Barlaston Station
Barlaston & Tittensor Station opened in April 1848 along with the rest of the Macclesfield to Colwich line, and the station prospered along with the nearby Wedgwood facilities. The line is one of the oldest long-disance mainline tracks in the country. Barlaston Station was never been properly closed, but as part of the Electrical Upgrade of the West Coast Mainline services were suspended temporarily in 2003 and a rail replacement bus service has operated ever since. It is unlikely to ever re-open, given the speed and signalling requirements of the mainline today.
Barlaston & Titensor in 1961
The Trent & Mersey Canal
When building the railway line, the North Staffordshire Railway Company also managed to acquire the ownershop of the Trent & Mersey Canal, beside you, which runs alongside the rail route for almost the entire length from Harecastle Tunnel to Colwich. This stretch is one of the oldest long-distance canals in the country, and has formed the backbone of the network since the Eighteenth century.
The Wedgwood company, and pottery in general, benefitted greatly from these major transport routes through their heartland. Take a moment to reflect on past glories…