Plans for a railway between Edinburgh and Glasgow began soon after the opening of the Liverpool & Manchester Railway in 1830. However, Parliament did not give permission for the first early railway in Scotland until 1838. This impressive railway took four years to build and was opened in 1842. The Edinburgh & Glasgow was fairly level but this meant building large viaducts and three long tunnels. At Glasgow a cable-worked incline was necessary to reach Glasgow Station. In 1865 the Edinburgh & Glasgow Railway was taken over by the North British Railway.