3 8 Book of Engineering 



unsuspected presence of a spring. The 

 small spring can be diverted, if not drained, 

 but there are many instances in which all 

 calculations have been upset, lives lost or 

 endangered, and huge losses sustained 

 through an aggressive spring. Even when 

 it has been conquered, and the tunnel 

 made, it is by no means certain that trouble 

 will not be constant as long as the tunnel 

 lasts. In such cases expensive pumping 

 machinery will have to be installed whilst 

 the wages and upkeep of the plant will 

 run to thousands a year. 



Stephenson, when engaged upon the 

 survey of the London and Birmingham 

 railway, the first of our great trunk lines, 

 planned its course to take in Northampton, 

 incidentally avoiding a good many cuttings 

 and a tunnel to get through a range of foot- 

 hills. 



Unfortunately for Stephenson and for 

 Northampton as it turned out intense 

 opposition was encountered from the land- 

 owners round that town. They did not 

 want the railway and preferred to be served 



