Editing George Stephenson (section)

===Life at Alton Grange===
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[[File:George Stephenson's House at Alton Grange.jpg|thumb|Stephenson's House at Alton Grange]]

George Stephenson moved to the parish of [[Alton, Leicestershire|Alton]] Grange (now part of Ravenstone) in Leicestershire in 1830, originally to consult on the [[Leicester and Swannington Railway]], a line primarily proposed to take coal from the western coal fields of the county to Leicester. The promoters of the line Mr [[William Stenson]] and [[John Ellis (businessman)|Mr John Ellis]], had difficulties in raising the necessary capital as the majority of local wealth had been invested in canals. Realising the potential and need for the rail link Stephenson himself invested £2,500 and raised the remaining capital through his network of connections in Liverpool. His son [[Robert Stephenson|Robert]] was made chief engineer with the first part of the line opening in 1832.

During this same period the [[Snibston]] estate in Leicestershire came up for auction, it lay adjoining the proposed Swannington to Leicester route and was believed to contain valuable coal reserves. Stephenson realising the financial potential of the site, given its proximity to the proposed rail link and the fact that the manufacturing town of [[Leicester]] was then being supplied coal by canal from Derbyshire, bought the estate.

Employing a previously used method of mining in the midlands called tubbing to access the deep coal seams, his success could not have been greater. Stephenson's coal mine delivered the first rail cars of coal into Leicester dramatically reducing the price of coal and saving the city some £40,000 per annum.

Stephenson remained at Alton Grange until 1838 before moving to [[Tapton House]] in Derbyshire.<ref>The Life of George & Robert Stephenson by Samuel Smile 1857</ref>{{page needed|date=June 2021}}