294 OPPOSITION TO EAILWAYS. CHAP. XIV. 



way accommodation, and a special branch was con- 

 structed for them. The additional cost involved by this 

 forced deviation of the line could not have amounted to 

 less than half a million sterling ; the loss falling, not upon 

 the shareholders only, but mainly upon the public. 



Other towns in the south followed the example of 

 Northampton in howling down the railways. Thus, 

 when it was proposed to carry a line through Kent, by 

 the populous county town of Maidstone, a public meeting 

 was held to oppose the project, and the railway had not 

 a single supporter amongst the townspeople. When at 

 length formed through Kent, it passed Maidstone at a 

 distance ; but in a few years the Maidstone burgesses, 

 like those of Northampton, became clamorous for a 

 railway ; and a branch was formed for their accommo- 

 dation. Again, in a few years, they complained that 

 the route was circuitous, as they had compelled it to be ; 

 consequently another and shorter line was formed, to 

 bring Maidstone into more direct communication with 

 the metropolis ; and it is expected that even a third line 

 to the same place will shortly be under construction ! 

 In like manner the London and Bristol (afterwards the 

 Great Western) Railway was vehemently opposed by 

 the people of the towns through .which the line was 

 projected to pass ; and when the bill was thrown out by 

 the Lords after 30,000/. had been expended by the 

 promoters the inhabitants of Eton assembled, under 

 the presidency of the Marquis of Chandos, to rejoice 

 and congratulate themselves and the country on the 

 defeat of the measure. Eton, however, has now the 

 convenience of two railways to the metropolis. 



During the time that the works of the Liverpool 

 and Manchester line were in progress, our engineer was 

 consulted respecting a short railway proposed to be 

 formed between Leicester and Swannington, for the 

 purpose of opening up a communication between the 

 town of Leicester and the coal-fields in the western part 



