The Sun.
London, England, 1842-11-30 00:00:00

SOUTH EASTERN (LONDON AND
DOVER) RAILWAY.
Another portion of this national undertaking—from
Headcorn to Ashford—was opened on Monday, prepa-
ratory to a public opening on Friday next. A special
train started from London bridge, at nine o'clock, to
convey the Government Inspector of Railroads, Ma-,
jor-General Pasley, and Mr. Lang, the legal adviser
to the railway department of the Board of Trade, on
their final tour of inspection. These gentlemen were
accompanied by Mr. Cubitt, the engineer.; Mr.
Braxendale, the chairman ; Mr. Fearoa, the solicitor ;
Mr. Whitehead, the secretary; and many of the
Directors and their guests, who took this opportunity
of paying a short visit to their Kentish friends. The
train was arranged to reach New Cross, at 9h. 15m,
a.m. ; Croydon, 9h. 35in.; Reigate, 10h. 3m. ; God-
stone, 10h. 17m. ; denbridge, 10h. 31m. ; Pens-
hurst, 10h. 45m. ; Tunbridge, 11h. 2m. ; Maidstone-
road, 11h. 16m. ; Marden, 11h. 30m. ; • Staplehurst,
11h. 40m. ; Headcorn, 11h. 50m.; Pluckley, at 12h.
sm. p.m. ; and Ashford, 12h. 20m. p.m. ; and
at the different stations there was an accession of
many gentlemen anxious to view the rapid progress
which had been made to place Dover within a short
morning's ride of the metropolis. Mr. B. Cubitt, the
brother of the chief engineer, mounted the engine—the
Harold, built by Sharp and Roberts, and drove the party
at a quick and even pace to Headcorn. The traffic for
the last two months had made the old portion of the
line firm, and there was no longer the vibration which
was at first observable. From Headcorn the line runs
almost due east through a flat but most charming
portion of the Weald of Kent ; the cuttings are few,
and the embankments little more than the turning up
of the sides to raise the road above the level of the
neighbouring water courses. The engineering diffi-
culties in this portion, therefore, have been extremely
slight, and, indeed, with the exception of the Belgian
railroads, we do not know of any line on which
the works for twenty miles have been lighter than
from Maidstone-road to Ashford. As a conse-
quence the views on each side are uninterrupted,
and the passengers can see the charming vale,
which is bounded on one side by the North-downs,
and on the other by the forest ridges. The pictu-
resque was heightened by the accidental circumstance
of partial floods in the vallies, southward of the Med-
way, which gave the appearance of lake scenery in
more than one spot. Notwithstanding the recent
rains, the rails had been well laid, and both lines of
rail, with the exception of some mile and a half upon
which the second line was only partially completed—
were firm and safe. The only feature of particular
interest is the wooden or Swiss bridges over some of
the streams, which appear to be as strong for the
passage of the train as ordinary brick or stone work.
A fault might, perhaps, be found from the continuous
undulatory motion which arises in consequence of
th, extreme accuracy with which the guage is kept.
Ashford is a charming spot, in the midst of green
meadows and surrounded by gentlemen's seats,
embosomed in lofty elm trees. Notwithstanding
the unpropitious state of the weather in the early
part of the morning, the town and adjacent
villages had poured out their population to
see the " hissing, wheezing, screeching, scream-
ing thing." The last bridge was crowded
and the engine with its load passed to the station-house,
which was decorated with a profusion of flags, amidst
the hearty cheers of the " sturdy men of Kent," and
the strains cf the Ashford band. The union flag
floated in the breeze from the tower of the venerable
church, built by the same hands as the famous Tenter-
den steeple, though it has riot the traditionary fault of
having caused any portion of the Godwin Sands; but
the bells were dumb : the ringers doubtless did " the
less because they felt the more." Arrived at the tem-
porary terminus, the party adjourned to the refresh-
ment-rooms, where an elegant dejeune, or, more pro-
perly, an early dinner, was served by the chef de
cuisine of the Euston Hotel. On the right of the
Chairman sat Major-General Pasley, and on his left
T. Law Hodges, Esq. The viands were good, and the
wine flowed freely to the honour of the Queen, and
the Royal Family, to the success of the undertaking,
and to the prosperity of the goodly county of Kent, till
the engineer of the line at three o'clock announced
that " the engine was ready," when all hastened to
resume their seats, and returned at a steady pace to
town, delighted with their trip.