MR. MOON AND THE RAILWAY 189 



the estimates having been accepted for the con- 

 struction — being 100,000/. for the twelve and a half 

 miles — about 25,000/. cash was subscribed, besides a 

 good portion of the land required. The Marquis 

 considered that this was quite sufficient to start with, 

 and the contract was entered into with Mr. Rummens, 

 this to be divided into three portions, the first to 

 begin at Claydon, with a junction to the Bucks line. 

 Sir Harry Verney being the principal landowner for 

 nearly two miles, stipulated that the connection 

 should be called ' Verney Junction,' by which it is 

 still known. This was in 1861-62. Without any 

 fuss or show, except the consumption of a few 

 gallons of beer to the men, I cut the first sod of the 

 line on my own farm at Aylesbury, so as to make a 

 beginning, but the real work of the road was at 

 Claydon. The want of sufficient capital soon be- 

 came apparent, and it was found that the bulk of the 

 line must inevitably be made on 'paper' which 

 more or less threw the directors into the hands of 

 the contractor. The reign also at about this time 

 of the Marquis of Chandos as Chairman of the 

 London and North-Western Company came to an 

 end, and Mr. R. Moon reigned in his place. The 

 Sun of the Marquis had set, and the Moon had risen 

 in his stead. 



Before actual work had commenced, Mr. J. G. 

 Rowe, our secretary, had received an answer from 

 Mr. Stewart, the then secretary to the London and 

 North-Western Company, to his application respect- 

 ing the support to be given to the ' A and B ' by 



