Chapter XI

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.

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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.