The Sun.
London, England, 1846-02-19 00:00:00

3. We now come to the important consideration of relative speed.
With a view to form our judgment on this subject, we have exa-
mined the time tables of the several companies leaving express and
feiSt trains; and, the returns furnished by those companies of the actual
Speeds dttained by the express traißs, on thirty successive days, from
the 15th June to the 15th July, 15.15.
We have also, on various occasions, travelled in the express trains,

and noted the speed mile by mile.
The result has been, that we are fully satisfied that the average
Spe;ed bn the. Great Western, both by the express trains and by the
braille& Was, exceeds the highest speed of emilar trains on any of
the nano* gauge lutes. Bdt some of the latter have 'trains which
exceed in speed the corrtlpodding trains of the Bristol and Gloucester
line and also of the Swindon and Gloucester line, both of which are
oh the broad gage; but these latter, it is to be remembered, arc still
of recent conStrtittitin. With tmfavoarable curves and gradients; and
we have been informed by Ift. N: Stephenson, in Lis evidence, that
at one period, the speed on the North= And Eastern line even ex-
ceeded that of the Great Western.
In treating of a difference in the speed, other cfrettnstartees
besides the mere gauge must be considered. The inclinations
and curves of the Greet Westerti Railway, between London and
Bristol, and even for forty miles beyond Bristol are, with
the exception of the Wootton Basset Arid the Box Inclines, particu-
larly favourable to the attainment of high velbtities ; and it is im-
portant to remark that the inclinations and Witte Mt that part of
the Northern and Eastern Railway, where the competltlttn in speed
with the Great Western was the most successibl, are generally Of a
similar character.

One of the principal motives professed for constructing the Gre
Western Railway on the broad gauge was the attaining of high
speeds, and the credit of the proposers and defenders of that con-
struction has, therefore, been deeply engaged in maintaining them.
The effect of gradients on the speed of the Great Western trains,
even with the powerful engines used on that line, is shown in the
time table annexed, where we find that, while the speed from Pad-
dington to Didcot by the express train is 471 miles per hour, from
Didcot to Swindon it is only 41'1 ; and from Swindon to Gloucester
only 31.7 ; from Swindon to Bath it is 48.2, but returning only 37.2 ;
from Bristol to Taunton the speed is 46.3, and from Taunton to Exeter
only 39'2.
We must observe, however, that while the Great Western Corn-
pany have not altered in any degree the plan of their engines, the
higher velocities of the narrow gauge lines have been attained by
the introduction of a more powerftil kind of engine than was em-
ployed at an earlier period, and probably the new engines now used
on the narrow gauge line are as powerful as they can well be made
within the limits of their gauge ; Ithereas the broad gauge lines
have still a means of obtaining an increase in the power of their
engines, and of increasing their speed. provided the road be in a
condition to sustain the great increased force which must result from
any increased weight of the engine moving at such high velocities.
Whether the permanent way is in such a state at present is very
questionable, or even whether it be possible in all vicissitudes of
weather to maintain it in such a condition. We ought not to lose
sight of the fact, that since the introduction of express trains, the
accidents arising from engines running off the line have been much
more common than in former years ; indeed, these accidents have
been more numerous within the last seven months, than within the
preceding five years, and it is questionable whether this contest for
speed ought to be carried to any greater length. We are, indeed,
strongly inclined to the opinion stated by several engineers in their
evidence, that it is the stability of the road, and not the power of the
engine that will prescribe the limits of safe speed.
On the first introduction of passenger railways, speeds of about 12
miles per hour only were anticipated; the rails then employed
weighed only 351bs. per yard, and the engines about six or seven
tons. As soon as speeds of 20 and 24 miles per hour were attempted,
it was found necessary to have rails of 501bs. per yard, and engines
weighing ten and twelve tons. Since that time the rails have been
increased in weight progressively to 65, 75, and 851bs. per yard, and
the weight of the esgine on the broad gauge exceeds 22 tons, and on
the narrow gauge it now approaches 20 tons; indeed we have seen a
narrow gauge engine on six winds weighing 30 tons. We doubt,
however, whether a corresponding stability has been attained in the
road itself. _ _ .

Among other changes for increasing the power of the engine and
the speed of the trains of the narrow gauge lines, there have been
the giving an increased length to the engine, and the placing the
cylinders on the outside of the framing ; but it is the opinion of some
of the witnesses we have examined, that this position of the cylinder
has a tendency to produce a greater wear and tear of the journals,
and a consequent rocking and irregular motion of the engine on the
line. This, however, while the engine is of medium length, has been
denied by me Locke, who has had great experience in the working
•of outside cylinder engines. But it is stated by Mr. Gray and Mr.
Gooch, that where the length of the engine is greatly increased, this
increased length, by causing the extremities of the engine to Over-
hang very considerably the fore and hind axles, has a great tendency
to increase the irregular motion produced by the outside cylinder.
Mr. It. Stephenson admits that in some of the later engines this
irregularity does exist, but he•attrihutes it to the weight of the piston
and its appendages, observing, " I de not believe it is the steam that
causes the irregular action, but I believe it to be the mere weight of
the pistons themselves, and therefore if we contrive to balance the
piston by the weight upon the wheels, we should get rid of that very
much."

At all events, from whatever cause the motion may arise, the
oscillations are very considerable in some of those long engines, and
such as can scarcely be considered safe, at high velocities.
This great length of engine is, however, by no means essential to
the attainment of high speeds on narrow gauge lines.
We found by timing the express trains on four different journeys
on the South-Western line, in both directions, that the whole distance
was performed very satisfactorily in about 1 hour and 52 minutes,
including the time of two stoppages, being at an average rate of 41
miles per hour, on a line in which, in one direction, rites for a length
of more than 40 miles on a very prevailing gradient of 1 in 330, and
in the other rises for several miles on a gradient of lin 250. On
each occasion a distance of five miles, on a level part of the road,
was passed at the rate of 53 miles per hour.
The length of the engine boiler was only 8 feet 7 Inches; the driv-
ing wheels 6 feet 6 inches in diameter ; the leading wheels had both
inside and outside bearings. The diameter of the cylinder in one
case was 15 inches, in the other 14yi inches, both outside, and at-
tached to the smoke-box.

In proceeding to compare the locomotive engines, we remark in the
first place, that the fire-boxes, boilers, &c., of the narrow gauge en-
gines still possess a smaller evaporating power than those of the
broad gauge engines, although recent attempts have been made to
raise the former to the level of the fatter; but those attempts have
not succeeded ; and it is indisputable, that whatever can be done for
the narrow gauge, in this respect, can be surpassed on the broad
gauge, and we concur in opinion with many of the ablest engineers,
who have stated that the engines of both gauges have nearly obtained
the speed and power which It would be justifiable to employ in re-
ference to the present strength of the rails, and the firmness of the
earthworks.
We remark, in the next place, that the diameter of the driving
wheels of the broad gauge engines is greater than that of the driving
wheels of the narrow gauge engines, and although in many of the
narrow gauge engines the use of the external cylinder has enabled
the manufacturers to bring the boilers nearer to the driving wheel
axles, and has thus permitted an increase of the diameter of the
wheel, still it is always in the power of constructors of broad gauge
engines to make a corresponding change, and thus to maintain the
superiority; for the larger diameter of the wheel is unquestionably
favourable to high speed, both because the steam is used to greater
advantage, and because the alternating shocks upon the machinery
are less rapid. It is, however, extremely difficult to say at what
speed this advantage becomes appreciable. We think it likely, that
as far as the speeds of 40 miles au hour, there is no great difference
between the two, but that for speeds of 30 or 60 miles an hour, the
difference may be worthy of notice. It becomes important, then, to
inquire what may be the greatest speed that will probably be desired
or maintained on railways for ordinary purposes.
It is cextain that the wishes of the public will be limited only by
considerations of economy and safety. The greater the speed the
greater will be the cost, and it appears to be the opinion of many of
the officers of railways, that it would be difficult to maintain with
safety the present express speeds, upon the great trunk railways.
The chicf impediments t. maintaining nrc.oitt. express speed
are:— _ . . . . . .

4", • -
let. The difficulty of arranging the trains, where the traffic is fre-
quent, se that the fast train shall be entirely protected from the
chance of interfering with, or coming into collision with the slower
trains, or those that stop at numerous stations.
2nd. The difficulty of seeing signals, especially in foggy weather, in
time to enable the engine-driver to stop rte./het trains.
We feel it a duty to observe here, that the public are mainly in-
debted for the present rate of speed, and the increased accommoda-
tion of the railway carriages, to the genius of Air. I.lrnuel, and the
liberality of the Great Western Railway Company.
As regards the applicability of the atmospheric principle of trac-
tion, or of any other principle differing from the locomotive, we see
no difference between the two gauges.
4. The question of economy is that which next demands our at-
tention.
Under this head we have to consider the cost of construction, the
purchase of the plant, which consists of engines, of carriages, and of
other carrying stock ; and lastly, the cost of working.
There can be no question that in the first construction of a railway,
the narrower the gauge the smaller will be the cost of the works. This
applies to tunnels, bridges, viaducts, embankments, cuttings, sheds,
workshops, turntables, tranverse sleepers, and ballast, and the pur-
chase of land ; but it does not affect the rails, fences, drains, and
station-houses. The exact difference, however, must depend in a
great degree neon local circumstances, and no opinion can
be given of the precise ratio of difference without going
into a very minute calculation of each line on which
the two systems are to be compared; for instance, in a line
free from tunnels or viaducts, and in a fiat country, where there are
neither cuttings nor embankments, the difference would be limited
very nearly to the quantity of land to be purchased (the severance
and damage being about equal in both cases), the amount of ballast-
ing, and some increase in the cost of the sleepers ; whereas, in a very
undulating country, the difference would he more considerable.

Ls to the cost of the maintenance of way, supposing the con-
struction to be the same, that of the broad gauge must be rather the
greater of the two.
In respect to the cost of the engines and carrying stock, we have
to observe that they are generally more expensive on the broad than
on the narrow gauge. But, on the other hand, it is asserted by the
advocates of the bread gauge system, that as the engines will draw
greater loads, as the carriages will accommodate a greater number
of passengers, and as the waggons are capable of conveying a larger
amount of merchandise, the work can be done and is done at a less
charge per ton, and that a compensation is thus obtained for the in-
creased outlay. How far this isfound to be practically the case is
the next sulject for inquiry.
We were very desirous, if it had been found possible, thoroughly to
investigate this part of the subject by means of the official data called
for by us, and furnished by some of the principal companies, contain-
ing a statement of their working expenses ; but we find the circum-
stances so different, that very little satisfactory information can be
thus obtained that has strictly a reference to the economy of the
two gauges. There are, of course, various matters that have an in-
fluence on the actual cost of locomotive power and general traffic
charges, that are in no way connected with the breadth of gauge ;
such as the nature of the curves and gradients ; the price of coke ;
the general nature of the traffic, the mode of working that traffic as
adopted by different companies, the employment of engines of greater
or less power, that increased accommodation to the public which in-
volves an extra expense for return carriages, &c.
The London and Birmingham, and the Great Western Railway, as
metropolitan lines of great traffic and of considerable length, would
at first sight appear to furnish the best means of comparison, and
there is, in fact, no difficulty in comparing the actual expenses; but
these lines differ essentially In the character of their gradients, and
in the amount of traffic, estimated at per mile, and above all, they
differ in the character of the engires they employ.
The London and Birmingham Company have from the commence-
ment persevered in the use of light four-wheeled engines, while the
Great Western, availing themselves of the facilities their gauge
affords, have adopted large and powerful engines, which are 1, "irked
at nearly the same cost per mile as the former ; and if such engines
as those on the London and Birmingham line were essential to the
narrow gauge, the question as to the economy of working might be
at once decided In favour of the broad gauge ; but this is by no means
the case ; several narrow gauge lines employ engines of great power,
and work, in consequence, much more cheaply than the London and
Birmingham ; therefore, the comparison between the working ex-
penses of this line and of the Great Western can only be considered
as a test of the principle of working with light and with heavyengines,
and not as furnishing a test of the working economy of the two
gauges.
It is a common practice with different railway companies, in their
half-yearly reports to their proprietors, to state the per centage of
their various expenses, under a few distinct heads, as compared with
their revenue ; and from these it appears that on the Great Western,
the locomotive charges, during a period of three years, have varied
between Bei and 1l• l, averaging 91 per cent. on their income; and
on the London and Birmingham they have varied, within the same
period, between 7•9 and 10*36, averaging about 13•6 per cent. on their
income; and therefore, on a superficial view of the question, the
London and Birmingham would appear to have worked their line at
a cheaper rate; but valid objections have been made to this com-
parison on the part of the Great Western; because it is obvious from
the several returns we have received, that the London and Birming-
ham Company has far the more abundant traffic per mile, and ought
therefore to be expected to perform its work at a less per centage on
its income. It has been stated by Mr. Goode that as locomotive
superintendent on the Great Western, he is called upon to supply a
certain amount of locomotive power, and that the cost of such power
Is almost entirely irrespective of the load or number of passengers it
is made to draw ; but that these numbers are of great importauce
in comparing the locomotive expenses with the revenue.
In the Appendix to this Report an abstract and comparative table
are given, founded on returns furnished by the Great Western and
London and Birmingham Railway Companies, showing that the
revenue derived from the passengers trains is 64 per cent. greater
per mile worked on the latter than on the former line. It must,
therefore, be obvious, that as a test of economy for working, we
cannot adopt the principle of a per centage on the revenue ; neither
will the cost per mile run give a more just comparison' as to the
economy of the two systems, because it is a well-known fact that
the London and Birmingham Company have been conveying their
traffic with engines of Inadequate power, and that a great economy
would result to them by the adoption of larger engines.
Other difficulties also occur in the comparison of these expenses on
different lines, in consequence of the difference in the form of the
accounts, and of the circumstance of one company adopting the prin-
ciple of having a reserve fund for renewals, and other companies
having no such fund.
We are, therefore, of opinion, that the most satisfactory compari-
son that can be made of the economy of working the two guagea,
will be by applying to first principles, endeavouring merely to deter-
mine what the working expenses of the Great Western line, with
their present amount of traffic, would have been, provided it had been
made a narrow guage line, and worked with such engines as those
employed on the South Western and some other narrow guage lines.
The average weight of a passenger train on the Great Western
Railway Ondepeudent of the engine and tender, which weigh 33

tons) appears, by the returns sent to us, to be 67 tons ; and theave-
rage number of passengers per train for the half-year ending the 30th
of June, 18454 as appears by our comparative table, is only 47*2,
whose weight, including their luggage, will be estimated at about 5
tons.

Mr. Gooch estimates each carriage and its passengers on the broad
guage to weigh about 9% tons, and therefore there would be seven
carriages to make up the 67 tons above specified. The most com-
modious carriages on the narrow gauge lines, such as those on the
South Western, weigh less than 5 tons ; seven such carriages would
therefore weigh about 34 tons, and being capable of containing 126
first class passengers, weighing, with their luggage, 12% tons, the
total load would be only 46% tons. Now we find that even with a traffic
as large as that of the ',onion and Birmingham Railway, the average
per train woullonly be 84'9 passengers, weighing about eight tons ;
50 that, under tha avlkpoiiitiori of a traffic of this eXtent, the load of

19; 1846

the seven narrow gauge carriages so occupied would only be 42 tons.
But Mr. Gooch eetimetes, from his own experiments, the relative
powers of traction of the broad gauge engines, and of the narrow
gauge engines of the South• Western Railltity when working at the
same speed, as 2,067 to 1,398, or as 67, the load of tiid broad gauge in
tons, to 48 tens, which would be the corresponding load for the narrow
gauge ; so that the narrow gauge engine has more power over the 42
tons it would have t draw, than the broad gauge has over its average
load of 67 tens, both exclusive of the weight of the engine and tender
—the narrow gauge carriage in this supposition being supposed to con-
tain 84'9 passengers, and the broad gauge only 472,
If, however, it were necessary, 224 first-class passengers might be
placed in the seven broad gauge carriages, and, as it has;before been
said, 126 in the seven narrow gauge carriages; but it appears likely
that this extent of accommodation would only be called for on such
rare occasions, that the question of providing for it, except by as-
sistant power, cannot be taken nto consideration in the present com-
parison.
tt is obvious from the foregoing statement, that the narrow gauge
engine of the class we have been considering has more power over
the seven narrow gauge carriages, and a load of 126 passengers, than
the broad gauge engine has over the seven broad gauge carriages,
and the load of the same number of passengers; and that, therefore,
if the Great Western had been a narrow instead of a broad gauge
line, the South-Western engines would have had the same command
over the existing passenger traffic of the Great Western, as its own
engines now have with the present construction of that railway.
We must remark, however, that this calculation is for trains con-
sisting exclusively of passengers and their personal luggage. In the
Great Western average trains of 67 tons thdre is au allowance of
ats.—
• et 16 tons for passengers and luggage, including gentlemen's car-
Z
riages. owing the same weight of luggage on the narrow gauge
line, the train, still not exceed 50 tons, which is considerably
within the power of tie narrow gauge engine. For it appears by the
:.
experiments that have bee.: recently made on the Great Western
iven in the appendix to the evi-
-1 dence, that the Great Western engine te.s.apable of propelling 83 tons
at a greater speed than the average speed of that line; and conse-
quently by the proportion above stated, the hei7ow gauge engine
would be capable of propelling 55 tons at the same rate. We con-
clude, theretbre, that the work would be performed at abolit the same
expense for locomotive power.
That there may be cases in which not only the full power of A
broad gauge engine is required, but even the assistance of a second
engine, is quite Certain,
the rule in railway but such trains form the exception and not
passenger traffic, and we doubt the soundness of
a principle which involves a great expense in construction, for the
sake of possessing capabilities so seldom called into action.*
It is proper to observe, that. the foregoing comparison would have
appeared to stand more in favour of the narrow gaure, had we taken
for the engine of comparison one of those engines of whose increased
capabilities some of the supporters of the narrow gauge system have
informed us ; but we have preferred the comparison afforded with
the SoutleWestern engine, from its being the one on which Mr.
Gooch, of the Great Western Railway, superintended the recorded
experiments: hence, our deductions are made from data furnished
by the advocates of the broad gauge system, without drawing any-
thing from the evidence on the other side ; and as those deductions
sufficiently demonstrate that there is no economy in the locomotive
expenses for passenger trains resulting from working a line on the
broad gauge system, even on such lines as those which have at the
present moment the most abundant passenger traffic, any analysation
of the evidence offered in support of the narrow gauge system an-
pears to us to be quite superfluous.
There is one point, however, stated in Mr. Gooch'e comparative
table, and repeated in his evidence, which appears so much at vari-
ance with the results we have obtained from other data, as to require
explanation.
Mr. Gooch has asserted that the Great Western Company work
their passenger trains at half the expense per ton at which the London
and Birmingham Company work their passenger trains. The fact
is, however, that Mr. Gooch's calculations refer to the gross and not
to the net loads ; and therefore the comparison is not applicable, so
far as regards the profits of these companies, and affords no proof of
economy in working the passenger traffic on the Great Western system.
There can be no doubt, juateing both from Mr. Brunel's evidence
given to us, and from his report to the directors of the Great Western
Railway Company, that he originally ee:liected there would be on the
Great Western Railway a demand for carryhz great numbers of pas-
sengers at high velocities ; but from his own eviate2ce, it appears that
the only heavy passenger traffic upon that railway is be:ween London
and Reading, and between Bath and Bristol, being a total distance
of about 50 miles, out of 245.
On the remaining part of the line the passenger traffic, per train, is
small.
If the convenience of the public would admit of the whole of the
passenger traffic of this portion of the line being conveyed daily by
two or three large trains, Mr. Brunel's views would have been per-
fectly correct in providing such powerful means ; but experience has
proved that the public require passenger trains to be run many times
during the day, and with this frequency of trains such numbers of
passengers as Mr. Brunel has provided for cannot be expected even
on railways of the largest traffic, so that practically there is a waste
both of power and of means. In the case of " goods traffic," the cir-
cumstances are not the same; railway conveyance for merchandise
seems only to be required a few times in each day, and the trains are
generally large. The " through" waggons have for the most part a
full load, and the disproportion between the gross and the net weight
is consequently much less than in the passenger trains ; still, how-
ever, it appears from the evidence of Mr. Borne, and of other persons
connected with the carrying trade, that on the London and Birming-
ham Railway It frequently happens that weggons are forwarded to a
cons derable distance to " road-side stations," containing not more
than a ton of goods ; and there can be no doubt that this must hap-
pen on any long line of railway. The same also occurs in waggons
coming in from branches along the trunk line, and in all such cases
the heavy large waggon of the broad gauge must be disadvantageous
but although the evil is not so great with goods waggons of the;
broad guage as with their passenger carriages, still the loss by dead
weight is greater with these than with smaller waggons, and we do
not perceive any advantages in the broad gauge to counterbalance it,
for where speed is not an object, and this is the case with goods
trains, we believe, from the evidence we have received, that engines
of nearly the same tractive power are to be found on as many narrow
gauge lines as those in use on the bread gauge.
Thus far we have considered the question with reference to the
railways as they now exist, and composed in a great measure of
trunk lines of considerable traffic ; but the railways to be made in
Mitre will in some degree be branches or lines in districts having
traffic of less magnitude than is to be provided for in the existing
railways ; and hence, if for the greater trunk lines a superiority were
due to the broad gauge system, that superiority would be less for
lines yet to be constructed of a smaller amount of traffic ; and neces-
sarily, if the preference were given to the narrow gauge for the ex-
isting Rues, that system would be still more entitled to the preference
for the railways of smaller traffic to which we look forward.
We must here add, that, towards the close of our inquiry, Mr.
Brunel requested, on the part of the broad gauge companies, to in-
stitute a set of experiments to test the power of their engines ; and
Mr. Bidder, on the part of the narrow gauge companies, undertook,
in consequence of such application, to make corresponding experi-
ments on the narrow gauge. After sanctioning these trials, and
being present at the performance of them, a record of which will
be found in the appendix, we may observe, without entering into a
minute detail of the results, or the discrepancies between the returns
as furnished by the two parties themselves, that we consider them
as confirming the statements and results given by Mr. Gooch in his
evidence, proving, as they do, that the broad gauge engines possess
greater capabilities for speed with equal loads, and, generally speak-
ing, of propelling greater loads with equal speed ; and moreover, that

the working with such engines is economical where very high speeds
are required, or where the loads to be conveyed are such as to re-
quire the full power of the engine. They confirm, also, the evidence
given by Mr. Bidder as to the possibility of obtaining high evapo-
rative power with long engines for the narrow gauge, but under
somewhat peculiar circumstances. It appears, moreover, that the
evaporation thus obtained does not produce a corresponding useful
effect in tile tractive power of the engine; a circumstance that would
probably be differently explained by Mr. Gooch and by 31r. Bidder;
but as we do not refer to the power of this description of engine In
the deductions we have made, it is unnecessary for us to allude fur-
-1 thor to them.

After a till consideration of all the circumstances that have come
before um, and of the deductions ere have made from the -evidence,
we are led to conclude :-
1. That, as regards the safety, accommodation, and convenience of
the passengers, no decided preference is due to either gauge, but
that on the broad gauge the motion is generally more easy at high
velocities,
2. That in respect of speed, we consider the advantages are with
the broad guage. bat we think the public safety would be endan-
gered in employing the greater capabilities of the broad gauge
much beyond their present use, except on roads more consolidated
and more substantially and permanently formed than those of the
existing lines.
3. That in the commercial case of the transport of goods, we
believe the =Tow gauge to possess the greater convenience, and to
be the more suited to the general traffic of the country.
4. That the broad gauge involves the greater outlay and that we

have not been able to discover either in the maintenance of way, in
the cost of locomotive power, or in the other annual expenses, any
adequate reduction to compensate for the additional first cost.
Therefore, esteeming the importance of the high speed
on express trains for the accommodation of a comparatively
small number of persons, however desirable that may be to
them, as of far less moment than affording increased convenience to
the general commercial traffic of the country, we are inclined to
consider the narrow gauge as that which should be preferred for ge-
neral convenience ; and, therefore, if it were imperative to produce
uniformity, we should recommend that uniformity to be produced by
an alteration of the broad to the narrow gauge, more especially when
we take into consideration that the extent of the former at present
in work is only 274 miles, whilst that of the latter is not less than
1,001 miles, andlthat tile alteration of the former to the latter, even
if of equal length, would be the less costly as well as the less difficult
operation.
We arc desirous, however, of guarding ourselves from being sup-
posed to express an opinion, that the dimension offonr feet eight and a
half inches is in all respects the most suited for the generol objects of thc
country. Some of the engineers who have been examined by us, have
given it as their opinion that five feet would be the best dimensions
for a railway gauge; others have suggested five feet three inches,
five feet six inches, and even six feet, but none have recommended
so great a breadth as seven feet, except those who are more parti-
cularly interested in the broad gauge lines. Again, some engineers
of eminence contend that a gauge of four feet eight and a half inches
gives ample space for the machinery of the engine, and all the rail-
way requirements, and would recommend no change to be made in
the gauge.
W. may observe, in reference to this part of the question, that the
Eastern Counties Railway was originally constructed on a gauge of
5 feet, and has since been converted into a gauge of 4 feet 816 inches,
to avoid a break of gauge ; and we have been informed that some
lines in Scotland originally on the gauge of 5 feet 3 inches are about
to be altered to 4 feet 13% inches for the same reason.
Whatever might be the preferable course were tile question now
to be discussed of the gauge for the entire system of railways, where
none previously existed to clash with the decision, yet under the pre-
sent state sf things we see no: sufficient reason to suggest or recom-
mend the adoption of any gauge intermediate between the narrow
gauge of 4ft. 834 in. and the broad gauge of 7ft. ; and we arc pecu-
liarly struck by the circumstance that almost all the continental rail-
ways have been formed upon the 4ft. 81,4 in. gauge, the g7_attfor,.,
num-
ber having been undertaken after a long experience
ehe 'fact both
lye losttuc
broad and the narrow gauge in this country. Nor
constructedinus as well as
sight of, that some of these railway have been
planned by English engineers, and amongst tniliaigten.umiibrerr.
Brunel
vi3,tars.
Brunel the original projector of the broad ge
also the engineer of the Merthyr Tydvil and ardiffwlieneu,
the four feet eight and a half inches gauge ; and linvlthicthhaits the
motives which led to his adoption of the narrow gauge in that In-
stance would equally apply to many English 'lnca.,
of
We are aessible of time Importance, In ordinary* circumstances ,
leaving commercial enterprise, as well as the genius of scientific men
unfettered ; we therefore feel that the restriction of tl.,e gauge is a
measure that should not be lightly entertained ; and we ,Z.re willing
to admit, were it not for the great evil that must inevitably- be ex-
perienced when lines of unequal gauges come into contact, Pat
varying gradients, curves, and traffic, might justify some differencil
in the breadth of the gauge. This appears to be the view which Mr.
Brunel originally took of the subject; for the Great Westeni proper I
is a line of unusually good gradients, on which a large passenger
traffic was anticipated, and as it touched but slightly on any mineral
district, it embraced all the conveniences and advantages of the
broad gauge system, and was comparatively free from the influence
of those defects on which we have commented ; but such a breadth
of gauge, however suitable and applicable it may have originally
been considered to its particular district, appears whollyf
ourin inapplicable,
ipipolirtheabelren,
or at least very ill suited to the requirements of many of
and midland lines.
_ _

In reference to the branches already in connexion 'with the Great
Western Railway, we may observe, that the greatest average train
on the Oxford branch, for two weeks in July and October, was only
48 tons ; on the Cheltenham branch it did not exceed 46 ; between
Bristol and Exeter 53 ; and between Swindon and Bristol it was wi-
der 60 tons. With such a limited traffic the power of the broad
gauge engine seems beyond the requirements of these districts.
We find, from an estimate furnished to us, and the general grounds
of which we see no reason to dispute, that the expense of altering
the existing broad gauge to narrow gauge lines, including the altera-
tion or substitution of locomotives, and carrying stock, would not
much exceed 1,000,000/. ; yet we neither feel that we can recommend
the Legislature to sanction such an expense from the public moneys,
nor do we think the companies to which the broad railways be-
long can be called upon to incur such an expense themselves
(having made all their works with the authority of Parliament),
ner even the more limited expense of laying down intermediate
rails, for narrow gauge traffic. Still less can we propose, for
any advantage that has been suggested, the alteration of the whole
of the railways of Great Britain with their carrying stock and en-
glues, to smile intermediate gauge. The outlay in this case would
be very much more considerable than the sum above mentioned ;
and the evil, inconvenience, and danger to the traveller, and the in-
terruption to the whole traffic of the country for a considerable
period, and almost at one and the same time, would be such that this
change cannot be serieusly entertained.

Guided by the foregoing considerations, we most dutifully submit
to your Majesty the following recommendations :-
1. That the gauge of four feet eight inches and a half be declares'
by the Legislature to be the gauge used in all public railways now
under construction, or hereafter to be constructed in Great
Britain.

2. That unless by the consent of the Legislature it should not be
permitted to the directors of any railway company to alter the gauge
of such railway.
3. That in order to complete the general chain of narrow gauge
communication from the north of England to the southern coast,
any suitable measure should be promoted to form a narrow gauge
link from Oxford to Reading, and thence to Basingstoko, or by any
shorter route connecting the proposed Rugby and Oxford line wills
the South-Western Railway Company.
4. That as any junction to be formed wills a broad gauge line would
involve a break of gauge, provided our first recommendation be
adopted, great commercial convenience would be obtained by re-
ducing the gauge of the present broad gauge lines to the narrow
gauge, of four feet eight inches and a half; and we therefore think it
desirable that some equitable means should be found of producing
such entire -uniformity of ,"gauge, or of adopting such other curse
as
would admit of the narrow gauge carriages pas:-.114,
without in errup-
tion or danger. along the broad gauge 111,w-s•
(Signed) J. tr. F (L.S
Lieut.-RCoIoneIEDERIC Royal Engineers.
G. B. AIRY, Astronomer Royal. (L.S.)
PETER BARLOW. (L.S.)

It appears thathalfthe year ending the 30th of June,
1845, the number of wiles run by coupled and assisting engines for duringiim
pas6enger trains on the Great Western Railway, amounted to 11,628,
and for goods trains to 51,155. The total number of 1Z 1W TIUI by
t 7.4 &ma gai_ll4. POE 161,464 Awl OY tke latto I,s9init