The Sun.
London, England, 1846-05-08 00:00:00

RAILWAY COMMITTEES.
(YESTERDAY.)

GROUP IV.
The Select Committee appointed to consider the merits of the Bills
comprised within this nap re-assembied at the usual hour this
mornping, and proceedel with their labours, Mr. W. B. Hope in the
chair

PETZTIE ALID rarva-srzEss.
The business of the dale was commenced with the cross-examlna-
toe of gr. Joseph Mitchell, the acting engineer of the line, by. Mr.
B. Ara:mews, on'behallet" nal-rest North of Scotland Cornpany.—The
length of the line fr trl itectiOrtou to Nairn was 111 miles, 3 furlo
lin,gsne
,
and 5 chains, and from Nairn to Inverness 15 miles. The
would not run right.into Nairn, but there would be a short branch to
accommodate the main traffic of about 7 milesin length.
From this point of junction to Itedgorton there would be only a
single line of rails, with the exception of a short distance, Athol
Valley, where there would be a double line of way. The highest
elevation of the line, which was about the station at Inverness, was
1,450 feet. The Caledonian line had an elevation of 1,050 feet, and
the Sheffield and Manchester an elevation of 800 feet. From In-
verness to a point near Nairn,- a 'distance of ten miles, they ascended
596 feet on gradients of 1 in S 4 for seven miles, 1 in. 200 for two
miles, and lin 144 for one mile. They, however, adopted the alter-
native line, which increased the distance. The line descended till it
reached the Tinder river, where it ascended. here there was a
euree of three furlongs radius, the gradient of the curve was 1 in
100. The bridge at this point was 1 in 331, on a straight line
crossing the river, and 1 in 100 alter crossing it of five miles,
hree furlongs,' and ten chains in length. The total ascent
from the ItiOth lle Coming from Perth, and going northward for the
first 29 miles, was 1,123 feet. From this point to Inverness they
were on an ascending gradient of 1 In 147 for 6 miles, 1 he 73 for
miles, lin 104 for 8 miles. There was always a good deal of snow,
rain, and mist at this point. There would be 15 stations o
the whole !e. Bet Ween Inverness and _Nairn_Nairnthey woulil
_pot occur more frequently ''than at other petitions of the
They would be equ ,lly divided throughout the whola Icon-
From Eight to Nairn there would be four stet ons.
templated running four passenger trains, two Sunday trains,
and one goods trains each dap. The mail coach from
Pertrih to In-
verness was often sent round by the coast in winter, in
c o seuence.
of the contractors finding it more profitable to send the bags on horse
back, and sometimes I n consequence of the roads being stopped up with
snow. The Edinburgh and Glasgow incline of lin 42 was worked by an
expensive stationary enefee ; -and this otaervatien applied also to the
Lickay incline on the Birmbigham and Gloucester. The line termi-
nated at ItellgOrt.oll, svliere irjoinett a branch. et the Scotch Midland.
He did not know whether it was contemplated to make tho Scotch
Midland at this relitit a double or 'single line. He was aware that a
meeting of sharelteiders adverse tp further progress of the Bill had
been held in Aberdeen, but he had been Creditably informed that it
was got up by the Great North of Scot/and Company. To make the
line a double one it would require 203,5611: more than his estimate.
The estimate for the Great North of Scotland, with double lines,
would be 10,562,0001, and of the Perth and Inverness, and Aberdeen,
Banff, and Elgin ,10,816,0001. " The capital of the line from Aberdeen
to Perth was 1,,500,0001. The Perth and Inverness; and the Aber-
deen, Banff, and Elgin, had'Bl miles more of-rail to make than the
Great North of ,Scotland. The price of the Scottish Midland from
Perth to Redgertou would be 50,0001.;which would have to be added
to the 10,816,000/. His estimate for Working a double nee was 401.
per cent., and a single from Nairn to Elgin 331. per cent.
On re-examination fie said the Great North of Scotland included
in their system two Unlatches to Frizerburgh and Peterhead, which
he had not taken into considetation in making the comparison he
had just made. Ha understood
,the Great North of Scotland line was
to be amalgaranklci with the Aberdeen and Perth Company. whose
shares were at an enormous 'discount, while the Great North of
Scotland shares-wera not rateable- at ; and lie was app
re
that, in the present state of the money market, if the two were
hensive
united, it would be some time before the lines would be opened
for traffic. What. he ' meant by - his gradients being
favourable was that they could be worked by an ordinary en ,ine.
There were many gradients already In existence of a Sim
milradients ar charac-
ter worked by ordinary engines: But-many of his g which
were considered objectionable might be avoided altogether, It was
not that a coach could not get along the Highland road that the mail
was not run sometimes he winter, but because' the mail contractor
found they made more profit by sacrificing the passengers and running
the mails with horses, which they had in large numbers for posting
in summer, while in winter they would be kite wee it not tor the
mails. The detail. of his estimates agreed with 31r. Gibbs's. His
own prices were somewhat h gher, while they were much higher than
what he was lathe habit of paying. The highest point of the Great
North of Scotland Was about six hundred feel. •
Mr. Erringtep, who is associated with Sir. Lock as an engineer,
was the next witness called.—lle said he had, in conjunction with
his partner, ex3inineAl tie rouse of the proposed line, and he could
confirm the evidence of Mr. Mitchell in every respect. From the
nature of the country, the Weeks were of reniark ably small magnitude.
The gradients were good, there were few curves and slope', and only
one tunnel of494ayarde long ; andd-from the experience he had with
estimates made outemeeon, Mr, Mitchell's Principle for Scotch lines he
had no hesiasttionewhatever in saying the work could be completed for
the sum given in by Mr. Mitchell. There Was no doubt that a sub-
stantial contractor could be got, without difficulty to undertake
the works upon Mr. Mitchell's estimate ; indeed, he had works under
his control which were being executed at much lower prices. He
bad no hesitation in saying that the trains coal run over the line
notwithstanding what had been said about the gradients at the rate
of 38 miles. an hour. It would not take more than 3,0001. a year to
obtain the power on the Perth and Inverness, with its severer gra-
diants and plains, that was proposed to be used by the Great North
of Scotland , while, at the same time, there would be a saving of
I Is. 2d. per .tau onn the through traffic. In a through old a circa-
tioue line, thaone Unit had the cad, or last link of the line, would
have power to decide which way the passenger traffic should go ;
and he was afraid no regulations,cnuld be made which should insure
fair play to both companies. The best way was to leave the
last link In the hands of the through line, because there
could not be any doubt that the local ought to be
subservient to the through/Me. With proper precautions, it was al-
most impossible that ailing could be obstructed with snow, for, in
fact the power of the railway was used for keeping it clear in snowy
weather
One

by Mr. Arsrue, he said he was decidedly of
opinion that sooner or liter a direct line would have to be made, and
certainly thought the.tlarough line ought to be made before the coast
line. 'there certainly were some gradients of no ordinary character
on this lines but this was all a matter of einense. They were not such
as could not be worked by an ordinary powerful engine. •
The Committee adjourned shortly after four o'clock.