It is the biggest organization in the British Empire, excepting only the Post Office, for it gives employment to 230,000 people, has a capital of £425,000,000 and has about £30,000,000 invested in locomotive plant.

In 1935 the L.M. & S.R. owned nearly 8,000 locomotives, hauling about 20,000 passenger coaches, and nearly 300,000 freight vehicles. It also possessed 80 steamships of various kinds.

At the time of its formation, in 1846, the L. & N.W.R. had a mileage of rather over 400 miles, and comprised the London & Birmingham, Grand Junction and Manchester & Birmingham Railways. The famous Liverpool & Manchester and London & Birmingham Railways may, however, be looked upon as the forbears of the L. & N.W.R., which, in turn, became such an important constituent of the L.M. & S.R.

The L. & M.R. was opened for traffic on September 15th, 1830, the year after the Rainhill trials, in which Stephenson's Rocket gained the prize of £500. Although part of the Bolton & Leigh Railway