Joint Railway Station (Victoria Station), Hunt’s Bank, Manchester

The original joint station on Hunt’s Bank is still widely attributed to George Stephenson but, save for the comment in the Builder of 3 August 1844 that the design emanated” from the good taste of Mr. Stevenson, the celebrated engineer,” no other contemporary record has been found.  However, George Stephenson had retired from the Manchester and Leeds Railway in 1841, leaving T L Gooch as the principal engineer to the Company. Given Gooch’s known involvement in the construction of the Manchester and Salford junction Railway and in obtaining tenders for works connected with the station, it would appear reasonable to attribute the design to him. The Manchester and Leeds Railway had previously employed a few architects within the engineer’s department to design the station buildings themselves (see Leigh Hall), and there seems no reason for them not to continue this practice. The station buildings show all the hallmarks of an architect’s involvement but while it is possible to speculate on possible candidates, a name has yet to be found. The station building was complete by the end of December 1843, the first train to Leeds departing on the morning of 1 January 1844 without ceremony.

HALF YEARLY MEETING OF THE MANCHESTER AND LEEDS RAILWAY COMPANY - At the half yearly meeting it was announced that plans and details of the joint station at Hunt’s Bank had been agreed with the Liverpool Company. Tenders for the building and completion of the station in autumn 1843 had been advertised [Manchester Guardian 4 March 1843 page 6]

THE JOINT RAILWAY STATION, HUNT’S BANK - We have already more than once noticed the  Manchester Junction Railway, now in progress of formation, which is to unite the Liverpool  and Manchester and the Manchester and Leeds Lines by Extension Line from their present termini to the joint station at Hunt's Bank and we need therefore only remind our readers that the entire length of the  junction will be nearly two miles and a third; the Manchester and Leeds extension line being 2,320 yards in length ; and the Liverpool and Manchester Extension Line, from Ordsall Lane to Hunts Bank, 1,790 in length. The progress of the works at Hunts Bank - where the massive piers of  the solid masonry for the bridge that are to span Great Ducie Street, Strangeways, and the river Irwell into Salford  are ready to receive the staging, the rapidly- rising buildings that crown the station, which are now being roofed over, to point out the present as a fit time for a short notice of the station, especially the Manchester and Leeds Extension Line is expected to be open throughout, and the station at Hunt's Bank to be open, so far as that company is concerned, in the course of next month. We may Just add here, that the greater part of the distance from the Hunts Bank station to the junction with the main Leeds line is an inclined plane, along which the carriages will be drawn by a double stationary engine of 240 horses' power, working an endless rope of wire. Over half this distance the permanent rails are laid, and the other portion is in considerable progress; building is nearly completed, and the greater part of the earthwork has been filled in.

The Station is approached from Hunts Bank by an inclined plane like those of the Manchester and Birmingham and Liverpool and Manchester stations in Manchester. This road commences at the Irk just above its confluence with the Irwell, and below the court-yard wall of the Chetham College. To give it greater width, the bridge over the Irk has been considerably widened; and the road, which rises I in 20, will be 50 feet in width; the carriage way being 34 feet, and the flagged footpaths each eight feet wide. The ascent has been much facilitated by the late Manchester police commissioners having recently raised Great Ducie street and Hunts Bank to the extent of four feet above their former level.  On arriving at the level of the railway, which is about the centre of the edifice now being erected for the booking offices, refreshment and waiting rooms, the passengers for the Leeds line will proceed forward in an easterly direction on the level (towards York street, Cheetham Hill Road), to the easterly wing of the building, to the booking office, and to the departure platform of that line ; while the passengers for the Liverpool line, on reaching the top of the incline, will return upon the level of the railway (which is separated from the incline by a wall surmounted with an ornamental palisading) in a westerly direction, till they reach the Liverpool booking office , and thence pass to the departure platform for the Liverpool line. It will thus be seen that the platforms, and of course the offices, assigned to each company are those nearest the direction of their respective lines - the Liverpool being to the west and the Leeds to the east of the centre of the station-house. In connection with this approach, we may add judicious arrangements are to be made to secure the comfort and accommodation of the public, as regards omnibuses, coaches, cabs, etc.

The station, by which we mean the lines their sidings, turn-tables, and arrival and departure platforms for both companies, will be the largest in England, surpassing even those at Derby in point of extent. It covers a distance from Hunt's Bank to the Ducie Bridge of 852 feet, with an average width of 130 feet; having five main lines of rails from end to end, three of which are appropriated for the main lines, and two are sidings for goods. In addition to this, there are other sidings for goods; and the departure lines for the two railways are also sidings, on the south side of the other rails. To the length of 700 feet from Great Ducie street, the station will be covered in with an iron roofing, erected in three compartments, the centre one being 59 feet 6 inches span; that on the north side 28 feet, and that on the south side 26 feet 3 inches. This roofing, with a length of 700 feet and an entire width of about 114 feet will form the largest extent of railway roofing in the kingdom, being little short of 80,000 square feet of iron roofing. This immense roof will be supported by the north boundary wall of the station, and by a number of iron columns. During the day, the station will be well lighted by skylights in the roof, and, during the night, by a series of gas lamps, fitted with burners for the beautiful "Rose light." On the north side, the station will be bounded by a lofty stone wall; and the south side will be protected by a similar wall, forming also a retaining wall for the approach road from Hunt's Bank. The walls bounding this approach road will be surmounted by ornamental cast-iron railing, instead of stone parapets

All the arrival and departure platforms are, as at Derby, on the same side of the rails; viz. on the south side. The platform for the Liverpool line is between the station-house and Ducie street, and to this there is a covered way for carriages one-half of the south railway roof projecting over the arrival platform, so as to protect the passengers effectively from the weather in getting in and out of the carriages. The platforms are very large and convenient. That in front of the building is 24 feet wide (of which each company occupies half), and this is continued towards Liverpool, past the west end of the building, to the length of 104 feet, by 12 feet wide, being, in effect, a continuation of the Liverpool departure platform. Towards Leeds the platform is continued for 120 feet by 12 feet wide; being also a continuation of the Leeds departure platform.  The length of each departure platform is about 320 feet. The total length of the several arrival and departure platforms exceeds a thousand lineal feet. At each end of the station is a place where horses and carriages, for conveyance by railway, going to or arriving from east or west, may be embarked or landed with every facility; and near, are a series of turn-tables into the sidings, which are on the north side of the main lines. On, that side of the station, there also to be a large covered shed, to and from which the sidings will convey spare carriages. The arriving passengers who prefer walking to their destination, instead of going along the approach road to Hunt's Bank, may descend a flight of steps near the line, which saves the detour into Great Ducie Street. Such is the joint station, so far as regards the line itself, its approaches and roofing.

But we must now notice, the Station House, which is placed on the centre of the south side of the station, and has two fronts; the north to the railway and the south to the carriage way on the approach and facing also the back of Chetham College. This handsome building, designed in what is termed the Roman Doric style is only one storey in height above the ground, and is about 266 feet long, by 36 feet in width. The material used in its erection is a description of wall stone, much used in the West Riding of Yorkshire, though we believe this is the first instance of its use for building in this town or neighbourhood. It is procured at Brighouse, and is usually called "parrpoint" (pierre-pont): it is, in fact, a flagstone, broken into small blocks, which are of uniform and good colour. The westerly half of the building, and indeed of the whole station will be occupied by the Liverpool and Manchester Railway Company; the other half, to the east, by the Manchester and Leeds Railway company. Approaching the south front of the station by the inclined plane, the visitor finds himself opposite its centre, which projects a little from the line of the building, and in which is the refreshment saloon for the first and second-class passengers, with ladies' waiting rooms, etc. This centre presents a frontage of about 60 feet; the refreshment saloon is lighted by handsome circular headed windows, with stone pilasters and dressings, and surmounted by an elegant cornice, about the centre of which is placed a large clock. To the right and left respectively are the boking offices of the two companies; having entrances under a covered way, supported by brackets 9 feet 6 inches long. The substitution of these for pillars is an improvement in convenience, as pillars are often in the way of doors of cabs or coaches drawing up, while these brackets leave the whole of the covered way clear. At the east and the west ends of the building are the offices of the station-masters, and the parcel offices, which project to the same face as the central portion of the building, with handsome doorways and cornices to correspond. A parapet surmounts the whole length of the building.  Internally, the large central refreshment room will be of the dimensions 40 feet 3 inches by 22 feet 2 inches. It contains also a space for a bar etc., 40 feet 3 inches by 11 feet 8 inches. This rom will have two entrance doors, both from the railway platform; one for the Liverpool and the other for the Leeds passengers This saloon is for the first and second-class passengers only. A door at each end opens into the ladies' waiting rooms, etc.; that at the east end for the Leeds passengers, and that at the west end for Liverpool passengers. These waiting rooms have also doors of egress direct to the railway platform. The saloon itself will be the gentlemen's waiting room. Below this refreshment room, on the basement storey, will be that for the third-class passengers, which is to be of similar size, and will be approached by stone steps from the railway platform; it will have a bar and every convenience and accommodation suitable for that class of passengers, and in the basement storey are also the kitchens, etc., wine and spirit cellars, ale and porter stores, etc. Between the upper refreshment rom and the wings are the large and convenient booking offices; there being two for the Leeds Railway Company, viz, one of 50 feet 1 inch by 22 feet 9 inches, for the first and second-class passengers, and another of similar dimensions for the third-class passengers. This division is made with a view to separate all the passengers as nearly as possible into two equal portions, so as to facilitate the booking, the press of which is always great in the last few minutes; and there being more third-class passengers on this line than of the other two classes together. The Liverpool Railway Company will probably divide the booking of their first second-class passengers, as they have two similar booking offices. Between the booking offices and the parcels offices on each side, there is to be a waiting lobby and other conveniences for second and third-class passengers. The two wings at the extreme ends of the building are to be occupied as the parcel offices and the offices of the station masters of the two companies. Beneath these, in the basement storey, are rooms for the porters, in which to wait and take their meals, during their hours of attending at the station. The whole of these erections for the station are under the superintendence of Mr Forsyth, the resident engineer of the Manchester and Leeds Company; and the rapidity with which they have progressed towards completion reflects credit on that gentleman as well as on Mr John Brogden, the contractor for the building of the whole of the Leeds extension line and the joint station. The contracts for the buildings and the station, as well as for the Leeds extension line, generally contain a clause for their completion by 1 September; and there is little doubt that the whole will be opened, so far as regards the Leeds line, early next month

The iron bridge over Great Ducie Street, which will have a span of 83 feet, is now nearly ready for the setting the iron work; and we understand it will be completed without interruption to the traffic of that great thoroughfare. The iron bridge of one arch over the Irwell will have a span of 120 feet; and the brickwork on the Salford side and the masonry on the Strangeways side of the river, for the abutments etc., are also nearly ready to receive the iron work forming the arch. It will probably be six months before the Liverpool extension line is completed in its connection with Hunt’s Bank station.

We believe that the present stations of both the Liverpool and Leeds companies will be retained as goods stations only; and that the busiest offices of the company, the secretaries’ office, board room etc., will be at those stations, and not at Hunt’s Bank. [Manchester Guardian 19 August 1843 page 6]

THE " VICTORIA" RAILWAY STATION, HUNT'S BANK. The approaching completion of this elegant pile of buildings, and its partial opening to the public on Monday next, may render a short notice of its principal features not unacceptable to our readers. It is scarce necessary to repeat that this elegant and commodious structure designed be occupied as joint station for the Liverpool and Leeds railway. That portion of which devoted to the use of the latter line is completed, and, together with the extension line, connecting it with the main line at Miles Platting, will be opened for public accommodation on Monday next. The other portion of the station, belonging the Liverpool line, in a less forward state; and some months will probably expire before the junction of the two lines is effected, by the completion of the extension line through Salford, now forming by the Liverpool company. The access to the new station by a handsome new street, 50 feet in width, leading out of Hunt's Bank near to the point where it crosses the Irk. A gentle ascent of about one in twenty soon brings us on a level with the railway and the entrance to the station, which is 24 feet above Hunt's Bank. In front of the booking offices is an ample space of ground for carriages coming to or leaving the railway, overlooking on the right the Irk and the buildings beyond it, while the handsome architectural front of the station, on the left, presents a striking contrast to the dingy appearance of the mills and dye-works situate on the Irk, and the sombre walls of the College supported on their rocky foundation. The station buildings are in the Grecian Doric style of architecture, presenting a light and elegant appearance, and combing as much of ornament as is suited to the style of architecture, and the character of the building. They consist of a central front, projecting considerably beyond the body of the buildings, and two projecting wings. The buildings are only one story in height above the ground, and about 260 feet long by 36 in width. In the centre of the building are the private entrances to the bar of the first and second-class refreshment rooms. These rooms occupy frontage of about 60 feet; they are lighted handsome circular-headed windows, with stone pilasters and dressings, and surmounted by a neat cornice. To the right and left respectively are the first and second-class booking offices of the two companies, the one furthest from Hunt's Bank being the booking office for Leeds, York, Hull, Newcastle, Sheffield, Derby, Leicester, and Nottingham; and the other the office for Liverpool, and the places on that line. The entrances to these offices are under a handsome covered way, supported by brackets nine feet six inches long. At the east and west end of the building, and forming the wings, are the station masters' offices and the parcels offices. These project to the same extent as the central front, having doorways and cornices to correspond. The whole is surmounted by a parapet. The centre of the lower, or under-ground portion of the building is fitted up as a saloon for third-class passengers, with a bar for refreshments. On this floor are also the kitchens and rooms for culinary purposes, wine, ale, and porter stores, porters' rooms, &c. Doors from the refreshment rooms open, in the north side of the building, to the railway; and the north front is very similar character to the south. The station itself is about 800 feet in length, the whole being covered by a light cast-iron roof, divided into three compartments, and supported by three rows of cast iron pillars, (27 in each row), and by stone wall on the further side. This extends to the bridge over Hunt's Bank, where the Liverpool line enters the station. The width of the station is 110 feet, or five main lines of rails from end to end, and two arrival lines. The centre compartment of the roof is 59 feet 6 inches in width; the one on the north side of the station, 28 feet; and the one on the south, 26 feet 3 inches. One-half of the southerly compartment projects over the arrival platforms, so as to afford a shelter from rain. Passengers arriving by the Leeds line will get out of the carriages at the east end of the station those from Liverpool at the west end, from whence descent by steps is formed to the incline leading to Hunt's Bank. The extension line, from Miles Platting to this station is upwards of 2,000 yards length, and on a considerable inclination. The carriages will be worked up by means of stationary engines of 240 horses' power, with an endless rope, manufactured of wire. The descent will be made the gravity of the carriages, regulated by the brake. To-morrow will be the last day on which the Oldham Road station will be used for passengers, as, on Monday morning the arrivals and departures will take place at the new station. As it is within five minutes' walk of the centre of the town, great additional convenience will be afforded to the public, which will be still further increased when the Liverpool trains also arrive at and depart from this station. [[Manchester Courier 30 December 1843 page 3]

THE HUNTSBANK STATION ON THE LIVERPOOL, MANCHESTER AND LEEDS RAILWAY - In a former number of our journal (see No. 35), we gave our readers a description of the Hunts Bank Station of the Liverpool and Manchester and Manchester and Leeds Railways; and being one of the most extensive in the kingdom, we are induced to furnish a perspective view and a ground-plan of this work, emanating from the good taste of Mr. Stevenson, the celebrated engineer. In the original design, the covered ways to the booking-offices were intended to be supported by Roman-Doric columns, but for the convenience of passengers and the removal of luggage, cantilever brackets were substituted, which alteration in some measure destroys its architectural pretensions, conventionally considered; but so satisfactorily has this been effected, that the present design is far from inelegant or void in its general features;  and when its intended purposes are considered, it claims praise, on account of the deviation from routine architecture, for the space afforded by the alteration is decidedly advantageous. The building, which is 256 feet long and 36 feet wide, is in immediate connexion with the covered roof, and, as we before stated, is of the largest area yet executed. It is uniformly divided at the centre, the right half containing booking- offices for the Leeds and Manchester Railway, with refreshment and waiting-rooms, superintendents' apartments, and other conveniences, upon an extensive scale, and of good proportions and arrangement, as shewn by the accompanying plan. The left half contains similar accommodation for the Liverpool and Manchester Railway. The basement-story, which is approached by area-steps at the back of the edifice, contains luggage-rooms, and accommodation for the third-class passengers, with suitable accommodation for the porters and other attendants of the station, and easy communication with the railway and approaches. [Builder Vol 2 No 78. 3 August 1844 page 384]

OPENING OF THE VICTORIA STATION - Manchester and Leeds Railway – The Public is respectfully informed that on and after Monday 1st January 1844 the new station at Hunt’s Bank, near the Exchange, Manchester will be opened for Passengers, Parcels, Gentlemen’s Carriages and Horses; the trains starting and arriving at the same times as at present. A station for the convenience of parties living in the neighbourhood of Failsworth, Hollinwood and Newton Heath will also be opened at the Miles Platting Junction, from whence a train will start for the Victoria Station every half hour from 8.00am to 8.30pm. The fares to and from Hunt’s Bank to Miles Platting will be 6d inside and 3d open carriages. Passengers will no longer be booked at Lees Street, Oldham Road; as that station will, on and after 1st January, be wholly appropriated to Goods and Cattle.

At the Victoria Station spacious Refreshment and Dining Rooms are attached, conducted by Messrs Vantini and Company, where Dinners, Soups, Steaks or Chops, as well as any other Refreshment, may be had at all times.

Post horses and Carriages may be obtained on the shortest notice, at the Palatine Stables, immediately adjoining the station, with the furthest accommodation of bait and livery. Four Shops to be Let in the Palatine Buildings.

Reference    Manchester Guardian 4 March 1843 page 6. -  M and L half- yearly meeting
Reference    Manchester Times 25 March 1843 page 5
Reference    Manchester Times 29 July 1843 page 4
Reference    Manchester Guardian 19 August 1843 page 6
Reference    Builder Vol 1 No 35. 7 October 1843 page 421]
Reference    Manchester Courier 30 December 1843 page 3
Reference    Builder Vol 2 13 January 1844 page 21
Reference    Builder Vol 2 No 78. 3 August 1844 page 384
Reference    Manchester Guardian 30 December 1843 page 1 - opening
Reference    Manchester Guardian 27 December 1843 page 1 - opening
Reference    Manchester Guardian 3 January 1844 page 1 - opening