The Sun.
London, England, 1846-05-07 00:00:00

RAILWAY COMMITTEES.

(YESTERDAY.)

GROUP IV.
(Continued from our Afternoon Edition of yesterday.)
PERTS: AND INVERNESS.

Mr. Hopi then proceeded to open the case for the promoters of
this line, and remarked in the outset that there appeared to be an
impression on the minds of the Committee that the parties were not
anxious to make their line, and had merely brought it forward to
obstruct the progress of parties ; also, they are ready, and willing,
and prepared to make a line. •
The CaAntriaN said the Committee could not shut out from their
consideration the fact, that a petition had been presented by the
shareholders against the line
air. HOPI said that was an -insignificant petition, representing '
conly 50e shares, and he could assure the Committee that the majority
of the shareholders were in favour of the scheme. So much, how-
ever, for that preliminary point, and now for the merits of that
line. Now, the Committee must bear in mind the fact, that the pre-
sent district was open and free for the introduction of railways, and
their decision would therefore settle in what route the traffic for all
time should pass. Most of the schemes which had lately come be-
fore the Legislature the Committee must remember had been
brought forward for correcting mistakes in this respect, and it be-
hoved the Committee to be careful not to select a line which
might hereafter be found not sufficient to accommodate the dis-
tricts. The lint he represented followed the old Highland road
itom Invernetia to Nairn, and ran on, after a short detour, in a direct
line to Perth, one of the first market towns in Scotland. Aberdeen
was a port of comparatively minor importance, but lately it
had sezared for itself a monopoly of the eastern and
western traffic. and the Great North of Scotland line
was only promoted to propitiate that traffic, and
if it was carried, a tax in the shape of dues to the extent of 30,000 •
a year would be imposed on the North of Scotland. Why was this,
'when tjey hal this glaring fact. before them, that by the
Great North of Scotland the traffic going to Perth would
the
Maury
traffic
of the seven counties lying to
importance than the
Frith was infinitely of greater
traffic to the east or the sosetli, and, therefore, the
ethheancodrorfolthofealtrthhe
traffic of these districts ought to be placed
and Inverness Coo -pany. ornvertrafilc
the
There was sufficiencotnteroaslte
to support the Great North Line, but the
working of these lines ought to be in the hands of the
through Company. Now the through line would shorten the distance
for all the northern traffic 67 miles, and some of the local traffic 22
miles; and this they C 0,4
,4
„1 accomplish for 1,750,0001., being only
250,00 W. more than the estimate of the Great North of Scotland line.-
Besides shortening the distance to the extent he had mentioned, there
would be better stations at Nairn, Banff, and Inverness, while the
line would be so laid out as to facilitate future extensions to the
The gradients on the line he should show were in no way ob •
jectionable, and he was sure the Committee, after hearing all the
evidence he should produce, would decide in favour the Perth and In-
verness line.

Mr. Joseph Mitchell, engineer of the roads through which the
proposed line would pass, a gentleman who laid out the Scottish Cen-
tral Railway, was the first witness called.--Previous to 1843, he had
directed his attention to ascertain whether it was practicable to
make a line of railway between Perth and Inverness. He had corn-
mnnicated with most of the influential parties in the north,
and they were most anxious, having experienced the inconvenience
of going round by Aberdeen, to have such a line. Accordingly, for
the purpose of making a Stirvey of such a line, and after many sur-
veys the present line was decided upon. The works along the whole
line consisted almost entirely of gravel and sand. There were all
the materials for making the line, except the iron. The worst gra-
dient was I in 70, for eight miles, two furlongs, and six chains.
There would be no difficulty in working it. His surveys,
and .„,,estiniat,..A had been revised by Mr. Locke and another gentleman
of
eulinen;:e. The length of the main line was 125 miles 4 furlongs
and 5 el-aina,
of the branch by Nairn to Kildrurninie four miles 3 fur-
longs
and 5 chains, and of the branch to the harbour of Inverness, 4
fur Stings, making in all 130 miles four furlongs. The estimated cost
of the main line and branches was 1,400,0001. Neither on the
trunk line nor branches are there engineering difficulties. There was
only one tunnel, viz., at Birnam-hill, near Dunkeld, 425 yards in length.
There was also a viaduct, 484 yards in length, at Kindrochit, four
miles above Blair. The bridges on the line do not involve heavy
works, and materials of every description for their erection are
found in the immediate neighbourhood. The principal part of the
earthwork was of a very favourable character, consisting almost
wholly of gravel and sand. It was proposed that ground
should be taken and the whole works Constructed for a
double line, and that the railway for twenty-two miles cut
of Inverness, and for eight miles through the valley of Athol,
where a steep gradient -occurred, should be laid with double rails.
The gradients were of a favourable character, little, if at all, inferior
to thos.'o of the Caledonian Railway, which, as a through com-
munication from Edinburgh and Glasgow to Liverpool, Manchester,
and London, received the sanction of Parliament last year. From
Inverness, for the first 15 miles, the steepest gradient was 1 in 330 ;
from that point the line passed along the inclines of 1 in 84 for 7 miles
1 furlong 8 chains ; from thence it ascends 1 in 100 for 2 miles I chain ;
it then ascends 1 in 144 for I mile 1 furlong ; it then descends 1 in 330
fbr 1 mile 1 furlong 2 chains. These gradients had been proved to
admit of being worked with facility, and the increasing improve-
ments in the construction of lacomotives were calculated to neutra-
lise the disadvantages which were formerly anticipated from difficult
gradients. The line has been selected after the mosranviouesurvey
of the country, and is submitted as the best, as well as the most direct
line that can be laid down between the south and north of Scotland.
The Great North of Scotland line as it approached Inverness was
several lines below the surface of the sea, and he for one did not
think it could be made for the estimate which had been sent.
The Committee adjourned at four o'clock till twelve to-morrow.

GROUP VI.
This Committee met to-day at the usual hour. Present—Sir J. C.
Mobhouse, (Chairman,) Mr. Mundy, Mr. Neeld, Mr. Dickenson, and
Mr. Alderman Humphery.
To-day the CHAIRMAN declared that the Committee had decided
that the preamble of the Scottish Midland Extension Railway Bill
had not been proved.
Ate; a lengthened argument as to the position of a station com-
mon to three or four lines,
Mr. TALBOT, on the part of the Scottish Midland, addressed the
Committee against the Edinburgh and Northern line.
The Committee adjourned at four o'clock.