Chapel/Manchester Engineering Staff

Compiled by Glynn Waite

The information in this dataset is taken from a staff register that was maintained in the Permanent Way Inspector's Office at Romiley and covers men who were employed at locations between Chapel-en-le-Frith and Manchester, plus a couple of locations in the Liverpool area. It appears to have been started in the first decade of the 20th century, initially listing men employed at that time, and was continued to the end of 1952. However, not every event has been recorded, while details between c.1930 and the mid-1940s are particularly sparse. The following are general comments relating to the contents:

Addresses are recorded in the register, but are not included in these extracts. Similarly, rates of pay - which are not particularly comprehensive - have also been omitted. Unless otherwise stated it is to be assumed that all men were Platelayers. These were referred to in the register as Labourers initially, but in later years as Lengthmen. The home stations and gang numbers are generally those that applied when the register was started or when the men were taken on / first entered in the ledger. There appears to have been some renumbering and adjustments to the composition of certain gangs from LMS days, in some cases with a change of home station. Note that Bugsworth was renamed Buxworth in 1930.

Details of staff employed at locations in Liverpool and the Ancoats area of Manchester are not recorded after early LMS days. It is assumed that responsibility for these locations was transferred to another office. Likewise, specific records for Chapel-en-le-Frith and Chinley also cease in the early 1920s, although here some of the work may well have been transferred to the various Buxworth gangs. Note that one gang based at Chapel-en-le Frith (not recorded here) came under the jurisdiction of the Permanent Way supervisor at Peak Forest.

DOB = Date of birth [Note that some of these were subsequently changed. It was not general practice in Midland Railway days for new employees to produce birth certificates, the management accepting what the applicants told them! Most changes were made in LMS days from 1923 onwards and were the result of birth certificates having to be produced].

DES = Date entered service

Should you require further information about anyone listed in this staff register, please contact the Study Centre Co-ordinator as detailed below, who will provide you with all known information.