The Sun.
London, England, 1845-04-23 00:00:00

STEAM FERRY.

This line wauldVeiinin the High-street of Dartford,
and it would proceed in nearly a direct course to the
bark of the Thames, opposite to Purtleet. The convey-
ance of the traffic across the river would be by means of
a steam ferry, and from the Essex bank of the river the
line would proceed in a direct course to the Eastern
Counties Railway at Rumford. The entire length of
railway to be constructed would be nine miles and ten
chains.

The construction would not be difficult nor expensive

but there is no existing traffic between Dart-ford and
Rumford,
and no good reason has been adduced for sup-
posing that any such is likely to arise whereby a railway
could be supported, and we are of opinion that there are
no public grounds upon which Parliament can be called
on to sanction this project.
EREWASH VALLEY RAILWAY.
This line of railway is intended to issue from the Long
Eaton station of the Midland Railway Branch between
Derby and Nottingham, and to pass with nearly a direct
course up the valley of the Erewash, to j,oin the Mansfield
and Pinxton Railway, in the parish of belstone. It is de-
signed principally for the accommodation of the numerous
iron works and collieries situated in the district through
which it passes, and to which as many as thirteen short
branches are thrown out to the right and left in its
course. The produce of these works has hitherto been
conveyed tomarket by means of canals, which being sub-
ject to the various disadvantages of being circuitous and
tedious when in operation, and liable to frequent inter-
ruptions through floods or frosts in winter, and from de-
ficiency of water in summer, a more rapid and certain
and at the same time a less expensive means of transport
is sought through the construction of this railway.
This scheme was brought forward in 1836 as a branch
of the Midland Counties Railway, and was favourably
reported on by a Committee of the House of Commons
at that time, notwithstanding the opposition of the canal
companies, who now again come forward against it.
The statement of the promoters is, " that it was with-
drawn in consequence of expectations which have not
been realised."
The main line is 15i miles in length, and the total
extent of railway to be constructed, including the 13
branches, is 25 miles 67 chains. The works will be
light, and the curves and gradients favourable on the
main line, the steepest inclination being lin 200. On
the branches the gradients are severe, being 1 in 32k,
1 in 35, 1 in 50, 1 in 56, 1 in 76, and 1 in 97 ; but as
they all ascend from the main line to the works with
which they are connected, and will be used for the con-
veyance downwards of coal and iron, there is but little
objection to them. Many bridges will be required fur
crossing the river Erowash and the different canals.
The statements of traffic brought forward lead us to
believe that the railway will be adequately supported.
Under these circumstances we feel called upon to
state that we are not aware of any public reasons which
should induce the Legislature to withhold its sanction
from the scheme.
THE EPPING RAILWAY.
This line is projected in connexion with the London
and Blackwall Railway. Its commencement is at the
Stepney station of the railway, and its terminus at the
town of Epping, the length of the line being 15 miles 29
chains.

The object of the promoters is to turn to more pro-
fitable account their London terminus in Fonchurch.
street, by making it available for the convenience of the
inhabitants of various populous villages lying east of the
City of London, Lay tonstone, Wanstead , Woodford,
Chigwel', and Loughton, and who appear from the traffic
table furnished to have constsnt intercourse with Lon-
don. The population of those places, added to that of
Epping, amounts to 13,475 persons.
The line would necessarily be very costly. At its
departure from the Blackwell Railway, it is proposed to
carry it upen an arched viaduct 2,480 yards in length
—nearly mile—at a height varying from 18 to 33
feet, and this viaduct is to be followed by au embank-
ment miles long, averaging 18 feet in height, which
embankment would, however, be saved by connecting
the line with the Eastern Counties Railway, at the
termination of the arched viaduct, provision for which
is made in the plans lodged by the promoters. Sh(.uld
this connexion not be made, the line would run for a
mile parallel with and close to the Eastern Counties
Railway, which it then would cross obliquely, and on a
level just beyond the spot where the Cambridge branch
separates from the Eastern Counties line. With the
exception of some heavy cuttings and embankments,
which occur in the last 21 miles, the works are not
otherwise expensive or objectionable.
The experience of existing lines of railway connected
with the same locality will not justify the hope of any
adequate return for capital invested in so very costly an
undertaking as this must necessarily be, if carried through
on the plans now offered.

The proposal to cross the Eastern Counties Railway
diagonally, an a level close to a spot where the traffic
will be the greatest, appears to be highly objectionable
on the score of safety to the public, when no peculiar
necessity can be shown for the adoption of such a course.
The connexion of this railway with the Blackwell line,
the latter being worked by means of stationary engines,
ropes, and pulleys, while the line to Epping is to be
worked by locomotive engines, appears to involve con-
siderable difficulty, and some delay, if it be not also
attended with danger.
The consideration of these various points has led us to
the conclusion that no adequate public advantage could
result from the sanction of the scheme as now proposed,
and we would suggest, therefore, its postponement to
some future time, when, if further examination should
confirm the expectations of profit put forth in the traffic
tables of the promoters, some less costly and otherwise
less objectionable plan may be offered for giving railway
accommodation to the district in question.
THE EASTERN COUNTIES THAMES JUNC-
TION AND NORTH-WOOLWICH RAILWAY.
The Eastern Counties Company has already obtained
powers to make a branch of their railway from Strat-
ford to the east side of Bow Creek, on the river Thames,
where it is proposed to construct a wharf and depot for
goods. The project now brought forward is for an ex-
tension of that branch along the bank of the Thames to
a point called the Horse Ferry, opposite to the Wool-
wich Arsenal. The length of the line would be two
miles 65 < hains. Its course would be through marshes
or perfectly level ground, and it would consequently be
easy cf construction. On the other hand, there is at pre•
sent no traffic whatever either of goods or passengers,
and not a single house or building of any kind along the
proposed line. The idea of thus giving railway com-
munication to the Royal Arsenal at Woolwich with the
centre and the north of England, appears altogether
chimerical, and there do not present themselves any
public grounds to justify the outlay of capital, in order
to provide means of transit for traffic which is to be
LYNN AND ELY RAILWAY,
called into existence at some future time by the facility
to be thus provided.
TII.
WITH A BRANCH
O WISBEAC
This line, commencing at the port of Lynn, termi-
nates at Ely, where it forms a junction with the railway
between Cambridge and Ely, thus affording a continued
line of communisation from Lynn
to London. The
length of the main line is 25 miles 70 chains. From a
point about six miles south of Lynn a branch to Wis-
beach is thrown off, in length ten miles eight chains,
which runs nearly in a straight direction to that town.
Including a short branch to Lynn Harbour, and a short
extension at Ely, the whole extent of railway to be con-
structed is thirty-seven miles fifty-six chains, and as the
district is quite flat the cost will be comparatively small.
The estimate of traffic, which we have examined, appears
to us to justify the promoters in prosecuting the scheme;
which ought to be decisive against it.
and on the whole, we are aware of no public reasons
RAILWAY.
THE LONDON AND GRAVESEND, VIA NORTH-
WOOLWICHThis project is designed to connect the Eastern Coun-
ties Railway with the bank of the Thames near to Til-
bury Fort, opposite to Gravesend. It would, therefore,
have no connexion with either Woolwich or Gravesend,
except by ferries across the river. There are not any
towus or populous places in its course to be served by it;
and although from the level nature of the country
through which it would pass, the work would be inex-
pensive, it is not possible to believe that the traffic can
be such as to afford any return for the capital embarked.
GREAT NORTH OF ENGLAND, CLARENCE,
AND HARTLEPOOL JUNCTION—BRANCHES
OR EXTENSIONS.
The branches or extensions proposed are four in
number; one of them, however, is an alternative branch,
reducing the number actually intended for construction
to thre. e, having an aggregate length of seventy-one
chains
They may be thus described:—.
No. I.—A branch to join the Newcastle and Darling-
ton Junction Railway on a level, by bending to the
northward, with a curve of about seventeen chains
radius, and at a descending gradient of one in fifty-five.
No. 2.—A branch also to join the Newcastleand
Darlington Junction Railway on a level, by bending to
No. 3.—An alternative branch in place of No. 2,
shorter, but having a shorter curve of 8 chains radius,
theat
asouthward,
descending
gradient
a cu rovfe 1 ofin 26 3
4.
chains radius, and
i
and at a steeper descending gradient of 1 in 60.
No. 4.—A branch to join the Sherburne branch of
the Clarence Railway on a level, by a curve of 6 chains
radius, and at a descending gradient of 1 in 180.
We are of opinion that having regard to the safety of
the public, the first three of these branches, intended to
form a junction with a greater passenger railway, are
1:e Clarence Rail-
. and that the
objectionable on account of the sharpness of the curves
faonudr t ht h,
eforsemvaekriitnyg otfhet
jhueniretigonrawidietnhtst
way, is, notwithstanding the more favourable gradient,
objectionable by reason of its curve of only six chains
radius.

KENTISH COAST RAILWAY.
ir his
to h
line
ine
te eastwardcommences of at Tee, rrnn e Herne
Bay, passes a short
distance
let, and Stour-
mouth, and at 1041 miles throws out a branch to the
eastward to Ramsgate ; it then passes on the west side
of Sandwich, and at Sholden, 15 miles 50 chains, throws
out a brach to Deal. It then proceeds by Weimer, Ring-
wold, East Langdon, and Guston to Dover. The length
of the main line and branches together is 29 miles 74
chains. Its object is to nonnect the towns of Dover,
Deal, Sandwich, and Ramsgate with each other and with
Herne Bay, as affording the means of a ready inter-
course by steam-vessels with London. Another advan-
tage, as alleged by tho promotes', consists in the com-