1839.] 



THE CIVIL ENGINEER AND ARCHITECT'S JOURNAL. 



ir,! 



is oorapletc, ctMihisting uf the numerous bridges over tlio river;!, and over and undtir 

 tUe turnpiko and ufcnpation roads, amounting in all to forty-tlireo, many of them 

 of considerable inaguituje, involving great expense in the consti-iiction of their 

 foundations. 



Continuing east of R»>mford, several other important works are completed. 



In addition to these works, the station of Angel-lano, Stratford, with the engine- 

 houses, coke-sheds, and water-tanks, and Whalcbonedane and Ilford, arc nearly 

 complete. 



The whole of the line east of Romford, extending as far as Springfield, two miles 

 from Chelmsford, being 31 miles from the terminus at London, is let to vespeetabh: 

 contractors, with tlie exception of the sunnint cutting at Brentwood and Mountnes- 

 sing, and the Shcntiehl and Mountnessing embankments- 



The contracts bet^veen Romford and Brentwood have been let nearly six months, 

 and the various cuttings, enibanknieuts, and other works at Hare street, Hare-lodge, 

 Gubbiiigs, Brook-street, and Brentwood, are now in active progress, having been 

 materially retarded by the weather. 



The contract drawings froin Springlield to Colchester are nearly ready for 

 advertising. 



In order to ensure the eavly completion of the works, .six locomotive engines are 

 employed day and night. 



Six passenger engines will be read)' within one month from the present time 

 when also a suHicient nnniber of first and second class carriages will completed. 



A large supply of rails and chairs have been delivered, sufficient for upwards of 

 sixteen miles of tloubU' line. 



Plans and drawings for a complete London station, constnicteJ in accordance with 

 the experience hitherto gained, hu^ e been prepared, ready to proceed with tlio works 

 when directed, fur the entire opening of the line to Shoreditch. 



I am Gentlemen, yotu' obedient servant, 



JOHN BKAiTHWAlTE. 



BLACKWALL RAILWAV. 



Thf Heporf of the Engineers to thr Dircrfors. 

 GENTi,F.:\rEN. — The whole of the Works on your line of Railway being now con- 

 tracted for, with the condition that the execution shall be completeil by the end of 

 the present year, it aftbrds us great satisfaction to report, that looking to the progress 

 which has been made by Messrs. Webb since the 1st of October when they com- 

 menced their contract, and to the character and resources of the gentlemen who have 

 contracted for the remaining portion of the line, we see not the least reason to fear 

 that your expectitions will be disappointed in respect of these arrangement^. 



On taking into account the united amount of these contracts, and adding thereto 

 tlie cost of the permanent way, not included in them, we feel ourselves justilied in 

 stating our conviction, that the anticipated saving to be eliecteil by the alteration of 

 tlie width and levels of this railway will be fully borne out by the result. 



The respective parties who are under engagements to furnish the engines for the 

 working of the line, are actively employed in their construction ; at the same time 

 they are also preparing the large drum and <^pur wheels for winding the rope. ^Xe 

 deemed it desirable to delay to the latest period (consistently with the early comple- 

 tion of the works) the speciticatimi necessary for the construction of this portion of 

 the machinery, in order that we might avail ourselves of every improvement, whit'h a 

 continued and careful consideration of the subject could suggest. 



M'e have nnqualitied satisfaction in being able to state, after going into extensive 

 detail on the subject of working by stationary engines, which we have had an oppor- 

 tunity of doing in the course of various enr^uiries and calculations, that the annual 

 cost u( working by the proposed .system, will be less by some thousands per annum 

 than the amount assumed in our first report to you. We have now sufficient ground 

 to satisfy our rainds that the annual cost of working your line will not exceed jt'8,000 

 per annum. 



The foundations for nearly one half of the proposed viatluct are now actimlly com- 

 pleted, and the piers are most of them finished to the springing height, many of the 

 arches are completed, and the centres removed, and we calculate that, from this time, 

 seven arches will be turned weekly in Me.ssr.s. Webb's contract, am) in the other 

 contracts in the same proportion. 



The work, it must be borne in mind, has hitherto been done during the least favour- 

 able time of the year, find under one contractor oidy, but when the energies of two 

 other contractors, with ample resources, shall come into operation, the works will be so 

 accelerated as to leave no doubt of their being successfully terminated by the time 

 specified. 



We are. Gentlemen, vour very obedient Sei*vants, 



(Si^ed) G. STEPHENSON. 



London, 25lh Pebruary, 18S9. GEO. P. BIDDER. 



CROYDON RAILWAY, 



Reporl of Hie Engineer, to the Directors, read at the Half-yearhj Meeting, held on the 



5th ult. 



Gt'NTLEMEN.'-Having received your instructions, that I should report to you tlie 

 state of the works of the Loudon and Croydon Railway at the present time, I have to 

 report as follows : — 



The stations at Croydon and Norwood^ may be considered Vomplele, and fit for 

 passetiger traffic. 



All the stations along the line are nearly finished, except the erection of two lodges, 

 which will be constructed in a temporary manner for the opening of tlie line. 



With the exception of the cutting at Forest Hill and the dressing of some slopes, 

 all the earthwork along the line is completed ; and on the Forest Hill cutting the 

 east side is cut through witli the exception of the slip near (*wenVbridge, and the 

 west side remains to be bottomed out, and the slopes <h-essed down, for a distance of 

 about 10 chains; on the west side of this length the gi-eater portion of the slips oc- 

 curred in the winter, when wo had to encounter great difliculties, but since the 

 weather has become drier, and means have been resorted to to prevent any furtlier 

 extension of the slips, the works have proceeded mure rapidly, artd the slopes have 

 remained in the tiuished part in a perfectly substantial state; no slipping worth 

 notice has occurred on any other part of the line. 



The station and workshops at New Cross are on the point of completion, and the 

 carriages are about to be delivered there. 



The London station will be in a sufficiently forward state by the time the penua 

 nent rails are laid on the rest of the line 



All the bridges along the line except one occupation bridge ai-e completed, and of 

 this the arches are turned, and a fortnight's fine weather will enable the contractor 

 to finish it. 



The permanent road is being pushed on with all possible vigour consistent with 

 sound workmanship and good drainage. There are employed in this department 

 upwards of 300 men, with an adequate quantity of horses, drivers, locomotive 

 engines. Arc. 



Of the ]iermanent way there are laid, 



(3 miles 1 chain of single road complete ; 



1 . . 'J;j . . partly complete ; 



4 . . 7;i . . doulile road ballasted and laid ; 

 so that all required to complete tho i)ermaueut way throughout will b«, 



5 miles 0* chains, or 10,"i8*2 yai'ds of single line to lay ; 



2 ... I .. or H,j02 to ballast. 



The quantity of earthwork remaining to be excavated in the Forest Hill contract, 

 including extra slopes, slip.^, removal of spoil, clearing up bottom, Arc, amounts 

 to about ;iU,000 yards; but the opening of the road need not be delayed until 

 the whole of this is removed, as more than two-thirds belong to the slopes andslips, 

 not affecting the bottom, and will be [moveii after the completion of the permanent 

 way. 



I am, fientlomen, your obedient servant, 



JOSEPH GIBBS. 



THAMES HAVEN DOCK AND RAILWAV. 



Extract of Bejiurt read at the lust Tlalf-i/eurlg Meeting. 



Your Directors, at the half-yearly meeting in August last, reported that they had 

 enter d into a contract for the coustjuction of the Dock at Tliames Haven ; the 

 works have inconsequence been proceeded with, to the ^ex tent of 100.000 feet o 

 excavation; the contractors have built cottages to house 200 men, and the further 

 progi'e!"s is only delayed until more land shall be in possession of the Company by on 

 arrangement with the tenant, and tho present meeting shall place it in their power 

 to continue. The Directors would advise the shareholders to continue the opera- 

 tions at the Dock, ai a valuable basis, and as the surest method of attaining the 

 grand object of the undertaking. 



The Directors have made several efl'orts to come to some definitive terms of agree- 

 ment i^-ith the Directors of the Eastern Counties' Company, for toll ; but as tJie 

 amount demanded for passengers would prevent any ti-affic on the Thames Haven 

 line, or any profit if carried ; and as the Directors of the Eastern Counties' line have 

 declined to make any immediate terms whatever for goods or heavy weights, as 

 coals, &c., which must form a large porti.m of the traftic of the Thames Haven line ; 

 and as it is absolutely essential that a fixed plan should be arranged by which such 

 articles can be secured for the Company ; and as it also appears upon the rejiort of 

 your engineer, that two lines of rails upon the Eastern Counties' luie will not 

 "admit of the anticipated traftic of the Thames Haven line with its own ; and would 

 if it could be managed at all, utterly preclude the possibility of slow speed trains, 

 by which means alone a profit can be made by heavy goods, but at which a larger 

 amount will be derived than from passengers ; and as they feel also that the incon- 

 venience of one line of roail for two companies, places the company in a dependent, 

 uncertain, and unpleasant position, at the will of persons who may be indisposed to 

 them, or anxious to give greater facilities toother parties, which would cause an 

 endless source of litigation and annoyance to the public. ( 'uder all the circumstances 

 of the ca-oe, your Directors have considered it better to be prepared with, and adopt 

 any integrarand direct line into London. To this end your engineer has surveyed 

 anil laid down a line of road from Thames Haven to the Minories, where one of the 

 best termuii in the metropolis can be made— the position for all pui-poses being much 

 superior to that of the Eastern (Jounlies, particularly for the traffic on your line. 

 The road is thereby shortened to 2r>J miles, and the gradients are so good as to be 

 for all working purposes almost a level. The advantage this would give for the car- 

 riage of gi-eat weight-s is highly beneficial, and will enable the Company to carry out 

 the principle they have establislied of low fares, which, wherever they have been 

 supported by good management, have proved so entirely successful. 



MANCHESTER AND BIRMINGHAM RAILM'AY. 



Beport of the Engineer to the Directors. 



Gentlemen. In accordance with your instructions, I submit the following report 



on the progress and state of the \\orivS 'J'hose parts of the line which are con- 

 tracted for and in progress extend from Fairfield street, in Manchester, to the south 

 side of Daw- Bank, on the Cheshire sble of the river Mersey, at Stockport. This 

 distance is divided into five contracts, which are separately noticed as follows, \iz. : — 



Contract No. \, or Fairfield-streef Ct)/<//-ut7.— Commenced August l4th, 1838. Time 

 of completion, eighteen months. Tliis contract is 1.165 feet in length, and comprises 

 the first portion of the viaduct by which the railway leaves the depot in Mancliester. 

 It consists chiefly of arclies of brickwork, varving in span from 30 to 45 feet, and 

 of one cast-iron arch of 128 feet 9 inches span. The progi-e.ss hitherto made it 

 consistent with the work being completed within the specified time. 



Contract No. 2, or Cluuurry.lunc Contract .—CammenceA\ August 14th, 1838. 

 The time lor completion is eighteen months. This contract is 2,1^0 feet in length 

 and consists of the second portion of the viaduct by which the railway leaves the 

 town of Manchester. The contractor has not yet had possession of all the land, but 

 is expected to have it in the course of a few days hence, and the whole will be com- 

 pleted with ease in the specified time. 



Contract No. 3, or Hyde Road Contract, is 1,900 feet, and comprehends the third 

 or last portion of the viaduct issuing from the tnwn of Manchester. It is not yet 

 commenced, by reason of the obstacles which have hitherto prevented the compaiiy 

 from obtaining possession of the land ; but, as it is expected that the contractor will 

 have possession in the course of a few days, such arrangements will be made as 

 will ensure no delay arising from this unavoidable postponement of operations in this 

 part of your works. 



Contract No. 4, or Heaion Norria Contract, extends from the Hyde Road at the 

 south end of No. :l contract, to near tho right bank of the river Mersey at the town 

 of Stockport; its length is four miles twenty mx chains. It also includes the 

 ballasting and laying' of the permanent way upon contracts one. two, and three. It 

 datei from September 11th, 1838, and the time of completion is 20 months. Tlis 

 heaviest work on Ibis contract is a cutting of 400 000 cubic yards, the whole of wlucbi 



