In 1832, the ‘Annual Review’ catalogued some benefits brought by the Liverpool and Manchester Railway since its opening two years before. Compared to the roads, the railway had increased passenger numbers by 55%, and cut prices and journey times in half; canals had slashed their rates by 30% to compete with trains that were making the trip ten times faster.

As well as enabling day trips to Manchester or Liverpool and saving North West business thousands of pounds daily in freight costs, the trains were causing new businesses and jobs to spring up all along the route. Even locals dependent on the parish poor-rate had reason to be grateful, as the railway now contributed a fifth of their funding.

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