The Sun.
London, England, 1841-07-09 00:00:00

London and Birmingham Railway.

The London and Birmingham, the Grand Junction, and the
Liverpool and Manchester Railways form the grand trunk line
through the centre of England, and although the London and Bir-
mingham line, with its dark tunnels, its curves, and its cuttings, is
not such a line as the present experienced civil engineer would adopt,
yet, knowing that railway making was an art untried when this tail.
way was made, we recognise Mr. Robert Stevenson as the first of
his day, and know that this line will be an imperishable monu-
ment to his fame. In 1825 the country was surveyed for a line of
railway, and in 1828 the first public intimation appeared of the
formation of "a Company for making a railway from London to
Birmingham." In 1831 the Company advertised their intention
to apply to Parliament, hot so great was the outcry upon the part
of gentlemen who feared that their parks would be desolated, and
their mansions smoke-filled, that it was not until the
year 1832 that the Act of Incorporation was obtained,
at an expense of nearly 100,0001. The enormous ex.
pense attendant upon Railway Bills is a shocking proof of
the venality of the Members of the Legislature. Very
few Bills have been obtained without ,open or indirect bribery, and
the convenience of some petty parkholder has often cost the share.
holders of a Railway Company more than the title to the tee-simple
of the land had originally cost its possessor. The railway was opened
to the public as far as Boxmoor on the 20th of July, 1837; and on the
17th of September, 1838, the line was opened throughout. The
total length of thelineis 1141 miles. The difference of level between
London and Birmingham is 215 feet, to obviate winch, there is a
gradual ascent of about two feet in a mile. The width of the rail-
way en the embankment is 28 feet; and in the excavations 32 feet,
the additional two feet being allowed for drainage. The way is
double, and a space of 6 feet 5 inches is allowed between each pair
of rails. The rails are divided into lengths of 15 feet each,
and weighing from 3to 31 cwt. The total weight of
of the rails and chairs which support them, is 38,000 tons, the
chairs which support the rails are frequently inserted into Kyanised
sleepers or bearers of timber, where the line is embanked, but in ex.
cavations, the chains are always inserted into stone-blocks, of
which there are 299,009, of four cubic feet each, ana -;;;,000 of
five-cubic feet each, weighing about 105,000 tons ; the gage of the
way is 4 feet 81 inches. The quantity of earth excavated, about
16,000,000 Cubic yards, and the quantity on the embankments,
11,000;000 cubic yards. The amount of Money authorised to be
raised by Parliament, 5,500,0001. Thp number of 11,01. shares, is
25,000, 25,000 quarter shares of 251., 31,250 shares of 321. each,
total number ofshares 81,250. On the course of the line there are
eight tunnels, one at Primrose-hill, 1,250 yards in length; Kensal
Green;32o yards Watford.l,B3o yards--during the excavation of
this tunnel ten labourers were suffocated by the falling in of the
earth; Northehurch Tunnel, 300 yards; Leighton, 272 yards;
Weedon Tunnel, 418 yards in length; Kilsby Tunnel, 2,398
yards—this is the longest tunnel upon the line, and for
nearly a quarter of its length it runs through a quicksand,
which, during the excavation, required to be kept under by steam.
engines of great power, working during night and day, and Berkswell
Tunnel, 300 yards in length... The viaducts are over the Regent's
Canal, the rivers Brent, Colne, and Sowe, and at Birmingham. The
entrance to the railway at Euston square is a fine piece of architec-
, trite in the Doric style; -The depot at Camden Town occupies
an area of about 28 acres, enclosing within it the stationary en.
gine, which draws the train up the inclined plane from the Euston
station. There is also a fine depot arid manufactory of locomotive
engines at Wolverton. - Fourteen trains leave-London daily, ex.
cept Sundays; ten run through the entirellefigth of the line, one
only to Rugby, two to Aylesbury, and one tri Wolverton. On Sundays
three trains run to Birmingham, and one toWolverton. 'A mail train
leaves London at 9 45m. a.m., and at 8 30w. p.m., and from Bir.
mingham leaves at Bh. 30m. A.M., 11;0 :at 12 midnight. The
mail trains arc allowed five hour s to complete the journey, the first
class trains five and a quarter hours, the mixed trains five and a
half hours, and the third class trains eight and three quarter hours.
Upon this railway the tickets are taken from the passengers at the
Camden depot, in London, and at the Canal Bridge, in Birming.
ham. Tlfe stations arc—
Euston-square; Camden depot; Harrow, lli; Watford, 171 ;
Boxmoor, 24A-; Birkhampsteati, ; Tring, 311; the Aylesbury
Railway, Leighton, 41; Bletchley, 461 ; Wolverton, 521 ;
Roade, 60; Blisworth, 621; Weedon, 69 ; Crick, 751 ; Rug.
by, 831 ;• Brandon, 89* ; Coventry. 94 ; Hampton in Arden,
113 ; Birmingham, 114 miles.
The gross amount of revenue fur the year ending Jan. 30, 1840,
was
Expenditure

Profit

Within a few miles of the railway are many objects of interest,
and the citizens of London,
_Birmingham, and the intermediate
towns have affordcd to them a cheap and expeditious mode of
visiting many places and scenes Made classic in the history of their
country. Woburn Abbey, a splendid,mansion Walt by the Russell

~'~s~rti:

Carlisle
Redheugh
Haltwhistle
Wylarn
Milton
Bampton

Ilansted

Blaydon
Stockfield
Hexhain
Haydon Bridge
Rose Hill
Weatherall

Newcastle.

Newcastle and North Shields Railway -
Runs through a great coal district; its length is six miles and three
quarters; its capital 260,0001., in 2,400 shares of 501. each. This
line is singular from the number of bridges constructed of wood
that span its course. The Willington Deem viaduct is also built
of wood. The gage of the way is 4 feet Si inches in length.
The fares are—is.
_for First Class; 6d. for Second Class.
STATIONS. • - •
Newcastle Willington
Walker Pcrcy Main .
Wall's End North Shields

a.

Northern and Eastern It ailWai
Will run from London to Cambridge and will form a I'3'l °I the
great line of communication that must hereafter be the line
London and
..inbut gh. Already well digested plans for .
and
t: Norwich, branching out of this railway, are before the puhlic, _
througn erg
although this line has not the advantage of Pa"ing
populous districts, or large cities, it must at no very distant P"it,
b. e competed to York, either as a national or individual uncleirta.A,_e
mg. The line is at present only completed to Brcxbourn, at dtn_
capital raised by the Company will enable it to complete the line
a;
in far as Bishop Stanford. The first Act was obtained in. 1536, tdive.
1839, and one in 1840. By this last Act the capital
made brtweLll
sc
termincd to be 720,0001., the original number of shares waslas2,oo.o.
02t91n0
jOil/e.se, atchhe.gagTehoefltehnegtwhaoyf the line from the junction with
tn.e
Eastern Counties at Short ditch, to its present terrainat% ''!„
a fee feet above the surfaicsefiovfetfheeetadj adjoining
of the river Lea, and during the late floods was overwhelm
waters of the river. oTinhieralailnwdayi: bY4ue
tbe:eyaltilg
only e!

STATIONS.
Enfield Highs's'',
Shoreditch,
E
Ponder
Lea Bridge road,
'snd,
Tottenham, Waltham Cross,
Edmot.ton, Broxbourne.

North Midland 'fairway. • diS.
I,
Runs from Derby to eds, amidst a wealthy manufacturing - .
.
a
ttict, and through the romantic scenery of Derbyshire and Matln
The capital of the Company is 3,000,000/., in 15,000 100/• shares.
he 4th
The Royal assent was given to the Act of Incorporation on t- h„
of July, 1836, anti the Company have obtained additional) owers
the
übsequent Acts obtained in 1837 and 1039. The length of
d,
'ine is seventy-two miles. There are solar tunnels, %lift'',
Duffield, South Wingfield, Lodge-hill, Clay Cross, Cat-hii!,
,41;"
Chevet tunnel. The total number of bridges and viaducts i' ", 1
a-stfrlfeieecor
tea
ksaerineisnhca,,l:s
eosa.ns odmils:ehoev,
met rrayanvdt:el
traveller
cuttings.caul
otntign cuttings ;amongst
The
Sage
of the wai is
:kid
frv:,..cbbtoe
rtpay his researches. At Belper is the cotton mills of 3i11:::
Strutt, the waterwheels of which are constructed in ahg`fi.ceridr
station is t
curious
North Wingfield station is Hardwicke Hall, one of the seats of t
Duke of Devonshire ; this building was erected in the 16th ceni
manner. One
anOdnteownmoilfe
Mafrtolonackt.htish:reeS:ouirEsitih ..1,,,
the
tury, and is in the Tudor style : in this mansion Mary Quet;eod
o,,ciothts passed several years of her captivity : the walls are tn • ,i,e
iron' some very fine paintings. Close to Musborough station urt:;,..
South I,at
work. of Messrs. Walker, founded in 1746.
bridge, as also the bridges of Sunderland and Yarn), wr"e cast
these works. Half-a-mile from the Swinton station are of
tauntn'
of ConisbQrough Castle, and also Wentworth House. the ate.
Earl Fitzw'l ll* lam, a magnificent mansion,
amongst which is the celebrated picture of Lord Strafford° -
Secretary, by Vandyke. •
filled with works d 0

Belper
Bull bridge
South Wingfield
North Wingfield

Chesterfield

STATIONS.

Swinton
Dar field
Cudwotth or Ibirnaii
Oakenihaw or. WakO!'w

A Itofts.

Eckington Woodlesford
Musborough or Rotherham Leeds.
Kilnhurst

North Union Railway'
Runs from Preston to the Liverpool and inmetib'ee'atecrcifit.ilnif
at Pat kside station, a spot made roemotablel)l ,
then happened to the late Mr. Huskisson. The lengt'• ", who
22 miles; the capital 730,000/., in 6,329 shares cf 10°' 16:0.
This Railway was open to the public on the el st of October:, gong
There are six trains leaving daily, except on SUndirk' ;
to Liverpool, Manchester, and the south, and fiVe
Sundays there are three tralns in each direction

STATIONS.

Golborne
'Wall Gate

Standish

Euxton
Golden Hill

Farrington Gate

Coppull

Preston Station

Paisley and flenfrevz Stailvfai• the
~,,, tot
railway has been about 32,000/. The length of the line l' 401,
if 0-
,miinsid3le7tsh..e
tTpimluiereiltnocgacituliwp,eaieysduwminas opened to the public on the 3d of ' '
minutes. mpeerrfmoromnAtnhgs thuemtr
jaoiunrsoreuyn
orrearbyohua,' wive

Sheffield and notherham Rally/0P a
sod o
The Act for the incorporation of this CompanY Was PI, 04°'
the 4th of July, 1836. A subsequent Act was obtained •
ber of
The length of the line is five miles and a quarter ; the nein. of
.hares 6,200, 4,000 of 251. each, and the remainder half.sea'ros
12/. 10s. each. The capital is 200,0001. This 114037. y to
from Rotherham under a part of the North Midland lloe
Length 011 t the
Sheffield. The gage of the way is six feet.
5} miles.