Olive Mount cutting

{{Short description|Railway cutting on the Liverpool-Manchester line in England}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2016}}

{{Use British English|date=December 2016}}

{{Infobox rail line

|name = Olive Mount cutting

|color =

|logo =

|logo_width =

|image = Olive Mount railway cutting, Liverpool (1).JPG

|image_width =

|caption = The view towards Wavertree Technology Park railway station, with the junction to Olive Mount chord in the foreground.

|type =

|system =

|status = Operational

|locale = United Kingdom (Liverpool
North West England)

|coordinates = {{Coord|53.4057|-2.9127|display=inline,title}}

|start =

|end =

|stations = 0

|routes =

|daily_ridership =

|open = 1830

|close =

|owner = Network Rail

|operator =

|character =

|stock =

|linelength =

|tracklength =

|tracks = Double track with junction

|gauge = {{RailGauge|sg|allk=on}}

|load_gauge =

|elevation =

|map =

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}}

File:Excavation of Olive Mount, from Bury's Liverpool and Manchester Railway, 1831 - artfinder 76057.jpg

Olive Mount cutting, which was opened in 1830, is a {{convert|2|mi|adj=on}} sandstone railway cutting on the line to Manchester,{{cite web|url=https://spartacus-educational.com/RAolive.htm |title=Olive Mount |publisher=Spartacus-Educational.com |date= |accessdate=2019-02-26}} {{convert|4|mi}} from Liverpool.{{cite web|url=http://www.allertonoak.com/merseySights/SouthLiverpoolWV.html |title=South Liverpool: Wavertree including Mossley Hill |publisher=Allertonoak.com |date=2013-01-04 |accessdate=2014-02-10}} The cutting is {{convert|80|ft}} deep{{cite web|url=http://www.subbrit.org.uk/sb-sites/sites/l/liverpool_edge_hill_cutting/index.shtml |title=Subterranea Britannica: Sites: Liverpool - Edge Hill Cutting and Tunnels |publisher=Subbrit.org.uk |date=2011-01-04 |accessdate=2014-02-10}} and is situated between Wavertree Technology Park and Broad Green railway stations. The railway's engineer, George Stephenson, had hoped to avoid the problem of creating the cutting for the Liverpool and Manchester Railway by routing the line further north.{{cite web|url=http://wavsoc.awardspace.info/dhw/page77.html |title=Historic Wavertree, Liverpool - The Olive Mount railway cutting |publisher=Wavsoc.awardspace.info |date=2000-02-26 |accessdate=2014-02-10}} However, that plan was objected to by the Earl of Derby and the Earl of Sefton.

The cutting was originally designed to accommodate two tracks, and was only {{convert|20|ft}} wide at the top.{{harvnb|Ashmore|1982|p=166}} In 1871, it was widened to allow four tracks to enter Liverpool Lime Street, because traffic had increased considerably since the station opened.{{cite web|url=http://www.nrm.org.uk/ourcollection/photo?group=Crewe&objid=1996-7316_CR_MC_41 |title=Olive Mount Cutting, 1881 - Photos - Our collection - National Railway Museum |publisher=Nrm.org.uk |date=2013-02-28 |accessdate=2014-02-10}}