The following introduction highlights some of the more interesting
aspects of the history of the Midland Railway.
If you are interested in further historical notes on the Midland Railway then please take a look at our history page.
The Midland influence could be seen in places as far apart as Stranraer, Bournemouth, Yarmouth and Swansea. It also had important interests in the north of Ireland with links via it's own steamer services. Amongst its many constructions, apart from the acclaimed station at St. Pancras, are the viaducts and tunnels which carried the line through the picturesque valleys from Settle to Carlisle and through the Peak District.
The locomotives and rolling stock of the Midland were the envy of all, with such masters of engineering as Matthew Kirtley and the inspired Samuel Waite Johnson adding flair and a stateliness to their designs.
The Midland led the way in improving standards of travel, which other companies were forced to follow, and at the grouping it was second only to the Great Western Railway in terms of it's route mileage.
"Principal Towns Served. — Whilst the Midland furnishes a trunk line from London to the North, and from Bristol to the North, it also includes on the main line, in a greater degree than any other railway, many of the important English manufacturing towns, ... [these include] ... London, Leicester, Nottingham, Derby, Sheffield, York, Huddersfield, Halifax, Leeds, Bradford, Manchester, Liverpool, Bolton, Blackburn, Bristol, Gloucester, Cheltenham, Worcester, Birmingham.
"Largest Station. — St. Pancras, the London terminus, with the hotel designed by the late Sir Gilbert Scott, is by far the most striking of the London railway stations, the station itself being the largest in the Kingdom under a single span roof. It contains 7 platforms, 800 feet in length, and 10 sets of rails.
"Heysham Harbour. — The area of the harbour, works and proposed dock is 350 acres. There is a depth of 17 feet in the harbour, and 40 feet outside the entrance at low water ordinary spring tides. Landing facilities have been provided at all states of the tide, with a quay length of 3,000 feet. The passenger station, goods sheds, fish stage and harbour are fitted with electric lifts and light, also electric cranes with lifting capacity of 3, 5 and 10 tons and 60 tons (sheer legs). Passenger trains arrive and depart alongside the steamers, and luggage is transferred free. Goods are transferred direct between the vessels and the goods sheds or wagons. Horses, cattle and other live stock are landed on sloping ways and without slings. The harbour is available for coastwise steamers, fishing smacks and trawlers, and affords every facility for the reception, forwarding and quick transit of fish and other traffic."
Steamers. The Railway Year Book lists 11 steamers as being run by the Midland, plying either between Heysham and Belfast, or Tilbury and Gravesend.
"Longest Tunnels. — Totley (between Dore and Totley and Grindleford), 6,230 yards; Disley (between Bugsworth and Hazel Grove), 3,866 yards; Cowburn (between Edale and Chinley), 3,702 yards; Dove Holes (between Peak Forest and Chapel-en-le-Frith), 2,984 yards; Bleamoor (between Ribblehead and Dent), 2,629 yards.
"Through Services. — Through train services are operated on a wide-reaching basis in conjunction with the Glasgow and South Western and North British Railways to Edinburgh, Glasgow, Aberdeen and other Scottish towns, and viâ the western main line from Leeds, Bradford, Birmingham, etc., to Bournemouth and the West of England; and viâ the Neath and Brecon line to Swansea; eastwards viâ the Midland and Great Northern Joint Railway to Cromer, Yarmouth and Lowestoft; northwards in conjunction with the North Eastern and Furness Railways; also by means of the Cheshire Lines Committee, to the Liverpool district. Viâ Heysham, where large docks have been built, and viâ Stranraer, through facilities are given to Ireland. In June 1910, through train services were introduced, weekdays and Sundays, in conjunction with the Metropolitan District Railway, between Ealing and Southend."