AYLESBURY RAILWAY 193 



a poor struggling line. We were all greatly pleased 

 that our efforts had been crowned with success, but 

 the traffic had to be obtained and developed. In 

 this we were thwarted by obstacles created by the 

 London and North-Western at every one of their 

 stations. As an instance, passengers from Oxford, 

 Banbury, Buckingham, or Bicester, who wished to 

 go to Aylesbury, were carried past our junction 

 at Verney to Bletchley, nine miles, then to 

 Leighton Buzzard, seven, to Cheddington five, and 

 finishing another seven miles at Aylesbury, making 

 altogether twenty-eight miles with two changes, 

 when they could have travelled via Verney on the 

 'A and B ' rail without change for twelve miles; and 

 this was done, notwithstanding every attempt being 

 made by us at all seven stations, to show the advantages 

 of the new route. I found on inspection that these 

 placards were hidden behind doors and other notices 

 put over them. Coal traffic was diverted for thirty 

 miles after passing Verney junction, and sent to 

 Oxford on to the Great Western broad gauge line. 

 The rates per ton per mile of coal were charged 

 4</. per ton if brought by ' A and B,' and only \d. per 

 mile by Great Western Railway ; thus, for seven 

 miles to Princes Risbro' 2s. ^d. per ton was charged 

 which could be sent by other lines for yd. 



Shordy after our Bill had been first obtained in 

 1862, Mr. Brydone, Mr. Rummens, and myself busied 

 ourselves with an improved approach to London, 

 going carefully over the country, through Wendover, 

 Missenden, Amersham to Rickmersworth, Watford 



