the predecessor of the Manchester, Sheffield and Lincolnshire Railway, which was authorised on the same day. The respective branches were required to be connected at Stalybridge. Another AS&LJR Act, on 21 July 1845, authorised the branch from Miles Platting to connect with the Manchester and Birmingham Railway at Ardwick. The line to Ashton was opened on 13 April 1846, and on to Stalybridge on 5 October 1846. The branch was 6 miles 793 yd long. It was a single line; double track was completed except across Medlock viaduct, by 1 March 1849, but approval for opening this second line was not received until 1 August. The Medlock viaduct was made suitable for double track which was opened towards the end of 1849. The Ardwick branch from Miles Platting was just under two miles long, and opened on 20 November 1848 for goods trains only; regular passenger trains starting operating at the end of 1852. Wakefield, Pontefract and Goole Railway Seeing potential in expanding eastwards, especially in connecting directly to an east coast port, the M&LR sponsored the promotion of a line from its Wakefield station. An Act of 31 July 1845 authorised the Wakefield, Pontefract and Goole Railway. The planned line ran from the east end of the L&MR Wakefield Kirkgate station and headed broadly east through Crofton, Featherstone, Pontefract, Knottingley and Hensall to Goole. The line was opened on 1 April 1848 by which time the company had amalgamated with the M&LR and others to form the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway on 9 July 1847. An Act of 1846 authorised dock improvements at Goole, as well as branches from Pontefract to Methley, opened on 12 September 1849, and from Knottingley to Askern, joining the Great Northern Railway. Formation of the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway As the scope of the network of the Manchester and Leeds Railway was extending considerably, it was decided on 9 December 1846 to change the name of the company; the title “the Lancashire & Yorkshire Railway” was settled upon, and this was confirmed by Act of 9 July 1847. The Act also incorporated the Wakefield, Pontefract and Goole Railway and the Ashton, Stalybridge and Liverpool Junction Railway into the L&YR. The Act of 9 July 1847 also authorised a south connection at Castleton from the M&LR main line onto the Heywood branch, allowing direct running from Manchester to Bury. In addition it authorised the Liverpool