The Sun.
London, England, 1845-05-09 00:00:00

NORTHUMBERLAND ATMOSPHERIC RAILWAY,

The Committee continued this day to hear the evidence in
favour of this projected line, and in opposition to the proposed
Newcastle and Berwick Locomotive Line.
Mr. B. D. Gibbons the first witness called, on examination by
Mr. Sergeant WILANGIIAM, stated that he was the engineer
:of the Dublin and Kingston Railway. That line, which was
constructed on the atmospheric principle, was worked with a
very great degree of regularity. It is a single line, and having
been made without Parliamentary powers, was nevertheless met
with warm expressions of approbation from all who inspected it.
The expense of the apparatus was not a shilling beyond that given
in by Mr. Sarnuda. The machinery had succeeded both in speed
and power. He had reason to know, from being the engineer on a
partly locomotive and partly atmospheric line, that with respect to
facility of getting into motion, speed, and regularity, the latter is
preferable to the former system.
He was cross.exarnined by Mr. HILDYARD, but did not state
anything of material difference from the other witnesses.
Mr. Wilkinson, Chairman of the Great North of England
Railway, stated that an Act of Parliament had been obtained to
execute a line from Darlington to Newcastle, but that it had been
abandoned, in consequence of the difficulties that arose in the
money market. He thought that such a line would be valuable to
the public, and that if the Northumberland Atmospheric Railway
Company obtained an Act to enable them to construct it, the
Great North of England Railway would act harmoniously with
them in the execution and working of that line. There were nr
coal-pit railways joining the Great North of England line. It ,vs,,
his opinion that such coal railways were a great public incon.
venience on a thorough traffic trunk line.

Mr. Thomas Oliver, architect and land surveyor, of Newcastle,
and Mr. Burn, a manufacturer of steam.engines, were then exa-
mined, and corroborated the evidence already given in favour of
the atmospheric principle.
Atter some conversation between the Committee and the Counsel
with respect to the inconvenience, if any, that might arise from their
not sitting during the Whitsuntide vacation, the Committee rose.

Group B.
The Committee re-nssembled at the usual hour this morning,
and proceeded with the evidence in the case for the
WEST YORKSHIRE LINES.
Mr. Nicholas Wood, a locomotive contractor, proved that neither
of the lines could be worked for lee than Is. 6d. per mile.

Mr. R. Taylor proved that trains on the Leeds and Manchester
line cannot pass up the Victoria-place, with the assistance of a rope
worked by a stationary engine.
Mr. Locke, the celebrated engineer, gave it as his decided
opinion that the gradients and curves of the West Yorkshire were
much more favourable than those of the West Riding line.
Mr. R. Stephenson and other witnesses corroborated Mr. Locke's
testmony.

This was the affirmative ease on the part of the promoters
LEEDS AND WEST RIDING JUNCTION RAILWAY.
The opposition of the landholders to this railway was then gone
into.

Mr. B INE, on behalf of the Moravian, of Fullneck, adduced evi•
dence to prove that course of tho line Would destroy their establish.
went in that district.
The Committee then adjourned.

Sub- Committee, No. 1.

This Committee met at twelve o'clock, in room No. 7, present
Mr. Pakington (Chairmat.), Mr. Beckett, Mr. Forbes, Mr. Clive,
Mr. Cavendish, and Mr. Compton.
THE SUNDERLAND, DURHAM, AND AUCKLAND
UNION RAILWAY.

This is a petition for a Bill to empower the promoters to im
prove the existing line of the Durham and Sunderland Railway, and.
y
to extend the line to Bishop Auckland, and to make
Estimated
branchas therefrom. Length of the line '24} miles.
cost, 236,0001. Engineers, Mr. John Blenkinsopp, and Mr. John
Murray.
Mr. J. J. Wright appeared as agent for the promoters.
There were two petitions presented against the Bill, one from
the owners and occupiers of land on the line, and one from the
Clarence Railway Company, in the County of Durham.
The formal notices having been put in and proved,
Mr. Pam submitted the allegations in the petition of the owners
and occupiers of property on the proposed line of railway.
The first allegation was that a field marked No. 17 on the plans,
was improperly described in the books of reference.
'The allegation was sustained.
The Committee were occupied up to four o'clock in disposing of
allegations complaining of inaccuracies in the books of reference
and discrepancies on the plans.
A great ra y were sustained, but the character of the inform.
lilies ism s trifling nature.
Mr. rartr led hs would to.rnorrow submit to the Committee a
)Ft• Irktbo! of allegathms upon the datum level of the line. He
• .•-s- t _
.4"

aCra