The Sun.
London, England, 1846-09-01 00:00:00

ENGINEER'S REPORT.

" Duke-street, August 15, 1846.
" Gentlemen,—Since my last report the railway has
been opened to Teignmouth, being worked with loco-
motive power.
" The protracted delays in the completion of the en-
gine-houses and machinery, rendered it improbable that
the atmospheric apparatus could be brought into opera-
tion within such a moderate delay as would justify the
postponement of the opening. The working with loco.
motives has been highly satisfactory, and hold out a fair
promise of the line running remarkably smoothly and
perfectly, when the absence of the locomotive engines
shall admit of more perfect and easy maintenance of cor-
rectness in the rails.

" The works upon this portion of the line are in ex,
cellent condition.

" The completion of the line to Newton has been (as
frequently mentioned) hitherto delayed for want of Par •
liamentary power over a small piece of land. The Act
has passed, but has not yet received the royal assent,
and we were insured possession of the ground only a
week or two back, so as to allow of the progress of the
works. A considerable quantity of earthwork, and the
bridges over the canal and the river Teign, as well as all
the works of the station at Newton, remained to be com-
pleted, and depended upon the direction of the line.
" Every arrangement has been made to open and pro-
ceed with the works as rapidly as possible.
" I have also made arrangements for commencing and
proceeding with the corstruction of the line to Torquay,
that very valuable branch for: which the Act has just
been obtained, and with a moderately favourable winter,
I believe this branch might be completed, so far as the
works are concerned, within three or four months after
the opening to Newton. With respect to the line beyond
Newton to Colebrook, I have only to report that the
works are very nearly completed, and that they might
indeed be ready for that entire distance to receive the
permanent way by the end of the year.
"Between Colebrook and the Plymouth station, some
delay has been caused by the necessity of waiting to
ascertain the result of the application to Parliament for
deviation. And still greater delay has occurred in pro-
curing the land, the greater part of which we have still
to get possession of.

4-With respect to the machinery and apparatus con-
nected with the atmospheric system, I am obliged still to
report a very slow progress. The pipes are all cast, and
are laid nearly all the way to Newton, or at least as far
as the permanent way is completed, and the valve is
ready to be fixed; but the engines are not ready and
cannot be yet for some weeks. The delay is unquestion-
ably very much to be regretted; but it has not been
entirely without its advantages. Considerable experi-
ence has been obtained in the successful working of the
Cro.) don Railway, and still more in the temporary stop.
page which occurred in the working of that line during
part of the very hot weather of this summer—a difficulty
which had been occasionally threatened was experienced
—the heat passed the point of temperature at which the
composition then used was fit for the work; but this
difficulty was, after some failures, overcome, and, as
frequently results from the successful removal of a diffi-
culty, a very great general improvement has been
effected in the working of the valve; and the inconve-
nience, annoyance, and loss occasioned by the stoppages,
has been more than repaid by that general improvement.
" One of our engines has already been put to work;
the completion of others will shortly follow, and in a
few weeks we shall at least be able to run trains, though
perhaps not entirely dispensing with the locomotive;
and I feel convinced that the result will repay you for
the anxiety of waiting—while in the meantime the line is
well worked, and the traffic developed by the use of the
locomotive.

"I am, gentlemen,
" Your obedient servant,
" T. K. BRUNEL.
" To the Directors of the South Devon
Railway Company."
SOUTH DEVON RAILWAY.—STATEMENT OF
RECEIPTS AND PAYMENTS TO JUNE 30, 1846.
Amount received on account of Calls, viz.:—
Deposit of 51. per share £lOO,OOO 0 0
2d Instalment do.
3d Instalment do.
4th Instalment do 99,990 0 0
sth Instalment do S.. 99,700 0 0
6th Instalment of 101. per Share 186,570 0 0
Capital received in advance ....£54,425
Amount transferred to the 6th
Instalment..

47,505

6,920 0 0
Debenture Bonds
Forfeited Shares ... l2 10 0
Registration Fees 156 19 0

975,649_, 9 0

Amount received of Tavistock Scrip-
holders, their share in the Parlia-
mentary Deposit on the South Devon
Extension Bill

2,500 0 0

978,149 9 0

Audited Aug. 14, 1846.
(Signed) W. H. EVANS.
N. LOCKYER.
[Then followed a statement of the accounts, which
showed the receipts, up to the 30th of June, to be
863,0514 16s. 10d. and the expenditure 978,1494 95.,
leaving a balance in hand of 115,0071. 12s. 2d.]
STATEMENT OF RECEIPTS AND PAYMENTS, FROM 29TH
OF MAY TO 30TH OF JUNE, 1846.
RECEIPTS.
Traffic.

Passengers. £2,364 2 9
Carriages, horses,
and dogs . 14 12 0
Parcels

Mileege

£2,419 17 4
94 4 0

£2,514 1 4