▁March ▁ 1 8 5 8 . ▁ ▁A ▁three - mile ▁long ▁line ▁to ▁Tot ting ton ▁opened ▁in ▁ 1 8 8 2 ▁from ▁a ▁j unction ▁with ▁the ▁original ▁MB & BR ▁line . ▁It ▁was ▁elect r ified ▁in ▁ 1 9 1 3 ▁before ▁rever ting ▁to ▁steam ▁in ▁ 1 9 5 1 . ▁ ▁It ▁closed ▁to ▁passengers ▁in ▁ 1 9 5 2 ▁and ▁goods ▁in ▁ 1 9 6 3 ▁and ▁has ▁since ▁been ▁rec laimed ▁as ▁a ▁walk way . ▁ ▁Cl if ton ▁J unction ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 8 4 6 , ▁the ▁Manchester ▁and ▁Bol ton ▁Railway ▁( wh ose ▁line ▁the ▁EL R ▁used ▁to ▁gain ▁access ▁to ▁Manchester ) ▁was ▁taken ▁over ▁by ▁the ▁Manchester ▁and ▁Le eds ▁Railway , ▁which , ▁the ▁following ▁year , ▁became ▁part ▁of ▁the ▁Lanc ash ire ▁and ▁York shire ▁Railway ▁( L & Y R ). ▁ ▁The ▁EL R ' s ▁expansion ▁and ▁the ▁opening ▁of ▁new ▁routes — including ▁an ▁alternative ▁route ▁between ▁Manchester ▁and ▁Le eds — had ▁caused ▁a ▁degree ▁of ▁const ern ation ▁at ▁the ▁L & Y R , ▁but ▁the ▁two ▁companies ▁initially ▁managed ▁to ▁work ▁together ▁successfully . ▁ ▁After ▁about ▁three ▁years ▁a ▁dispute ▁fla red ▁up ▁over ▁the ▁collection ▁of ▁to ll s ▁for ▁the ▁EL R ' s ▁use ▁of ▁the ▁line . ▁ ▁The ▁EL R ▁had ▁become ▁acc ustom ed ▁to ▁running ▁their ▁trains ▁on ▁to ▁the ▁L