Milton Keynes Museum - Our Tram : Wolverton Works and the railway

THE RAILWAY AND WOLVERTON WORKS

General background history to the railway

1804 Trevithick's first locomotive

1807 Oystermouth railway

1820 Birkinshaw's rolled iron rails

1825 Stockton-Darlington

1830 Canterbury to Whitstable Kent (first regular passenger run began in May)

1830 Liverpool and Manchester (Rocket of G. & L. Stephenson and Henry Booth won a competition for this railway 1929)

1831 London and Birmingham Railway Company

1832/1833
1836
Acts through Parliament
Settled with Trusts and Landowners including Radcliffe Trust (8 acres)

Problems locally :

crossing

the canal
the Ouse

tunnelling

Blisworth

Kilsby/Crick
Cassiobury

9th April 1838 Incomplete railway opened

London/Euston - Fenny Stratford (Denbigh Hall)
Birmingham - Rugby
Stage Coach - Fenny Stratford to Rugby (34 miles)

September
1838 Complete railway opened (112 miles)

WOLVERTON

The distance between London and Birmingham (112 miles) was considered too great for early locomotives to cover at a single haul. (Railways of Great Britain, Whishaw, 1842). About halfway along the line, close to the Medieval village of Wolverton the proposed railway crossed a bend in the Grand Union Canal, that provided ideal wharfing facilities and it was here that the Central Engine Sheds and Station were built.

November 1840 Almost immediately it was decided that the first station was too small and a bigger and better station was opened.
60 railway cottages were also built at this time.

1842 New road (Stratford Road) extended links with Toll Road

1845 Queen Victoria comes to Wolverton en route for Stowe

1846 St George's Church built

1405 inhabitants - young population with 45% under 16 years

1851 Works employs 775 men
First express "Bloomer" built by McConnell

1852 Land purchased - Stantonbury (now New Bradwell)

1853 116 houses built

1856 Works expansion - locomative manufacture

1860 Works employs 2000 men

1864 Science and Arts Institute built

1881 New Station built

THE RAILWAY AND WOLVERTON WORKS
General background history to the railway
1804	Trevithick's first locomotive
1807	Oystermouth railway
1820	Birkinshaw's rolled iron rails
1825	Stockton-Darlington
1830	Canterbury to Whitstable Kent (first regular passenger run began in May)
1830	Liverpool and Manchester (Rocket of G. & L. Stephenson and Henry Booth won a competition for this railway 1929)
1831	London and Birmingham Railway Company
1832/1833 1836	Acts through Parliament Settled with Trusts and Landowners including Radcliffe Trust (8 acres) Problems locally : crossing the canal the Ouse tunnelling Blisworth Kilsby/Crick Cassiobury
9th April 1838	Incomplete railway opened London/Euston - Fenny Stratford (Denbigh Hall) Birmingham - Rugby Stage Coach - Fenny Stratford to Rugby (34 miles)
September 1838	Complete railway opened (112 miles)

WOLVERTON

The distance between London and Birmingham (112 miles) was considered too great for early locomotives to cover at a single haul. (Railways of Great Britain, Whishaw, 1842). About halfway along the line, close to the Medieval village of Wolverton the proposed railway crossed a bend in the Grand Union Canal, that provided ideal wharfing facilities and it was here that the Central Engine Sheds and Station were built.

November 1840	Almost immediately it was decided that the first station was too small and a bigger and better station was opened. 60 railway cottages were also built at this time.
1842	New road (Stratford Road) extended links with Toll Road
1845	Queen Victoria comes to Wolverton en route for Stowe
1846	St George's Church built
	1405 inhabitants - young population with 45% under 16 years
1851	Works employs 775 men First express "Bloomer" built by McConnell
1852	Land purchased - Stantonbury (now New Bradwell)
1853	116 houses built
1856	Works expansion - locomative manufacture
1860	Works employs 2000 men
1864	Science and Arts Institute built
1881	New Station built