Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1842-07-22

(fr0U hc EHgItSH LUTfClVH.tft ~ th "."'' '.I
LoSDoN, June IL, le42.
Genllemen: One of the most remarkable things here
is the railway from London to Blackwell. THIS place
is situated on the Thames below tie city, from which,
following The winding course OF Inc aver, II IS ABOUT
seven miles, bnt in a direct line by land only half that
distance. Here is the entrance to The East and West
India Docks, and also the starting place Tor some OF
the largest class Of steamers that ply TO Scotland and
else where. The railroad, constructed on arches, and
three and n half miles in length, cost The enormous
sum of four millions of dollars. There are no 10.
comotiye engines employed upon il, bot in lieu OF
them, there is at each end a fixed engine for winding
M a rope, to which the carriages are attached by some
thing resembling a pair Of %pincheTs, capable OF Delng
opened or shut by the conductor Ut the tram. Inc
rome passes below the centre of the carriages, and is
kept in proper place by passing over a series of wheels
fixed at equal and short distances throughout the
whole road. There are no less than live
stations, and il would be very annoying on so short u
Journey 10 be stopped al each. But no such annoy
ance occurs. A passenger, going through the whole
way, gets into 4 carriage in London, the first of the
train, and sees starting with him a number Of others
labelled for The different depo,s. Each carnage is
quietly dropped Of ] may use the phrase) at It's proper
destination by the simple process OF The conductor :
opening the pinche-s above alluded 10, and letting iall
the rope, so that no detention is experienced on the way.
The start is made from each station at the same idenll.
cal moment, the cars being ready and the rope hooked
on at a precise time agreed upon. In order to render
this more certain, a telegraphic communication IS es'
tabl,shed, which regularly conveys the slenai Q y ue-
parture all along the line, simultaneously with the or.
der of the Engineer at the opposite extremity 10 wind
up. Electricity has been here brought into practical
use for signallsing by means of a metallic conductor,
and the rnnpidi,y and certainty Of lis effects are really
wonderful. The whole system is ingenious, and ap'
pears 10 work well, for | hear Of no accidents, though
!, has been some time in operation, and a train runs
every quarter of an hour throughout the day. The three
miles and O half are performed in eight or ten mi.
nules, The fare l2t cents for first class passengers, and
5 for second cluss. forgot to say that, as usual in
England, The road is double throughout. There is also
another curious conlrivance, which must mention,
adopted after the original completion of the road. IL
was decided to carry it on, about a quarter OF a mile
further into the heart Of the city, but as the removal OF
the stationary engine from the old to The new terminus
would have involved immense expense, this necessity
was obyia,ed by laying the rails on two inclined planes
so nicely adjusted between them, that the weight alone
of the train carries il down the one and up the other
A minutes delay only occurs at the old terminus,
where the moving power is applied on starting from
London, or cast of on arrival from Blackwell. ] fear
my description will not be very intelligihlc, so | will
only %ecommc any curious travellers from your city
to pay an observant visit 10 The London and Blackwell
railway.