Bath to Manchester1860-1870

[failsafe]

Hi to all

Have a real teaser question
one of my ancestors moved from Bath-Manchester in the 1860-1870 period.

Question is how?
1. Which trains (and train companies) would he have to travel on?
2. Which junctions/stations would have been used to change trains?
3. How long would the journey have taken?
4. What would have been the fare for both single & return.
5. Would the train have been more cost effective than other forms of transport?

Can anyone help me with this perplexing problem?
And would anyone have an image/photo of the train/carriage that he would
have used?

New to all this, hope no one is offended and hope some or better still the questions can be answered. Its puzzling me!

Thans to all who read message
Best wishes
failsafe

[John H-T]

Hi Failsafe,

Here are some guesses as I havn't had time to do any research as yet but I think it would have been Midland Railway to Birmingham, then London and North Western to Manchester.

Route would probably be Bath - Bristol - Birmingham - Crewe - Manchester.

Locos: 2-4-0 or 2-2-2 tender engines pulling trains of 4 or 6 wheeled coaches.

It would probably been the next cheapest way of travelling to walking. Time about 10 hours plus waiting for connections!

That should start the ball rolling!

Best wishes,

John H-T.

[John H-T]

Hi Failsafe,

A bit more or you:

Sadly very few carriages from the 1860's have survived. The oldest MR Carriage in the National Colection, a six wheeler, dates from the 1880's. The Oldest LNWR one may not really be relevant as it is a Royal Saloon!

Locos are a bit easier Columbine in the National Collection is a good example of the 2-2-2's that ran on the LNWR. Another interesting LNWR 2-2-2 was The Bloomer Class. A replica is being built at Tyseley, see

http://www.vintagetrains.co.uk/tlw_bloomer.htm

Other LNWR 2-2-2 locomotive classes of the period were "The Problem Class" and the elegant "Lady of the Lake Class".

2-4-0 locos like "Hardwicke" in the National Collection were beginning to appear in the early 1860's.

Midland Railway posibilities would be 2-2-2's by Kirtley and his 2-4-0's were also beginning to appear. Again there is one in the National Collection (2-4-0).

So there you are. Photographs and drawing are rare buit do exist.

The locos I have mentioned had very spartan cabs, often no roof, just a weather board.

Best wishes,

John H-T.