The Sun.
London, England, 1847-01-04 00:00:00

RAILWAY INTELLIGENCE.

TURNING THE FIRST TURF OF THE N_ ORTH
E
WESTERN BY LORD MORP T 1
le.
This event took place on Thursday, a
miles from Settle. The North-Western
ntR Cla
ett
Railway
two
two objects. It is intended to connect_ theorkshire by a near
manufacturingahas
two a
districts of the West Riding of
route with Glasgow and the west Y
dofoScoatnladnde
a,
sailnyd alsoto
afford to those districtsa
west
us
acces-
sible shipping port emstmenoaist, at the entrance of
Morecambe Bay. ° n the
The length of the line is sixty-one
miles, including bromthinaittsbroafncthhee df
branches. It
Extensionmmenc
Railway,
commences at
Skipton,and at
the te ion
proceedst by Gargrave, Settle, Ingleton, to
Kirkby Lonsdale. course is thence by the east of the
Lune to Sedbergh, ands thence towards Borrow-bridge,
at a short distance from which place it crosses the Lune
by a large viaduct, and joins the Lancaster and Carlisle
line. At a point near Wennington, a branch diverges
through Wray, Hornby, and Caton, to Lancaster, which
is expected to become the great shipping port for the
West Riding. With the North- Western Railway an
amalgamation has been effected, by Act of Parliament,
with the Morecambe Bay Harbour and Railway Com-
pany. The difficulties of the navigation of the Lune, it
is well known, led to the construction of the dock at
Glasson many years ago; but commodious as that
dock is, access to it is found very difficult at certain
times, and great delay, as well as danger, are often in-
curred. It is proposed to make a dock at Poulton Ring, at
the embouchure of the bay, which Government Commission-
ers have"pronounced to be the most favourable place fur a
harbour to be found, perhaps, on the English coast, and
a railway of four miles in extent will communicate with
the North-Western at Lancaster. The inhabitants of
the West Riding will thus be put in possession, not only
of railway facilities between the different parts of this
kingdom, but the means of export to foreign countries
will be afforded superior to any which they now enjoy.
A glance at the map will show at once that the North-
Western is a very well chosen line, and in addition to
the advantages it offers as a part of a trunk line, it gives
to a large and important district, to the grazing district
of Craven in particular, the privilege of a railway, from
which it has hitherto been quite shut out.
Thursday last (says the Kendal Mercury) was the day
fixed upon for the commencement of the works, and as
Lord Morpeth had consented to act on the occasion,
great interest was excited. Half-past twelve o'clock was
the hour named, and on our arrival at Settle, about that
time, we found the little town in a stir unequalled, we
apprehend, on any previous occasion whatever. A long
length of carriages and horsemen, extending almost from
one extremetity of it to the other, and headed by banners
and a band of music, betokened that some event was
about to take place of extraordinary and absorbing
interest.
The procession shortly began to move in slow array,
Lord Morpeth being in the first carriage, accompanied
by his host, Mr. Birkbeck, and other gentlemen. Among
the private carriages we observed those of Pudsey Daw-
son, Esq., Hornby, ex-High Sheriff; Henry Alcock,
Esq., Airville, near Skipton ; Charles Ingleby, Esq.,
Austwick ; Robert Ingleby, Esq , Lawkland Green ;
G. Hartley, Esq., Settle, &c. There were sixteen car-
riages, besides humbler vehicles, and horsemen and
pedestrians beyond count.
The cavalcade moved slowly on, amid the occasional
cheers of a large body of "navvies," who formed a conspi-
cuous part of the procession, to the scene of action, a
field belonging to the Rev. J. Swales. A large booth
had been erected on the field, which was filled with
ladies, and those who composed the procession formed
in circle on the ground, either in their carriages or on
foot as they chose. The scene was at this moment truly
imposing, A spot could not have been selected more
happily adapted for the purpose. The beautiful pano-
rama which the hills presented gave a native charm to
the scene, and an assemblage of between 2,000 and
3,000 anxious and happy spectators imparted an air of
animation which no one who witnessed it will forget.
The arrangements being duly made, which was a
matter of no small difficulty with so vast a concourse,
though they were managed with a skilfulness that was
most creditable to those who had the conducting of the
ceremonial, Mr. Vignoles, the engineer-in-chief, came
forward and presented to Mr. Dawson the silver spade—
s most elegant implement, inscribed with the arms of
the company, as well as with the record of the date of
the auspicious event, in honour of which it was manu-
factured. Mr. Dawson then handed it to Lord Morpeth,
with a suitable address, and as "soon as that nobleman
had received it, the Vicar of Giggleswick, the Rev. R.
Ingram, stepped forward, at the request of the chairman,
and invoked in the most solemn and appropriate strain,
the blessing and help of the Almighty on the great work
they were about to commence. His Lordship then doffed
his coat, in the true navvy style, and pulled out of his
breast a veritable worsted navvy's cap, which he put
upon his head amid the most vociferous plaudits of the
assemblage, the navvies 'themselves, who stood around
with their implements, being apparently the most inte-
rested spectators in the scene, and addressed himself to
his work. His Lordship, it must be confessed, did not
seem much used to dig, and the efforts that he made to
cut the stubborn soil, provoked the loudest peals
of laughter. His Lordship enjoyed the fun as much
as the merriest of those who watched him in his un-
wonted labour ; and after a short time the mahogany
wheelbarrow, a most beautifully designed and well-
made little vehicle, was filled, and wheeled along the
narrow planks to the end of them, where it was
" tipped." His Lordship resumed his proper habili-
ment, amid greetings more hearty than we almost ever
remember before to have heard, and then proceeded to
address the company.
Lord MORPETII said—l am afraid the Craven sods
have been a little too hard, from the recent frost, for use
to acquit myself like an experienced navvy. Nevertheless
I trust that this may be an auspicious beginning of that
great andertaking to celebrate which we have met here
to-day.—(Cheers,) It is a work which belongs to the
energy and enterprise of the times in which we live.
Formerly it was thought a very great thing that rail-
ways were made to connect the largest towns in the
country. It was thought a great thing when a railway
was made between Liverpool and Manchester. Next
people proposed the uniting of the capital itself with
other great towns, such as Birmingham and Bristol.
As people's enterprise crept on, it began to be thought
an easy matter to conduct a railway along levels
and by the side of rivers. But we, gentlemen,
under the skill and enterprise of our able engineer,
Mr. Vignoles, are able to accomplish still greater feats
than these. We mean to carry our railway fearlessly
along the upland pastures of Craven. We do not mean
to creep sluggishly by the side of every river, but boldly
to cross them transversely, and drive our line over the
Aire, the Ribble, and the Lune.—(Cheers.) We are
not afraid of driving our line under the giant shadow of
Ingleborough itself.—(Great cheering.) Enterprise de-
serves success, and I have no doubt that the success we
deserve will crown the enterprise of the North-Western
Railway Company. It seems, indeed, that since our
undertaking was set on foot, another railway of great
pretensions has taken that same name.—(Laughter.) So
happy did they deem the name of the North-Western,
that by that name they have christened the long line of
railway which stretches from London to Lancaster.
Well, as they have usurped our name, I think they
ought at least to guarantee us their dividend.—(Cheers
and laughter.) However, I believe we shall want no
dividends but our own, for it seems to me that the cir-
cumstances and features of this railway are all of the
most promising character. lam told that there is a po-
pulation amounting to two or three millions in the centre
counties of England to whom this railway will be a
saving, if they wish to get to the great town of Glasgow
and the western districts of Scotland, of 25 miles.—
(Hear.) lam told likewise that from London itself to
Glasgow this railway will afford a saving of 12 miles.
It gives me therefore satisfaction to think this, our own
true and genuine North-Western—(Hear)—will give all
the vast manufacturing p.spulation of that West Riding
of Yorkshire, in which I feel so closely and grate-
fully interested, a ready and convenient access at all
times to the district of the lakes and all the romantic
scenery of that part of England.—(Cheers.) Most
glad shall I be if those hard-working toil-worn men who
arc obliged to labour for their bread through a great part
of the year in the smoky streets and close alleys of our
large manufacturing towns, shall be wafted along this
line through your pleasant fields and sunny slopes ;
that they may enjoy that scenery which is calculated to
open the minds of all to the beauties of nature, and rub
off the sweat and dust of their daily toil by the glossy
margin of Ullswater, or recruit their wasted health by a
good climb up the rugged steeps of Skiddaw.—(Ap•
pcause.) Allow me only to say, in conclusion, that I hope
these works, which are now begun, during their con-
etruction, and afterwards during the development of the
resources of the line, will conduce largely, not only to
the comfort and enjoyment of that vast body of popula-
tion whom it is intended to accommodate, but that they
will lead to the ultimate good of all engaged upon them
—(Hear, hear)—that the fruits of their toil will not be
wasted in idle squandering or drunken revelry, butserve
to swell the independent gains of honest industry—that
the beginning, the progress, and the end of the North-
Western Railway works may be a credit to the district
and an advantage to all who labour on it and travel by
it, and all be enabled to look back with satisfaction and
gratitude to the work of this day.—(Cheers.) Having
said this, I will now detain you no longer, hut proceed
to empty the first sod, wishing from my heart a good
conclusion to the works of the North-Western Rail-
wa,y_.—(Great cheering.)
rhe Chairamn Mr. Dawson, then took the spade in
hand, and he certainly
showed himself much more en
adept at the work of anexcavator than his Lordship.
Mr. Vignoles, the engineer, who, by the way, was arrayed
in appropriato costume o'feoam railway labourer ; Mr.
Sharp, the solicitor of the Mr. Birkbeck, of
Settle, une of the directors, andPsaetrvlyer;ot other gentlemen ,
followed ; and it was aususinf,
tit)ie interest
with which their performances were nsoetriereed
attlitFe sbtY;ll
standers—tho awkwardness so naturally
affording food for much mirth to the navvies particular.
The ceremony over, a bsrrel of ale was broached,lrl
and
Loed Morpeth proposed " Success to the North-Western
Railway," amid repeated hazzas. The navvies then
drank the health of his Lordship, and the company
gradually left the ground.
THE BANQUET.
At half-past five about 100 gentlemen sat down to
dinner in the assembly-room adjoining the Golden Lion
Inn. The dinner was most sumptuous. Mr. P. Dawson
presided, having on his left Mr. Greene, M.P., Mr. C.
Vignoles, engineer-in-chief, Rev. R. Ingram, &c. On
his right sat the Right Hon. Viscount Morpeth,
C. J. Geldard, Capelside, acted as vice. Among the
company were Messrs. T. Birkbeck, R. Clayton, G.
Hartley, Thomas Clapham, T. Redmayne, all of Settle ;
11. Roughsedge, Bentham ; J. Sharp, mayor of Lan-
caster ; R. Hinde, E. Sharpe, secretary to the line, all of
Lancaster ; C. Nicholson, Stand Lodge, near Bury ; the
Revs. R. M. Smith, incumbent of Rauthmell ; J. Stens-
field, minister of Coniston ' • J. Marriner, vicar of Clap-
othry ham ; 4 4.lWillowby Itooke, curate of Bentham, &c.
In jirorsog " the Bishop and Clergy of the Diocese,"
the 0W1t44,4i said one of the earliest resolutiow which
_ rs.•;),t
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