The Sun.
London, England, 1851-09-02 00:00:00

OPENING OF THE TONBRIDGE WELLS

AND HASTINGS LINE.

The larger portion of this railway from Tonbridge
Wells to liobertsbridge, a length of 15i miles, was
opened to the public yesterday, and the remainder of
the line is expected to be opened for public traffic
before the end of the present year.
The line forms an extension of the Tonbridge
Wells branch of the South-Eastern Railway, which
commences with a junction with the main line near
Tonbridge Town, and terminates in the centre of 1

Tonbridie Wells. _ _
The country through which the line passes is suffi-
ciently known, from its picturesque character, pro-
duced by lofty and extensive ridges of hills, which,
however interesting to the tourist, were considered by
several eminent engineers to render it impracticable
to construct a railway to Hastings in the district
traversed by the existing main turnpike road, which
is the most direct course ; nevertheless the railway as
a double line will (we are informed) be executed for
considerably under 20,0001. per mile, the Parliamen-
tary estimate of the engineer, Mr. P. W. Barlow,
F. 8.5., who originally projected and has executed the
work.

There is no doubt that had such a result been con-
sidered practicable before the Brighton, Lewes, and
Hastings line was projected, Parliament would, the
first in
first instance, have sanctioned this line as the natural
route to Hastings ; and it is probable that the
Brighton Company's line to Hastings would not have
been carried out, and the South-Eastern
_ Company
e
would have possessed, as they always had done, the
Hastings traffic without competition.
The portion recently opened commences at the
n
Tonbridge Wells station, which lies in the of
the natural amphitheatre or basin in which the town
is situated ; and it is, consequently, necessarily ap-
proached in each direction by a tunnel which passes
under the town; the first work we have to notice in
the new portion is, therefore, a tunnel which passes
under "The Grove," and is 300 yards in length.
The line then takes a south-easterly direction, in
order to pass the Frant ridge of hills, by the pass at
Bell's Yew-green, where a station has been erected
for Frant and Bayham Abbey.,
The line then diverges to the west, and follows the
side of a valley or ravine which leads to the Wad-
burst ridge, and is met by a similar ravine on the op-
posite side, so that by the selection of this course a
tunnel of 1,200 yards is rendered sufficient to pass
this extensive ridge.
The station for the town of Wadhurst is situate
about a quarter of a mile on the north side of Wad-
burst tunnel.
The line after leaving Wadburst tunnel, 5,1- miles
from Tonbridge Wells, again takes a south-easterly
direction, following the valley of a branch of the
river. Rother to the town of Robertsbridge; and
passing, in the distance, near the towns of Ticentirst,
Burwash, Etchingham, Hawkhurst, Brightling, &c.,
for which stations have been provided at Witherinden
and Etchingham.
The station at Robertsbridge is situated conveni-
niently within a quarter of a mile of the town, and
10i miles from the terminus at Hastings.
It is deserving of notice that the permanent way
of this branch is laid with iron sleepers, instead of
the ordinary wooden sleepers—a system which is
now adopted on several railways ftom its durability
and economy, and is likely to come into general use.
—Morning Paper.

SUDDEN DEATH OF AN OFFICER Or THE BRITISH
MUSEUM.—Yesterday Mr. Wakley held an inquest at the
Museum Tavern, on the body of Mr. Charles Konig, many
years keeper of the mineralogical department of the British
Museum. It appeared that the deceased gentleman, who
had attained the age of 78 years, was walking down Mu-
seum-street on Friday evening last, when he suddenly fell,
and in a few minutes expired. The ineJical evidence referred
the stroke to extravasation of blood on the brain, and a ver-
dict of Natural Death was returned.
GOOD PRICE FOR A SALMON.—.The splendid salmon
which was caught near the mouth of the Deveron on the
11th inst., weighing 531b5., was disposed of in London at
2s. 6d. per lb., amounting to 6/. 13s. 6d.—a sum greater than
would purchase at the present time a good Highland ox.—
Banffshire Journal,