The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1840-11-17 00:00:00

RAILWAY INTELLIGENCE.

GREAL WESTERN RAILWAY.—A circumstance occurred
on Sunday last which strongly shows the vigilant superin-
tendence on this line. It appears that the engine driver who
took the six o'clock train from hence to Bath had been drink-
ing in the course of the afternoon, but not to such an extent
as to be perceivable from his conduct. Mr. Brunel, who
was at the Keynsham station waiting the arrival of the up
train to proceed to Bath, was surprised at its being half
an hour beyond its proper time, and upon questioning
the driver could get no satisfactory reply. When starting
for Bath the man shut off half the steam, when, upon Mr.
Brunel directing him to put the full steam on the engine, the
man refused. Mr. B. immediately took charge of the train,
and threw the driver into the tender, and upon arriving in
Bath placed him in custody. He has since been discharged.
A few rigorous examples of this kind will, we think, be suffi-
cient to deter the men employed from improperly indulging
in liquor, and at the same time ensure the continued confi-
dence of the public in the safety of the line.—Bristo
Standard. 1
GREAT WESTERN RAILWAY.—We have heard that Messrs
Stothert and Co., the manufacturers of the Arrow locomotive,
have received further very extensive orders from this com-
pany for engines ; the excellent working, beauty of finish,
and power of this favourite engine having given great satis-
faction. Including the extensive works of Messrs. Acraman,
Morgan and Co., our city can now boast of as complete en-
gineering establishments as any of the towns in the north,
which have long monopolized this branch of manufacturing
industry ; and we feel some regret that the Great Western
Company should have fixed their engine station at Swindon ;
at our end of the line they could have availed themselves on
emergency of any amount of assistance from the neighbouring
manufactories. The directors are, of course, more compe-
tent to decide in this matter than we can possibly be ; the
necessary expenditure would be lost to Bristol, and that is
our reason for referring to the subject. Swindon is, indeed,
the most central station of the line, but we shouid think the
distance not material where time and space are so nearly an-
nihilated as on railways.—lbid.
EFFECTS OF RAILWAYS.—The Grand Junction Canal
shares, which a few years since were selling at £346 per share,
have fallen to £139 per share, and the dividend, which was
then £l3, is now £8 per share. As there are 11,500 shares,
the proprietors have lost £2,415,000 upon their capital, and
their annual income is reduced £57,000 in this undertaking
alone. _ _

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RAILWAYS IN ENGLAND.—The following results of calcu-
lations made on the subject of railways in England will be
found interesting :—Opened, and to be opened within the
year 1840, 1,268 miles ; to be opened within the year 1841,
160 miles ; to be opened subsequently, 330 miles ; total for
which acts have been obtained, 1,758 ; of which the shares
are now at a premium, 783 miles ; at a discount not exceed-
ing 20 per cent. on the amount of share, 461 miles ; total
1,244 ; at a discount exceeding 20 per cent. on the amount of
share, 514: total, 1,758 miles. Of the share capital for the
above, there is now uncalled for £7,029,000, of which there
may be estimated to be called for by the end of 1841, about
one-half. Of railways entirely opened exceeding 20 miles in
length, there are still at a discount only 129 miles.—Railway
Times.