Illustrated is a prospectus from the Cheadle Land & Mineral Company Containing the usual suspect, fantastic opportunity to invest.
In 1887, the Cheadle Railway, Mineral & Land Co. Ltd was formed for the construction of a branch line leaving the North Staffordshire Railway at Cresswell which began the following year. After several false starts and on going financial problems, the first stretch from Cresswell to Totmonslow was opened on 7 November 1892. It was not until 1 January 1901 that the railway reached Cheadle. In 1907 it was purchased outright by the North Staffordshire Railway who had operated the line since opening, for a percentage of the receipts.
The Totmonslow to Cheadle section included a difficult tunnel. The tunnel subsequently caused many problems and in 1933 the LMS constructed an expensive deviation around the tunnel.
The route closed to passengers in 1963 and to freight (a nearby quarry) in 1978, The track however is still in situ, but some what over grown. At the Cheadle end about half a mile has been removed for an out of town development.
