"Little" North Western Railway

The North Western Railway ( NWR ) was a railway company in North West England. The unofficial word " Little " received the society in order to distinguish it from the larger London and North Western Railway ( LNWR ).

The NWR was acquired by the Midland Railway ( MR), took the parts of the network for their connection from London to Scotland via the Settle and Carlisle Line.

The main route of NWR ran from Skipton to Morecambe and bandaged so after acquiring the MR with their rivals the LNWR.

The section between Lancaster and Morecambe was a test track for the electrification of the railway in the early 20th century and was originally operated by the Morecambe Harbour and Railway.

Today sections are used in West Yorkshire predominantly still; in many sections Lancashire were dismantled, which today serve as cycling and walking.

History

The North Western Railway was established on June 26, 1846 to a railway from Skipton on the Leeds and Bradford Extension Railway to Low Gill on the Lancaster and Carlisle Railway to build, should allow the railway from Yorkshire to Scotland. A link from Clapham to Lancaster was also provided.

The originally planned as a main haul flight from Skipton to Ingleton was opened on 31 July 1849. An economic crisis prompted the NWR to move the continued construction of the road to Low Gill and instead focus on a connection to Lancaster. A first portion of Lancaster Green Ayre after Wennington was opened on 17 November 1849. The connection to the route from Skipton was about Bentham and Clapham on 1 June 1850.

With the completion of the connection of Morecambe and Skipton the connection of Clapham Ingleton after just 10 months has been discontinued operation, as there was little hope the connection via low Gill continued.

Morecambe Harbour and Railway

The Morecambe Harbour and Railway Company ( MH & R) was founded on July 16, 1846, to build a harbor on Morecambe Bay near the village of Poulton- le -Sands and establish a rail link to Lancaster Green Ayre. The railway was opened on 12 June 1848. On December 18, 1849 link to the Lancaster and Carlisle Railway and Lancaster Castle station was established within Lancaster. The foundation of the port and the railway led to that formed around Poulton- le -Sands a larger settlement, which eventually took the name of Morecambe.

The MH & R has been formally adopted shortly after its founding by the NWR, even if an independent company until the acquisition was in the MR legally.

From 1 June 1852, the routes were traveled by the trains of the Midland Railway. From 1 January 1859, the NWR and the MH & R were leased to the MR and adopted by her on July 30, 1874.

Sections

Ingleton Branch

The route via low Gill was eventually operated by Lancaster and Carlisle Railway opened on 16 September 1861 guidelines of the London and North Western Railway. The track ended in Ingleton at the viaduct, where the Lancaster and Carlisle Railway and North Western Railway at each end of the viaduct opened in a train station and had to walk from one station to the other passengers. Only in the course of the year 1862, the trains were allowed to pass by and to the south the viaduct and the use of the North Western Railway Station.

Settle - Carlisle Line

Due to the problems in Ingleton MR decided to build their own route between Settle and Carlisle and so a separate connection from London St Pancras railway station on Carlisle to Scotland for the Glasgow St Enoch station to have. The section between Skipton and Settle Junction has since become a main line and is still used as a diversion for intercity trains.

Heysham Harbour

Opened in 1904, the Midland Railway in the port of Heysham as a substitute for the port in Morecambe. On September 1, 1904, the line for passenger was released after it was previously navigable for freight since 12 November 1898.

Electrification

The railway line between Lancaster, Morecambe and Heysham was the first track that was equipped with an overhead electrical line. The line was finally electrified first from Heysham to Morecambe, then to Lancaster Green Ayre railway station and on 14 September 1908 to the Lancaster Castle station. From a power plant in Heysham a supply of 6.6 kV at 25 Hz was ensured through a cable with steel arch.

Between 11 February 1951 to 17 August 1951, the track was temporarily navigated by steam engines, because the overhead line has been upgraded at this time as the first track to 6.6 kV at 50 Hz. s

Closures

The Ingleton Branch introduced a passenger service on January 30, 1954 and was thereafter only used occasionally for freight and excursions. The line was finally closed on 26 July 1966, dismantled the rails.

The operation on the section between Morecambe and Heysham was posted on October 4, 1975, but was resumed on 11 May 1987 and ensured since a connection to ferry to the Isle of Man.

Special Structures

Built by Edmund Sharpe railway bridge over the River Lune near the Crock o ' Lune is now a Grade II protected cultural monument.

Gallery

Bridge over the River Lune at Crook o ' Lune

Railway lines in Lancaster, Morecambe and Carnforth (1913 )