Bolton & Leigh Railway

The Bolton & Leigh Railway was a Lancashire railway opened in stages from 1828, running 7 miles between Bolton and Leigh. Engineered by George Stephenson, it was one of the earliest passenger-carrying railways in northern England and predated the Liverpool & Manchester Railway by two years.

The line's opening engine, Lancashire Witch, was built by Robert Stephenson and Company in 1828. After the L&MR's opening in 1830 the Bolton & Leigh worked closely with its larger neighbour. The line was extended in 1830 to connect to the L&MR at Kenyon Junction, completing the world's earliest network of inter-connected steam railways.

The Bolton & Leigh was absorbed into the Grand Junction Railway in 1846 and ultimately into the LNWR. The route is now part of the Network Rail line between Manchester and Wigan via Atherton.