"•SW'' 



THE CIVIL ENGINEER AND ARCHITECTS JOURNAL. 



[March, 



struck by the circumstance, that almost all the continental railways have 

 beea formed upon the 4 ft. 8J in., gauge, the greater number having been 

 aadertaken, after a long experieuce of bolh the broad and narrow gauge in 

 this country ; nor must the fact be lost sight of, that some of these railways 

 hive been constructed as well as planned by Knglish engineers, and 

 amongst that number we find Mr. Brunei, the original projecter of the 

 uroad gauge. Mr. Brunei was also theengiueer of the JlerthyrTydvil and 

 Cardiff Line, wliiuh is on tlie 4 ft. 85 in. gauge ; and we think that the mo- 

 tives wliich led to his adoption of the narrow gauge in that instance would 

 equally apply to many English lines. 



We are sensible of the importance, in ordinary circumstances, of leav- 

 isg commercial enterprise as well as the genius of scientific men un- 

 fettered ; we therefore feel tliat the restnclion of the gauge is a measure 

 ihat should not be lightly entertained; and we are willing to admit, were 

 it not for the great evil that must inevitably be experienced when lines of 

 unequal gauges come into contact, that varying gradients, curves, and 

 traffic might justify some difference in the breadth of gauge. This appears 

 to be ihe view which Jlr. Brunei originally took of the subject; for the 

 Great Western proper is a line of unusual good gradien:s, on which a 

 larger passenger Iraflic was anticipated, and as it touched but sliglilly on 

 any mineral district, it embraced all the conveniences and advantages of 

 the broad gauge system, and was comparatively free from the influence of 

 those defects on which we have commented ; but such a breadth of gauge, 

 however suitable and applicable it may have originally been considered to 

 its particular district, appears wholly inapplicable, or at least very ill 

 suited to the requirements of many of our Northern and Midland lines. 



In references to the branches already in connexion with the Great 

 Western Railway, we may observe, that the greatest average train on the 

 Oxford branch, for two weeks in July and October, was only 43 tons; on 

 the Cheltenham branch, it did not exceed 4G ; between Bristol and Exeter, 

 53; and between Swindon and Bristol, it was under 60 tons. With such 

 a limited traffic the power of the broad gauge engine seems beyond the 

 requirements of these districts. 



Expense of Altering Broad to Narrow Gauge. — We find from an 

 estimate furnished to us, and the general grounds of which we see no reason 

 to dispute, and the expense of altering the existing broad gauge to narrow 

 gauge lines, including the alteration or substitution of locomotives, and 

 carrying stocks, would not much exceed l,00O,OO0i. ; yet we neither feel 

 that we can recommend the Legislature to sanction such an expense from 

 the public monies, nor do we think that the companies to which the broad 

 ^auge railways belong can be called upon to incur such an expense them- 

 selves (having made all their works with the authority of Parliament), nor 

 even the more limited expense of laying down intermediate rails for 

 narrow gauge traffic. Still less can we propose, for any advantage that 

 lias been suggested, the alteration of the whole of the railways of Great 

 Sritain with their carrying stocks and engines, to some intermediate gauge. 

 The outlay in this case would be very mucli more considerable than the 

 sum above mentioned ; and the evil, inconvenience, and danger to the 

 traveller, and the interruption to the whole traffic of the country for a con- 

 siderable period, and almost at one and the same time, would be such that 

 £his change cannot be seriously entertained. 



Guided by the foregoing considerations, we most dutifully submit to 

 jour Majesty the following recommendations : — 



1. That the gauge of 4 ft. 8J in. be declared by the Legislature to be the 

 gauge to be used in all public railways now under construction, or hereafter 

 to be constructed , in Great Britain. 



2. That unless by the consent of the Legislature, it should not be permitted 

 to the directors of any railu-ay company to alter the gauge of such railway. 



3. That in order to complete the general chain •/ narrow gauge commu- 

 nication from the north of England to the southern coast, any suitable 

 measure should be promoted to form a narrow gauge link from Oxford to 

 Jieading, and thence to Basingstoke, or by any shorter route connecting the 

 proposed Rugby and Oxford line with the South Western Railway. 



4. That as any junction to be formed with a broad gauge line would involve 

 a break of gauge, provided our first recommendation be adopted, great com- 

 mercial convenience ti-ould be obtained by reducing the gauge of the present 

 broad gauge lines to the narrow gauge of 4 feet 8^ inches, and we, therefore, 

 think it desirable that some equitable meant should be found of producing 

 such entire uniformity of gauge, or of adopting such other course as would 

 admit of the narrow gauge carriages passing, without interruption or danger, 

 along the broad gauge lines. 



(Signed; J. M. Frederic Smith, (L.S.) 



Lieut.-Col. Rojal Engineers. 

 G. B. AiRV, Astronomer Royal. (L.S.) 



Peter Barlow. (L.S.) 



Broad and Narrow Gauges C 



Rtturn of Railways furnished by the Board of Trade, 1845. 



RAILWAYS 



% Completed ,. •• .. 



SaDCtioned In 1844 



?a»Bed the House of Common*, Seaslona 1845 

 and seem likely to tM aanctioued in Ses- 

 sion 1S46 



Total leagth ., 



Narrow Gau^e, 



4 ft. HJin. 



miles. 



ISOl 



6024 



Broad Gaage, 



7 feel. 



miles. 



2/4 



63 



K2S 

 4,131*^ 



Irish Gaii^, 



5 ft. 3 in. 



miles. 



tl9 



983J 



The Broad Gauge includes the Great Western, Cheltenham branch, Ox- 

 ford branch, Bristol and Exeter, and the Bristol and Gloucester completed. 

 The South Devon now progressing, and the Bristol and Exeter branches, 

 Cornwall, Exeter, Crediton, South Wales, Wilts and Somerset, now in 

 parliament. 



The Narrow Gauge includes 32 miles of the Arbroath and Forfar and 

 Dundee and Arbroath Railway, Oft. 2 in. gauge to be altered to 4 ft. SJin., 

 and the Irish gauge is confined to .-ailways m Ireland. 

 Table exhibiting the Expenditure of the Great Western and London and 

 Birmingham Itailwaysfor Locomotive Engines, Carriages, and Magons, 

 from the commencement of the traffic to the present time ; also the Re- 

 venue Returns of each for the last two years, and the Expense of Loco- 

 motive Power, as deduced from the Half-yearly Reports of each Com- 

 pany. 



Great Western.— Total cost of locomotive engines, lenders, carriages, ^ a. d. 



and wagons, to SOth of June, 1845 .. .. .. 622,0;8 12 



London and Birmingham. — Total cost of locomotive engines, teodera, 

 carriages, and wugoos. to ^Otb June, 1-4^ .. .. .. 4M,403 6 



These sums are exclusive of the cliji^ci for locomotive, carriage, 

 and wagon repairs, includ«d in tlie half-yearly accounts. These 

 latter have amounted in thi- 3;i-st '^o yara to — 

 Great Western.— From 1st July, Ic-!". to :; itii .luiie, IW5 .. .^«,932 17 



London and Birmingham. — From 1st J J0> is4^i to ayth June, I;v45 67,578 3 



The cost of locomotive power, incluiiiiig repairs of locomotive en- 

 gines, coal, coke, wages, and all incidental charges, have 

 amounted in the same period to — 

 Great Western— From 1st of July, lti4.!, to 30th of June. 1844 .. 155,902 3 



London and Birmingham — From 1st of July, 1843, to 30th of June, 



1^45 .. .. .. .. .. .. 146,172 3 



The revenue for the same two years, for the carriage of passeagers, 

 mails, goods, &c. — 

 Great Western.— From Istof July, 1343, to 30th of June, 1845 .. 1,617,995 8 

 London and Birmingham.- From 1st of July, 1843, to 30th June, 

 1845 .. .. .. .. .. 1,735,795 14 3 



The total mileage of every passenger for the last two yean 

 amounts to — 

 Great Western.— Total mileage from 1st of July, 1?43, to SOth of 

 June, 1845 .. .. .. .. .. 128,524,232 



London and Birmingham,— Total mileage from lit of July 1M3, 

 toSOthof June, 1845 .. .. .. .. 121,529,606 



Ratio of coat of engine and carriage plant 

 Ratio of repairs of engine for 2 years 

 Batio of cost of locomotive power for 2 year» 

 Ratio o( passengers' mileage for 2 years 

 Ratio of total passengers* revenues for 2 years 



Great Western and London and Birmingham. 



to 763 

 1 to 1031 

 I to -Oit 

 I to -9-15 

 1 to -low 



During the periods which these returns embrace, the lengths of line 

 worked by the Great AVestern have varied by the opening of diflferent lines 

 and branches ; but from the SOth of December, 1S44, to June SOth. 1845, 

 the number of miles worked have been constant, viz., 222 miles. The 

 length worked by the London and Birmingham has also becnj constant 

 during the same period, and Mr. Creed in his evidence states (excluding 

 the branches) that the distances worked was 113 miles, and the revenue 

 and mileage on this length, that is still excluding the branches, he gives aa 

 below. 



Similar statements are given in the appendix of the rerenne, mileage, 

 6cc., on the Great Western for a like period ; from which we have the fol- 

 lowing comparisons : — 



MUea. 

 Great Western, length of line worked .. .. .. ,. 223 



London and Birmingham, length of line worked .. .. ,, 113 



Great Western, total passengers* mileage .. .. .. .. 35,967,713 



London and Birmingham, total passengers* mileage .. .. ,. 3^,758,260 



Great Western, miles run by passent'er trains .. ., , 761,-1^ 



Lrfjndon and Birmingham, miles run by passenger trains .. ., 4.'>6,529 



Great Western, average number of passengers per trains .. .. 47'2 



London and Birmingham, average number of passengers per trains .. H4'9 



Great Western, average passengers' revenue per trains per mile .. i's. 



London and Birmingham, average passengers* revenue per trains per mile .. 14s. 9d. 



Improvement of the Severn. — The River Severn, which is subject to 



alternate floods and droughts, has. during the last two years, been greatly improved by 

 dredging, and by the erection of gigantic weirs andlo-.ks. These works are now completed 

 from Bewdley to Worcester, a distance of seventeen miles, and from Worcester to Glou- 

 cester the river is being deepened by dredging and closer enbankment, the Sever* Act 

 limiting the erection of weirs within the county of Worcester. By the operation of 

 dredging, long rocky shoals have been entirely removed. The hardest rtx-ks are first 

 blasted under water.and, therefore, easily removed by the dredging machines. L'pwardi 

 of 200.01J0 tons of marl, rock, gravel, and soil have already been raised from the bed of the 

 Severn by Messrs. Grissell and Peto's dredging machine alone, besides what has beea 

 removed by another contractor. At Gloucester it has been necessary to remove the entire 

 foundation of one of the piers of the old bridge, and in tha course of this operation some 

 curioBS relics of ancient coins have been discovered. 



- Sheebness. — The whole of the guns for the old fortifications have novr 

 arrived from Woolwich. They are t^3 in number, and are of the following description: — 

 4 eight-inch guns, 9fl cwt. each, II feet long; 29 eight-inch guns, f^6 cwt. each, 9 feet 

 long; 20 t>4.incb guns, .^>t> cwt. each, 9 ft. in. long; and 4 6^ inch guns, 32 CA-t.eacb, 

 6 ft. 6 in. long. The workmen now await the arrival of the carriages and platforms from 

 Woolwich ; tlie masonry- on which they are to rest is all ready to be laid down. The 

 guns are to be placed as follows: — 20 on the Halfmoon Battery at the Point, 13 on the 

 AdmiraFs platform overlooking the said battery, and the remaining 30 along the works 

 protecting the barracks. The new works progress rapidly ; the battery forming opposite 

 the dockyard gate is now carried to the height of the platform ; its further progress has, 

 however, been deferred till the formation of the deep ditch by which it is to be protected, 

 and on which all the workmen are now concentrated, ^\'ooden protiles are now up for 

 another battery, with which this is to be connected by a musketry wall, while to the east- 

 ward it will be continued into the bastions extending from the Thames to the Aledway. 



