Monument record 15289/1 - Railway Cutting at Ettiley Heath - North Staffordshire Railway, Sandbach Branch

<1> Christiansen, R & Miller, R W, 1971, The North Staffordshire Railway, p.229, 306 (Book). SCH9046.

The construction of the North Staffordshire Railway’s Sandbach branch was facilitated by the North Staffordshire Railway (Harecastle and Sandbach) Act 1846. Construction was authorised to begin on the 26th June 1846, with goods services beginning on the 21st January 1852. However, passenger services didn’t begin until the 3rd July 1893. Freight traffic continued over the line until 1964 and the line was finally closed and lifted in 1971.

<2> Ordnance Survey, 1871-1882, Ordnance Survey County Series (Epoch 1) 25 inch to 1 mile - Cheshire, SJ7360, 1875-1876 (Maps and Plans). SCH2462.

This map depicts a railway cutting running for 1.1 kilometres from a station at Ettiley Heath to Sandbach Station. Towards the northern end a level crossing is depicted at Elton Crossing and a road bridge is located to the north-west of the goods station at Ettiley Heath (see CHER 15289/2). The number of tracks increases from one at Ettiley Heath to three at the cuttings north-western end. This map depicts a number of small structures and signal posts within the cutting.

<3> Huntings Surveys Ltd, 1971-1973, 1971-1973 County Survey, Run 33 no.2513, 16/05/1973 (Aerial Photograph). SCH4881.

The line appears disused.

<4> JA Story & Partners, 1985, 1985 Story & Partners Survey, Run 27 no.3085, 21/05/1985 (Aerial Photograph). SCH2993.

The cutting has been levelled where Moss Lane has been extended across the line of the former railway.

<5> National Remote Sensing Centre Ltd, 1992-3, National Remote Sensing Centre County Survey (1992-1993), 172/92 no.148, 31/10/1992 (Aerial Photograph). SCH5297.

The area north of Moss Lane has been redeveloped and all traces of the cutting removed between here and Sandbach Station.

<6> Bluesky International Ltd, 1999-2003, 1999-2003 Bluesky Survey, 200_43 no.97 & 98, 18/07/2000 (Aerial Photograph). SCH5482.

A road has been built along the line of the cutting between Moss Lane and the site of the former station at Ettiley Heath. The road bridge here has been demolished.

<7> Jeuda B, 2012, The North Staffordshire Railway in LMS Days: Volume 2, p.34 (Book). SCH9047.

The short 6.5 mile line from Lawton Junction to Ettiley Heath was opened as a goods traffic only line in 1852 and extended to join the London and North Western Railway at Sandbach in 1866. The passenger service was withdrawn by the railway’s then operator, the London, Midland and Scottish Railway, from the 28th July 1930.