Above a postcard dated 1911 which visitors to St.Helens might send to their family back home.
This timeline examines developments in the transport infrastructure which allowed people and goods to get in and out of Sutton and be transported within the town of St.Helens.

• 1757 - First stretch of the Sankey Brook Navigation opened.

• 1770s - Sankey Brook Navigation reaches north Sutton.

• 1828 - Ellen Hughes agreed to sell land at Lea Green so the planned Liverpool to Manchester railway could cross her Sherdley estate.

• 6th October 1829 - First day of the Rainhill Trials held on a two mile stretch of level line between Sutton at Lea Green and Rainhill.

• 15th September 1830 - Liverpool and Manchester line opened at a cost of £739,165. Lea Green station also opened (originally known as 'Kendrick’s Cross' station and briefly 'Sutton').

• November 1832 - St.Helens and Runcorn Gap Railway first used.

• 21st February 1833 - St.Helens and Runcorn Gap Railway officially opened.

• 1833 - St.Helens Junction station opened.

• 1845 - St.Helens Canal & Railway Co. was created by the merger of competing companies.

• 9th August 1851 - Six-years-old Stephen Highcock was decapitated by the 3 o'clock express whilst playing at St.Helens Junction station.

• 1852 - Sutton (St.Helens) station at Sutton Oak first appeared in timetables.

• c.1852 - Clock Face station opened (reduced to halt status from July 1926).

• 1853 - A station at Bold was opened but closed in 1858.

• 2nd July 1854 - A passenger train from Liverpool to St. Helens collided at Sutton with an engine that was returning to the engine shed from St.Helens. One man received minor injuries.

• 1st May 1858 - Two-years-old Joseph Burrows was knocked down by an engine leaving Sutton Copper Works while crossing the line. It severed his right arm and leg and he quickly bled to death.

• 7th October 1858 - Fireman Joseph Grace was run over by wagons whilst unhooking them from an engine on the Sutton to Lea Green incline. He died in Liverpool Infirmary as there was no hospital in St.Helens.

• 24th June 1859 - An inquest on 25-years-old platelayer John Robinson was held at the Clock Face pub. He was undertaking a repair on a shunting near the pub when he was run over by a luggage train, cutting off his right leg and smashing his left.

• 26th December 1859 - A woman was killed on the spot by a passing train after crossing the line at St.Helens Junction station.

• 4th July 1863 - 22-years-old Thomas Ackers was killed on the railway while shunting waggons at St.Helens Junctions. His inquest was held at the Golden Cross.

• 1864 - The St.Helens Railway was absorbed into the LNWR (London & North-Western Railway).

• 18th July 1864 - 46-years-old Mary Litherland was fatally injured and her 3-years-old child was seriously hurt after leaping from a train at St.Helens Junction station. The mother had incorrectly believed that they were on the wrong train and the pair slipped under its wheels.

• 27th November 1865 - 53-years-old Eliza Jones of Worsley Brow was killed by a coal train at Peasley Cross station when crossing the line.

• 1st January 1869 - The last passenger train from Widnes to St.Helens ran into the rear of a coal train near Clock Face Station. The coal train had been slowed down by an incline and was probably overloaded. Several of its carriages were thrown off the line by the impact.

• 21st January 1869 - An iron bar in a coal train waggon that was projecting at a right angle, broke ten windows of a passenger train from Widnes as the two trains passed each other in between Clock Face Bridge and Sutton Sheds, startling but not injuring passengers.

• 4th June 1869 - A collision took place near to Sutton Oak station between a light engine and a passenger train. Government inspector Colonel Yolland said a Sutton Oak Junction signalman had instructed a train driver to proceed despite a warning signal.

• 27th September 1870 - The Times reported that the Sutton (St.Helens) station has been redesignated Sutton Oak station.

• 20th May 1871 - Margaret Lamb returning from market, left a train at Peasley Cross thinking it was Sutton Oak station and ended up on the line. The engine ran her down, killing her on the spot.

• 7th October 1871 - Samuel Lucas was killed when walking from Sutton Oak station along the railway lines to his home. The train from Widnes run him over cutting off a foot and his face was "completely smashed".

• 28th May 1873 - A collision occurred near Sutton Oak Junction at 8pm between two passenger trains. A tender and four carriages were badly damaged.

• 22nd October 1873 - Engine driver Robert Wilson and railway blacksmith Thomas Rigby appeared at St.Helens Police Court charged with a violent assault on James Bush, stationmaster at St.Helens Junction.

• 24th October 1874 - The railway sheeting sheds at St.Helens Junction were almost completely destroyed by fire.

• 2nd December 1874 - Engine tenter William Williams was run over and killed by an engine near St.Helens Junction.

• 28th August 1876 - William Russell was fined ten shillings for riding between Manchester and St.Helens Junction stations without a train ticket.

• 1878 - Three groups approached St.Helens Corporation with separate proposals for providing horse-powered tram services.

• 22nd November 1878 - Farmer James Hulme from Childwall was mysteriously found dead on the railway line near Collins Green station by miners on their way to work at Bold Colliery.

• 24th May 1878 - 19-years-old brakesman Alexander Nelson died in hospital from injuries sustained on the previous day while shunting railway waggons at Sutton Oak Junction.

A crash at St.Helens Junction station (undated) - contributed by Sutton Historic Society

• 24th July 1879 - An Act of Parliament incorporated ‘The Saint Helens and District Tramways Company’ with an authorised capital of £70,000 in £10 shares. The legislation also authorised tramways to Sutton at the corner of Robins Lane and Marshalls Cross Road.

• 1880 - Sutton Oak Shed which stored and maintained locomotives opened. A replacement for previous sheds, it originally had 10 roads.

• 13th April 1880 - Edwin Calland was found lying across a rail in a siding half-a-mile from St.Helens Junction station having been run over by a train. The pointsman at Appleton station died next day in hospital.

• 18th September 1880 - A collision took place at Sutton Oak Junction between a passenger train and part of a mineral train.

• 29th September 1880 - A collision took place near St. Helens Junction station between a passenger train and an engine and tender.

• 16th November 1881 - Father Sebastian Enrico CP, Rector of the Passionist monastery in Ovada, Italy and resident at St.Annes, was "cut to pieces" by the Manchester express at St.Helens Junction station after crossing the line to catch a train.

• 12th December 1881 - Samuel Williamson - described as a professional gambler and cardsharper - was sent to prison for 3 months with hard labour at St.Helens Police Court for taking £10 off a fellow passenger on a train to St.Helens Junction using the three-card trick.

• May / June 1882 - After numerous disputes between the tramways company and St.Helens Corporation, a through service from Dentons Green to Peasley Cross terminus at the corner of Sutton Road began (exact date uncertain). However for unknown reasons it ended 32 chains short of the authorised terminus at Robins Lane. The open top double-deckers with a capacity of 36 persons, would travel to Peasley Cross via Church Street returning to St.Helens via Shaw Street, Corporation Street and Cotham Street.

• 16th July 1883 - The Saint Helens & District Tramways Act authorised an extension from the Peasley Cross terminus to St.Helens Junction station via Sutton Road, Worsley Brow, Ellamsbridge Road and Junction Lane although the finance could not be found to construct it. The Act also authorised steam traction but, again, the company could not afford it.

• 16th May 1885 - Members of Widnes cricket team were returning home after playing St.Helens Recreation Club when their wagonette - which was driven by four horses - violently collided with a steam tram at Peasley Cross. One player broke his arm.

• 17th August 1885 - 58-years-old Joseph Webster threw himself across the rails at St.Helens Junction hours after being charged with assaulting a 4-years-old girl. He was instantly killed by a train and his body carried 50 yards.

• 11th May 1886 - A Royal train carrying Queen Victoria, Prince and Princess Henry of Battenberg and the Duke of Connaught travelled through St.Helens Junction on a trip from Windsor Castle to Liverpool.

• 26th July 1886 - St.Helens Town Councillor Joseph Ellison, who was also a member of Prescot Board of Guardians, was fined 40 shillings at St.Helens Police Court for travelling from Appleton to Sutton Oak without a train ticket.

• 27th December 1886 - A collision took place at St. Helens Junction between a passenger train and a goods train.

Loco at Sutton Oak Sheds photographed on 14th May, 1939

• February 1887 - The Saint Helens and District Tramways Company were accused of poor management of its services and after commissioning a report, the shareholders sacked the directors at a meeting. It was alleged that crews were often drunk and rude to customers and would routinely let their friends travel for free. Delays in return journeys at termini meant that tram cars would often be left idle for a considerable time while the staff enjoyed themselves in a local pub!

• 30th May 1888 - Henry Whitehead was charged with attempted suicide after being discovered at St.Helens Junction in a third-class carriage of the 8 o'clock evening train from Manchester, suspended by a handkerchief from a rack.

• July 1888 - The Saint Helens and District Tramways Company went into receivership.

• 22nd October 1889 - From the ashes of its predecessor, the St.Helens & District Tramways Company Limited was registered.

• 23rd November 1889 - 23-years-old Mrs. Canning and her young child were struck down by a goods train at Sutton Oak Station. The child was instantly killed and the mother died in the Cottage Hospital 5 days later.

• 2nd January 1890 - Farnworth Station changed its name to Farnworth & Bold

• 5th February 1890 - Shoeing forgeman Ambrose Jackson was instantly killed by a train at St.Helens Junction station when he crossed the lines instead of using the footbridge.

• 3rd April 1890 - The short-lived era of steam powered trams began on the St.Helens Junction line (9 locomotives in total were purchased).

• 27th July 1890 - 400 railway workers of the Amalgamated Society of Railway Servants, led by Roughdales Brass Band, marched from St.Helens Junction to the Town Hall in support of a call for reduced working hours.

• 24th November 1890 - A letter was published in the Liverpool Mercury criticising the "wretched" train service between Warrington and Sutton Oak. The writer who claimed to be a frequent traveller said that the distance had never been accomplished in under 40 minutes.

• 9th December 1891 - A goods train from Lea Green was being shunted from the Liverpool and Manchester line onto the Widnes branch near St.Helens Junction when it backed into a standing goods train that had just arrived from West Leigh. The engine and tender of the latter were overturned and thrown down an embankment. The Times reported that the engine-driver and fireman had a "marvellous escape" after leaping from their tender.

• 5th January 1893 - Several waggons of a goods and mineral train that was being shunted into a siding at Lea Green Station overturned, completely blocking the main line for some time.

• 1894 - Consideration was given to extending the Peasley Cross tram line to St.Helens Junction but, again, nothing happened.

• 3rd February 1894 - Henry Williams of Sutton Road, who worked as an engine cleaner at Sutton Oak Sheds, was sent to prison for a month with hard labour for "insulting" 14-years-old Mary Reeves, daughter of a Sutton tradesman, in a railway carriage during the previous evening.

• 28th April 1894 - Farmer Henry Parr fractured his left thigh and arm after his horse was startled by a steam tram in Peasley Cross.

• 28th June 1894 - George Clarke, who lived at St.Helens Junction, was knocked down and "terribly mutilated" by an express passenger train after crossing the railway line on his way to work at Bold Colliery.

• 1st August 1894 - 55-years-old shunter William Beesley was killed when his head was caught between the buffers of runaway waggons in a St.Helens Junction siding.

• 5th November 1896 - 42-years-old Patrick Ryan of Sutton Moss was killed near Sutton Oak station whist walking along the railway lines.

• 1st April 1897 - St.Helens Corporation purchased the tramways for £23,000 but the existing tram company continued as operator.

• 9th May 1897 - 500 railway workers, headed by a large banner of the Amalgamated Society of Railway Servants and Sutton Road Prize Band, processed from St.Helens Junction to the People's Palace, St.Helens in support of 25 striking dressers at the Junction's sheeting sheds.

• October 1897 - St.Helens Corporation decided to electrify, a bold move considering the few existing electrified tramways in the country.

• 22nd February 1898 - The Liverpool Echo reported that St. Helens Station was extending its horse-driven van delivery service for parcels to Peasley Cross, Sutton Oak, St.Helens Junction, Marshalls Cross and Lea Green.

• 10th March 1898 - An inquest was held on telegraph inspector Frank Bourne who was struck by the Manchester to St.Helens express near St.Helens Junction. He had been stood on the line absorbed in thought while making sketches of telegraph poles and wiring and died from his injuries later that day.

• 12th August 1898 - An Act authorised tramways electrification and yet another proposed extension from Peasley Cross to St.Helens Junction but following a different route.

• 1st October 1898 - The Corporation awarded a 21 year lease to the existing tram operator.

• 4th November 1898 - After control of the operating company had changed hands, the new Board decided to form another new company and the New St.Helens & District Tramways Company Limited came into being with a capital of £150,000 in £1 shares.

• 11th July 1899 - Sixteen-years-old Walter Houghton was struck down and killed by an express passenger train near Bold Colliery where he worked.

• 1st September 1899 - Ada Ghent and Alice and Clara Bold who the Liverpool Mercury said were "stylishly-dressed young ladies and respectably connected" were each fined 20 shillings for travelling from Liverpool Lime Street to St.Helens Junction without tickets in what was described as a premeditated fraud.

• 9th December 1899 (probably) - A public electric tram service began to Peasley Cross.

• 19th September 1900 - After months of work building the extension to St.Helens Junction, public services began although the new terminus was at Peckers Hill Road instead of the actual station (Ellamsbridge Road initially).

• 11th October 1904 - An unusual accident occurred in Robins Lane when a tram crashed into a stationary St.Helens Hospital ambulance. The driver of the horse-drawn vehicle and another man were inside with a patient and considerable damage, costing £4 15s to repair, was caused.

• 1st October 1911 - Union Bank Railway Station opened

• June 1914 - County Carriers began a motor bus service between Sutton Manor and Market Street, St.Helens, the first in the town.

• 17th May 1917 - St.Helens Hospital took delivery of its first motor ambulance, a Ford Model T Field Ambulance with a top speed of 45mph, which cost £215.

• 1st October 1919 - St.Helens Corporation refused to extend the lease and took over operations of the tramways.

• 4th August 1921 - The St.Helens Corporation Act authorised the operation of motorbuses and trolleybuses (initially known as trackless vehicles).

• Autumn 1921 - Two motorbuses were used on the St.Helens Junction line to maintain the service whilst tram tracks were being re-laid, probably the first use of motorbuses in Sutton. This was some years prior to regular bus services being established.

• 1921/22 - The complete St.Helens Junction tram line was relaid with additional loops. The station entrance also received a minor extension.

• 25th December 1923 - John Case was killed at St.Helens Junction station after leaping from a train. He worked at Pilkington's Doncaster factory and was returning home for Christmas when he realised that he should have changed trains.

• 1927 - A new tram terminus was opened at St.Helens Junction station extending the existing Peckers Hill Road terminus, albeit by only 110 yards.

• 21st June 1931 - The long-standing through service from Denton’s Green to St.Helens Junction ended. The Junction tram service from St.Helens town centre costing 2½d, now left from Sefton Place.

• 28th July 1933 - Part IX of the St.Helens Corporation Act formally authorised the abandonment of tramways.

• 12th July 1934 - A provisional order authorised a further 8 miles of trolleybus routes in St.Helens, including conversion of St.Helens Junction tram route.

• 1st May 1935 - Trolleybuses replaced trams on the St.Helens Junction route. Although authorisation was obtained to extend the route half a mile beyond the tram terminus to Bold Road, it still terminated at St.Helens Junction. However a turning loop extended the route by turning left from Station Road into Peckers Hill Road, then right into Junction Lane and back into Station Road.

• 1st May 1935 - By the end of the year there were only 8 tramcars still in service in St.Helens, with 36 trolleybuses and 28 motor buses in use.

• 12th October 1936 - Robins Lane Halt rail station opened on the line that connected the Widnes & Runcorn Gap railway with Liverpool & Manchester line.

• 31st December 1936 - The Times announced that a new station was going to be built at Marshalls Cross which would replace the existing Lea Green station. However, it didn't open until the year 2000!

• 1937 - A new circular bus service began on Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays and Mondays. It began at Market Street and ran via New Street, Sutton Leach, Sutton Road and Peasley Cross back to Market Street.

• 1937 - A 60 feet turntable was installed at Sutton Oak Shed.

• 26th September 1938 - Robins Lane Halt station closed through lack of passenger traffic.

• September 1939 - The onset of war led to a number of Sutton motor bus services being withdrawn or their frequency reduced.

• February 1940 - There was some easing of the service reductions with some buses now run to Sutton Leach and Sutton Manor.

• December 1943 - Motor bus services to Sutton Manor were increased, partly to transport workers to the colliery.

• September 1946 - A new bus service to Sutton Leach was launched.

• February 1947 - Sutton Leach bus services were extended to Clock Face and Bold, bringing frequent daily services to the district for the first time.

• 1950 - The Bold and Gorsey Lane bus routes were linked to Clinkham Wood and the Sutton Heath service was extended to Sutton Manor.

• 1951 Clock Face station closed.

A Class 40 (D354) arrives at St.Helens Junction station

• 18th June 1951 - Sutton Oak Station closed to passenger traffic.

• 2nd February 1952 - St.Helens Junction trolleybus service ceased operations with a replacement motorbus service commencing the following day.

• January 1955 - St.Helens Corporation’s fleet was now 100 motorbuses (8 single-deck) and 39 trolleybuses.

• 7th March 1955 - Lea Green railway station closed to passengers.

• 1958 - St.Anne’s RC Church in Monastery Lane began its own Sunday bus service.

• 25th September 1958 - Lea Green station completely closed.

• May 1964 - A decision was made to close Sutton Oak Shed but then rescinded.

• 1965 - The St.Helens Central to St.Helens Junction train service ended although the line was used for a few years for freight and diversions.

• 15th August 1965 - Collins Green signalbox closed.

• 29th December 1965 - A Trans-Pennine express with 70 passengers travelling at 50mph was derailed at Bold Colliery at 9.28am due to a partial points failure but there were no serious injuries.

• April 1967 - The 22 bus route between Lancots Lane and Eccleston became one of only two routes in St.Helens to begin using one-man vehicles.

• December 4th, 1967 - Sutton Oak Shed closed for steam (other reports state 9th June and 19th July as the final day).

• March 1969 - Sutton Oak Sheds closed completely - the site is now the car park of Morrisons supermarket.

• 1981 - The St.Helens & Runcorn Gap Railway was closed as a through route with the sections between Sutton Manor Colliery and St.Helens Junction remaining open until 1986 and the mid-1990s, respectively. The line was cut back to a point just south of the site of Peasley Cross Station, where a siding led into Hays Chemical works.

• 20th January 1989 - The last train to travel over the rails linking St. Helens Junction with Shaw Street ran.

• September 2000 - A new railway station opened at Marshalls Cross - although called Lea Green - opposite Sherdley Park.

• May 2002 - The Sutton Oak Shed building was demolished

• 27th September 2002 - Trains completed stopped using the St.Helens & Runcorn Gap line. All that is left is a mile of single-track branch line.

            

Please contact me if you can add to the transport timeline or spot any errors. Thank you!
Also see the Sutton Beauty & Heritage Transport in Sutton page

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