300 History of the 



districts. This was so satisfactory in its results as to lead them not 

 only to carry their project into effect, but also to extend their 

 operations so as to include the Rossendale valley to Rawtenstall. 

 The first prospectus of the Company was issued in the year 1843, 

 and is a sufficiently modest document. From this it appears that it 

 was originally contemplated to lay down a single line of rails only, 

 the Capital proposed being ,^^300,000. The undertaking was 

 designated "The Manchester, Bury, and Rossendale Railway," 

 and the first Act of Parliament of the Company received the royal 

 assent on the 4th July, 1844. The line from Manchester to 

 Rawtenstall, a distance of 18 miles, was opened for the conveyance 

 of passengers on the 28th September, 1846, and for goods traffic in 

 May, 1847. A further Act obtained by the Company authorising 

 the continuation of the line from Rawtenstall to Crawshawbooth 

 and Bacup, received the royal assent on July 27th, 1846. The 

 proposed extension to Crawshawbooth has not been carried out. 

 The line from Rawtenstall to Newchurch (two miles) was opened 

 for passenger and goods trafific; on the 27th March, 1848. The 

 subsequent extension to Bacup, the most costly portion of the 

 Branch line, owing to the construction of the tunnels through the 

 heights at "Thrutch," was not completed for several years after- 

 wards, being opened for passenger conveyance on the ist October, 

 1852, and for goods traffic on February ist, 1853. The Company 

 first took its name of " The East Lancashire Railway Company " 

 on the 3rd August, 1846. The new line from Bacup to Facit was 

 opened in 1881, and was subsequently continued to Rochdale. 



The introduction of the Railway into Rossendale, by increasing 

 the facilities of transport and intercommunication, gave a marked 

 stimulus to trade and manufactures, which, it may be safely 

 assumed, could otherwise scarcely have reached their present 

 proportions. 



To one important branch of industry in the district, the Railway 

 may almost be said to have given birth. This is the Stone Trade, 

 respecting which we will now state a few particulars. 



Stone abounds in the district in considerable variety, and of 



