The Sun.
London, England, 1845-06-06 00:00:00

THE OXFORD AND HAMBY nAILWAY

SILL.

The first 14 clauses of this Bill were agreed to without amend.
ments, and the Committee adjourned to twelve o'clock to-morrow,

GROUP GG.
BOOT= RAILWAYS.
GLASGOW JUNCTION RAILWAY.
(Continued from our Afternoon Edition of yesterday.)
Mr. Miller, C.E., then entered into details showing how he in-
tended carrying the line across the streets of Glasgow by a viaduct,
and in some cases under, by a tunnel. The line
would cross the Clyde by a bridge of three arches, the estimated
cost of which was 30,000/. The total cost was 280,0001. It was
proposed to throw out a branch from the main line to communi-
cate with the Broomielaw. The estimates were fully sufficient for
the construction of the line.

The Committee adjourned at four o'clock till to morrow.

GROUP K.
NORWICH AND BRANDON LINE.
(Continued from our Afternoon Edition of yesterday.)
Cross.examined by Mr. CALVERT—The traffic tables have been
taken by actual observation, parties being placed on the Dereham
road, just out of Norwich ; the Hingham road, Barford, Ship.
ton, and other points. Has taken credit for the whole of
the market at Dereham in his traffic tables. There are a few
coaches running between Dereham and Norwich, and one to the
metropolis. The distance between Dereham and London by Lynn
is shorter by five miles than that by Wyndham ; nevertheless he con.
siders that traffic will go upon the latter in greater proportion than the
former. The plans and sections of the Eastern Counties Extension
project, as deposited in the office of the clerk of the peace, are very
inaccurate, though he cannot state the extent or particulars of the
errors. [This witness, in the course of a protracted direct
cross.examinstion, to which the whole of the day's sitting was,
with the exception of Mr. Wodehouse's evidence, exclusively
devoted, entered into the details of distance, traffic, plans, and
sections of the various branches (integral or independent) of both
lines. The evidence was a mere repetition of that already given:
and possessed no feature of public interest whatever.]
The Hon. and Rev. William Wodehouse, examined by Mr.
GIRDEN—Is incumbent of Hingham, and has filled that office for
34 years ; believes that his brother, Lard Wodehouse, is an assent
to the proposed branch of the Norwich and Brandon line. Con.
siders, when completed, it will confer great advantages on the dis-
trict.

Cross-examined by Mr. WHATELEY, Q.C.—Does not know whe-
ther his brother, Lord Wodehouse, was previously a dissentient to
the Bill, nor his motives for now supporting it.
This line of cross-examination being objected to by Mr. Girden,
and held as irrelevant by the Committee, the Learned Counsel de-
sisted ; and the Speaker having been announced at prayers, the
Committee adjourned.

GROUP KK.
LIVERPOOL AND BURY LINE.

The Committee met at twelve o'clock ; Sir C. Lemon in the chair.
The first witness examined to-day was Mr. Simnel Cottam, au-
ditor of the accounts of the Leeds and Manchester Railway, and
general accountant, who stated that the present traffic between Liver-
pool and Wigan was 95,109/ annually, viz., 26,0311. 17s. 9d. for
passengers, 894/. 4s. 9d. for cattle, 65,9331. for minerals and
goods, for sundries 25,0001. The population along the line was
330,000.

Cross.examined by ➢ir. Sergeant BRLLASIS —A very important
part of the traffic was third-class passengers. The witness ex-
plained In a satisfactory manner how he made the calculations.
The foot passengers observed passing along the line from Wigan
to Liverpool, at the Ince station, were 4,593 in fourteen days. He
admitted, however, that there were several small towns along the line,
such as Leigh and Htndley,and would not say but these passengers
were going there instead of to Wigan. Had, in his calculations,
estimated that 5,000/. a year would be abstracted from the present
railways. He estimated that foot passengers, those who travelled
by horses and gigs, and what he calculated would be abstracted
from other railways, would be about 20,0004, and about 6,0001.
from other sources.

Re• examined—. the traffic tables were taken in the usual man.
ner. Had not taken in these tables any of the traffic to York.
shire, nor computed in any way so highly as many traffic calcula.
tors who had been examined before other Committees.
The examination of this witness lasted more than two hours and
a half,

Mr. J. Thompson, engineer, in conjunction with Sir J. M`Neill,
to the Liverpool and Bury Railway, raid it had been surveyed
under his direction. Was very careful in making trial surveys;
thought the projected line the best which the country admitted.
The terminus at Liverpool was in Howard.street,half a mile west
of the Exchange. There was now no connexion between the
terminus and the north docks, but such'. a communication was
quite practicable, and was contemplated. It would have been laid
down on this plan, but when it was drawn up the position of the
docks had not been defined. The docks were, however, now in
course of formation. There would be no difficulty whatever
in effecting the junction. The levels admitted of a very
easy junction with the docks. The Liverpool and Bury
terminus was, generally speaking, about 500 yards from the
North Docks, in its passage through Liverpool. Another junction
with the Leeds and Livi rpool Canal was intended ; forty feet
would be the height of the railway terminus, and from that
it would gradually drop down to an elevation of twenty.
three feet, whence the coal would be dropped into the
vessel. Their object in having this elevation was to drop the
coal, without breakage or cartage, into the holds of the vessels;
and so it would save much time and expense. There would be
no difficulty in extending the rails along the whole of the docks.
The proposed line passed out of Liverpool by an arching of 1,250
yards, in order to get over a few streets. These arches
would be valuable for the purpose of warehousing. The next
work of moment would be tunnelling under Walton hill, which
would be 1,320 yards in length. That was about a mile and a half
from Liverpool, and it would be made through free-stone rock,
the most favourable of any for making a tunnel through. The
line would pass under the Preston turnpike-road, about
three miles from Liverpool. It would pass by Kirby
Billinge, and on to the north of Ramford. It would pass close by
Orrell, and thence to Wigan, a distance of 18& miles. At Wig ,n
it would cross the North Union Railway at an elevation. This
point would be very convenient for ajunction with the North Union,
if required. The line proceeded to the north of Hindley, which it
would approach within a quarterofa mile. It went on to West-
houghton, which it approached within. the same distance as Hind.
ley • it then went on to Bolton, and joined the Blackburn, Damen
and V.olton Railway ; it went on to Bury, and would join the Bury'
and liossendale Railway. There were two trunks of arching on the
line, one of 150 yards, and the other cf 170 yards.
It would also touch the Leeds and Manchester Extension
One of the branches, the Ormskirk, was three miles long, and
would connect the towns of Ormskirk and Southport. There
was another, the Haig branch. The total length of the main line
was 30 % miler. The Ormskirk branch was in length 3 miles
3 furlongs 65 yards ; the Haig branch 1 mile 4 furlongs and 70
y
ioannregd
_s
andm .tbhkr eianuggc rhaceast
was
total e
a ofe3 5
n 5 branch,mminaanenaddr 851 of lutrolno ,n
furlongs
quarter of a mile
in length. The.
The total main
gradients were on the whole good, about 1 in 100 on the main
line, on the Bury about 1 in 150, on the Ormskirk about I in 115,
and on the Haig branch about lin 186. There were many of the
Scotch railways which had much worse gradients. The estimated
cost of the whole line was 012,0001., of which the main line had
cost 677,2481., and. the branches the difference. Considered the
line would be, on the whole, very advantageous to the commercial
projected line was most
was much delay on the
00l would cost 1,0001.
desirable.eds
and
communityd
,fht
eh i
Manchesters s
hip parti,i
no
gf
Railway,t hs stages
ge
at
andrt y co.L vTheretheer p
each ; the branch from the terminus to the docks 100,000/.
The cross-examinatioe of this witness was commenced by Mr.
Sergeant Bellasis, but had not terminated when the CoJimittee
adjourned, at four o'clock.

GROUP L.
DIRECT LONDON AND PORTSMOUTH
ATMOSPHERIC RAILWAY.
The Committee re-assembled this morning at twelve o'clock,

and shortly after proceeded with the consideration of the above
scheme.

Several witnesses, whose evidence was not publicly interesting,
having been examined,
Mr. RAWLINS called Mr. James Foster, of Godalming, who
stated that he dealt to a very great extent annually in groceries
and other articles of produce, which he punctually obtained
from the City and the warehouses in Thames-street. He should
greatly prefer the atmospheric line to the South-Western Railway,
as the Atmospheric Company proposed to have a terminus at
London-bridge, which would be much more convenient :for his
business than the South. Western Railway, as the terminus of that
railway was at Vauxhall. In the opinion he now expressed re-
garding the eligibility of the atmospheric line he was confirmed by
most of the merchants and grocers of Godalming.
Mr. Stafford, corn.factor, at Godalming, was next examined--
He deposed generally as to the great advantage which would be de.
rived to his business from the construction of the atmospheric line,
as its terminus would be at London bridge, and the expense of
conveyance would be cheaper than any of the present modes of
transmission.

Mr. Moon, waggon-master, Godalming, stated that he conveyed
annually considerable numbers of cattle to London. There were
some other waggon-masters in the vicinity of Petersfield and
Godalming, who ccnveyed, on the aver,ge, to Londcn, about
10,000 sheep and 1,000 calves annually. They also brought a large
quantity of groceries and other traffic, from London, to Godalming
and its neighbourhood. If the atmospheric railway were con-
structed it would destroy his trade, as the goods would be trans-
mitted at so low a rate, that he could not keep his waggons on
the rail.

Mr. Madeley, leather dresser, near Gadalming, said there was
a great deal of water power in the neighbourhood of Coda!ming,
which, by a more scientific management of its capabilities, might
be increased '2O per cent. His opinion and that of his neighbuurs
was decidedly in favour of the atmospheric line.
On cross.examination he said that the gauge of the line near
his manufactory would occasion considerable inconvenience, as the
smoke and soot from the engine would be likely to fall on the
leathers exposed in the yard, and spoil their surface, and render a
new dress necessary.
Mr. Britton said he transmitted great quantities of hoops and
other material to London, the cost of conveying which averaged,
including passage by canal and cartage, about 14s. per ton. If
the atmospheric line were constructed at least one-half in the ex.
pence of carriage would be saved.
The examination of these witnesses elicited only similar
evidence to what had been adduced yesterday.
The Committee adjourned at four o'clock.