Monument record 15289/24 - Railway Cutting South of Lawton Gate - 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.

<2> Jeuda B, 2012, The North Staffordshire Railway in LMS Days: Volume 2, 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 The passenger service was withdrawn by the railway’s then operator, the London, Midland and Scottish Railway, from the 28th July 1930.

<3> Ordnance Survey, 1871-1882, Ordnance Survey County Series (Epoch 1) 25 inch to 1 mile - Cheshire, SJ8055 (1875-1891), SJ8155 (1875-1891) (Maps and Plans). SCH2462.

This map depicts a railway cutting which runs from Lawton Junction to c.260 metres north of Crewe Road. There are two road bridges where Crewe Road and Linley Lane cross the cutting.

<4> Ordnance Survey, 1896-1898, Ordnance Survey First Revision County Series (Epoch 2) 25 inch to 1 mile - Cheshire, SJ8055 (1898-1899), SJ8155 (1898-1899) (Maps and Plans). SCH3848.

A new station, Lawton Station (see CHER 15289/25), has been constructed in the cutting between the two roads. The cutting appears to have been widened to accommodate the station. The road bridge for Crewe Road has been replaced with a level crossing suggesting that the cutting is quite shallow at this location. The number of tracks have been increased from one to two from the crossing at Crewe Road to Lawton Junction. Sidings, signals and a signal box have been constructed to the south-east of Linley Lane, possibly to allow for transportation of sand from the adjacent sand pit.

<5> Ordnance Survey, 1909-1912, Ordnance Survey Second Revision County Series (Epoch 3) 25 inch to 1 mile - Cheshire, SJ8055 (1909), SJ8155 (1909) (Maps and Plans). SCH4361.

The cutting has been enlarged to accommodate a goods shed and yard to the immediate north of Crewe Road (see CHER 15289/25).

<6> The GeoInformation Group, 2005, 1940s RAF Aerial Photographs from Operation Review, 106G UK 1459 (02/04/1946) or 106G UK 645 (11/08/1945) (Aerial Photograph). SCH4608.

<7> Huntings Surveys Ltd, 1971-1973, 1971-1973 County Survey, HSL UK 73 55, Run 37, no.1130, 15/05/1973 (Aerial Photograph). SCH4881.

The road bridge for Linley Lane has been demolished and rebuilt on a slightly different alignment.