The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1840-09-18 00:00:00

I EXPERIMENTAL OPENING OF THE CHESTER
AND BIRKENHEAD RAILWAY.

ThA number of the directors of this line, proceeded, on
ursday last, from Warrington, where several of their en-
gines and carriages were in waiting,—to Crewe, where they
Chwere entertained at a sumptuous collation by the mayor of
ester, and other di,,,,F,,..,..,e ,t,.. r.,_ ~ , ~ .

u,recLors or the Uhester and
way. They afterwards proceeded along the C
Chester, where they were received with great e'
a* large conconr.. „so

(eriday), the directors and their friends started from Chest
on the Birkenhead line, with a train of five engines and to
carriages, at a gentle speed, and arrived at their destinat'
without accident, soon after twelve. At Crewe,
joined by Mr: George Stephenson, tie. engineer of the first
great railway (ths 'Manchester and Liverpool dof
subsequent lines and works of magnitude. \V
say that the greeting between him anti his be,.
Mr. Dixon, of the Birkenhead line, and of the gentler: present, most of-whom knew him, was most cordial.
On. Saturday, a .trip was made still more gratifying,
possible, inasmuch as it embraced the journey in the new
line only from Birkenhead to Chester and back. On the
previous day, the arrival of the trains not being generally
anticipated by the now populous town of Birkenhead, the
interest excited was comparatively small. A number of fine
new engines and carriages were now, however, collected for
the first time at the Birkenhead station, and the neighbour_
h od consequently became on the qui vire.
Towards the hour appointed for.starting a large number of
persona of all ages and conditions, collected ou the vacant
ground of the company opposite the station ;—at the top o
Abbey-street, which was decorated with flags, many lathe
Were on the ground, to witness the departure of the first
large train from the terminus, towel its Chester. The gen-
tlemen included the directors, the engineer, Mr. Dixon, the
treasurer, Mr. James, Mr. Yarrow, nephew of M. r. -D4on,
(the assistant-engineer), and a large number of friends from
Liverpool, Birkenhead and Chester. There were several
• new engines on the ground, but one of them only, the
Wirrall, built by Messrs.- Charles Taylor and Co., of this
town, was attached to the train, -which was a mixed one.
The second class carriages were very neat and eonunodious,
.and bore the name of the makers, G. R. Melling and Son,
Green Hayes, Manchester : a new and approved plan of a
break is introduced. The two first class carriages were truly
splendid vehicles, handsomely painted and varnished, and
combining extraordinary neatness and strength, with several
improvements in construction, amongst which may be con-
sidered their being, hung from the springs on strong leather.
The manner in which these carriages are finished, both
exteriorly and interiorly, excited the approbation of all who
inspected them, .and is equally creditable to the builders and
to the company. under whose directions they were built, by
Mr. Truss, of Chester. Great anxiety was evinced by many
of the bye-standers to obtain a ride to Chester and back, on
the proposed pleasure -trip, for which, of course, there was
no charge ; and several of the open carriages were .soon
filled. Those who had thus taken their places were, how-
ever, informed that the operative engineers and workmen
connected with the line should be adrnitted, and that if
beyond these, room could be found for strangers„ they
must find their way back from Chester on foot, as others
of those. employed at the. works -would have to be brought
from Chester by the train on its return. This was a damper
to the aspirants to a cheap jaunt, and most of them dis-
mounted with rueful countenances, amidst the laughter of
the byestanders. '
The whole of those who were to proceed having taken their
places, the train started at about ten minutes past one o'clock,
at a moderate pace, amidst the cheers of the populace.
Mr. Dixon, the engineer of the line, and Mr. farrow, had
both taken their places on the engine, with a view to greater
security,—a precaution which is highly commendable in all
new lines.' As the train proceeded, the inhabitanti of Lower
Tranthere, and of every hamlet, house, or cottage, whence a
view could be obtained, made their appearance at doors or
windows, or on the several bridges, all equally enthusiastic
in their demonstration of delight at witnessing, most of them
for the first time, the rapid and, to them, fearful movement of
the train.

they were

e need scarce
ther et

The entire length of the line is, as nearly as can be stated
in round numbers, 144 miles, and the gradients are easy,
none of them exceeding 1 in 330. The country through
which it passes is generally interesting and often picturesque,
though not populous except at either terminus. It leaves the
village and Church of Brombro' on the right, in proceeding
to Chester, and those of Eastham on the left. From the first
or Tranmere embankment a fine view is obtained of the Mer-
sey and the Lancashire shore. The Brombro' valley, crossed
by a high embankment and culvert, points a romantic scene.
and beyond it the Mostyn valley, still more extensive and
picturesque, is spanned by a lofty mound and a fine viaduct
of eleven arches, under one of which, 68 feet below the level
of the railway, is the Chester and Ellesmere canal, and under
another a considerable brook. The centre arch (over the
canal) is 45 feet in span, and is of the skew form. The others
are of equal height, but of smaller span. Here the country is
finely wooded, and continues to open out to great extent, co-
vered with seats and farm-houses, and bounded on the west by
sloping land of Wales, backed by the range of mountains of
which Moel Faunan stands pre-eminent. The line crosses
the high road from Chester to Liverpool by a bridge, a little
to the north of the Lunatic Asylum, which last forms a fine
object in the landscaiv. The tower of Chester Cathedral
and that of St. John's Church are now at hand, and in a few
minutes the traveller, if on his way to " the ancient city," is
set down at the-station at the east end of Brook-street, where
it is immediately joined by the Chester and Crewe line. The
rails are here on a level with the street, which will be carried
over a bridge of three arches, already in a forward state, a
little to the north of its present site. Here the offices, &c.,
requisite for the station are also approaching to completion
We should add that the greater portions of the cuttings ar
over the central part of the line, and many of them were
heavy amount. The whole, however, as well as the eml
ment and bridge work, have been accomplished in a N
substantial and workmanlike manner, and all the slopes w
in a short time be strongly consolidated by herbage.
On this first occasion, it was the wish of the directors tc
proceed along the line with caution, lest any accident might
arise from parties at the different crossings being prompted
by curiosity to come upon the line. To make security dou-
bly sure, the steam-whistle was sounded on approaching
every point where the slightest danger could possibly be ap-
prehended, and the. speed was at the same time reduced.
Stoppages were also necessarily made at several of the sta-
tions, to take up or set down parties interested. The jour-
ney was finally performed to Chester in fifty minutes ; but it
will doubtless, when opened to the public, be accomplished
in. half an liour, or even less. The speed occasionally at-
tained appeared to be about thirty miles an hour. The greater
number of the fields on each side of the line are laid out in
pasture ; and the cattle, horses, and sheep, " all unused to
the rail-ing mood," on seeing (he train and hearing it thun-
dering along, flew off at tangents, in great alarm. Some of
the husbandmen lost their teams, and.others had much diffi-
culty in restraining them ; but no accident occurred.
On arriving at Chester, the directors and their friends
visited the town, and afterwards returned to the station,
whence they started on their homeward voyage at about a
quarter past three o'clock, accompanied by several of -the di-
rectors of the Crewe Railway, whose guests they had been on
Thursday. The first part of the road from Brook-street was
crowded with spectators, and a very slow speed became re-
quisite, the engine drawing the train being now the Zillah,
built by our townsmen, Messrs. Mather, Dixon, & Co. The
trip was exceedingly pleasing, hut, owing to the circumstances
before stated, the same time was occupied in the return trip
—namely, 50 minutes to the station at Birkenhead. Tice
train was loudly greeted at all the fine bridges on the line,
and at every other point where the few or the many who
domicile in the neighbourhood could obtain a view of it. At
At Birkenhead the crowd was great, and appeared to be much
gratified with the result of the day's experiment.
About five o'clock the directors and their friends of this
town, Birkenhead, Chester, Crewe, &c., sat down to an ex-
cellent dinner at Mr. Hilliar's, the Monks' Ferry Hotel.
Amongst these present were William Dixon, Esq. in
the chair, Mr. Claxton, vice-chair, the Rev. James Main-
Waring, Mr. Joseph Mallaby, clerk of the company, Mr.
Christopher Bentham, Mr. John Dixon, engineer, Mt. John
Jackson, Mr. Murray Gladstone, Mr. H. Crackenthorpe,
Mr. William Ravenicroft, Mr. Worrall, banker of Chester,
Mr. White of Sutton Hall, Mr. Follett and others. We
need scarcely add that the evening was passed in a most
agreeable manner; that success was drunk to the Birkenhead
and Chester Railway; and that the parties separated highly
delighted with the proceedings of the day.
The railway will, we learn, be opened for passengers and
traffic on Monday next, when also—an arrangement having
been come to with Mr. Price, lord of the manor of Birken-
head—the Monks' Ferry will again be thrown open to the
public.

Mr. Brown, an aeronaut, ascended in his balloon from the
gas works, Ashton-under-Lyne, on Monday, and alighted
about five miles from the town.
Mr. Wildman, recorder of Nottingham, has been appointed
clerk of the Stockport Court of Requests, in the place of the
bankrupt—Winterbottom, who lately absconded.
There exists no intention at present for the assembling of
parliament at an earlier period than usual.
The Society fot the Propagation of the Gospel in Foreign
Parts has resolved to maintain 20 additional missionaries in
the diocese of Toronto. The following clergymen have teen
appointed by the society to the several stations in the diocese
of Montreal annexed to their names :—Rev. J. Fidler, Fe-
nelon Falls, Upper Canada ; Rev. W. Flannagan, Gore dis-
trict, Upper Canada ; Rev. N. Guerout, Riviere du Loup,
Lower Canada; Rev. G. Wait, Pont Neuf, Lower Canada;
Rev. G. C. Street, travelling missionary in Newcastle dis-
trict ; Rev. R. Lonadale, Kingsey, Lower Canada ; Rev. R.
Anderson, Upper Ireland, county of Megantic ; Rev. M.
Boomer, Maine, Upper Canada. It has been agreed to place
£5OO at the disposal of the Bishop of Montreal, for assisting
in the erection of
.churches in poor districts. Also £2OO per
annum to assist in the education of no fewer than foie• inis-

sionaries

MR. MACRETII.—On Sunday forenoon, Mr. Macreth
(who is quite recovered from the late horrible attempt upoil
his life) attended divine service in the parish'church of St.
Lawrence, Ludlow, and, through the minister, offered thanks
to God for his preservation and recovery. 'When the Rev.
Mr. Arrowsmith (who officiated in the absence of the Rev.
A. 0. Johnes, the rector) pronounced his name, all eyes were
bent upon him, and he appeared a good deal agitated, but
soon recovered his self-possession. ' He has been paid much
attention in Ludlow, arid his amiable disposition, gentlemanly
demeanor, and companionable habits, have made him a ge-
neral favourite there. He left Ludlow yesterday by the
Worcester mail, and from Worcester, through Cheltenham,
to Bristol.—Salopian Journal.

The postmaster at Exeter has received notice that the mails
for Egypt and the East Indies will leave Falmouth in Govern-
ment steamers on the second day of every calendar month.—
Exeter Times.

The following cause has been given for the late fatal acci-
dent on the Eastern Counties Railway. One of the stokers,
frightened at the velocity of the engine, put down the break
upon the propelling wheel without the knowledge of the en-
gineer, or without putting off the steam from the !Aston ; this
caused the engine to jump, and ultimately to jerk off the
rails, and hence the fearful mischief that arose.—Chelmsford
Chronicle. •

DECLINE OF SoctAtisat.=-In consequence of the great
decline which has taken place in the number of Socialist wor-
shippers since the recent exposures of the iniquities of that
system in Leeds, it has been announced that in future the
morning lectures at the Saloon in South-Parade, Leeds, will
be discontinued.
DREADFUL ACCIDENT ON THE NORTH MIDLAND RAIL-
WAY.—CHESTERFIELD, SEPTEMBER 14.—A terrific acci-
dent took place. on the North Midland railway on Sunday
last. The train which leaves Chesterfield at 11 o'clock had
got as far as Bull-bridge, on its way to Derby, when the axle-
tree of one of the carriages suddenly broke, through the ex-
treme badness of the iron it was made of. Seven carriages
were precipitated off the rails, and all in them more or less
injured. One gentleman, a foreigner, was killed on the spot,
and was sleeping when the catastrophe occurred. His body
was seen 'on "the rails, and a carriage was on his back. He
had with him some game, and plenty of cash on hi§ person,
besides a valuable pocket-book. lie is supposed to have
been shooting in the north—have not yet heard his name.
The guard,n a remarkably fine-looking man,. was precipitated
down an embankment seven yards deep, where he lay for
dead he was taken up breathing, but died last night. Ano-
ther person, (name unknown) is so seriously injured that he
is not expected to recover. A respectable young woman had
her collar-bone broken, and her brother had so contused an
artn that the surgeon says it must be amputated. An aged
female, of Chesterfield, was so injured as not to be likely to
recover. She has co bones broken, but a dreadful internal
hemorrhage. It would be difficult to enumerate all the
broken limbs
.end severe contusions—Ahey pre so Irutnerpus.
Mr. 9teplitusan was himself a Passengiar, but escaped unhurt.