Sleeper block

In June 1845 the Manchester & Birmingham Railway opened a branch line from Cheadle Hulme to the Albert Pit of Lord Vernon's Poynton Collieries. This opened up a wide market for the coal and led to a rapid expansion of output in the coalfield. It is likely that when first built this line used stone blocks rather than wooden sleepers to carry the rails although the advantages of the latter soon saw stone replaced with wood.

Bearing in mind how many stone blocks would have been required, it is surprising how scarce they are these days, presumably having been carried off for re-use in building works around the district or even further afield once they became redundant. Recently two blocks have been discovered at Poynton which look very much as if they were from the railway. This example bears the cut away for a metal chair which would have been attached to two oak pegs driven into holes drilled into the stone. There is also a suggestion of a possible second style of chair in the centre with only one hole for fixing. This has left a rectangular cutout across the elongated oval.

I have been unable to find out for certain about the use of stone blocks by the Manchester and Birmingham Railway and would welcome further information if anyone knows more about the subject.