Chap. VIII.

BRITAIN.

595

road, the railway, and the Cromford Canal, intersect each other at three different levels.There are numerous bridges; two over the Derwent are constructed of timber, one 400,the other 450 feet in length, containing together 200,000 cubic feet of Baltic timber.

The steepest inclination on this line is a slope of 1 in 264, or 20 feet per mile ; thisoccurs for 2.^ miles near Wakefield. The gauge of the way is 4 feet 81 inches, rulinggradients 1 in 330, rise in feet per mile 16. The total sum expended to June, 1844, was3,346,138/., and the cost of working for the previous six months 56,626/. It was openedthroughout on June 30; 1840.

Chester and Birkenhead is 14£ miles in length, and the gradients are about 16 feet in amile. Mr. Stephenson was the engineer , and Mr. Dixon the sub-engineer ; its termini areat Monk’s Ferry, opposite Liverpool, and at Brook Street, Chester ; it was opened through-out September 22, 1840. The gauge of its way is 4 feet 8^ inches, ruling gradients 1 in330, rise in feet per mile 13, and cost per mile 34,198/. The total sum expended to June,11:45, was 511,046/., and the cost of working for the previous six months 8188/.

Chester and Crewe was opened October 1, 1840, Mr. Stephenson being engineer . Thisrailway commences at Brook Street, Chester , and unites with the Grand Junction Railwayat Crewe, about 53 miles from Birmingham . An aqueduct conveys the Ellesmere Canalover the line at Christleton, and over the Weaver is an extensive viaduct. This railwaynow forms a portion of the Grand Junction.

Stockton and Hartlepool railway, 8 miles in length, was opened in December, 1840.Messrs. Leather and Sons were the engineers. At Greatham Meadows is a viaduct, 700yards in length, and 30 feet high, of 92 brick arches, and an embankment along the sea-shore for £ mile, the sides of which are formed of clay puddling in a curvilinear form,which allows the sea to fall easily upon it.

Northern and Eastern terminates at its junction with the Eastern Counties, 3 miles fromShoreditch, and at Ely it unites with the Norfolk railway ; its length is 70 miles 10 chains,and was opened in July, 1845; its gauge is 4 feet 8^ inches, ruling gradients 1 in 330, risein feet per mile 16; total expended 1,122,498/., or per mile 31,256/.

Eastern Counties terminates at Shoreditch, London , and at Colchester; its length is 151miles 10 chains ; it was opened throughout March 20, 1843; its gauge is 4 feet 8£ inches,and its ruling gradients 1 in 100, rise in feet per mile 52. The total sum expended toJuly 4, 1845, was 2,954,755/., or 46,355/. per mile, and the cost of working for the pre-vious six months 92,974/.

Glasgow , Paisley , Kilmarnock, and Ayr , (Mr. Miller, engineer,) was partly opened Sep-tember 19, 1840; its length is 40 miles. There are a number of bridges on the joint line,and an extensive viaduct at Paisley. Over the Cart is a stone bridge of one arch, 85 feetspan, and at Tradeston the line crosses the Polloc and Govan railway by a bridge. At Ark-leston is a short tunnel, and another at Two-mile House.

From Glasgow to Paisley the distance is nearly 7 miles, and- from Paisley to Ayr 33,^miles. At Bishopton is a considerable cutting, and a tunnel through the solid whinstone rock.

The gauge is 4 feet 8^ inches, the ruling gradients 1 in 440, rise in feet per. mile 12,and cost per mile 20,607/. The total sum expended to January, 1845, was 1,071,257/., andthe cost of working for the previous six months 21,706/.

Edinburgh and Glasgow , opened throughout February 18, 1842, is in length 46 miles.Its gauge is 4 feet 8£ inches, ruling gradients 1 in 880, rise in feet per mile 12, and cost permile 35,024/. The total sum expended to January, 1845, was 1,686,556/., and the cost forworking for the previous six months 30,783/.

Taff Vale Railway , (Mr. I. K. Brunei , engineer, with Mr. Bush,) was opened on October8, 1840; its length is about 24^ miles; it extends from the port of Cardiff to MerthyrTydvil, and cost per mile 25,000/. This line has but one track, and is worked by loco-motives, except at Navigation House, where there is an inclined plane, and a stationaryengine of 50-horse power. The inclined plane is ^ mile in length, and rises generally 1 in20, but near the top 1 in 18. There are two short tunnels ; the principal one was blastedthrough the rock, and is 250 yards in length. Near Quaker’s Yard is a viaduct, whichcrosses the Taff, the length of which is 600 feet, and the height above the river 100 ; it hassix arches. Some of the bridges are large; one has an arch of 100 feet span, and 60 feetin height; this crosses the Rhondda at its confluence with the Taaf.

Glasgow, Paisley, and Greenock , (Messrs. Locke and Errington engineers,) openedthroughout on the 24th of March, 1841, is in length 22 miles 22 chains, and passes for2300 yards through a hard whinstone rock, in blasting which 314 tons of gunpowder wereused. There are two tunnels, one of 320, the other of 340 yards long, between which isan open cutting, of 70 feet in depth. A thousand men, three steam-engines, and a numberof horses, were constantly employed in this work. Gauge of way 4 feet 8^ inches; rulinggradients 1 in 330, rise in feet per mile 16, and cost per mile 35,015/. Total sum ex-pended to January, 1845, was 797,643/., and the cost of working for the previous sixmonths 16,680/.

Blackwall Line _Messrs. George Stephenson and G. P. Bidder were the engineers. ’Hie

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