The Sun.
London, England, 1847-01-12 00:00:00

RAILWAY INTELLIGENCE.

-SOUTH- WESTERN AND WOKINGHAM. - Yesterday
afternoon, at three o'clock, a numerous meeting of the
inhabitants of, and owners and occupiers of property in,
Wokingham, was held at the Town-hall, for the purpose
of ascertaining their opinion with regard to the proposed
line from the South-Western to this town. The meeting
was convened by Mr. William Helas, the alderman of
Wokingham, in conformity with a requisition, signed by
Mr. James Hayward, Francis. Soames, J. R. Wheeler,
E. Roberts, Edward Horne, J. L. Roberts, and upwards
'of fifty of the mostinfluential parishioners. There were also
present Mr. H. C. Lacy, director of the London and
South-Western, and chairman of the Windsor, Staines,
and South- Western Railway Company ; and Mr.
Drake, one of the solicitors; Mr. Chadwick, deputy-
chairman; and a deputation from the Windsor,
Staines, and South-Western Company; and Mr. Horne,
the secretary ; Mr. Kerr, from the office of Mr. Locke,
engineer ; Messrs. C. J. Clarke, Apsley Pellatt, Caleb
Norris, J. I'. Bedborough, &c. Several of the gentle-
men present having spoken to the nature of the projected
plans, the speedy communication the line would open
with London, and the facility of that communication by
means of the South-Western line, resolutions in its
,4
favour were passed unanimously. Wokingham is at
present situated between the South-Western and Great
Western, but without a connecting communication with
either.

NORTH STAFFORDSHIRE.—CUTTING OF THE FIRST
SOD IN CHESHIRE —Mr. Smith and Mr. Ainger, the
engineers of the company employed on that portion of
the line extending from Macclesfield to the Red Bull,
had made arrangements for the turning of the " first
sod " in Cheshire on Wednesday last, on the lands of
Daintry, Esq., at North Rode, adjacent to the Four-
lane Ends, and Mr. Daintry was invited to officiate at
that interesting ceremony. Mr. Daintry was, however,
absent at the time appointed, and J. Bullock, Esq., mayor
of Congleton, happening to ride up at the moment, was
asked to take the spade and, make the commencement.
Mr. Bullock hesitated to take the post of honour, but at
the preseing solicitation of the engineers, at length
consented. About one hundred of the labourers were
present, and Mr. Bullock, previous to the performance
of the operation, addressed the assembled party in a
short and appropriate speech. In the course of his
remarks Mr. Bullock said " This is the first
manual operation of one of the greatest and most im-
portant railway undertakings ever provided for
this district. It is well known how long we have
been shut out from the benefits of good railway com-
munication, and it may be remembered, that I have, as
an humble individual, long and strenuously laboured to
procure for Congleton the advantage of being placed on
a main line. This is the first step, and on the com-
pletion of this great work, the grand chain of railway
communication from Manchester to London, througl
Macclesfield, Congleton, and the Potteries, will be per-
fected. Judging from the wonderful energy, and the
remarkable success of the board of directors in all their
proceedings, presided over by the consummate ability of
Mr. Ricardo, and directed by the engineering skill of
Mr. Bidder, it is not too much to expect that this great
work will be accomplished in less time than has been
contemplated ; and I cannot doubt but it will prove a
lasting and general advantage to the district, and will
apurod sdubcaerebo
ldera. I e paeocounbioafroyro meben many of thoseefittothesubsc briwberos
oabreieaf,cttbuaelblyantod cut
labourthe
on those
line. T hperehseeau. We know that
Englishmen workfallsonthet
EnFsiitisch. m willeTnake
care
awork
y;
firti a insd theira, tba
thwo nboonurayboleu charac-
teristic.
receivera e
t e r
the fruit of your hard-earned labours, you make
good use of it ; and may success and prosperity attend
your undertaking." The mayor then duly performed
his duty, and was followed by Mr. Ainger and Mr.
Smith each cutting a sod, and the three gentlemen
having contributed a few sovereigns for a treat to the
workpeople, they were greeted by loud and protracted
cheering, which finished the auspicious task of the day.
—Staffordshire Mercury.
SALE OF THE STOUR VALLEY.—This line was sold
to the London and North-Western Company on Satur-
day. The terms are two-thirds of London and North-
Western dividend, to commence when the line is opened,
or two-thirds of the subscribed capital; the London and
North-Western to supply the additional capital for the
future branches; s 4i
into
or
operation. cent.
on n present
calls linetilland
guarantee the
Birmingham correspondent says—" The bargain here is
considered a very bad one for the shareholders who are
not identified with the canal proprietary of the London
and North-Western, as, even supposing the present
London and North-Western to continue 10 per cent.
dividend, and the guarantee to commence instanter, it
would not raise the Stour Valley shares to more than
4i premium, whereas, with the uncertainty of the
former, and the delay of two years on the latter, 3 pre
mium is too much.

YORK AND NEWCASTLE.—A new station is to be
built on this line, near the bridge at Monkwearmouth.
LONDON, BRIGHTON, AND SOUTH COAST.—Opera-
tions with the new year are to be commenced on the
Thames Junction Branch, from the main line at New-
cross to the Thames at Deptford, a distance of one mile,
including a viaduct, 730 yards in length; on the Hail-
sham and Eastbourne branches, from the Hastings line at
the Polgate station to Hailsham and Eastbourne, a dis-
tance of 71 miles ; and on the Steyning branch, from the
Chichester line at the Shoreham station to Steyning, a
distance of four miles.
NORTHERN COUNTIES UNION.—The shareholders
meet this month to consider the proposed application to
Parliament, for the partial deviation of the line, and the
amendment of the Act constituting the company. Also,
in compliance with the requisition of the shareholders,
for the purpose of taking into consideration and approv
ing, or otherwise certain propositions for an amalgama-
tion with the Liverpool, Manchester, and Newcastle-
upon-Tyne Junction.
The contract for sleepers on the South Staffordshire
amounts to 50,000.
The Midland are in want of 2,000 coi-waggons for
their mineral traffic.

The Exeter and Exmouth meet this month to confirm
their agreement with the South-Western, and to consider
an application for the amendment of their Act.
NEW ROUTE TO PETERBOROUGH.—The new route to
Peterborough, via the Eastern Counties, opens on the
14th, and will then divide the traffic from that town with
the Northampton and Peterborough of thi London and
North-Western. The arrangement of trains will be:—
From London, 7 15 A.M., 11 30 A.M., 2 0 P.M., 6 0 P.M.
week days; 6 45 A.m., 2 0 P.M., Sundays. From Peter-
borough, 6 0 A.M., 8 25 A.M., 12 0 N., 4 40 P.n., 7 0 P.M.
week days; 6 0 A.M., 845 A.M., 4 0 P.M. Sundays. A
train will also leave Cambridge at 6 50 A.M. every morn-
ing for Peterborough and Stamford. All the trains but
two are in conjunction with trains at Peterborough, to
and from Stamford.

----
NEWCASTLE AND BEnwics..---The construction of
so much of the Kelso branch as extends from Tweed-
mouth to Sprouston, a distance of twenty miles, is to
be let in two contracts. The building of the new
station in Neville street, Newcastle, is also to be taken

in hand.
11AVRE.-A letter from Rouen, says tie Constitu-
tionnel, states that the viaduct of Virville, on the Havre
Railway, subjected, like other works of ext,,to heavy
weights, has just experienced considerable damage from
the load placed on it. Our Paris correspondent informs
us that the above statement is a gross exaggeration, the
bridge in question remaining perfectly tin, _though
some settling has taken place iu the earthworks attached

to it.
FESTIVITIES IN A TUNNEL.—On New Year's-eve,
says the Carnarvon Herald, the workmen, amounting
to nearly 200, engaged upon this stupendous and im••
portant operation, were regaled with " good old English
cheer," by their spirited and respectable employers,
Messrs. Warton and Warden. The scene of the festi-
vity was (as indeed it ought to be) in the turnel, which
on the occasion was most tastefully deeoratel with the
emblems of the season. The choicest evergreen shrubs,
and the thousand lights which reflected their rays
around, gave to the scene a most imposing effect.
It was a cheering sight to those industrious men,
who might well exclaim in that place Opus arti-
ficem probat. The Rev. J. J. Vincent, of Gorddinog,