User:Rickedmo/Newton Junction train accident 1831

Historical Background
The Liverpool and Manchester Railway (LMR) had received its act of Parliament in May 1826 and had opened on 15 September 1830. The Warrington and Newton Railway had received its act of Parliament on 4 May 1829 to build a feeder railway from Warrington to Newton Junction on the LMR, to the west of Newton-le-Willows, a distance of 4½ miles. The new line was surveyed and engineered by George Stephenson. The line did not open until 25 July 1831.

Description of the accident
On the day in question, in April 1831, while the line was still under construction, the points at Newton Junction were being supervised by PC Bates of the Liverpool and Manchester railway police force. Bates fell asleep at his post and failed to change a set of points, thereby derailing a train. He was fined £3 by magistrates for this.