276 



THE CIVIL ENGINEER AND ARCHITECT'S JOURNAL. 



[July, 



building of the station at the junction with the London and Birmingham line 

 at HanVpton-in-Arden «ill soon be completed, and no doubt exists that the 

 line may be opened to the pul)lie, for the whole distance from Derby to the 

 jimction with the London and Birmingham Railway, in the course of the en- 

 suing month. — MliUaiiil Counties Herald. 



(Irand Junction Raitwaij. The rates for the carriage of merchandise on this 

 railway were reduced on tlie 1st inst. The principal reductions are on goods 

 whicli were formerly charged \s. 6i/. and \s. 'id. per cw't. ; the former charge 

 having been reduced to Is. Srf. and the latter to Is. \hl. per cwt. The com- 

 pany are now carrying throughout between Liverpool, Manchester, and 

 London. 



Manchester and Leeds Railwai/. — An experimental trip on this line of rail- 

 way was made on Friday, 31st May, by the directors and a party of their 

 friends, consisting altogether of about sixty gentlemen, who proceeded in a 

 train from the station in Manchester to the entrance of the summit tunnel, 

 about three tjuarters of a mile beyond Littleborough. a distance of sixteen 

 miles from Manchester. The directors promised, in one of their earlier reports, 

 that this portion of the line would be completed in May, 1839; and, notwith- 

 standing many unexpected difliculties in the progress of the works, they were 

 enabled in some measure to ledeem their pledge by the above trip, made on 

 the last day of the month, although the extent of "hue travelled over will not 

 be ready for the conveyance of passengers before the beginning of July. 'I'hc 

 rails on the line are about 60 lbs. to the yard. They are laid to such a width, 

 that, in the event of the extension lines uniting, the Leeds and Liverpool and 

 Manchester Railways, at the Hunt's Bank Station, the same engines, car- 

 riages, or waggons may proceed forward ; there w ill be a space of six feet be- 

 tween the douljle line of rails. There are to be three classes of carriages, 

 which will be distingiiished by numbers instead of names. Both the first and 

 second class carriages have a wooden stage along each side the whole length 

 of the carriage, which, besides conducing to the convenience of ladies and 

 infirm passengers, will facilitate the collecting of tickets, and is likely also to 

 act as an additional security against acciilents arising from persons coming 

 in contact witli the steps ot a starting train. It is calculated that theexpence 

 of travelling in the tliird class carriages, which are open and unprovided with 

 seats, \\\]\ not exceed one penny per mile. There are several heavy works on 

 the line between Manrbes'.er and Littlebnrougli, amongst which we ma)' men- 

 tion those at Mills Hill, as an example of the difficulties which had to be 

 overcome in the construction of this portion of the line. At this point the 

 railway is carried upon its loftiest embankment, and across the river Irk, by 

 a double culvert, at a height (the rails above the surface of the water) of 65 

 feet. Tliough the length of this embankment is probably not more than a 

 quarterofamile.it is about the highest railway embankment in England, 

 Being an average of 40 feet, with a.ma.rimum height of 74 feet; yet so care- 

 fully has it been made, that we are assured it has not sunk five inches since 

 it was completed. It consists of 319.202 cubic yards of earth, of which not 

 less than 40,000 cubic yards were shifted in one mouth. We believe it exhibits 

 an example of the moving in a given time, just double the quantity of earth 

 in cubic yards, which, in parliamentary evidence, had belbre been deemed 

 barely possible. Shortly after one o'clock the train reached the entrance of 

 the summit tunnel, the present extent of the line, w here the company had an 

 opportunity of examining the stupendous works which are here being carried 

 on, and with which they expressed themselves highly gratified. After re- 

 maining nearly two hours, the party returned to Manchester, where they ar- 

 rived soon after five o'clock, much pleased « ith tlie day's excursion.— y/6nV/^crf 

 from the Manchester Guardian. 



The York and North Midland Railwai/.— On Wedncsdav, the 29th ultimo, a 

 portion of this important national and commercial undeVtaking was opened, 

 from the terminus at this city to the junction with the Leeds and .Selby Rail- 

 way, near South Milford, which forms an uninlerrupted railway communi- 

 cation between York and Leeds, and York and Selby, and the several inter- 

 mediate places. The whole line is intended to be complete(l by the time the 

 North Midland, the Leeds and Manchester, and the Great North of England 

 Railways (of which it will form the connecting link) can be opened. The 

 Fairburn and Altofis contracts, which comprise the heaviest works on the 

 ■whole line, are let to be completed in the spring of 1840; and the directors 

 state, " there is no doubt, from the well-known talents and experience of the 

 contractors (Messrs Craven and Sons, and Mr. Stephenson), that they will 

 carry on the works with all possible energy and skill, and complete their re- 

 spective undertakings in the time stipulated by the contracts." Many of our 

 readers will be aware that a tunnel has Ijcen formed into the city through the 

 walls and ramparts. It appears that the directors of the York and North 

 Midland Railway first determined to have their station for passengers outside 

 the walls. It appearing, however, to them, as well as to the directors of the 

 Great Norlh of England Railway, very desirable that the two companies 

 should have a joitit passengers' station, which was considered to be imprac- 

 ticable, except within the walls, a negotiation was entered into between the 

 parties, .and satisfactorily concluded. The station w ill be in the garden lately 

 occupied by Messrs. T. and J. Backhouse. By means of this railway, and the 

 others now in progress, a direct communication will be opened next ye r from 

 Newcastle to London ; and from a highly intluenti.al meeting lately held in 

 the former town, it is probable that very speedily the line will be carried 

 through to Edinburgh— thus forming a complete chain of railway connnu- 

 nication from the metropolis of England to the metropolis of Scotland. On 

 Monday, the rails being laid throughout to the junelion with the Leeds and 

 Selby Railway, an experimental trip was taken on the afternoon of that day, 

 when the " Y(jrk and Leeds" steamer took down a train of carriages in fine 

 style. The Lord Mayor, Sir John Simpson, Alderman Meek, and several 

 other of the directors, were of the arty in the first-class carriages ; a second 

 and two third-class carriages were filled with respeciable persons who hap- 

 pened to be on the line w hen the train started. The opening took place yes- 

 terday, for which the preparations were on the most liberal scale. A large 

 party of ladies and gentlemen were invited to breakfast in the Guildhall, at 

 eleven o'clock, and at half-past twelve a procession was formed to the station, 



preceded by a band of music. The (rain started at one o'clock, and jirocecded 

 to the junction, and on its return, the procession re-fonned, and walked, at- 

 tended by the music, to the Guildhall. At four o'clock a grand dinner w as 

 served up at the Guiklhall. The city presented an .animated appearance 

 throughout the whole day. a great number of visitors from the country 

 having arrived to witness ihis interesting scene. Not the slightest accident 

 occurred on the trip. — York Courant. 



Opening of the Ai/lesburi) Railway. — On Jfonday. June 10. the towii of Ayles- 

 bury was a scene of bustle and vivacity scarcely to be credited. Before six 

 o'clock in the morning musicians accompanied Ijv persons bearing flags, on 

 which suitable devices were injcribed. paraded the streets, after which they 

 proceeded in procession w ith the directors and their friends to the station. A 

 little after seven o'clock a train started for the temiinus at the juncdon be- 

 tween Aylesbury and the London and Birmingham line. The company having 

 expressed themselves highly pleased with the arrangements made by the di- 

 rectors for the convenience of passengers. &c., returned to Aylesbury. K>;pe- 

 rimental trips were made during the entire day, and persons residing in the 

 town and its immediate neighbourhood were conveyed gratuitously up and 

 dow n the line. The railroad itself is about seven miles and a-half in length, 

 and with the exception of the curves at either terminus it is perfectly 

 straight. At half-past four o'clock the deputation from the London .and 

 Birmingham Railway Company arrived, and proceeded down the line in com- 

 pany vvilh the Aylesbury directors. The usual formal business having 

 been gone through, the company adjourned to dinner at the White Hart Inn. 



London and Southampton Roiheaif. — A distance of twenty miles additional 

 of this railway was on Mond.ay, tiie 12tli ultimo, opened to the puldic, viz., 

 twelve miles from Southampion to Winchester at the one end, and eight 

 miles from the Wincbtield and Hartley -row station to Basingstoke at the other. 

 A party of the directors and their friends left the terminus at Nine Elms, 

 Vauxhall, at half past eleven, and arrived at the Winclifield station at about 

 five minutes to one, where a great crowd of the countr}' people awaited their 



coming, and greeted them with several rounds of hearty cheers. After a 

 short delay the train proceeded over the new ground to Basingstoke, while 

 upon every height, ancl at every place where a view could be obtained, groups 

 of anxious and admiring spectators were stationed to watch and applaud the 

 progress of the engine and its bulky train upon its maiden excursion. The 

 distance was completed in about twenty minutes. The station at Basingstoke 

 is very prettily situated upon a long line of embankment, and commands on 

 the left a fine view of that ancient town, with its venerable gothic churcit 

 peering uii in modest grandeur from amid surrounding houses ; and, on the 

 right, of the picturesque iiiins of the Holy Ghost Chapel, built in the reign of 

 Henry VIll. The town itself presented the appearance of a holiday. 'I'he 

 parly, including many ladies, spent an hour very agreeably in looking about 

 them. At about haK-past two the train sbarted on its return to Winchlield, 

 accomplishing the distance without the slightest accident or annoyance to 

 mar the pleasures of the day. An e\eg3.nt dejeuner a la fourchette was Jiro- 

 vided at a cottage in the immediate vicinity of the station, to which about 

 sixty ladies and gentlemen sat down. At seven o'clock the jiarty broke up, 

 and the train finally reached Vauxhall at ten minutes past eight. The rail- 

 way, as we have already mentioned, was also opened from Southampton to 

 AV"inchester at the s.amc time, leaving only eighteen miles, viz., the ilistance 

 from Winchester to Basingstoke, to complete the whole undertaking. These 

 remaining eighteen miles are performed by coaches in about two hours, so 

 that passengers from London to Southampton can complete the whole 

 journey within five hours. — Times. 



Gosport Junction Railway. — Already the surveyors of the Gosport Junction 

 Railroad, have commenced marking oft' the ground required for the under- 

 taking, from Bishop's Stoke to the terminus at Sjiring Gardens, near Gosport, 

 preparatory to giving notice for tendiTS to be sent in by the 1st July, for tlie 

 performance of the w orks which will be required ; thus evidencing, that the 

 company as they have promised, intend in right earnest to commence ;uid 

 finish tile above line in less than two years. — Hampshire Telegraph. 



Great Western Railway. — 'Ihe company are making rapid advances in the 

 purchase of lanil in the neighljourhood of Chippenham, and will shortly have 

 bompleted their line in that direction. The whole of the purchases in that 

 vicinity are likely to be completed wiihout the intervention of juries, the com- 

 jjany oflcring an ample compensation for injuries by severance. Sic. — Bath 

 Chronicle. It is now arranged that the opening of the line as far as Twyfbrd 

 shall take pbace in the tirst week in July, near which place a temporary sta- 

 tion-house IS in progress ; the nimiber of passengers is on the increase at pre- 

 sent, both to and from the metropolis. — Bristol Mirror. 



Glasgow, Paisley, Kilmarnock, and Ayr Railway. --The directors have deter- 

 mined to open the southern end of this line, from Ayr to Irvine, in the month 

 of July next, the permanent w ay being already laid for the gi eater part of this 

 distance, and the progress of the work on the remaining portion being such as 

 to ensure its completion within little more than a month from the present 

 time. Messrs. St,ark and Fulton, of Glasgow have two locomotive engines 

 ready to deliver on the rails in the course ot June, and two more are in pro- 

 gress of completion by Mr. Edward Bury, of Liverpool. We understand 

 the first-class passenger carriages for the present traffic are furnished 

 from an experienced maker at Lancaster, iind may be sluirtly expected at 

 Troon, and for the future supply a pattern carriage has been furnished liy a 

 first-rate London maker, and now stands at Messrs Bucb.anan and .Sons' 

 coach-work in Union Street, to which all persons who intend to compete for 

 the work will be required to adhere. The progress of the works on the dif- 

 ferent contracts along the whole line is highly satisfactory, .and no doubt is 

 entertained of the railway being in full operaticm by Midsummer. 1840. The 

 circumstances of this great undertaking being completed in so short a time 

 from the commencement of the works last summer, and being finislied lor the 

 estimated capital, is highly creditable to the engineer ; for we believe there is 

 not an example of the kind in any railway hitherto made. The Tradeston 

 contract, being the last portion of the whole, w hich terminates the line at the 

 Broomielaw, at Glasgow, has been also let, and from the nature of the w ork 



