 On 25 November 1845 the Derby and Crewe Railway was absorbed into the NSR Scheme . This was a line that was being supported by the Grand Junction Railway ( <unk> ) running between Derby and Crewe via Uttoxeter and Stoke . It was to eliminate the opposition of the Grand Junction company to the other NSR proposals that the NSR agreed to absorb the Derby and Crewe . However part of the deal was that the proposed line from Harecastle to Liverpool was abandoned . Despite having arranged to purchase the T & M canal for a considerable sum , to obtain support for the Liverpool extension the NSR agreed to the <unk> demand . All that survived of the NSR Liverpool plan was the short branch to Sandbach from Harecastle . 
