396 



THE CIVIL ENGINEER AND ARCHITECTS JOURNAL. 



[October, 



V«^B?'3nX9WBro?>S5B 



till' River Dl'i' Navigaliun Innnuvcmcnl C'oiiiniiUcc, to inspect Messrs. Ste- 

 vensiin's pUuis, :in<l also to hear the remarks of Mr. Scoti Russell on the 

 sobjeet. tlie Mayor, John UniaeUe, l'',si|., who presided, explained tlie slops 

 which had lieen'taken liy the eoniinittee apponitcd by the meeting: held in 

 December last, whose report, with that prepared by Mes.srs. Stevenson, civil 

 engineers. ofKdiiibnyh, woulil be snbmittej to the meeliiiy. The citizens of 

 Chester, lie observed, entertained no hostile feeling to tlie River Dee Com- 

 iiaiiy, but lie thought the latter were boond to fulfil the engagements they 

 Iiad'entered into when they obtained lh;ir bill, a century ago, to keep six- 

 teen feci of watir in tlie river at moderate .spring tides, or forfeit iho tenure 

 of their oecupancy. If the citizens of Chester (■':iM not get the redress they 

 sought, their only course would be to demand it at the hands of parliament. 



The rejiorts in ipicstion were then read, by which it appeareil, altera care- 

 ful survey, that the estimated e.Npeuse of improving the navigatioia of the 

 River Dee. from Chester to Flint, and of obtaining sixteen feet at high water, 

 of ordinary spring tides up to Ciiester, was as follows : — 



£ X. (f. 



For improving the turn at tlie Cheese House. . . . 350 



For forming rubble laccw alls at tlie first and second turns 



below the Cheese House 1,527 15 



For extending the stone causeway from the Lower Barrel 

 Perch to the Pentre Rock, including perches or beacons 11,301 15 



For a steam dredge, with apparatus and jumts, and for 

 dredging the bed of the river, .so as to obtain sixteen 

 feet at high water of ordinary spring tides . . 0,458 IS 



Incidents on 22,641/. 85., at 10 per cent .... 2,264 2 9 



Total 



i24,905 10 9 



Mr. J. iS. Russell, of Glasgow, afterwards addressed the meeting, contending 

 that a simple practical pi n of improvement wss now proposed to the inhabi- 

 tants of Chester, which would repay tliem in a few years, by the increase of 

 dues, for the money they had expended, v hen they might proceed still fuither 

 with tlicii' improvements, and deepen the river from sixteen to twenty feet. 

 On the motion of Dr. Thackeray, seconded by 1'',. .S. Walker, Esq., the report 

 of the Messrs. .Stevenson v\as aclopled. W. 11. Brown, Esi|., said he had been 

 authorized to state to the meeting, that the River Dee Company woidd give 

 their fullest consideration and aid to any delinite \\'ell-considered plan for the 

 improvement of the river; they had consuiie,^ .pnie of the most eminent 

 engineers on the subject, many of whom eonsideij . the di'cdging scheme as 

 quite problematical ; but still the company were quite willing to aid the 

 committee in making a trial of it, and for that purpose tliey had agreed to 

 give 200/. towards furnishing a dredging machine and v. orking it near the 

 bends of the river. Mr. Stephenson ana Mr. Russel remarked that no per- 

 manent good cflect could be produced at the bends of the river by dredging, 

 until the walls named in the report were made. W. Wardell, Esc^., after- 

 w arils addressed the meeting, e.\pressing a hope that the River Dee Company 

 would go liand in hand with the meeting in carrying out the improvements 

 suggested. 



PROGRESS OF RAIIi-WAVS. 



Lancaster and Preston linitioaif. and U'ljre RnVwatj. — The operations on both 

 these lines of railway are now proceeding with all possible activity. On the 

 Lancaster line, the viaducts, IvC. required for carrying the line to a ter- 

 minus, in this town, are in a state of considerable forwardness. The works 

 on the Wyre line are also beginning to assume a business-like appearance at 

 this end of the line, and a large skew bridge crossing Ashton-lane, promises 

 to be a very elegtmt structure. We are informed by a gentleman much in- 

 terc'ited in the railway operations of this neighbourliood, that the lines will 

 probably open simultaneously; but it is fully expected that the Lancaster 

 line will be ready for opening in June next. Al Fleetwood, the buildings 

 are going on with great spirit. An hotel, on a very exti nsive and splendid 

 scale, is on the eve of being erected. Greater enterprise has been lately 

 exhibited in the progress of the Wyre railway, and other erections connected 

 with it, than has been the case at any previous period. — Preston Chronicle. 



Chester and Crewe and Bsrhenhead Ittttlwai/s. — "We think our friends wlio 

 liave not lately visited the two railways in course of construction in the 

 vicinity of this city, woidd be much gratilied by an inspection of the works, 

 which are progressing with great rapidity. M'e won d especially recom- 

 mend to their notice the railway at L'pton, and tlie aqueduct under the 

 canal at Christleton, through which the Chesicr and Crewe railway is to 

 pass. The inverted arch, w hicli is to bear the weight of one-half, is now 

 finished, ^^'e understand the canal ivill be turned from its present tem- 

 porary course, and How over the acqueduct in two or three months. The 

 foundation of the Tarvin Road bridge is being laid, and the double line of 

 jiermanent rails between that place and Chester give a very finished appear- 

 ance to that portion of the line. — Chester Gazette. 



Tlie Midland Counties Raihmij Companii have very wisely instituted a 

 third-class train of carriages, by which ptissengers are conveyed, morning 

 ' and evening, between Derby and Nottingham, fer a shilling each. We hear 

 also tliat last week an arrangement commenced, by which passengers from 

 Birmingham and Derby can reach Nottingham in time for the coaches to 

 Lincoln and Hull. 



(ihrsgoiv. Paislei/. and Oreenoe/c liailuHii/. — Last month the directors of this 

 railway made their quarterly inspection of the works; — In Glasgow, on 

 what is called the Joint Line, the piers of the arches are springing up in 

 every direction ; and although so lately commenced, the works are Hell for- 

 ward. Most of the masonry between Glasgow and Paisley is completed, 

 and the line is almost entire. Several miles of the jiermanent rails are now 

 laying, and in a month or two the cutting at Arkleston will be the only part 

 ualiiiished. The tunnel there is being bricked, and will be ready, we unJler- 



.stand, in January. In I'aislry, the masonry, h liieh is of the most iinpiwing 

 kind, is likely to be finished this year. From Paisley to the river Gryfe 

 the railway is in a very advanced state; and thence, over the entire Bishop - 

 ton contract, the rapid advance made during the last three months appears 

 wonderful, when the nature of tlie material is taken into account. The 

 tunnels especially are pushed forward with great energy and detirmination, 

 and their position is in pleasing contrast with tiie popular predictions of 

 .six months luick. The West Ferry cutting is llnished, and presents a splen- 

 did vista of jierpendicular rocks. About 45,000 yards of whin rock have 

 belli excavated here, at Uie expence of nearly lli0,000 lbs. of gunpowder. 

 — Greenock Adicrtiscr. 



York and North Midland Itailwaii. — 'llie laying of the second line of rails is 

 proceeding with rapidity, and will be completed from this city (York) to 

 the junction in about four months. The other works from Millbrd to Altofts 

 are progressing very favourably, and no doubt exists that the contractors 

 will have completed their respective contracts in March next. — Vorks/iire 

 Gazette. 



Stockport Viadiirl. — M'e mentioned a month ago that "six :irclies of this 

 stupendous undertaking had been turned and completed ; since then another 

 of the large arches (63ft. .span) has lieen turned, and the piers lor three 

 others are nearly ready to receive the framing of the centres, so that seven 

 arches, two of the small and live of the large, are so far completed as now 

 to assume a feature from which the public may gather some idea of the ex- 

 traordinary magnitude of tlie undertaking. Ilie greatest praise is due to 

 the contractors for the alacrity with which the work has proceeded; and 

 judging from present appearances, we might venture to predict that all the 

 ten arches on the Lancashire side of the river w ill be completed in the 

 couise of the present year. This is a most extraordinary instance of de- 

 spatch even equal to railw;iy speed, when it is told that lliey were com- 

 menced in March last, tluit eight of them are C3 ft. spin, mid five of them 

 73 ft. above the surface of the earth to the under .side of the arch, and that 

 each will consume 140.000 bricks and 3,500 feet of timber. 



South Eastern Unilieai/. (Godstmie, Surrei/). — The line of the South Eastern 

 Railway is now being set out through this parish and neighbourhood, and 

 active operations are expected to commence in a few weeks. — Sitsscd- E.i-2iresSj 

 Septemln'r 2\st. 



Birmingham and Dcrhij Junction Sailiva?/. — Engineer's report at the las 

 half-yeaii-ly Meeting liel'd on the 29lli ot' August. Dkau riiu. — Agreeably 

 with your instructions, I have to submit to you the following brief remarks 

 on the present state of the works. 



The doulile line of the permanent way is laid and ballasted the whole 

 distance, with the e.\cepiion of about a mile near Derby, which, I expect, 

 will be completed in the month of October. Tiie recent unusually heavy 

 rains, which delayed the opening of the line for several weeks, caused a 

 general subsidence in the newly-formed embankments, and have required 

 great exertions on the part of the contractors to maintain the permanent 

 way in good order. No interniption to the traffic has. however, occurred 

 from this source, and 1 anticipate, in consequence of the rapid consolidation 

 of the embankments, some reductiun in the repairs during the coming winter. 



Excepting on the part of the line near Derijy before mentioned, little re- 

 mains to be done by the contractors in completing the line besides soiling 

 the slopes and similar works, and the progress making, will, I expect, enable 

 me to bring nearly the wliole , f their accounts to a close in the course of a 

 few weeks. The necessary arrangements for commencing the conveyance of 

 goods between Birmingham and Derby will be made by the cud of Sep- 

 tember. 



The stations at Burton and Hampton will be completed in the course of 

 the ensuing month ; and, in the mean time, the nature of the tratlic at the 

 intermediate temporary stations will best point out the extent of accoinmo- 

 dation to be there permanently provided. Eight locomotive engines have 

 now been receive-l. and four are in the course of delivery. 



A considerable number of coaches liave been placed upon the line, and in 

 a few weeks more, a stock of carriages will be ready sufficient for the re- 

 quirements of every kind of traltie at present contemplated. From a careful 

 revisal of the state of the works, with a view to a final .settlement of the 

 contractors" accounts, i have every reason to believe that the total expense, 

 under that head, will not exceed the amount of my last estimate. 



1 am. dear sir. 



Yours, respectfully, 



JOH.N C. BlUKIXSUAW, 



Henry .Smith, Esq. Resident Engineer. 



MANCHESTER AND BIRMINGHAiM RAILWAY. 



ExGINIiER's Re- PORT to thc Board of Directors read at the last Half-yearly 

 JMeeting, held on 5th of September. 



Gentlemen. — I beg to present thc following Report on the rate of progress of 

 the works under contract during thc last half-year : 



No. 1, or Fairjield Street Contract. — The heaviest work on this contract is tlio 

 cast iron oblique bridge (of 128 feet 9 inches span) over Fairfield Street. The 

 masonry of one abutment is in a forward state, and thc rate of progress is such 

 as to insure both being ready for the erection of thc arch by the middle of 

 next month, when the castings are expected to be ready, and thc founder has un- 

 dertaken to have thc iron work erected at the end of this year. The other part 

 of this contract consists of arches of brickwork of 45 feet span, of which only 

 live remain to be turned, and the piers and centres are ready. 1 entertain no 

 doubt of this contract being completed within the specified time. 



No. 2, or Chancer 1/ Lane Contract y — Docs not comprehend any work ilcnianding 

 extraordinary exertions. All the piers and abutments are built, and the imposts 

 ready for tlie arches. The arches are of 30 feet span, and sixteen only remain 

 to be turned, which will bo accomplished in six weeks, A portion of the parapet 

 is built, and the rate of progress in each department is consistent with the con- 

 tract being completed within thc specified period. 



No. 3, or High Road Contract, — Chiefly consists of lifty-two arches of 36 feet 

 span, sixtccngf which arc turned. Of the remainder, four have tlie centres 



