156 



THE CIVIL ENGINEER AND ARCHITECT'S JOURNAL. 



[ApHit, 



's to be canied to eiubankment ; aud 350,000 yards of this qiiantjiy arc to be eanjei/ 

 in onp direction. About 80,000 yards have been already excavated. The contractor is 

 proceeding activelv and .judicionsly ; on tlie 18th of ihis month, he will commence 

 night work, and he is malcing such arrangements as will enable him to cali-nlate npon 

 completing the embankment to the end of the third contract by November next, when 

 he will be ready for laying three miles of llic iiermanent way: and there appears to 

 be little doubt of his performing his coulvacl in the specified time, namely, by 

 Mav, 1S40. , , ^ 



Vuiilmcl Xo. 5, or Slociport Viaihirl Contract, dates from November 13th, 183S. 

 The time for completion is two years. It consists of a viaduct of 22 arches, of (13 

 feet span each. The first stone of this structure has been laid to day, and tlie con- 

 tractors aie making arrangements for proceeding vignrotisly with their work. 



Cuiilrart A"i. li, or Cuiojleton ViaiJnrl Cnilrarl.— This work has just been let, and^ 

 is to be completed in two years and a half. It consists of forty-two arches, each of 

 sijttv feet span. Preparations liave commenced by throwing up clay for making 

 aboi'lt 1.5,000,000 bricks, during the present year. 



This work is that which may be expected to require a longer lime for execution 

 than anv other on the line; and therelbre its being now commenced will facilitate 

 the making of such arrangements in the future lettings. as will tend to bring ail the 

 other parts of the railway to\vards completion nearly at the same period. 



I am. Gentlemen, vour obedient servant, 

 Manchester, March 0th, 1839. " CiEORGE W. BUCK. 



BRISTOL AND EXETER RAILWAY COMPANY. 



KxiracI from u Report 'read ul the General Ilaljijearhi Meeting of tlik Companij, helil 

 on Tuesday, the Slli nil., ul Brixlol. 



The Directors have the satisfaction of slating, that although the season of the year 

 since the autumnal half-yearly meeting has been necessarily unfavourable to the rapid 

 progress of the works, they are, nevertheless, so far advanced as to warrant a con- 

 fident hope that the great bulk of what remains \u be done, in the construction of the 

 line between Bristol and Bridgewatei-, will be finished in the course of the present 

 year, and several portions of the line so far completed as to allow of the formation of 

 tlie permanent way to be commenced before the end of this year, and the remainder 

 proceeded with early in the spring of 1840. 



The principal works are comprised in the two firsl contracts, chielly at the western 

 extremity of the Asbton-vallcy. In these extensive progress has been made ; and 

 although more might undoubledly have been done by the contractor, yet it is equally 

 True that the state of the works is such, that as the season advances a considerable 

 force may be advantageou.sly employed, and a very large quantity of work executed 

 during the summer months. 



For some distance beyond this point the work is so hght as to insure its early 

 completion without difficulty. 



At Puriton some interruption has been caused by impediments in the purchase of 

 land; but these diliiculties being removed, the facilities in the execution of the work 

 are such, as to preclude any possibility of furthei- delay. 



The numerous and urgent representations that have been received, in favour of an 

 immediate prosecution of the works below Bridgewater, atlbrd a gratifying proof of the 

 increased and increasing extent to which the value of the umlertaking is appreciated 

 by the inhabitants of the Western Comities. With the sincere desire, however, to 

 accede to the wishes of the shareholders resident in that district, with an imabated 

 conviction of the magnitude and certainty of the advantages to be derived from tlie 

 extension sought for, and with a fixed determination to adopt as speedily as possible 

 every step that can conduce to the early continuation of the line to Exeter, the 

 Directors are, nevertheless, persuaded that they will most satisfactorily dischoi-ge 

 their duty by faithfully adliering to the resolution expressed in former reports, to 

 make expenditure and receipt go hand in hand, by an early opening to Bridgewater. 



The construction of the bridge now in progress over the ri\er Parret, may be justly 

 appealed to as the best evidence of their anxiety to reach Taunton ; a town of very 

 great importance, less than ten miles beyond the bridge, approached through a fertile 

 and populous district, by a route almost level, and itself the focus of such an exten- 

 sive traffic in passengers and merchandise, as must at once place the question of reve- 

 nue beyond the reach of doubt, and enable the Company to complete the entire line to 

 Exeter, without inconvenience to the shareholders. 



EDINBURGH AND GLASGOW RAILWAY. 



Extract from the Report read at the last Half-yearly Meeting, held at Glasgow. 



Your Directors, at a very early period, turned their attention to the letting of the 

 Conti-act-s for the more important works on the line. 



The Almond Valley Contract. which comprehends the heaviest work to be executed 

 and which had, at the date of the last general meeting, been just advertised, was 

 shortly afterwards let to Messrs. .John Gibb and Son, of .-Vberdeen, whose long stand- 

 ing aiidhigh character, as contractors,afford the best security for its completion within 

 the time prescribed by the Company's Engineer. Your Directors are happy to say, 

 that the expense of' this portion of the line, although it embraces the great stone 

 viaduct over the Almond, of 48 arches of 50 feet .span each, will, notwithstanding the 

 recent rise in the price of masonry, little, if at all, exceed the proportional amount of 

 the Parliamentary estimate. In consequence of the arrangements previously made 

 with Mr. Hogg, of Newliston, your Directors were able to give IMessrs. Gibb and 

 Son immediate access to the ground at the Almond; and these parlies have ever since 

 been pushing forward their works with their usual ju-omptitude and vigour. Not- 

 withstanding the unfavourable season of the year, the contractors have alreaily re- 

 moved a considerable quantity of earth, and sunk two shafts in the Winchburgh 

 Tunnel, and have founded one abutment and several piers of the vitjduct on the 

 Almond; they have also laid down a great deal of building material, so as to avail 

 themselves of the earliest improvement of the weather in spring. 



Y'our Directors, after completing the contract for the Almond Valley, next turaed 

 their attention to the contracts for the tunnels, &c., in the neighbourhood of Falkirk 

 and of Gla.sgow. These were advertised to be let in four dilfereut lots, and although 

 your Directors experienced difficulty, in two instances, in procuring Contractors, 

 potsessiug sufficient capital and experience, they have now the satisfaction of report- 

 iog, that they are all let on favourable ter.^is, and to parties, of whose ability to com- 

 plete them, your Directors entertain no doubt. 



Other contracts of smaller extent, but embracing 13 miles of the line, have been 

 advertised, and for these your Directors expect there will be a keen competition, as 

 many most respectable contractors have already intimated their desire to oGer for 

 them. Before the sea-son is nuich further advanced, your Directors anticipate that up- 

 wards of 26 miles of the line will be let, and in course of execution : and they will 

 proceed with as little delay as possible to have the working plans prepared, and the 

 contracts let for the rest of the line. 



Leeds and Bradford Railwai/. — The report of Messrs. Stephenson aud Goocli 

 lias been presented to the Provisional Committee. From a copy which has been 

 lying at the Exchange News Room during the last week, we make the following 

 abstract. The engineers projiose to make the terminus at the Leeds end upon a piece 

 of vacant ground lying on the south side of Wellington-road, and between that road 

 and the Whitehall road. From thence the line will cross the river Aire and the 

 Leeds and Liverpool canal, upon an embankment, a little to the west of the Suspen- 

 sion Bridge, then curving round to the west, it passes to the south of Castleton 

 Lodge, ami again crossing the canal, passes a little to the west of ai-mly mills. It then 

 takes the low ground between the canal and the river, and passes under the 

 Kirkstall-rt)ad, by Kirkstall Bridge, and continuing between the canal aud the river 

 leaves Kirkstall Forge to the right. At New Laiths it crosses the river, aud leaves 

 New Laiths (j range to the north. It then proceeds to near Rawden Low Mills, thence 

 on the north side of the river to near Woodhouse Grove, which it leaves on the 

 south and will cross the river and canal, and pass under Birk Hill, by a tunnel of 

 about three quarters of a mile in length. It will then run parallel to and on the 

 south side ul the canal to Shipley, where crossing the branch canal it will enter the 

 Bradford valley, and proceedin nearly a direct line to the town. The tcruunns and 

 depot at Bradford w ill be in a field on the low side of the quarry of Messrs. Couseu 

 and Thackray, and near to the works of Messrs. Haste and Sons. The length of the 

 line will beaboiit thirteen miles, and no inclination on the main line will exceed 

 twenty feet per mile. The estimated cost of laying down the railway is 400,000/., 

 exclusive of stations, depots, engines, which, figetber with all other necessary 

 machinerv, will require a further sum of 60,000/. Another important feature in the 

 report is the formation of a junction line betneon the main line and the North Mid- 

 land, which is intended to cross the turnpike-road neai Wellington Bridge, and 

 ]iassing between Messrs. Marshall and Co.'s works and the village of Holbeck, and 

 between Mr. Russell's pottery and the Toll-bar, and thence to the North Midland 

 Railway, a little south of the Leeds pottery. This junction line, about one mile and 

 three quarters in length, will enable pa-ssengers, &C. to pass on to the latter railway 

 without the iuconveuience aud expense of changing conveyance. — Bradford Observer. 



I'reslou and Longridye Railway "^'e understand that Mr. M'ilkie, the principal 



contractor upon thisline ol' railway, hascompleted his works ; and the Directors are now 

 laying the permanent rails, so that, in all probability, the railway may be opened early 

 in the summer. It is calculated that a saving of 2d. per cubic foot upon the carriage 

 of ashler stone, and Is. (id. per ton npon walling stones from Longlidge to Preston, 

 will be effected by this moans. — Preston Chronicle. 



Newcastle and North Shields Railway. — The works on the lino of the Newcastle 

 and Nortli Shields Railway are now rapidly drawing to a coiiclu.sion, and it is 

 expected that the road will be opened to the public during tlie ensuing spring. Those 

 stupendous erections, the great viaducts over the Onseburn and Willington Deans, are 

 on the point of completion, aud ai-e exciting, as uuglit be expected, the attention and 

 admiration of tlie neighbourhood and of all strangers. Two gi-auder and more bean- 

 iful erections are certainly not to be found in this kingdom. Tbe bridge over Willing- 

 ton Dean is now finisheil, and from its magnitude forms a most striking object in our 

 local scenery. It is composed of seven arches each of 120 feet span, with two massy 

 buttressess, and is in length 1050 feet. The height of the roadw ay of the main arcli 

 over the small stream which flows beneatli is seventy-eight feet. The bridge over the 

 Ousebnrn Dean w ill be finished in a very few weeks. It is composed of five arches of 

 llfi feet span, with two stone arches at each end, to throw the embankment from the 

 breast of the lull. The height of the roadway of this bridge from the bed of the Otise- 

 burn is 108 feet. It is a most magnificent structure, but its more confiued situation 

 causes it to be a less prominent object than tlmt over M'illington Dean. The pubhc 

 are daily taking more interest in this railroad, aud are eagerly anticipating the 

 increased acccmniiodation and comfort it will afford them. The distance, it is con- 

 fidently expected, will be accomplished within twenty minutes, and it is understood 

 to be the intention of the Cmoiiany to fix the rates for the conveyance of passengers 

 at as Iowa point ascii-cinostanccs will warrant. — Neivcaatk Journal. 



Tork and North Midland Jloilway, — Since our last notice of the state of the 

 works on this line, considerable advancement has been made. The men still continue 

 to be employed day and ingbt, and the excavation of the rampart is now completed. 

 In addition" to those employed in removing the earth, workmen had been busily 

 employed in pulling down the wall thai enclosed Messrs. Backhouse's garden. The 

 foundations of the walls for the company's depots, near to the river, have been laid, 

 and the bricklayers arc busied in the building of those walls. — Itoncaater Chronicle. 



The Loudon aud Brighton Raihcag. — "The works, both at Balcombe ar.d at 

 Clayton, have been stopped for several days, in consequence of the springs being out. 

 The"re arc fi-om 50 to fill feet of water in the Balcombe shaft, and from 20 to 80 feet in 

 CUayton shaft. Indeed we have heard that a very grave doubt exists wdiether the 

 fine must not be altogether diverted, to avoid these drojisical hills. A gentleman 

 was recently down from London to view and iiisiicct tbi"-c spots, who declared that 

 the symptoms were more formidable than those w Inch were the cause of so much 

 expense and delay on the Great Western line — Brighton Guardian. There is no 

 truth whatever in the report that the operations on tliis gi-and work are likely to bo 

 forniidabU impeded by the springs. It will be recollected that Mr Rastrick noticed, 

 iu bis ii-port, the water at Balcombe and Clayton, aud the mode of getting rid of it. 

 ^\ lien tlic headings are run, the ivatei- at Balcombe will fall into a brook to the south 

 of the tunnel ; that at Clayton « ill fall into the Clayton brook. Nothing can proceed 

 more satisfactorily than tlie whole of the works on the line ; and it is only from parlies 

 who are willing to cry down Brighton and its prosperity that a single word is heard 

 against them. — Brighton Gazelle. 



JJoucasler, North Molland, and Goole Railway. — We understand that the 

 project for connecting Goole, Thome, and Doncasler with the North Miiiland and 

 the Sheffield and Rotherham Railways, has been received with high prospects of 

 success. It will branch from the North Midland at Kiluluirst, and proceed through 

 or close to Doucaster, exteniUng inwaids to the port of Goole. The ]ireliniinQry 

 steps have already been taken, and the line is non being surveyed under the skilful 

 direction of Mr. Swanwick. — Uerby Reporter. 



Railway Swamped. — By an inundation of the Senne, the Brussels and Vilvorde 

 Railway is covered with water six inches deep, and the travelling is interrupted. 



