Preston and Wigan Railway

{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2018}}

{{Use British English|date=November 2018}}

{{Short description|Early British railway}}

{{Infobox rail

|railroad_name = Preston and Wigan Railway

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|locale = Lancashire

|start_year = 22 April 1831

|end_year = 22 May 1834

|predecessor_line =

|successor_line = North Union Railway

|gauge = {{track gauge|uksg|allk=on}}

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{{North Union Railway 1834 - 1889}}

The Preston and Wigan Railway would have been an early British railway company operating in Lancashire.

{{Infobox UK legislation

| short_title = Preston and Wigan Railway Act 1831

| type = Act

| parliament = Parliament of the United Kingdom

| long_title = An Act for making and maintaining a Railway from the Borough of Wigan to the Borough of Preston, both in the County Palatine of Lancaster, and collateral Branches to communicate therewith.

| year = 1831

| citation = 1 Will. 4. c. lvi

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| repealing_legislation = Preston and Wigan Railway Act 1834

| related_legislation =

| status = repealed

| legislation_history =

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| original_text = https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukla/Will4/1/56/pdfs/ukla_18310056_en.pdf

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The Preston and Wigan Railway obtained an act of Parliament, the {{visible anchor|Preston and Wigan Railway Act 1831}} (1 Will. 4. c. lvi) on 22 April 1831 to build a {{convert|15|mi|30|ch}} line between {{rws|Wigan North Western||Wigan}} and {{rws|Preston}}.{{efn|Railways in the United Kingdom are, for historical reasons, measured in miles and chains.{{sfn|Jacobs|2009|p=11}} A chain is {{convert|22|yards|metres}} long, there are 80 chains to the mile.{{Cite web |title=Weights and Measures Act 1985 |url=http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1985/72/schedule/1/part/VI |website=Legislation.gov.uk |access-date=25 September 2014 |at=Sch 1, Part VI }}}}{{refn|group=act|name=Act1831|An Act for making and maintaining a Railway from the Borough of Wigan to the Borough of Preston, both in the County Palatine of Lancaster, and collateral Branches to communicate therewith.{{cite web |title=Local and Personal Act, 1 William IV, c. lvi |url=https://archives.parliament.uk/collections/getrecord/GB61_HL_PO_PB_1_1831_1W4n92 |website=UK Parliamentary Archives |publisher=UK parliament |date=1831 |access-date=24 July 2022}}}}{{sfn|Awdry|1990|p=99}}{{sfn|Grant|2017|p=461}}{{sfn|Marshall|1969|p=66}}

On 8 August 1833 the board decided that it would be to their advantage to amalgamate with the Wigan Branch Railway, the directors of the Wigan Branch Railway met shortly thereafter and agreed with them. The North Union Railway Company Act 1834 (4 & 5 Will. 4. c. xxv) was approved and gained royal assent on 22 May 1834 incorporating the two railways as the North Union Railway. It was the first-ever amalgamation of railway companies.{{refn|group=act|name=Act1834|An Act for uniting the Wigan Branch Railway Company and the Preston and Wigan Railway Company; for authorizing an Alteration to be made in the Line of the last-mentioned Railway; and for repealing, altering, and amending the Acts relating to the said Railways {{cite web |title=Local and Personal Act, 4 & 5 William IV, c. xxv: |url=https://digitalarchive.parliament.uk/HL/PO/PB/1/1834/4&5W4n45 |format=PDF |website=UK Parliament Parliamentary Archives |publisher=UK parliament |date=1834 |accessdate=10 September 2020}}}}{{sfn|Sweeney|2008|p=13}}

The line was formally opened by the North Union Railway on 21 October 1838 and to the public on 31 October.{{sfn|Awdry|1990|p=99}}