416 RAILWAY FROM CHESTER TO HOLYHEAD. CHAP. XTX. 



CHAPTER XIX. 



CHESTER AND HOLYHEAD RAILWAY MENAI AND CONWAY 

 BRIDGES. 



WE have lastly to describe briefly another great 

 undertaking, begun by George Stephenson, and taken 

 up and completed by his son, in the course of which the 

 latter carried out some of his greatest works we mean 

 the Chester and Holyhead Railway, completing the 

 railway connection with Dublin, as the Newcastle and 

 Berwick line completed the connection with Edinburgh. 

 It will thus be seen how closely Telford was followed 

 by the Stephensons in perfecting the highways of their 

 respective epochs ; the former by means of turnpike 

 roads, and the latter by means of railways. 



George Stephenson surveyed a line from Chester to 

 Holyhead in 1838, and at the same time reported on the 

 line through North Wales to Port Dynllaen, proposed 

 by the Irish Bail way Commissioners. His advice was 

 strongly in favour of adopting the line to Holyhead, 

 as less costly and presenting better gradients. A public 

 meeting was held at Chester, in January, 1839, in 

 support of the latter measure, at which the Marquis of 

 Westminster, Mr. Wilbraham, and other influential 

 gentlemen, were present. Mr. Uniacke, the Mayor, 

 in opening the proceedings, observed, that it clearly 

 appeared that the rival line through Shrewsbury was 

 quite impracticable. Mr. Stephenson, he added, was 

 present in the room, ready to answer any questions 

 which might be put to him on the subject; and 

 " it would be better that he should be asked questions 

 than required to make a speech ; for, though a very 



