil, the second locomotive to run on the Bolton and Leigh Railway.

“The new Bolton Great Moor Street, built in a classic 'Italian' style, came into use on 28.9.1874. The station and its approaches were on a viaduct and it consisted of four platform faces of 300ft length. They were covered over by a roof and provided with extensive waiting facilities.” The first service on the new Manchester line went from Great Moor Street to Roe Green on 1.4.1875.entirely new line all the way to Manchester.

At Roe Green it connected with existing railways. This was not an

           picture from an original print:

               it also appears on:-

  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xou3Y3AaCHg

!!!have a look at this fantastic set of pictures of old Bolton!!!

The “Bolton Chronicle” of Saturday, 2nd August, 1828, contained a long report of the day’s activities under the heading

GRAND OPENING OF THE BOLTON AND LEIGH RAILWAY

The composition of the train hauled by the “Lancashire Witch” was described thus:

“About a quarter past 12 o’clock the new locomotive engine constructed by Messrs. Stephenson and Co., Newcastle-Upon-Tyne, started from Pendlebury-fold, near Hulton Park. Six wagons were attached to the engine, completely filled with gentleman; also a coach of beautiful structure which is intended at some future period to convey passengers on the railway. A number of gentlemen were also upon the roof. Next followed seven other wagons containing ladies and gentlemen, and the Bolton old band. The whole weight attached to the engine could not be less than 40 tons.”

Upon arrival at the Daubhill stationary engine, the “Lancashire Witch” was uncoupled from the train, returned to one of Mr. Hutton’s collieries and brought back six wagons, each laden with two tons of coal; it is recorded that some of the pieces weighed as much as 12cwts., but whether this is a mis-print or the reporter’s enthusiasm outran his discretion one cannot say.

Having returned with the coal wagons, the “Lancashire Witch” proceeded to give a demonstration run without load and the “Bolton Chronicle” had no hesitation in saying that the engine moved at the rate of 12 miles an hour. At the conclusion of this performance, the locomotive and ceremonial train were lowered down the gradient from Daubhill by the stationary engine rope and then, as the “Bolton Chronicle” reported: “The procession moved on until within a short distance from Bolton, when the wagons and the coach were separated, and horses were put to each, for the purpose of conveying them the remainder of the distance to Bolton, but the populace actually took away the horses, and drew the vehicles and their contents to the termination of the railway in Blackhorse-street.”

The gathering at the Commercial Inn was of a most convivial nature. Many toasts were drunk, including one to George Stephenson and one to his son, Robert, both gentlemen replying in suitable terms. George was forty-seven years of age at this time and entering the period of his life when success, so truly merited, came his way; his son was twenty-four, his life, with all its eventual achievements, before him.

Reproduced from ‘The Railways Of Bolton 1824-1959”, by J.R. Bardsley.

Posted to Bolton and Leigh Railway Society Facebook Group by Steven John Parker 16/4/2014

One might note that both the loco and the train were lowered down the inclined plane using the stationary engine. That leads one to wonder why at some point later the train was uncoupled and horses used.

When the railway only had one locomotive perhaps it was more efficient to send that one back to Chequerbent for the next load of coal.

Reports imply that in the early days the train was uncoupled at Adelaide Street and only the wagons were lowered down the inclined plane without any indication of how the trucks were then taken on to Blackhorse Street (and later to Deansgate) but it seemed likely that horses were used.

However it was not too long before the whole train, loco and wagons together were taken down the inclined plane to save the fuss of uncoupling at Daubhill and to remove the need to keep horses.