british railway company formed promote number lines surrounding areas company based trent nicknamed lines built standard gauge main routes constructed ran north west derby main connections railway companies notably london company operated network smaller lines total route mileage company exceeded miles majority passenger traffic local number services manchester london operated freight traffic coal minerals line carried vast majority china pottery goods manufactured england surrounded larger railway companies 19th century attempts companies proposals shareholders companies came fruition remained independent company london midland railway area north known today trent thriving industrial area arrival railways establishment pottery industry development coal mines 18th century provided need materials noticeably clay brought area corresponding need arose resulting fragile goods pottery taken away area need given rise mid late 18th century construction branches opened spectacular success paid reaching fallen impressive despite onset railway development england canal carried long tons short tons goods away brought long tons short tons company built railway north granted powers build railway low limestone canal basin formation company found railway surrounding towns derby connected fledgling railway system promoted route mainline bridge plus spur time valley railway promoted line derby branch companies applied necessary powers build lines parliament suggested pause year afford time consideration complete scheme accommodation important district companies decided join forces new approach parliament incorporated scheme proposal join trent valley railway promoted valley trent junction railway prospective company issued april offices old palace yard westminster london share capital million shares shares outlined plans main lines pottery line running junction railway grand junction railway promoted giving ample accommodation towns newcastle stone run join midland railway line burton trent derby forming direct link manchester derby company formally incorporated april shorter way eliminating opposition company bills parliament allow promote line liverpool company agreement achieved shares swapped preference shares preference shares paid guaranteed annual entire railway open total purchase cost november derby absorbed scheme line supported running derby eliminate opposition grand junction company proposals agreed absorb derby deal proposed line abandoned despite having arranged purchase canal considerable sum obtain support liverpool extension agreed demand survived liverpool plan short branch parliamentary approval construction june acts passed total share capital shared lines seven years allowed completion line pottery line act provided construction line branches newcastle act allocated capital work second act act provided construction line allocated capital works finally valley line act authorised construction line burton branch near derby line capital allocated start construction work official cutting ceremony took place september site chosen ceremony field enclosure directors created remainder field reserved invited guests mile long procession headed member parliament trent chairman formed arrival crowds broke area pushed actual cutting silver difficulty removing finally hat blew away construction work went ahead supervision february men horses working removed cubic yards earth driven yards tunnel heading erected yards yards fencing july passed act necessary problems encountered construction branch opportunity taken small branches consolidated previous acts importantly forced ensure lines completed ordinary exceed lines opened work continued april freight trains run passenger services started april passenger train left temporary station road hauled locomotive dragon heading temporary station bridge london opening line gave railway link birmingham london instant success public profits months exceeding expectations remaining lines original acts opened stages completed open end newcastle newcastle sections opened months opening line imposing permanent station square opened october station headquarters later lines later branches constructed nineteenth century included lines trent trent newcastle junction opened nineteenth century line achieve degree fame loop line liverpool authorised stages opened traffic fame came mentions description journey train twentieth century construction included branch narrow gauge valley light railway constructed river valleys near nominally independent worked operated line finally short line built trent park authorised alternative line newcastle construction work quickly abandoned owing rising costs act parliament transferred railway railway small local company constructed backing built great cost period years short line line miles long included difficult tunnel line opened november january list opening dates sections given railway joint line participated short line miles opened manchester sheffield lincolnshire railway manchester independently relationships grew better reason line route manchester miles longer route passenger freight traffic handled later great central railway buildings maintained running powers companies company small route mileage extensive use running powers exchange granted running powers companies earliest agreements reached agreement reached traffic work system exchange certain london trains routed manchester restaurant car expresses unique hauled tank engines manchester trent express engines took run stone main line received payment passenger trains employed small army ticket examine clip distinctive clip ticket trent station stop agreement access destinations manchester goods trains able run places running rights line run coaches london running power agreements short joint line chains jointly owned stations equally important terms traffic extensive terms route running power agreements midland railway passenger traffic derby burton authorised good traffic far arrangements companies allowed run longest passenger service derby trains ran miles rails miles majority miles independent local company built railway later incorporated great northern railway built nottingham junction running powers granted running rights nottingham leicester apart excursion trains nottingham goods trains advantage powers joint ownership running powers rest content let handle traffic north finally expanding running rights agreed trains run wellington return goods trains run amalgamation proposals financial strength proposals merge lease sell company railway companies financial strength suggestions merger avoid agree running powers outlined attempt got far parliamentary bill submitted amalgamation select committee appointed look bill reported idea attempt failed opposition years later companies combined look taking following decision board sell lease company rival companies unable agree share proposal proposed amalgamation initially found favour board shareholders eventually fell finances investigated found stronger financially years later shareholders proposed merger board dismissed proposal chairman reminding shareholders small mileage collect traffic large companies surrounded profits good great deal comparatively little return quote little return accurate compared paid shareholders year later fell lowest point recovered fell paid time level reached ranked eighteenth largest company route mileage miles passenger numbers stood goods traffic handled consisted long tons goods nearly long tons coal long tons minerals long tons goods long tons pottery entire production britain grouping railways act major companies designated form midland group london midland scottish railway act came force january amalgamation delayed july certain legal requirements completed date accidents incidents january london express passenger train collided freight train near trent person killed interests common british railway companies decided early carry maintenance work departments undertake new construction work railway works opened capable producing carriages wagons equipment construction locomotives followed later commencing canal biggest canal owning railway miles waterways owned owned use leisure complex building golf course land adjoining lake area interest ownership lease low associated quarry ran making operator lines different principally served urban areas promote area tourism especially local labelled little switzerland company issued page guide called support promotion widespread held idea county dull bleak addition tourist traffic generated owned hotels opposite station officers company motive power rolling stock locomotives motive power came mixture sources establishment works complete reliance outside contractors locomotives purchased contractors building line firms son thompson vulcan jones originally resident engineers responsible locomotive stock holders post primarily civil engineers new general manager morris commissioned outside report locomotive fleet recommended rebuilding engines time report produced new engineer johnson appointed undertook improvements results unsatisfactory johnson left years post significant event johnson tenure building engines works engines built johnson successor fared better patented wedge motion type valve gear unsuccessful dismissed new post locomotive superintendent created locomotive engineer angus charge post years angus replaced wedge motions valve gear followed long period locomotive construction internally locomotives coming company works vast majority tank engines small number tender engines constructed engines tank tender locomotives built wheel arrangements urgent need heavier goods engines prompted company contractors small number designs purchased wilson company engines purchased exception locomotives purchased engines built company apart engine named dragon engines named class named class chairman deputy chairman company respectively small number purchased routes newcastle service success vehicles survive grouping taken service time years earlier addition locomotives engines engines worked low purchased grouping steam locomotives including low engines absorbed battery electric locomotive engine built copper works engines construction completed added stock locomotives old policy engines withdrawn service exception battery electric locomotive remained service locomotives preserved new class constructed battery electric locomotive formed national collection ownership class locomotive transferred railway locomotive display locomotive depots largest locomotive depot engines grouping largest allocation engines depots existed burton sub sheds engines sub companies depots arrangements existing sheds shed locomotive locomotives bright green black white lining knot emblem tank tender sides introduced new red brown black yellow lining succeeded adams changed crimson shade called yellow lining knot emblem replaced company coat arms words north coaching stock coaching stock grouping predominantly wheeled vehicles wheeled carriages norm start constructed 1880s progressed coaches 1840s introduction communication cord simple vacuum brake coaches introduced use derby service followed examples carriages miners trains fitted steam heating number vehicles fitted pipes allow use trains equipped brakes carriages constructed purchased companies wagon area pioneer use electrical lighting largest british railway companies switch oil electric lighting use form gas lighting coach fitted new stock constructed electric lighting standard conversion remaining stock slow oil lit carriages service coaching coaching stock originally changed white branch line trains carried gold blue lining red brown colour introduced locomotives waist panels additionally painted white colour scheme lasted changed overall brown colour gold blue lining adams changed match locomotives lining yellow red final minor change paint waist panels class compartments cream distinguish constant presence company coat arms displayed coach sides goods stock life built bought thousands goods wagons early wagons dumb spring introduced early wagons high capacity typical open wagons long tons capacity capacities grew long tons average handed goods wagons open wagons transport coal minerals number number wagons owned pits industrial operations traders area unusual set wagons seen bright yellow red lettering owned bailey circus main english depot goods goods vehicles painted red white lettering white knot letters stops carried small letters letters increased size changed central knot stops railways subject play artistic director wrote musical documentary called featured play voices staff interviewed especially play script introductory notes published sound recordings production musical documentary released digital version main lines branch lines opening dates chairman described network like small octopus station miles trent dates opening given following table explanatory notes
North Staffordshire Railway