75 



uppermost sub-division of the hunter. (Quarter of a mile to the west 

 of Roby the " coarse red sandstone" is again thrown up (No. 11) ; there 

 is a large quarry section near the station where the beds are seen 

 dipping south-east at about 10 degrees. The sandstone is similar to 

 that of Olive Mount, quartz pebbles being abundant. Further east 

 the level sinks into a narrow valley, which indicates the line of an 

 extensive fault that brings up the " lower soft red and variegated sand- 

 stone" to the surface (No. 19) : this rock forms the hill upon which 

 Huyton, or more especially the church, is situated. It is exposed in 

 a large quarry opposite the Blue Bell, on the Liverpool and Prescot- 

 road : it is a fine grained yellow sandstone, traversed by joints, without 

 any pebbles. There ai'e no divisions into beds or layers, and it is 

 rather difficult on that accoiint to ascertain the correct dip, but it 

 appears to be westerly, contrary to the usual direction. 



Between Huyton and the Quarry station, an attempt was made some 

 years ago to sink for coal through this sandstone, or to drive a level 

 from the shaft across the fault into the coal measures, but it failed on 

 account of the great quantity of water. 



The great dislocation that has thrown up the coal-measures intersects 

 the railway about 300 yards to the west of Huyton Quarry (No. 13). 

 The coal strata there visible is composed of hard grey flagstones, 

 interstratified with beds of shale. This rock is well known about Bury 

 and Rochdale, where it always covers the upper portion of the lower 

 coals.'^ It is the summit of a vast doom of sandstone strata, with the 

 sides dipping N.W. and S.E., over the latter repose the coal fields of 

 Halsnead and Huyton ; on the N.W. the coal has been cut off by 

 the dislocation and left under the new red sandstone, where there 

 is no doubt it is spread out at great depths beneath the surface. The 

 depth of the coal strata removed by denudation from above the 

 Huyton flagstone may have amounted to 2000 or 3000 feet, as 

 remarked by Mr. Cunningham years ago ; so that the tremendous up- 

 throw of the coal-measures is apparent. A person is now engaged 

 near Huyton Quarry, and has sunk three shafts, in order to obtain coal 

 from beds upon their rise from the fault N. W. of the Huyton anti- 

 clinal. With the first shaft but little coal was obtained ; the other two 

 are nearer the fault, but so far have been unsuccessful, no coal having 

 Ijeen found. Nothing could be expected in such a situation except a 

 few yards brought up by the fault from the ends of coal beds under- 

 lying the new red sandstone, without sinking to a considerable deptli\ 

 below the Huyton llag-stone. 



• Mr. Binney's " Geological Journal," vol. 2. 



+ I am iiidebted to Mr. Charles Wells, of Huyton, for liis assistance during luy 

 exannuation of the eustern oxlreniitv of the section. 



