▁largest ▁span ▁is ▁ ▁wide . ▁ ▁Exp ansion ▁ ▁By ▁ 1 8 4 4 , ▁the ▁Black burn ▁and ▁Pr eston ▁Railway ▁( B & PR ), ▁who ▁shared ▁a ▁vi ad uct ▁across ▁the ▁River ▁Rib ble ▁with ▁the ▁North ▁Union ▁Railway ▁( N UR ), ▁were ▁planning ▁a ▁railway ▁from ▁Black burn ▁to ▁F aring ton . ▁ ▁Following ▁an ▁ 1 8 4 5 ▁act ▁the ▁B & PR ▁was ▁absor bed ▁by ▁the ▁MB & R R ▁on ▁ 3 ▁August ▁ 1 8 4 6 . ▁ ▁The ▁B & PR ' s ▁Act ▁of ▁Parliament ▁also ▁allowed ▁for ▁a ▁connection ▁with ▁the ▁proposed ▁Black burn , ▁Burn ley , ▁Acc r ington ▁and ▁Col ne ▁Ext ension ▁Railway ▁( B BA & C ER ), ▁which ▁would ▁run ▁from ▁St ub b ins ▁J unction ▁to ▁Acc r ington , ▁providing ▁a ▁direct ▁link ▁between ▁Black burn ▁and ▁Col ne . ▁ ▁A ▁second ▁B BA & C ER ▁act ▁allowed ▁it ▁to ▁le ase ▁or ▁sell ▁itself ▁to ▁the ▁MB & R R , ▁and ▁so ▁in ▁ 1 8 4 5 ▁the ▁two ▁companies ▁joined . ▁ ▁The ▁MB & R R ▁later ▁that ▁year ▁changed ▁its ▁name ▁to ▁the ▁East ▁Lanc ash ire ▁Railway ▁( EL R ). ▁ ▁The ▁following ▁year , ▁the ▁EL R ▁acquired ▁the ▁Liverpool , ▁Or m sk irk ▁and ▁Pr eston ▁Railway ▁( LO & PR ), ▁which ▁gave ▁it ▁direct ▁access ▁to ▁Liverpool ▁D ock