The Last Years of Lancashire SteamThe Last Years of Lancashire Steam 22. 50 The historic county of Lancashire saw the birth of modern railways when the Liverpool & Manchester Railway opened in 1830. Thereafter, the county developed a complex network of lines serving passengers, businesses and industries of the area. The Beeching Axe cut several railways in the 1960s and Lancashire was where the British steam era came to an end on 11th August 1968. The Last Years of Lancashire Steam