The Sun.
London, England, 1845-05-29 00:00:00

(LEFT SITTING.)

Group W.
WAKEFIELD, PONTEFRACT, AND GOOLE RAILWAY.
The Committee on this line re- assembled to•day at twelve o'clock
Mr. Pakington in the Chair.
Evidence was then brought forward, on the part of the pro_
scoters, to rebut the case which had been made against the pro-
posed railway on Tuesday last by Mr. Smith, one of the dissentient
landowners on the line.
The first witness called was

Mr. Hawkshaw, civil engineer, whose examination was re-
sumed from Tuesday last. He stated that he had a strong ob-
jection to the line suggested by Mr. Gooch, on the ground of its
throwing them back on two Companies. Considered the graciients
of the Wakefield, Pontefract, and Goole line perfectly unobjection-
able, and any desirable rate of speed could be obtained
on them. He did not consider that even if the
other suggested lines could be made with more favourable
gradients (which he was not prepared to aomit), that the advan-
tages which the proposed line held out were to be abandoned be-
cause of its less favourable gradients. The Manchester and Leeds
Railway engines would be large enough for the locomotive of any
traffic on the proposed line, and would be able to work
with as much facility and celerity as they did upon
their own line. He did not think that the traffic on the Wake-
field, Pontefract, and Goole line, would exceed that upon the Man.
chester and Leeds.
Cross-examined by Mr. HARDY—There were gradients on the
Manchester and Leeds line of lin 150. The average rate of speed
of the fastest carriages on that line was 23 miles an hour ; but that
was not necessarily the speed. They might be made to go at the
rate of fifty miles an hour.
By Mr. WiLKiNs—Had heard that all the projected lines had
been suggested in consequence of the obstruction of view which
the proposed line would give from Mr. Smith's house. Could
not say which of the two houses, Mr. Smith's or Sir Edward
Dodsworth's, was the best. Thought that the suggested line of
Mr. Biikenshaw would run as close to Sir Edward Dods worth's
property as the proposed line would to Mr. Smith's, and be as in-
jurious to that gentleman's poverty.
Mr. Vignolles, civil engineer—Was well acquainted with the dis-
trict. Saw on the map the three suggested lines that had been laid out
by Messrs. Gooch, Birkenshaw, and Leather. Believed that these
lines, as compared with the proposed \VakefiLld, Pontefract, and
Goole line, were very much inferior. He had come to this con-
clusion from his knowledge of the country, the inconveniences at
the NOrMaritoll station, and the circumstance of the proposed line
forming a more direct communication with the south.
Cross-examined by Mr. Ilnituv—The gradients on Mr. Birken-
shaw's line, he believed, would be more favourable, and the works
much lighter.

(1.11,FT SITTING.)

Group F.

The Committee met again this day at twelve o'clock,
:present
the Right lion. F. Shaw, chairman, Mr. Bramston, Mr. Drum-
mond, Mr. V. Stuart, and Mr. Lockhart. The Committee re-
sumed the adjourned case of the
LONDON, WORCESTER, AND SOUTH STAFFORDSHIRE
RAILWAY.
Mr. Brunel's cross-examination resumed by Mr. HOPE
—All the iron-masters of South Staffordshire were im-
pressed with the necessity of a direct line to
Oxford, and it was in accordance with that desire he altered the
course of the line from the course it was at first intended to take,
via Banbury. The distance from Worcester to Tring is 671 miles,
and the distance by the Great Western from Staffordshire to Oxford
is 58 miles. This makes a difference of something more than 17
miles in favour of his line. If a line of railway were made from
Cheltenham to Worcester, the distance to Oxford would
be between 67 and OS miles, which would be
a distance of about 10 miles more than hii line.
Considers that the two lines, the one now before the Com-
mittee, and the Cheltenham line just alluded to, would be re-
quired for the accommodation of the county, and if they should be
constructed a change of gauge would be necessary, There will be
a double gauge on that part of the line from Wolverhampton to
Abbotswood, and there would be the narrow gauge for the purpose
of meeting the Birmingham and Gloucester and the grand commu-
nication, arid also to meet the London and Birmingham. There
would be a shift between the colliery and the main line, whatever
the gauge might be. To bring mineral traffic down to Oxford a
shift would be necessary. The Gloucester and Birmingham Dura-
tion line would be about four miles from his line. They propose
a branch from Droitwich to tire Birmingham and Glouces-
ter line, and the gradients on that branch are 1 in 85, and
lin 104, and at a pit at the end 1 in 90. In that
portion of the Tring line there is no gradient
worse than lin 152. Several parts of the works will be common
to both lines. The Great Western Company have commenced
about 10 miles of the Gloucester and Bristol line. Minerals from
the Merthyr and Cardiff line by train lines will be brought up to
this line. Intended to join the narrow and broad gauge through-
out the Wolverhampton works to Abbottswood, being a distance
of about 40 miles. This junction of gauge would be caused by having
at those parts of the line where the course went, the narrow rail
outside the broad gauge line, and where that was not convenient,
an additional rail would be introduced, the outside rail would be
most convenient, but that would depend upon the circumstances of
the traffic of the county. Between Dudley and Oxford the gra-
dients on this line were far snore favourable titan on Mr. Stephen-
son's line. At that part the London and Birmingham line would
have great difficulties. From ltugby to Oxford they would have
3,500,000 cubic yards of excavation. Had not compared the cut-
tings on his line with those on the other side, but they were much
less. All the traffic in that part of the county would be more con-
venient to his line, and the broad gauge carriages would favour the
Irvine most materially, from the larger loads they would carry.
(LEFT SITTING.)

Group N.
CORNWALL RAILWAY.
On the assembling of the Committee,
Captain Moorsom was called, and examined by Sergeant KINU-
LAKE, on the part of the promoters of the Bill. He
said he was the engineer of the projected railway,
and had turned his attention fur some years to the
construction of a railway through Cornwall. Ills attention
was first called to the subject in 1840, when he was engaged in
surveying the country for the purpose of constructing a railway
called the South Devon, which was passed last year. After
carefully inspecting the country, he had laid down plans for the