The Sun.
London, England, 1846-06-16 00:00:00

GROUP XVII.

DIANCHLSTITA. AND SOUTHAMPTON AND
SOUTH-WEST CRN (RoivxsLy AND RED-
BRIDGE BRANCH).
The Committee met this morning at half-past twelve o'clock ; the
Hon. Mr. E. Yorke in the chair.
The promeLers commenced their engineering evidence, by calling
Mr. Bidder, who was examined by Mr. JAMES—He said he was
one of the engineers to the line conjointly with Mr. Robert Stephen-
son, and that the project originated with some gentlemen of influence
in Manchester and Southampton, and with others cennected with
the Midland Railway, all of whom were desirous of obtaining a direct
and uninterrupted communication from north to south. He had
his attention first called to the line in June or July last,
before any prospeeps was issued to the public. The line com-
menced by a junction with the Bristol and Birmingham line at
Swindon, in Gloucestershire, near Cheltenham, and would run in a
nearly direct line to Southampton ; so that there would be about 88
miles of new railway. The terminus at Southampton was projected
near the quays, and would have an independent terminus, which he
considered advisable ; but the two stations were intended to be con-
nected by tramroads, to be worked by horses instead of locomotives.
carrying the line
An independent terminus was necessary to meet the wants and wishes
darciculLitverpinool—the quays of
of the inhabitants, as also was a railway connexion with the existing
pier. A railway which did not accomplish this object would, in his
las"Tth-anetraemYaed‘r'ams no
town possessed several tram-
ihuveaey.those proposed to be constructed in con-
ort:hofPexadBerinaiii;lndsnosal'cibNeVikosngtdarhaetthfeethcthqtte terminus of the Manchester and South-
ampton. The connexion of the terminus of this line with the South-
Western in any other way than that proposed would have destroyed
the integral character of the project. That was one of the objections
to making the South-Western their terminus also. Leaving Southamp-
ton the line ran for two miles parallel with the Southampton and
Dorchester Railway, which they might use for a portion of the Man-
chester and Southampton. The Greenwich line, for instance, and
the Croydon line, ace .mmOdated the London and Dover and
the London and Brighton, by the laying down of additional
lines; so that if an arrangement were come to with the
South arestern they might run along the Southampton and Dor-
chester to Redbridge, a distance of three miles. From Redbridge
they had adopted the course of the Andover canal as near as possible,
and would run almost on the surface of the ground. At Romsey the
line would cross under the Bishopatoke and Salisbury
line. From Romsey persons coming from the north might take the
BA ins
dhoovpes
rtoakveo
ildi
elide
toanadgrperaoct egteed tontPiourtteertmerouctlinee.
wTiathkirnegsitdheentctanaialprtoo-
perty. The conversion of canals into railways was found a great
advantage. In the course of the line to Marlborough from Andover,
they
Swindon
managing
whose
Atpassed
20 miles, the property of the Marquis of A) lesbury, was intersected
:ss oend it through.
would
ht
pas Illss under
de or rds
th Lordship
orea had
Great
altogether for 15 miles. That nobleman was the largest land.
owner
assented to the line, and his eldest son, Lord Bruce, was one of the
committee.
Western Railway on a level by a bridge, the span of which would be
CO s
25 feet high and 14 wide. A "girder" would be placed two feet
Ciren-
cester,wo
under the I Great Western line, and the bridge scooped out.
Bridges similarly constructed were to be found on the Net.v tle
and Darlington, and the Northern and Eastern at Rye-house.
The line then
up
enpurtshueed
viattsley routeof bytho Creichklontade
to tti
up
hills, which were tile-tunnelled, that point being in fact the great
engineering feature of the line, as the works would be of a heavy
character, witt a gradient which would have to be worked by assist-
ant power. The tunnel would be three miles and a-half in length.
The line then joined the Gloucester and Birmingham at the 44th mile,
by which access on the one hand was obtained to Birmingham, and
on the other, by the Worcester and Wolverhampton to Wolverhamp-
ton, and by the Manchester and Birmingham to Lichfield, which
line he believed had passed a Committee of the House of Commons.
In fact they obtained a direct northern communication by lines,
whose interests were identical with those of the Manchester and
Southampton. From Wolverhampton they went along the
Grand Junction up to Manchooter, The Oxford, Wor-