Departure times

Resource Type: Image | Posted on 13th February 2012 by Liam Physick

One of the images donated to Metal by Ray Physick. This bit of paper, issued in January 1831, shows the departure times of passenger trains on the Liverpool and Manchester Railway, from both ends, of first- and second-class trains. There are four first class trains - two morning ones, at seven o’clock and 10 o’clock, and two in the afternoon, at one o’clock and half past four - and only two second-class services, one in the morning at eight o’clock and one in the afternoon at half past two. It adds that “For the convenience of Merchants and others” (exactly why is not specified) on Tuesdays and Saturdays the afternoon train will depart Manchester (but not Liverpool) at half past five rather than half past four. It is mentioned that a first-class train will cover the route in less than two hours, but no mention is made of how fast a second-class train will take - it is quite striking how unimportant second-class passengers are considered to be by the Railway directors (who were of course rich men who would therefore travel first class). Next, it is mentioned that the directors aim to add three or four more departures each day, and it concludes by saying, “The Company has commenced carrying GOODS of all kinds on the Rail-way”: this of course was what the Railway was primarily intended for - it was never anticipated just how successful passenger services would be

Tagged under: liverpool and manchester railway, goods, passengers, ray physick, timetables

Categorised under: Landmarks, Landscapes & Locomotives