Editing Northern Counties Committee (section)

===Amalgamation===
The Midland Railway had invested heavily in new harbour facilities at [[Heysham]] and was anxious that its influence in Ulster would not end at [[Donegall Quay]] in Belfast. To extend its activity in Ireland it decided to purchase an interest in a large Irish railway. The {{abbr|BNCR|Belfast and Northern Counties Railway}} was an efficient, prosperous company and well suited the Midland's purposes; it connected the two largest cities in the north of Ireland and had direct links to County Donegal. The Midland made a very tempting offer which the {{abbr|BNCR|Belfast and Northern Counties Railway}}'s directors advised the shareholders to accept. This was also agreed by the Midland's shareholders.

{{Infobox UK legislation
| short_title           = Midland Railway (Belfast and Northern Counties Railway Purchase) Act 1903
| type                  = Act
| parliament            = Parliament of the United Kingdom
| long_title            = 
| year                  = 1903
| citation              = [[3 Edw. 7]]. c. cxxvii
| introduced_commons    = 
| introduced_lords      = 
| territorial_extent    = 
| royal_assent          = 21 July 1903
| commencement          = 
| expiry_date           = 
| repeal_date           = 
| amends                = 
| replaces              = 
| amendments            = 
| repealing_legislation = 
| related_legislation   = 
| status                = 
| legislation_history   = 
| theyworkforyou        = 
| millbankhansard       = 
| original_text         = https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukla/Edw7/3/127/pdfs/ukla_19030127_en.pdf
| revised_text          = 
| use_new_UK-LEG        = 
| UK-LEG_title          = 
| collapsed             = yes
}}
The date of vesting was set for 1 July 1903 and on 21 July 1903, the act of Parliament necessary for amalgamation passed into law as the '''{{visible anchor|Midland Railway (Belfast and Northern Counties Railway Purchase) Act 1903}}''' ([[3 Edw. 7]]. c. cxxvii). Thus ended the separate existence of the railway that was affectionately nicknamed "Big Nancy Coming Running". Henceforth, the {{abbr|BNCR|Belfast and Northern Counties Railway}} would be known as the Midland Railway (Northern Counties Committee).