The Railway Era 223 



railways serving mainly or exclusively the interests of collieries, 

 iron -works and canal navigations," was granted by Parliament 

 in 1801 for the Surrey Iron Rail-way, which established a 

 rail connection between the Thames at Wandsworth and the 

 town of Croydon, with a branch to some mills on the river 

 Wandle whose owners were the leaders in the enterprise. 

 The total length was about nine and a half miles. According 

 to the Act, the line was designed for " the advantage of 

 carrying coals, corn and all goods and merchandise to and 

 from the Metropolis." Constructed with flanged rails, or 

 " plates," fixed on stone blocks, the line was available for 

 any ordinary cart or waggon of the requisite gauge. The 

 conveyances mostly used on it were four-wheeled trucks, 

 about the size of railway contractors' waggons. They be- 

 longed either to local traders or to carriers who let them 

 out on hire, it being doubtful whether the company had any 

 rolling stock of their own. The motive power was supplied 

 by horses, mules or donkeys. Chalk, flint, fire-stone, fuller's 

 earth and agricultural produce were sent from Croydon 

 then a town of 5700 inhabitants to the Thames for con- 

 veyance to London. The return loading from the Thames 

 was mainly coal and manure. Two sets of rails were pro- 

 vided, and there was a path on each side for the men in charge 

 of the horses. 



Referring to the Surrey Iron Rail -way in his " History of 

 Private Bill Legislation," Clifford says : 



" The Act of 1 80 1, upon which the rest of this early railway 

 legislation was framed, follows the canal precedents in their 

 provision for managing the company's affairs, for raising 

 share and loan capital, and for compensating landowners. 

 Only the use of horse power was contemplated. The tracks, 

 when laid down, were meant, like canals, for general use by 

 carriers and freighters. The companies did not provide 

 rolling stock ; any person might construct carriages adapted 

 to run upon the rails, and if these carriages were approved 

 certain maximum tolls applied to the freight they might carry. 

 . . . Passenger traffic was not expected or provided for. . . . 

 Such was the first Railway Act, passed at the beginning of 

 the century with little notice by Parliament or people, but 

 now a social landmark, prominent in that stormy period of 

 history." 



