CHAP. XIII. WALKER AND RASTRICK'S REPORT. 257 



tin* the most convenient moving power that could be 

 employed. The Stockton and Darlington Railway being 

 now at work, another deputation went down personally 

 to inspect the fixed and locomotive engines on that line, 

 as well as at Hetton and Killingworth. They returned 

 to Liverpool with milch information ; but their testimony 

 as to the relative merits of the two kinds of engines was 

 so contradictory, that the directors were as far from a 

 decision as ever. 



They then resolved to call to their aid two professional 

 engineers of high standing, who should visit the Dar4 

 lington and Newcastle railways, carefully examine both; 

 modes of working the_fixed and the locomotive, and 

 report to them fully on the subject. The gentlemen 

 selected were Mr. Walker of Limehouse, and Mr. Rast- 

 rick of Stourbridge. After carefully examining the 

 modes of working the northern railways, they made their 

 report to the directors in the spring of 1829. They 

 concurred in the opinion that the cost of an establishment 

 of fixed engines would be somewhat greater than that 

 of locomotives to do the same work ; but thought the 

 annual charge would be less if the former were adopted. 

 They calculated that the cost of moving a ton of goods 

 thirty miles by fixed engines would be 6'40c?., and by 

 locomotives, 8*36d., assuming a profitable traffic to be 

 obtained both ways. At the same time it was admitted 

 that there appeared more ground for expecting improve- 

 ments in the construction and working of locomotives 

 than of stationary engines. " On the whole, however, 

 and looking especially at the computed annual charge 

 of working the road on the two systems on a large scale, 

 Messrs. Walker and Rastrick were of opinion that fixed 

 engines were preferable, and accordingly recommended 

 their adoption to the directors." x And in order to 



1 Mr. Booth's Account, pp. 70-1. 

 While concurring with Mr. Rastrick 

 in recommending " the stationary reci- 



procating system as the best," if it was 

 the directors' intention to make the 

 line complete at once, so as to accom- 



VOL. III. S 



