Great Central Railway

The Great Central Railway in England was formed when the Manchester, Sheffield and Lincolnshire Railway changed its name in 1897, anticipating the opening in 1899 of its London Extension.^[2] On 1 January 1923, the company was grouped into the London and North Eastern Railway.

Overview

1897 (1897)–1922 (1922)

Manchester, Sheffield and Lincolnshire Railway

London and North Eastern Railway

4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge

852 miles 15 chains (1,371.5 km) (1919)^[1]

2,688 miles 40 chains (4,326.7 km) (1919)^[1]

History[edit]

New name[edit]

On assuming its new title, the Great Central Railway had a main line from Manchester London Road Station via Penistone, Sheffield Victoria, Brigg and Grimsby to Cleethorpes. A second line left the line at Penistone and served Barnsley, Doncaster and Scunthorpe, before rejoining the Grimsby line at Barnetby. Other lines linked Sheffield to Barnsley (via Chapeltown) and Doncaster (via Rotherham) and also Lincoln and Wrawby Junction. Branch lines in north Lincolnshire ran to Barton-upon-Humber and New Holland and served ironstone quarries in the Scunthorpe area. In the Manchester area, lines ran to Stalybridge and Glossop.

In the 1890s, the MS&LR began constructing its Derbyshire lines,^[3]^: 128 the first part of its push southwards. Leaving its east–west main line at Woodhouse Junction, some 5½ miles south-east of Sheffield, the line headed towards Nottingham, a golden opportunity to tap into colliery traffic in the north of the county before reaching the city. A loop line was built to serve its station in Chesterfield.^[3]^: 152

The (LD&ECR) opened in 1897, to link the coalfields with deep-water ports, and was intended to run from Sutton-on-Sea in Lincolnshire to Warrington in Lancashire. In the event only the section between Pyewipe Junction, near Lincoln and Chesterfield Market Place station and some branch lines were built. It was purchased by the GCR on 1 January 1907,^[10] to provide a better link between the London main line and the east coast.

Lancashire, Derbyshire and East Coast Railway

was purchased 1 January 1905.

Wrexham, Mold and Connah's Quay Railway

was acquired at the same time.

North Wales and Liverpool Railway

was bought on 1 January 1906, as was the Liverpool, St Helens and South Lancashire Railway^[11]

Wigan Junction Railway

Scunthorpe to Whitton opened throughout on 1 December 1910 and was worked by the GCR. It carried passengers, although its main freight was ironstone.

North Lindsey Light Railway

(GCR/LNWR)

Manchester, South Junction and Altrincham Railway

(GCR/LNWR)

Oldham, Ashton and Guide Bridge Railway

(GCR/NSR); including its Hayfield branch

Macclesfield, Bollington and Marple Railway

(GCR, GNR, Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway, MR and North Eastern Railway)

South Yorkshire Joint Railway

(GCR and MidR)

Sheffield District Railway

(GCR/GNR) - giving access to Wakefield and thence to Leeds

West Riding and Grimsby Joint Railway

- opened 1916 for freight traffic only.

Hull and Barnsley and Great Central Joint Railway

Apart from the three branches in the Liverpool area, the GCR lines in the north of England were all east of Manchester but GCR trains could run from coast to coast by means of joint working with other railways. The largest of those utilized in this way were those under the Cheshire Lines Committee: the other participants were the Midland Railway and the Great Northern Railway, taking in both Liverpool and Southport. Other joint undertakings were (west to east):

There were also joint lines in the south:

1886–1902 (knighted 1899, later Lord Stuart of Wortley)

Sir William Pollitt

1902–1922 ^[12]^: 348 (knighted 1912)^[14]

Sir Samuel Fay

See

Locomotives of the Great Central Railway

Rolling stock[edit]

Coaching stock[edit]

The following GCR coaches are preserved.

London Marylebone

Manchester London Road

Nottingham Victoria

Sheffield Victoria

Leicester Central

Rugby Central

On 30 March 1889, an excursion train was derailed at , Yorkshire due to a failure of an axle on the locomotive hauling it. A mail train ran into the wreckage at low speed. One person was killed and 61 were injured.^[38]

Penistone

On 17 November 1899, GCR goods guard, Charles Harry Bennion was stationed at . At approximately 08.30 am his goods train from Staveley to Frodingham was working through the thick fog when it hit two ‘light engines’ due to a 'signalling error'. Charles’ injuries were fatal and he died instantly.^[39]

Staveley Town Railway station, Derbyshire

On 23 December 1904, an express passenger train was derailed at , Buckinghamshire due to excessive speed on a curve. Another express passenger train ran into the wreckage at low speed. Four people were killed.^[40]

Aylesbury

On 2 February 1908, the driver of a freight train sneezed, his head collided with that of his fireman, knocking both of them out. Due to excessive speed, a van in the train derailed approaching station, Yorkshire and the train overran signals there. It derailed completely at Ryhill.^[41]

Notton and Royston

On 13 December 1911, a freight train ran away and was derailed at station, Yorkshire. Both locomotive crew were killed.^[41]

Wombwell Central

About 1913, a coal train was derailed at Torside, . The crew of the locomotive may have been overcome by fumes in the Woodhead Tunnel.^[42]

Derbyshire

Docks[edit]

Grimsby docks[edit]

Grimsby, dubbed the "largest fishing port in the world" in the early 20th century, owed its prosperity to the ownership by the GCR and its forebear, the MS&LR. Coal and timber were among its biggest cargoes. The port had two main docks: the Alexandra Dock (named for Queen Alexandra) and the Royal Dock which was completed in 1852, linked by the Union Dock. The total area of docks was 104.25 acres (42 ha).

Immingham museum[edit]

Immingham museum, which portrays the role of the Great Central Railway in the building of the docks and construction of the local rail network is home to the Great Central Railway Society archive. The museum is located in the Civic Centre, Pelham Road, Immingham and is open from 1pm to 4pm, Wednesday to Saturday from March through to November.^[47]^[48]