588
HISTORY OF ENGINEERING.
Book I.
stone rock, were necessary for the execution of this portion of the work. The railway pro-ceeds from the top of the upper plane for a mile nearly level, after which, at Middleton, itmounts another inclined plane of 253 feet rise in 708 yards : here the cutting was some-times 43 feet in depth, through a solid limestone rock, where it was necessary to remove32,000 cubic yards, and the waggons were again drawn up by means of two other enginesof 20 horse-power each. The railway continues level from thence, and at the distance of amile the limestone rock is cut through to a depth of 68 feet. In the centre of these cut-tings there is a tunnel of arched masonry 105 yards in length, and the Via Gellia embank-ment was formed out of these cuttings, which amounted to 168,000 cubic yards. At theend of the embankment the Hopton inclined plane commences, which rises 98 feet in 457yards, where are two other stationary steam-engines: there is then a level for 12 miles, withthe exception, of 2 miles, which have a rise of 10 feet each, in order to lessen the depth ofcutting at Haven Lodge.
The chief cuttings in this length were, Carsington, 20,000 cubic yards; Bressington,58,000; the Millington embankment, 78,000; Pike Hall and BurnelifF, 40,000 yards;the cutting near the Manchester road and Haven Lodge, 125,000 cubic yards; and at theHurdlow inland plane, 38,000 cubic yards : most of these cuttings were through limestonerock, and were blasted with gunpowder, the material being applied to form the severalembankments.
At 1 6 miles from the commencement, the railway ascends by the Hurdlow inclined planeto its greatest elevation ; this plane rises 168 feet in a length of 850 yards : there are two en-gines of 10-horse-power each. It then continues level for nearly 20 miles, and the excavationsin this length were, at Hurdlow and Brierlow, 57,000 cubic yards; at Ilindiow, 26,000;at Hill Head and Ilarpur Hill, 4-1,000; south of TurnclitFe, 46,000; north of Turnclille,47,000; and at Ladmanlow and Burbage, 62,000 cubic yards.
At Buxton there is a tunnel 580 yards long, 21 feet in width, and 16 feet in height ;this was driven from the two ends, without any pit or shaft being sunk ; the strata passedthrough was hard clunch or shale, to remove which gunpowder was employed. The wholeof the tunnel is arched with masonry.
At Upper Goyt is another inclined plane, which descends 266 feet in a length of 660yards; and the lower plane descends 191 feet in 455 yards, which brings the railway intothe valley of the river Goyt. Here are two engines of 20-horse-power each, and theexcavations were about 30,000 cube yards. After this, there is a level of 2\ miles, whichwas effected by 74,000 cubic yards of cutting. To this succeeds the Shallcross inclinedplane, 817 yards in length, with a descent of 240 feet, where there are two other enginesof 20-horse-power.
At Whaley is another inclined plane, falling 42 feet in a length of 180 yards, whichrequired a cutting of 18,000 cubic yards ; here the railway, after having traversed 33 miles,communicates with the Peak Forest Canal.
There are altogether fifty-two bridges, some of which are cast-iron. The cast-iron railswere in 4-feet lengths, having a pedestal at one end, and the opposite end adapted to it,which admits of a little movement at the joint; each rail weighed 84 pounds ; so that fora mile of single road about 100 tons of rail were required.
The cost of completing the railway was 150,000/., and of the engines, reservoirs, andmachinery, 30,000/.
Nantle Railway joins the town of that name to the shipping quay at Caernarvon.
Portland Railway is in length 2 miles; it commences at the Priory Lands,and terminatesat the castle.
Duffryn Llynvi and Port Cawl Railway is in length 16^ miles ; it commences at Llan-goneyd, and terminates at a bay called Pwll Cawl, at Newton Nottage, in Glamorganshire .From its commencement it is one continual descent, at first 50 feet in a mile, then 15, andafterwards 28 feet.
Ballochney Railway. —The main line is 4 miles in length, with a branch of 1J miles, to thevillage of Clcrkston.
Didais Railway is 8^ miles in length, commencing at A her Dulais, and terminating atCwm Dulais, in the parish of Cadoxtone-juxta-Neath, in Glamorganshire .
Dundee and Xewtylc Railway unites these two towns by a line 11 miles in length. Thedistrict through which it passes is very hilly, and the height of 544 feet is overcome bystationary engines, and five inclined planes; here coaches and passengers are drawn bylocomotives.
Edinburgh and Dalkeith. —The main line is in length 10^ miles, and the three branches6^ miles. It commences on the south side of the city of Edinburgh , and terminates nearNewbattle Abbey on the banks of the South Eske river.
Garnkirk and Glasgow is 8J miles in length ; it commences at Cargill Colliery, nearGartsbarrie Bridge, in Lanarkshire, and terminates on the road between Glasgow field andKeppoch. The locomotive engine is here employed for the transport of coals and otherarticles of commerce.