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AN ACCOUNT 
 
 LIVERPOOL AND MANCHESTER 
 RAILWAY, 
 
 COMPRISING 
 
 A HISTORY OF THE PARLIAMENTARY PROCEEDINGS, 
 
 PREPARATORY TO THE PASSING OF THE ACT, 
 
 A DESCRIPTION OF THE RAILWAY, 
 
 IN AN EXCURSION FROM LIVERPOOL TO MANCHESTER, 
 
 POPULAR ILLUSTRATION of the MECHANICAL PRINCIPLES 
 APPLICABLE TO RAILWAYS. 
 
 ALSO, AN 
 
 ABSTRACT OF THE EXPENDITURE FROM THE C03IMENCEMENT 
 OF THE UNDERTAKING, 
 
 WITH OBSERVATIONS ON THE SAME. 
 
 BY HENRY BOOTH, 
 
 TREASURER TO THE COMPANY. 
 
 LIVERPOOL : 
 
 PRINTED BY WALES AND BAINES; 
 
 AND SOLD BY THEM AND THE BOOKSELLERS IN LIVERPOOL; BANCKS AND CO. MANCHESTER J 
 CAOELL AND CO. EDINBl'RGH ; AND HIIRST, CHANCE AND CO. LONDON, 
 
Digitized by the Internet Archive 
 in 2011 with funding from 
 Duke University Libraries 
 
 http://www.archive.org/details/accountofliverpoOOboot 
 
B1S.^R 
 
AN 
 
 ACCOUNT, &c. 
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 
 INTRODUCTION— PARLIAMnXTARV PROCEEDINGS. 
 
 The adoption of Railways as a means of inland 
 communication, for the transit of merchandise and 
 passengers, forms an era no less remarkable than the 
 first introduction of Canals, and constitutes a change 
 in the long-established modes of conveyance no less 
 striking and important. The Railway, however, is by 
 no means a recent invention : nearly two centuries 
 have elapsed since the first partial introduction of 
 Tram-roads, rudely constructed of wood, at a trifling 
 outlay of capital and still smaller expenditure of 
 scientific arrangement. The substitution of iron for 
 wood was a great improvement ; but the form of the 
 rail continued for a long time very objectionable, con- 
 
 B 
 
sisting of flat pieces of cast-iron laid on the ground, 
 with a side flange rising two or three inches to confine 
 the wheel to its proper track. The rails thus resting 
 on the ground, were unavoidably covered with soil or 
 sand ; and it was not till the adoption of the edge-rail, 
 raised above the ground, that Railways attained those 
 advantages over common roads which they are now 
 acknowledged to possess. 
 
 In the last quarter of a century Railways have 
 multiplied rapidly, especially in the neighbourhood of 
 Newcastle and Sunderland ; and a large amount of 
 capital and skill have been employed in their con- 
 struction, and in the erection and adaptation of the 
 different kinds of machinery with which many of them 
 are worked. Still these Railways are comparatively 
 of small extent ; detached, isolated and private 
 undertakings, and appropriated exclusively to the 
 conveyance of coals to the shipping wharfs on the 
 Tyne and Wear. 
 
 The first public Railway, established by Act of 
 Parliament for the conveyance of general merchandise 
 and passengers, as well as coals, was the Stockton 
 and Darlington. This Railway is about twenty-five 
 miles in length, extending from the Witton Park 
 Collieries, in the neighbourhood of West Houghton, 
 in the county of Durham, to Stockton-upon-Tees, and 
 passing within a few hundred yards of Darlington, 
 which is situate about midway between the two 
 extremities of the line. This Railway consists of a 
 single road, with sidings every quarter of a mile, to 
 allow carriages to pass one another. A small quantity 
 
3 
 
 of merchandise, and 300 or 400 passengers weekly, 
 are conveyed along this line between Darlington and 
 Stockton ; but here, as in the neighbourhood of 
 Newcastle, Coal is the staple commodity, the tolls on 
 this article alone being six or seven times the amount 
 derived from the aggregate of all the other sources of 
 revenue. The subscribers to this undertaking had 
 originally to encounter a long and strenuous opposition 
 on the part of land-owners, whose property was 
 affected, and of coal-proprietors, whose pecuniary 
 interests were interfered with. The first application 
 to Parliament was unsuccessful ; but in 1823 the Act 
 for the present line was obtained ; and the 27th of 
 September, 1825, has become memorable as the day 
 on which the Stockton and Darlington Railway was 
 opened to the public. 
 
 The project of the Liverpool and Manchester line 
 was first discussed as early as 1822. Mr. Wilham 
 James, of London, Engineer, having witnessed the 
 powers of the Locomotive Engine in the neighbourhood 
 of Newcastle-on-Tyne, conceived that it might be 
 successfully employed on a Railway for commercial 
 purposes. He brought a letter of introduction to Mr. 
 Sandars, a gentleman who, having had practical 
 experience of the insufficiency of the existing modes 
 of conveyance from Liverpool to Manchester, was 
 prepared to give all due consideration to any plan 
 which proposed a remedy for a tried grievance. Mr. 
 Sandars adopted the scheme, and became father to 
 the present undertaking. A preliminary survey was 
 made of the country between the two towns, Mr. 
 
Sandars being guarantee for the estimated cost. The 
 line of road recommended in this survey was not 
 ultimately adopted, but the project, after some inter- 
 mission, went forward. 
 
 A combination of striking and favourable circum- 
 stances evidently belonged to a line of communication 
 between the towns of Liverpool and Manchester : the 
 one a commercial sea port, second in importance only 
 to London; the other a large manufacturing town, 
 and the centre and focus of a populous manufacturing 
 district. Looking, indeed, at the intimate and neces- 
 sary connection between the two places — foreign 
 produce of every description passing daily from 
 Liverpool to Manchester, and manufactured goods 
 finding their way from Manchester to be shipped at 
 Liverpool to every quarter of the globe ; considering 
 this incessant interchange of commodities, comprising 
 at that period upwards of 1000 tons per day conveyed 
 between the two towns, and this large traffic being 
 rapidly on the increase— one should reasonably have 
 expected to find the utmost facility of conveyance 
 subsisting between the two towns, or at least that no 
 •very serious delays or difficulties would be found to 
 impede the actual transit of commodities from the one 
 place to the other. But how did the fact correspond 
 with this reasonable expectation, and how far had the 
 means of conveyance for goods and merchandise kept 
 pace with the mighty commerce of the two towns? 
 
 The great canal proprietors, which for nearly a 
 century had taken charge of the conveyance of mer- 
 chandise between Liverpool and Manchester, are the 
 
Mersey and Irwell Navigation (commonly styled the 
 Old Quay) Company, and the Trustees of the Duke 
 of Brid ge water s Canal. The flats or barges, in both 
 cases, have to navigate the River Mersey from Liver- 
 pool to Runcorn, a distance of about twenty miles, 
 according to the ordinary track which vessels are able 
 to pursue, and thence by separate routes, the Duke of 
 Bridgewater's navigation by canal terminating in 
 Castle-field, Manchester, and that of the Old Quay 
 Company consisting alternately of canals and the 
 Rivers Mersey and Irwell, till it reaches the same 
 great depot; the whole distance being about fifty miles. 
 The Old Quay Company obtained their first Act of 
 Parliament in 1733, and the Duke of Bridgewater in 
 1760. We shall take it for granted that, at this latter 
 period, the trade of Liverpool had so far increased as 
 to render expedient the establishment of a second 
 means of conveyance, namely, the Bridgewater Canal. 
 We have now, therefore, to ascertain whether, since 
 the period of 1760, there has been such an increase in 
 the trade and commerce of this district, as to render it 
 probable that even a third line of communication might 
 be desirable and beneficial to the public ; and a few 
 leading facts in the comparison will be abundantly 
 sufficient to determine this point. 
 
 In 1760, the number of vessels which paid dock 
 duties at Liverpool was 2560. 
 
 In 1824, when the Railway Company was formed, 
 it was 10,000; the tonnage of the port Jiaving more than 
 doubled in the ten preceding years, namely, since ISH. 
 
 In 1784, twenty years after the establishment of the 
 
6 
 
 second canal, an American vessel arrived in Liverpool, 
 having on board for part of her cargo eight bags of 
 cotton, which were seized by the officers of Customs, 
 under the conviction that they could not be the growth 
 of America ! 
 
 In 1824, there were imported into Liverpool, yVom 
 America, 409,670 bags of cotton. 
 
 In 1 760, the population of Li verpool was about 26000. 
 
 In 1824, the population was 135,000. 
 
 The same stupendous increase is to be found in the 
 trade and population of Manchester. 
 
 In 1760, the population was about 22,000. 
 
 In 1824, it was 150,000. 
 
 The first steam-engine used in Manchester was in 
 the year 1 790, thirty years after the Act was obtained 
 for the second canal. 
 
 In 1824, upwards of 200 steam-engines were at 
 work. 
 
 In 1824, there were nearly 30,000 power-looms 
 employed, while only ten years previous there was 
 not one* 
 
 " Though the present argument required that I should show the great increase of 
 trade up to 1824, it may not be amiss briefly to notice the augmentation of our 
 commerce since that period. 
 
 In 1824, year ending 24th of June, the number of vessels paying 
 dock dues in the port of Liverpool is stated above, at 10,000 
 
 In 1829,it was 11,383 
 
 In 1824, year ending 31st of December, the cotton imported into 
 Liverpool was 447,083 bags. 
 
 In 1829, the importation was 640,998 „ 
 
 In 1824, the quantity of goods passing daily between Liverpool and fllanchester 
 was estimated at 1000 tons. It is now (1830) about 1300 tons per day; in the 
 proportion of 1000 tons passing from Liverpool to ]Manchestcr, and 300 tons passing 
 from Manchester to Liverpool. 
 
 But the trade which has increased with perhaps the greatest rapidity is the 
 
It m«y be replied, however, to this statement, that 
 admitting this vast increase in the population and 
 commerce of the two towns, still, by increasing the 
 number of boats, with facilities of loading and dis- 
 charging, ample accommodation might be afforded to 
 the public. But what are the facts as they existed 
 in 1824? Mr. Sandars, in a pamphlet published in 
 that year, expresses himself as follows : — " Notwith- 
 standing all the accommodation the canals can offer, 
 the delays are such that the spinners and dealers are 
 frequently obliged to cart cotton on the public high 
 road, a distance of 36 miles, for which they pay four 
 times the price which would be charged by a Rail- 
 road, and they are three times as long in getting it to 
 hand. The same observation applies to manufactured 
 goods, which are sent by land carriage daily, and for 
 which the rate paid is five times that which they would 
 be subject to by the Rail-road. This enormous 
 sacrifice is made for two reasons — sometimes because 
 conveyance by water cannot be promptly obtained, 
 but more frequently because speed and certainty as 
 to delivery are of the first importance." — P. 17. 
 
 importation into Liverpool of live stock from Ireland, to be attributed mainly to the 
 establishment of steam conveyance. The following is an authentic account of the 
 import into Liverpool, principally from Ireland, for 30 months ; and of this large 
 supply no small portion it is calculated will seek a conveyance to Manchester and 
 the neighbourhood by the Railway : — 
 
 
 Large Cattle 
 
 Calves. 1 Sheep. Pigs. 
 
 From June, 1827, to June, 1828 
 
 „ „ 1828, to „ 1829 
 
 „ „ 1829, to Dec. 1829, \ 
 
 six months J "' 
 
 33,164 
 49,674 
 
 32,816 
 
 3,875 133,567 
 6,786 125,197 
 
 15,846 91,589 
 
 107,066 
 155,319 
 
 82,561 
 
 Total in 30 months, ending Dec. 1829. 
 
 115,654 
 
 26,507 1 350,353 
 
 344,946 
 
About the same period also, the following- Public 
 Declaration was signed by upwards of 150 of the most 
 respectable merchants of Liverpool : — 
 
 " We, the undersigned merchants and brokers 
 resident in the port of Liverpool, do hereby declare 
 that we have for a long time past experienced great 
 difficulty in obtaining vessels to convey goods from 
 this place to Manchester, and that the delay is highly 
 prejudicial to the trading and manufacturing interest 
 at large. That we consider the present establishments 
 for the transport of goods quite inadequate, and that 
 a new line of conveyance has become absolutely 
 necessary to conduct the increasing trade of the coun- 
 try with speed, certainty and economy." — (Sandars, 
 p. 29.; 
 
 Considering it, therefore, as undeniable that an 
 increased facility of conveyance between the two 
 towns was highly desirable, it became a question 
 whether a Railway would best combine the essential 
 requisites of safety, economy and despatch. In order 
 the better to be enabled to form a judgment on this 
 point, a deputation, consisting of Mr. Sandars, the late 
 Mr. Lister Ellis, Mr. Kennedy, of Manchester, and 
 the writer of this account proceeded to Darlington, 
 where the Railway was then unfinished, and afterwards 
 to the neighbourhood of Newcastle and Sunderland, 
 where various Railways were in operation, and where 
 both Locomotive and Fixed Engines were employed 
 for the conveyance of coals from the pits to the 
 respective places of shipment. This deputation made 
 their Report to a Committee of Gentlemen in Liver- 
 
9 
 
 pool, of which John Moss, Esq. was Chairman, on 
 the 20th of May, 1824, when it was finally determined 
 to form a Company of Proprietors for the establishment 
 of a double Railway between Liverpool and Man- 
 chester. A subscription list was opened and speedily 
 filled, principally with names connected with the 
 towns of Liverpool and Manchester. A permanent 
 Committee was afterwards appointed, of which Chas. 
 Lawrence, Esq. at that time Mayor of Liverpool, 
 was elected Chairman. Mr. Geo. Stephenson, of 
 Newcastle-on-Tyne, was appointed Engineer. The 
 necessary surveys were undertaken, and every prepa- 
 ration made for soliciting an Act of Incorporation in 
 the ensuing Session of Parliament. 
 
 On the 29th of October, 1 824, the Committee issued 
 their Prospectus, which, as the first public announce- 
 ment of the objects of the Company and the nature of 
 the undertaking, I insert in this place: — 
 
 " LIVERPOOL & MANCHESTER RAIL-ROAD COMPANY. 
 
 COMMITTEE. 
 
 CHARLES LAWRENCE, Esq. Chairman. 
 
 LISTER ELLIS, Esq. ^ 
 
 ROBERT GLADSTONE, Esq. f Deputy 
 
 JOHN MOSS, Esq. C Chairmen. 
 
 JOSEPH SANDARS, Esq. ) 
 
 ROBERT BENSON, 
 
 H. H. BIRLEY, 
 
 JOSEPH BIRLEY, 
 
 HENRY BOOTH, 
 
 THOMAS SHAW BRANDRETH, 
 
 JAMES CROPPER, 
 
 JOHN EWART, 
 
 PETER EWART, 
 
 WILLIAM GARNETT, 
 
 Parliamentary Agent, Thos. Moulded Sherwood, Kni.— Engineer , Geo. Stephenson, Esq. 
 —Solicitors, Messrs. Pritt and Clay. — Bankers, Messrs. Moss, Rogers and Moss. Liverpool. 
 
 RICHARD HARRISON. 
 THOMAS HEADLAM, 
 ADAM HODGSON, 
 ISAAC HODGSON, 
 JOSEPH HORNBY, 
 JOHN KENNEDY, 
 WELLWOOD MAXWELL, 
 WILLIAM POTTER, 
 WILLIAM RATHBONE, 
 WILLIAM ROTHERAM, 
 JOHN RYLE, 
 THOMAS SHARPE, 
 JOHN WILSON, Esquires. 
 
 PROSPECTUS. 
 
 The Committee of the Liverpool and Manchester Rail-road 
 C 
 
10 
 
 Company think it riglit to state, concisely, the grounds upon which 
 they rest their claims to public encouragement and support. 
 
 " The importance, to a commercial state, of a safe and cheap 
 mode of transit, for merchandise, from one part of the country to 
 another, will be readily acknowledged. This was the plea, upon 
 the first introduction of canals : it was for the public advantage ; and 
 although the new mode of conveyance interfered with existing and 
 inferior modes, and was opposed to the feelings and prejudices of 
 landholders, the great principle of the public good prevailed, and 
 experience has justified the decision. 
 
 " It is upon the same principle that Rail-roads are now proposed 
 to be established; as a means of conveyance manifestly superior 
 to existing modes : possessing, moreover, this recommendation in 
 addition to what could have been claimed in favour of canals, namely, 
 that the Rail-road scheme holds out to the public not only a cheaper, 
 but far more expeditious conveyance than any yet established. 
 
 " The Livei'pool and Manchester Rail-road is proposed to com- 
 mence near the Prince's Dock, Liverpool, thence to Vauxhall-road, 
 then through Bootle, Walton, Fazakerley, Croxteth, Kirby, Knows- 
 ley, Eccleston, Windle, Sutton, Haydock, Newton in Mackerfield, 
 Golborn, Lowton, Leigh, Pennington, Astley, Irlam, Worsley, Eccles, 
 Pendlebury, Salford, Hume, to the neighbourhood of the westerly 
 end of Water-street, Manchester : in the whole, a distance of about 
 thirty-three miles. By a reference to the plan it will be perceived 
 that the road does not approach within about a mile and a half of the 
 residence of the Earl of Sefton, and that it traverses the Earl of 
 Derby's property over the barren mosses of Kirby and Knowsley, 
 passing about two miles distance from the hall. In deciding upon 
 the proposed route, the Committee have been anxious, at considerable 
 inconvenience and expense, to select a line which may not only be 
 eligible, considered in itself, but may be as little objectionable as 
 possible, with reference to individual and local interests. 
 
 " The ground has been surveyed by eminent Engineers, and the 
 estimated expense of a Rail-road, upon the most improved construc- 
 tion, including the charge for Locomotive Engines, to be employed 
 on the line, and other contingencies, is £400,000, — which sum it is 
 proposed to raise in 4000 shares of £lOO each. 
 
11 
 
 " The total quantity of merchandise passing between Liverpool 
 and Manchester, is estimated, by the lowest computation, at one 
 thousand tons per day. The bvdk of this merchandise is transported 
 either by the Duke of Bridgewater's Canal, or the " Mersey and 
 Irwell Navigation." By both of these conveyances goods must pass 
 up the river Mersey, a distance of 1 6 or 18 miles, subject to serious 
 delays from contrary winds, and not unfrequently to actual loss or 
 damage from tempestuous weather. The average length of passage, 
 by these conveyances, including the customary detention on the 
 wharfs, may be taken at 36 hours, longer or shorter, according to 
 the favourable or unfavourable state of the winds and tides. The 
 average charge upon merchandise, for the last fourteen years, has 
 been about 15s. per ton. 
 
 " By the projected Rail-road, the transit of merchandise between 
 Liverpool and Manchester will be effected in four or five hours, and 
 the charge to the merchant will be reduced at least one-third. Here 
 then will be accomplished an immense pecuniary saving to the public, 
 over and above what is perhaps still more important, the econotny of 
 'time. Nor must we estimate the value of this saving merely by its 
 nominal amount, whether in money or in time: it will afford a 
 stimulus to the productive industry of the country, it will give a new 
 impulse to the powers of accumulation, the value and importance of 
 which can be fully understood only by those who are aware how 
 seriously commerce may be impeded by petty restrictions, and how 
 commercial enterprise is encouraged and promoted by an adherence 
 to principles of fair competition, and free trade. 
 
 " The Committee are aAvare that it will not immediately be under- 
 stood by the public, how the Proprietors of a Rail-road, requiring an 
 invested capital of j6 400,000, can afford to carry goods at so great a 
 reduction upon the charge of the present water companies. But the 
 problem is easily solved. It is not that the water companies have 
 not been able to carry goods on more reasonable terms, but th^ 
 strong in the enjoyment of their monopoly, they have not thought 
 proper to do so. Against the most arbitrary exactions the public 
 have hitherto had no protection, and against the indefinite continuance 
 or recurrence of the evil, they have but one security : it is compe- 
 tition THAT IS WANTED ; and the proof of this assertion may be 
 
12 
 
 adduced from the fact, thai shares in the Old Quay Navigation, of 
 which the original cost was £70. have been sold as high as £l250. 
 each ! 
 
 " But it is not altogether on account of the exorbitant charges of 
 the water carriers that a Rail-road is desirable. The present Canal 
 establishments are inadequate to the great and indispensable object 
 to be accomplished, namely, the regular and punctual conveyance of 
 goods at all periods and seasons. In summer time there is frequently 
 a deficiency of water, obliging boats to go only half loaded, and thus 
 occasioning great inconvenience and delay; while in winter, they are 
 sometimes locked up with frosts for weeks together, to the manifest 
 hindrance of business. From these impediments a Rail-road would 
 be altogether exempt. There is still another ground of objection to 
 the present system of carriage by Canals, namely, the pilferage, an 
 evil for which there is seldom adequate redress, and for which the 
 privacy of so circuitous and dilatory a passage affords so many 
 facilities. Whereas a conveyance by Railway, effected in a few hours, 
 and where evei-y delay must be accounted for, may be expected to 
 possess much of the publicity and consequent safety of the King's 
 highways. 
 
 " In addition to the transport of goods between Liverpool and 
 Manchester, an important branch of revenue may be expected to 
 result to the Proprietors of the projected road, from the conveyance 
 of Coals from the rich mines in the vicinity of St. Helens; an advan- 
 tage which the water companies do not possess, and which, from its 
 importance and extent, may probably enable the Proprietors to reduce 
 their rates of carriage still lower than now contemplated. These 
 coals at present pass along the Sankey Canal and down the Mersey 
 to Liverpool, a distance of about 30 miles. By the Railway, the 
 distance will be shortened one-half, and the charge for transit very 
 materially reduced. 
 
 ^ " Amongst the widely diffused benefits to be expected from the 
 proposed Rail-road must especially be enumerated, no inconsiderable 
 advancement in the commercial prosperity of Ireland. TJie latent 
 energies of that country, her capabilities as a manufacturing power, 
 will be developed by being brought into easy contact and communi- 
 cation with the manufacturing districts of this kingdom : w hile every 
 
13 
 
 article of her agricultural industry will experience an increased 
 demand from the cheapness and facility with which it Avill be intro- 
 duced into the populous counties of Lancaster and York. Whatever 
 shortens the time of con\ eyance practically diminishes the distance, 
 and whatever is saved in the cost of carriage is a gain to Ireland. 
 
 " In the present state of trade and of commercial enterprise, 
 despatch is no less essential than economy. Merchandise is frequently 
 brought across the Atlantic from New York to Liverpool in twenty- 
 one days; while, owing to the various causes of delay above 
 enumerated, goods have in some instances been longer on their pas- 
 sage from Liverpool to Manchester. But this reproach must not be 
 perpetual. The advancement in mechanical science renders it 
 unnecessary: the good sense of the community makes it impossible. 
 Let it not, however, be imagined, that were England to be tardy, 
 other countries would jiause, in the march of improvement. Appli- 
 cation has been made, on behalf of the Emperor of Russia, for models 
 of the Locomotive Engine: and other of the continental governments 
 have been duly apprized of the important schemes for the facilitating 
 of inland traffic, now under discussion by the British public. In the 
 United States of America also, they are fully alive to the important 
 results to be anticipated from the introduction of Rail-roads; a 
 gentleman from the United States having recently arrived in Liver- 
 pool, with whom it is a principal object to collect the necessary 
 information in order to the establishment of a Railway, to connect 
 the great rivers Potomac and Ohio. 
 
 " The immediate and prominent advantages to be anticipated from 
 the proposed Rail-road, are increased facilities to the general operations 
 of commerce, arising out of that punctuality and despatch which will 
 attend the transit of merchandise between Liverpool and Manchester, 
 as well as an immense pecuniary saving to the trading community. 
 But the inhabitants at large of these populous towns, will reap their 
 full share of direct and immediate benefit. Coals will be broughttto 
 market in greater plenty, and at a reduced price ; and farming pro- 
 duce, of various kinds, will find its way from greater distances, and 
 at more reasonable rates. To the landholders, also, in the vicinity 
 of the line, the Rail-road offers important advantages in extensive 
 markets for their mineral and agricultural produce, as well as in a 
 
14 
 
 facility of obtaining lime and manure at a cheap rate in return. 
 Moreover, as a cheap and expeditious means of conveyance for 
 travellers, the Railway holds out the fair prospect of a public accom- 
 modation, the magnitude and importance of which cannot be imme- 
 diately ascertained. 
 
 " The Committee do not tliink it necessary to dwell upon probable 
 and contingent sources of revenue to the Proprietors, and of benefit 
 to the community : but it is impossible entirely to overlook the ten- 
 dency of increased economy and despatch to extend the commercial 
 intercourse, not only upon the immediate line of road, but diverging 
 in ramifications to the north and the south, and especially towards 
 the rich and populous town of Bolton ; a short branch line being 
 sufficient to bring that extensive manufacturing district into rapid and 
 direct communication with this port. 
 
 " Such is a brief view of the scheme in which the Liverpool and 
 Manchester Rail-road Company have embarked, and which, while 
 it promises such manifold advantages to the public, the Committee 
 feel confident will afford a fair and liberal return for the capital 
 invested by the Proprietors. 
 
 " Charles Lawrence, Chairman. 
 " Liverpool, 2dth October, 1824." 
 
 Such, then, was the scheme of the Liverpool and 
 Manchester Railway, requiring, however, the sanction 
 of the legislature before it could be carried into effect. 
 Parliament met early in the ensuing year, and a por- 
 tion of tlie Railway Committee attended in London, 
 in the first week of Feb. 1825, to watch the progress 
 of the Bill through the House of Commons — an 
 undertaking by no means a sinecure, as those who 
 have had the good or ill fortune to be concerned in 
 carrying forward contested bills will readily admit. 
 The Committee anticipated a strenuous opposition, 
 and they were not disappointed. The Proprietors of 
 
15 
 
 three Canals (the Duke of Bridgewater's, the Mersey 
 and Irwell, and the Leeds and Liverpool,) each in 
 itself no despicable opponent, forgetting their mutual 
 jealousy and former disagreements, appeared in for- 
 midable array, acting on one impulse for the common 
 safety, and prepared at all hazards to put down so 
 intolerable an innovation on established modes and 
 vested rights. This was to be expected. But the 
 opposition did not end here. Two noble Lords, the 
 Earls of Derby and Sefton, a part of whose estates the 
 Railway crossed, made common cause with the Canals 
 to prevent the establishment of a Railway. On the 
 part of these noblemen, it was contended that the 
 sanctity of their domains would be invaded, and the 
 privacy of their residences destroyed, by thus bringing 
 into their neighbourhood a public highway, with all 
 the varied traffic of coals and merchandise and pas- 
 sengers, that would be the consequence of such an 
 establishment. 
 
 The question being fairly brought before the House 
 
 of Commons, the proceedings were briefly asfollow: • 
 
 On the 8th of Feb. 1825, the petition for the Bill was 
 presented to the House of Commons, and on the 9th 
 the Committee on Standing Orders resolved that the 
 "orders" had been complied with. On the 18th of 
 Feb. the Bill was read a first time in the House of 
 Commons. On the 2d of March the Bill was read a 
 second time, after a debate of about an hour and a 
 half, on which occasion Sir John Newport, Mr. 
 Huskisson, Mr. W. Peel, Mr. Doherty, Mr. Calcraft, 
 and Mr. Brougham, spoke in favour of the measure — 
 
\G 
 
 Mr. Green, Member for Lancaster, and Mr. George 
 Philips against it. The second reading was carried 
 without a division. In the Committee on the Bill, 
 General Gascoyne was requested to act as Chairman, 
 an office which he kindly undertook, and which he 
 fulfilled with infinite patience and perseverance during 
 a protracted contest of nearly three months. On the 
 21st of March (all preliminary forms having been 
 complied with), Mr. Counsellor Adam, on behalf of 
 the Railway Company, made his opening speech in 
 Committee, and on the following days evidence was 
 heard in favour of the Bill, or in Parliamentary lan- 
 guage, in proof of the preamble — the general tenor of 
 the evidence being in confirmation of the statements 
 and arguments put forth in the Company's Prospectus. 
 Mr. Adam was supported by Mr. Sergeant Spankie, 
 Mr. Joy, and Mr. Wm. Brougham. On the 2d of 
 May, Mr. Spankie summed up for the Railway, and 
 on the 3d Mr. Counsellor Harrison led on the hostile 
 van, supported by Mr. Alderson, Mr. Parke, Mr. 
 M'Donald, Mr. Earle, and Mr. Cullen. He did not 
 deny that great inconvenience and delays had arisen 
 from the defective system of Water conveyance, nor 
 that occasionally it took as long a time to transport 
 merchandise from Liverpool to Manchester as it did 
 to bring it from America to Liverpool ; nor that a 
 direct line of 30 miles on a Railway would present a 
 speedier conveyance than a circuitous route of near 
 30 miles through Canals and tide-way. But it was 
 contended that the Canals and River were capacious 
 enough for all the traffic of the port ; that, moveover, 
 
17 
 
 our levels and sections were erroneous; that the 
 Locomotive Engine was an unsightly object ; and that 
 the formation of the Railway would cost three or four 
 times as much as the estimate : nay, Mr. Francis 
 Giles, Civil Engineer, was produced to record his 
 opinion that it would cost upwards of oG'200,000. to 
 carry the Railway across Chat Moss alone : — from all 
 which it followed, that, from considerations of kind- 
 ness to the Proprietors of so wild and impracticable 
 a scheme, the Bill ought to be rejected by the legis- 
 lature.* 
 
 On the subject of the levels and sections, the 
 opponents of the Bill were correct in their animad- 
 
 • I subjoin an abstract from Mr. Giles's evidence before the Committee of the 
 House of Commons, on the 5th IMay, 1823, taken from an official copy : — 
 
 Q. Be so good as to tell us whether in your judgment a Rail-road of this descrip- 
 tion can be safely made over Chat Moss, without going to the bottom of the Moss ? 
 
 A. I say certainly not. 
 
 Q. Will it be necessary, therefore, in making a Rail-road which is to stand, to 
 take out, along the whole line of the road, the whole of the JMoss to the bottom ? 
 
 A. Undoubtedly. 
 
 Q. Will that make it necessary to cut down the 33 or 34 feet of which you have 
 been speaking ? 
 
 A. Yes. 
 
 Q. And afterwards to fill it up with other soil ? 
 
 A. To such a height as the Rail-road is to be carried ; other soil mixed with a 
 portion of the Moss. 
 
 Q. But suppose they were to work upon this stuff, could they get their carriages 
 to the place ? 
 
 A. No carriage can stand on the Moss short of the bottom. 
 
 Q. What would they do to make it stand — laying planks, or something of that sort ? 
 
 A. Nothing would support it. 
 
 Q. So that, if you could carry a Rail-road on this fluid stuff— if you could do it- 
 it would still take a great number of men, and a great sum of money. Could it be 
 done, in your opinion, for £6000. ? 
 
 A. I should say £200,000. would not get through it. 
 
 Q. My Learned Friend wishes to know what it would cost to lay it with diamonds ? 
 &c. &c. 
 
 D 
 
18 
 
 versions : a considerable error had been committed 
 by the Surveyors for the Railway; which, when 
 discovered, was acknowledged in Committee. The 
 rectifying of this error was to the advantage of the 
 Railway Company, inasmuch as the cost of the cor- 
 rected line would have been less than that of the 
 erroneous section. The impression on the Committee, 
 however, was unfavourable; and some degree of doubt 
 and uncertainty was necessarily thrown on the whole 
 of the surveying department. 
 
 On the 30th of May, Mr. Harrison concluded the 
 case for the opponents of the Bill. 
 
 On the 31st, Mr. Adam replied ; after which, the 
 Committee divided on the preamble, which was 
 carried by a majority of one, 37 members being in 
 favour of the Bill, and 36 against it. 
 
 Such a result, after a three months' Parliamentary 
 campaign, and after 37 working days spent laboriously 
 in Committee, was far from encouraging to the pro- 
 moters of the Bill. All the clauses and detail of the 
 Bill had still to be discussed, scrutinized, and opposed; 
 and it was hardly to be expected, after so protracted 
 an opposition, that Members of Parliament, without 
 that strong personal and pecuniary interest, in defence 
 of which the Canal Proprietors might be supposed to 
 make every effort, would still persevere in what, to 
 many at least, might now be considered a hopeless 
 contest. Accordingly, on the 1st of June, the first 
 clause of the Bill, empowering the Company to make 
 the Railway, was lost, on a division, by a majority of 
 19 to 13. The clause to take land was then put to 
 
19 
 
 the vote and also lost; whereupon Mr. Adam, on 
 behalf of the Railway Company, withdrew the Bill. 
 
 Such was the result of the first attempt in Parliament 
 to obtain the sanction of the legislature to the formation 
 of the Liverpool and Manchester Railway. Scarcely, 
 however, was the fate of the Bill decided for the 
 passing Session before the first movement was made, 
 and the first steps taken, for a renewed effort in the 
 succeeding year. In the course of Parliamentary 
 proceedings it has been observed, that where a Bill 
 is vehemently opposed, whether with a view to the 
 public good or from the impulse of private interests, 
 still the measure is seldom carried the first year. The 
 ground is broken ; the arguments on both sides are 
 stated, and probably exaggerated ; the heat of parties 
 is displayed, and in some measure exhausts itself. In 
 another Session the subject is more likely to be dis- 
 cussed with calmness and temper ; and if some public 
 benefit be included in the scheme proposed, the 
 chances of success are much increased in the second 
 year. 
 
 The promoters of the Railway felt confident that 
 their failure was not to be attributed to any lack of 
 public opinion in favour of the great work in which 
 they had engaged ; and understanding that many 
 Members of Parliament were strongly impressed with 
 the importance of the measure in question, considered 
 as a national undertaking, it was thought desirable 
 that a meeting should take place between the Railway 
 Committee and such of the Parliamentary supporters 
 of the Bill as could conveniently attend, to record 
 
some expression of opinion on the then posture of 
 affairs, and especially with reference to proceedings in 
 future. Accordingly, the following Members of Par- 
 liament met the Railway Committee (by invitation) on 
 the 4th of June, 1825, at the Royal Hotel, St. James'- 
 street, viz. : — 
 
 General Gascoyne. Marcus Beresford, Esq. 
 
 The Lord Viscount Forbes. Richard Hart Davies, Esq. 
 
 Sir Philip Musgrove. W. H. Trant, Esq. 
 
 Sir Robert Wilson. Robert Price, Esq. 
 
 Right Hon. W. Huskisson. General Hart. 
 
 Right Hon. W. Bagwell. Colonel Cawthorne. 
 
 The Hon. General King. Colonel Crosbie. 
 
 The Hon. Col. Lowther. Alderman Bridges. 
 
 Thomas Spring Rice, Esq. Robert Downie, Esq. 
 
 W, Y. Peel, Esq. N. Sneyd, Esq. 
 William Holmes, Esq. 
 
 General Gascoyne was called to the chair, and after 
 some desultory conversation, 
 
 Mr. Huskisson said, that he perceived nothing 
 connected with the discussions on this Bill in the 
 Committee of the House of Commons, or in the 
 rejection of the measure, after the preamble of the Bill 
 was proved, which should deter the subscribers froip 
 renewing their application to Parliament another 
 Session. Looking at the immense traffic between 
 Liverpool and Manchester — taking into consideration 
 the well-being of Ireland, which required the utmost 
 facilities of introducing her produce into the great 
 manufacturing districts — he had no hesitation in saying 
 that, in his opinion, some additional and improved 
 
21 
 
 means of conveyance between Liverpool and Man- 
 chester wonld be highly desirable. It was, therefore, 
 that he considered the measure now under discussion 
 of great public importance ; and whatever temporary 
 opposition it might meet with, he conceived that 
 Parliament must ultimately give its sanctioa to the 
 undertaking. 
 
 Sir Robert Wilsoii expressed a wish that, as 
 regarded the opponents of the measure, every dis- 
 cussion and proceeding might be carried on in the 
 spirit of conciliation. 
 
 Mr. Spring Rice said, he could state that almost 
 all the commercial bodies in Ireland were favourable 
 to the measure ; and he thought Hon. Members 
 would render a great service to that country by sup- 
 porting the Bill when again brought forward. He 
 considered the Railway would be particularly im- 
 portant in facilitating the intercourse between Man- 
 chester and those districts in Ireland which were 
 already engaged in certain processes of the cotton 
 manufacture. 
 
 Mr. Holmes read a letter from Lord Lowther, 
 regretting his inability to attend ; also a favourable 
 opinion of Mr. 31' Adam, on the facility of carrying- 
 roads over bogs and mosses ; a question which had 
 occasioned much discussion in the Committee of the 
 House. 
 
 After some further conversation, 3Ir. Laiurencey 
 as Chairman of the Railway Deputation, having ex- 
 pressed his conviction that the subscribers would be 
 disposed to renew their application to Parliament in 
 
22 
 
 the next Session, the following resolution, moved by 
 Mr. Huskisson, and seconded by Mr. W. Peel, was 
 unanimously adopted : — 
 
 " That it is the opinion of this meeting, that for the 
 purpose of insuring increased facility, cheapness, and 
 despatch in the very extensive intercourse in mer- 
 chandise and manufactured goods between the towns 
 of Liverpool and Manchester, and also in the general 
 trade between this great manufacturing district and 
 Ireland, it is expedient to provide additional and 
 improved means of conveyance between Liverpool 
 and Manchester." 
 
 The second resolution was proposed by Mr. Spring 
 Rice and seconded by Mr. Bagwell^ 
 
 " That the failure of the Liverpool and Manchester 
 Railway Bill during the present Session, in conse- 
 quence of the rejecting of two enacting clauses, after 
 the preamble of the Bill had been proved, does not 
 appear to this meeting an event which ought to dis- 
 courage the subscribers from renewing their application 
 the next Session of Parliament, should it appear to 
 the subscribers advisable to carry this important 
 measure." 
 
 After this resolution was agreed to, the meeting 
 broke up ; and thus terminated the proceedings of the 
 Railway Committee, in connection with their appli- 
 cation to Parliament in the Session of 1825. 
 
 The interval was short between the labours of this 
 Session and the preliminary steps requisite to be takeu 
 preparatory to the ensuing l^arliamentary campaign. 
 
23 
 
 The Committee of the Railway, on the return of their 
 Deputation from London, advertised their intention of 
 adopting " measures for a renewed application to 
 Parliament the ensuing Session :" and on the 1st of 
 July, it was resolved that Mr. John Rennie be re- 
 quested to undertake the office of Engineer to the 
 Company. After some correspondence, it was agreed 
 that Messrs. George and John Rennie should be the 
 Engineers of the Railway ; and Mr. George Rennie, 
 pursuant to instructions, undertook a new survey of 
 the country between Liverpool and Manchester, in 
 order " to report to the Committee the best line for a 
 Railway." 
 
 On the 12th of August, the Committee, on the 
 recommendation of the Engineers, determined to adopt 
 a new line of way, passing considerably to the south 
 of the former route. In furtherance of this resolution, 
 Mr. Charles Vignoles, on behalf of Messrs. Rennie, 
 was appointed to prepare the necessary sections and 
 plans of the projected undertaking. As these advanced 
 towards completion, it became evident that the cost of 
 the new line would much exceed the former estimate 
 of j^400,000. It became a question, therefore, with 
 the Committee, in what way to raise such additional 
 sum as might be requisite. 
 
 In an early stage of the undertaking it was proposed to 
 R. H. Bradshaw, Esq. M. P. as Trustee for the Pro- 
 prietors of the Duke of Bridgewater's Canal, to become 
 a shareholder in the Railway. It appeared reasonable 
 that the Proprietors of the Canal Navigations, whose 
 property might be considerably aflected by the estab- 
 
24 
 
 lishment of a new mode of conveyance, should have 
 the option of taking part in the projected scheme. 
 Mr. Bradshaw, however, decHned the proposition. If 
 it be inquired why the same offer was not made to 
 the other great Navigation Company (the Mersey and 
 Irwell), the answer is obvious. The Duke of Bridge- 
 water's Canal is private, entailed, and indisposable 
 property ; whereas a Proprietor of the Mersey and 
 Irwell Company had the power, any moment, to 
 reduce his interest in the Water conveyance, and take 
 a share in the Railway, if he so thought fit. 
 
 The Committee of the Railway, at the present 
 juncture, determined to renew the overture which they 
 had formerly made, but not through the intervention 
 of Mr. Bradshaw. A communication was opened 
 more directly with the Marquis of Stafford, the party 
 beneficially interested in the Duke's Canal, through 
 the medium of James Loch, Esq. M.P. his Lordship's 
 confidential adviser. The proposal was met in the 
 spirit in which it was made ; and, after the discussion 
 of various preliminary points, it was agreed that the 
 Marquis should become a subscriber to the new line 
 of Railway, to the extent of 1000 shares. This 
 arrangement being completed, the Committee lost no 
 time in issuing their second Prospectus, in which the 
 circumstance is made known to the Proprietors and to 
 the public. The following is a copy : — 
 
25 
 
 '' LIVERPOOL & MANCHESTER RAILWAY COMPANY. 
 
 NEW LINE. 
 
 COMMITTEE. 
 
 CHARLES LAWRENCE, Esq. Chairman. 
 ROBERT GLADSTONE, Esq.) _ , 
 JOHN MOSS, Esq. ! ^f /'"'^ 
 
 JOSEPH SANDARS, Esq. J C'"^"-'«^"- 
 
 ROBERT BENSON, Esq. Liverpool. 
 H. H. BIRLEY, Esq. Manchester. 
 JOSEPH BIRLEY, Esq. Ditto. 
 BEN. BOOTH, Esq. Ditto. 
 HENRY BOOTH, Esq. Liverpool. 
 THOMAS S. BRANDRETH, Esq. Ditto. 
 JOHN EWART, Esq. Ditto. 
 PETER EWART, Esq. Manchester. 
 R. H. GREGG, Esq. Ditto. 
 R. HARRISON, Esq. Liverpool. 
 
 THOS. HEADLAM, Esq. Liverpool. 
 ADAM HODGSON, Esq. Ditto. 
 ISAAC HODGSON, Esq. Ditto. 
 JOSEPH HORNBY, Esq. Ditto. 
 JOHN KENNEDY, Esq. Manchester. 
 AARON LEES, Esq. Ditto. 
 W. MAXWELL, Esq. Liverpool. 
 WILLIAM POTTER, Esq. Ditto. 
 WILLIAM RATHBONE, Esq. Ditto. 
 WILLIAM ROTHERAM, Esq. Ditto. 
 JOHN RYLE, Esq. Manchester. 
 THOMAS SHARPE, Esq. Ditto. 
 JOHN WILSON. Esq. Liverpool. 
 
 Parliamentary Agent, Thomas M. Sherwood, Esq. — Engineers, Messrs. George and 
 
 John Revnie Solicitors, Messrs. Pbitt and CLAy.—Bankeri, Messrs. Moss, Rogers and 
 
 Moss, Liverpool. 
 
 CAPITAL £510,000. 
 
 PROSPECTUS. 
 
 " The Committee of the Liverpool and Manchester Railway, 
 before entering upon the labours which a renewed application to 
 Parliament will impose upon them, are desirous to advert to the 
 causes which led to the unsuccessful termination of their late efforts ; 
 and, at the same time, briefly to explain the grounds upon which 
 they rest their anticipations of success in the ensuing Session. 
 
 " A very prominent objection, taken by the opponents of the Bill, 
 was founded on the errors in the section and levels, as exhibited 
 before Parliament. These errors the Committee at once acknowledged 
 and regretted ; and, to avoid all chance of similar complaint in future, 
 theyhave engaged the professional services of most eminent Engineers, 
 aided by assistants of undoubted talents and activity, whose combined 
 efforts justify the fullest assurance, not only of the correctness of the 
 plans and sections, but that the whole line will be laid down and 
 arranged with that skill and conformity with the rules of mechanical 
 science, which will equally challenge approbation, whether con- 
 sidered as a national undertaking of great public utility, or as a 
 magnificent specimen of art. 
 
 " A second objection to the measure (which, however, was 
 insisted upon out of doors more than in Parliament) was the inter- 
 ruption and inconvenience anticipated from the line of road crossing 
 E 
 
26 
 
 various streets in Liverpool and Manchester. This difficulty has 
 been completely obviated. In the new line^ recommended by Messrs. 
 Remiie, the Railway enters Liverpool by means of a tunnel and 
 inclined plane, thus effecting a direct and most desirable communi- 
 cation with the King and Queen's Docks, without interfering with a 
 single street. It does not enter the town of Manchester at all, the 
 line terminating near the New Bailey Prison, in the township of 
 Salford. 
 
 " A third objection to the measure was taken by the Old Quay 
 Company, on the ground that the Railway interfered with their 
 navigation, by reason of a bridge in the neighbourhood of Manchester, 
 over the River Irwell. The Committee are happy to state that this 
 difficulty is avoided, inasmuch as the new line does not cross the 
 Irwell at all. 
 
 " A fourth manifestation of opposition was on the part of the 
 Leeds and Liverpool Canal Company, on the ground that the Railway 
 passed under their Canal, in its way to the Prince's Dock. However 
 futile such an objection, it is satisfactory to be enabled to state, that 
 even this assumed ground of opposition is altogether avoided, as the 
 line does not go near the Canal in question. 
 
 " Another and more plausible objection was founded on the 
 employment of the Locomotive Engine. It was contended, in the 
 first place, that this new and peculiar power was incompetent to 
 perform the task assigned to it ; in the second place, that it was unsafe; 
 and lastly, that in its operation it would prove a public nuisance. 
 By the evidence, however, it was proved that it was perfectly com- 
 petent to perform all that was proposed to be accomplished ; and, 
 before the evidence was closed, the Counsel for the opponents of the 
 Bill admitted that it was safe. Upon the third point of objection, 
 the Committee are confident such improvements will be made in the 
 construction and application of this effective machine, as will obviate 
 all objection on the score of nuisance ; and, as a guarantee of their 
 good faith towards the public, they will not require any clause 
 empowering them to use it, — or they will submit to such restrictions 
 in the employment of it as Parliament may impose, for the satisfaction 
 and ample protection both of proprietors on tlie line of road and of 
 the public at large. 
 
27 
 
 " The last, but not the least important objection which the Railway 
 had to encountei*, was on the part of several land-owners on the line. 
 Amongst their opponents, on this ground, the Committee regret they 
 were obliged to number the noble Earls of Derby and Sefton, whose 
 estates the Railway crossed for a considerable distance, as well as 
 others, whose property the line unavoidably intersected. 
 
 " The Committee most fully admit that the opinions and personal 
 convenience of proprietors on the line of road are entitled to every 
 consideration, and they have been most anxious, by all practicable 
 means, to meet the wishes or to remove the objections of every land- 
 owner on the road. They are happy to be able to state, that they 
 can no longer, in this respect, find an opponent in Lord Sefton, as 
 they do not, in the line of road they are about to apply for, cross any 
 portion of his Lordship's estate. And with reference to the Earl of 
 Derby, they conceive they are entitled to apply the same observation, 
 inasmuch as the new line crosses only a few detached fields of his 
 Lordsliip's property, far removed from the Knowsley domain, and 
 the great turnpike road from Liverpool to Manchester intervening. 
 
 " With reference to the land-owners generally upon the new line, 
 the Committee have to state, that they have spared no pains to 
 accommodate the exact route to the wishes of propi'ietors whose 
 estates they cross ; whether, on the one hand, by removing the road 
 to a distance from the mansions of proprietors, and from those portions 
 of estates more particularly appropriated to game preserves, or, on 
 the other hand, by introducing it more immediately into the vicinity 
 of districts abounding with coal, which, by this means, will be 
 brought into a cheap and expeditious communication with the Liver- 
 pool and Manchester markets. And they are happy to state, that 
 their efforts in these respects have been in a great measure successful. 
 In an important national undertaking, where a road has to be carried 
 through a populous country for thirty miles, it will hardly be ex- 
 pected that every proprietor will assent, or that no individual will 
 consider himself aggrieved. The Committee have used every effort 
 to render the measure not only unobjectionable, but advantageous 
 to every land-owner on the line. In all cases they are prepared to 
 give a full value for the land they may require ; and, should there 
 be instances where unavoidable inconvenience is occasioned, they 
 
28 
 
 are most anxious to admit, that peculiar damage must be met by- 
 peculiar compensation. 
 
 " In regard to the existing means of conveyance, the Committee 
 are desirous to state, that they are actuated by no hostile feeling to 
 their interest and pi'osperity. They have felt that the increased and 
 increasing trade of the two great towns of Manchester and Liverpool, 
 and the rapidly increasing intercourse with Ireland, demanded ad- 
 ditional facilities in the means of transit ; and the professed and 
 sincere desire of the Committee has been confined to supply this want. 
 The Committee have the satisfaction of being able to state, that, in 
 accordance with this feeling, the opposition of the most powerful of 
 the existing establishments has been removed, by the Marquis of 
 Stafford having, for himself and those of his family who are bene- 
 ficially interested in the profits of the Duke of Bridgewater's Canal, 
 become a subscriber to the Railway to the extent of One Thousand 
 Shares. Being satisfied that the proceedings of last Session of Par- 
 liament have removed the misapprehensions which existed, both in 
 regard to the nature and the management of the Bridgewater Canal, 
 they felt it would be unfit to continue their opposition to the pro- 
 posed measure in its improved form. 
 
 " Having thus disposed of the objections and difficulties which 
 the Committee have had to encounter, they will briefly advert to 
 those prominent and unequivocal advantages of the measure upon 
 which they rest their claim to the favour of the public, and the 
 sanction of Parliament. 
 
 " In their prospectus of last year, the Committee stated ' the 
 total quantity of merchandise passing between Liverpool and Man- 
 chester at one thotisaiid tons per day." This quantity, it would seem, 
 is underrated, the whole traffic being admitted, on all hands, in 
 Committee of the House of Commons, to be 1200 tons per diem; 
 which immense aggregate tonnage is, at present, subject to all the 
 delays incidental to the river navigation. 
 
 " The Committee of the Railway pi'opose to effect the transit of 
 merchandise in a few hours, with uniform regularity, and at such 
 reduced rates as will secure to the towns of Liverpool and Man- 
 chester a pecuniary saving, which, whether estimated in proportion 
 to the expenditure upon which it is efl'ected, or v;ith reference to the 
 
29 
 
 aggregate amount, has seldom been equalled in any scheme of im- 
 provement submitted to the public. 
 
 " Neither is the immediate pecuniary saving to the towns of 
 Liverpool and Manchester to be estimated with reference merely to 
 the cost of conveying merchandise between the respective towns. 
 The travelling between Liverpool and Manchester is upon the most 
 extensive scale ; and the economy to be effected in this branch of 
 expenditure, though impossible to be estimated with accuracy, must 
 be considered as most important, and, of itself, no small recommenda- 
 tion of the undertaking. 
 
 " The advantages, however, above enumerated are only a part 
 of the beneficial results which this scheme proposes. The line of 
 Railway, as now laid down, passes through a rich and extensive coal 
 district, in full working, for the supply of Liverpool, and requiring 
 only a facility of transport to be brought into requisition for the supply 
 of Manchester. At a moderate computation, Liverpool requires for 
 its local consumption gOO tons of coal per day, besides what is re- 
 quired for foreign commerce, and for the numerous steam-packets 
 which sail dally through the season between Liverpool and various 
 ports in Ireland, Scotland, and Wales. An aggregate consumption 
 of 500,000 tons per annum may be taken as under the mark. Of 
 this large quantity, a considerable proportion is brought to market by 
 land carriage ; extensive fields of coal in the direct line of the Railway 
 having no other means of access to Liverpool. With reference to 
 Manchester, the ordinary consumption for domestic purposes maybe 
 considered the same as in Liverpool, and the quantity used in the 
 extensive factories of that town may be computed as equivalent to the 
 demand for the steam vessels, and for the export trade at Liverpool : 
 the aggregate consumption, therefore, of the two towns may be 
 estimated, with sufficient accuracy, at one million of tons per annum. 
 " The importance to the community of a moderate price to be paid 
 for an article of such extensive and universal consumption is imme- 
 diately apparent ; and some idea of the benefit to be derived from 
 such a facility of transport as may ensure a more enlarged and 
 effectual competition may be formed from the circumstance, that in 
 Manchester the price of coals was advanced Is. Cd. per ton imme- 
 diately upon the Railway Bill being withdrawn in the last Session of 
 
30 
 
 Parliament ; while in Liverpool, within the last thirty-five years, the 
 price of the best coal has been advanced upwards of 7s. per ton, that 
 is, nearly 100 per cent. But, estimating the reduction in the price 
 of this article at 2s. per ton, here is a saving of £100,000. per annum 
 (an amount equal to the whole assessed taxes of the two towns) 
 effected upon a single article, not of luxury, and confined to the 
 higher or mercantile classes of the community, but an article of the 
 first necessity, of daily and hourly consumption, and forming no 
 small item in the expenditure of eveiy poor man's family. 
 
 " Moreover, it would be to take a very narrow and imperfect 
 view of the great question now under discussion, to limit our con- 
 sideration to the immediate accommodation of the mercantile classes, 
 to the pecuniary saving proposed to the travelling community, or 
 even to the still more important saving to the consumers of coals, and 
 of every desci'iption of goods conveyed between Liverpool and Man- 
 chester. The question demands a wider survey and the consideration 
 of more distant results. We must contemplate the important effects 
 upon the commerce of the nation, which are to be anticipated, on 
 the one hand, from affarding, or, on the other hand, from denying 
 facilities to the commercial operations of this great county. Above 
 all, we must look to Ireland, the natural granary of the manufac- 
 turing districts of this country. To the sister kingdom a facility of 
 intercourse and conveyance between Liverpool and the interior of 
 Lancashire and Yorkshire is of paramount importance ; in the first 
 place, for the cheap and regular transport of her agricultural produce; 
 and secondly, for the rapid transit of cotton and woollen goods in 
 different stages of their manufacture, which alone seems wanting to 
 foster the growing industry of Ireland; to give to her some pro- 
 portionate advantage for her clieap labour, and thus render her an 
 auxiliary and an helpmate to the more stable manufacturing estab- 
 lishments of this country. 
 
 " But the subject does not end here. It becomes a question of 
 serious import whether this country, which is indebted for so much 
 of her wealth, and power, and greatness, to the bold and judicious 
 application of mechanical science, shall noAv pause in the career of 
 improvement, while it is notorious that other nations will adopt the 
 means of aggrandisement which we reject, — whether England shall 
 
31 
 
 relinquish the high vantage ground she at present possesses,, not 
 more with a reference to the direct operations of commerce and 
 manufactures, than, generally, in the successful application of the 
 most important principles of science and of art. 
 
 " The Committee feel that it is unnecessary to dwell at greater 
 length on the question they have thus brought before the public. 
 They are about to apply for the sanction of the legislature ; and they 
 are determined to relax no efforts on their part to bring about the 
 honourable and speedy accomplishment of the great work in which 
 they have engaged. 
 
 " Charles Lawrence, Chairman. 
 
 " Liverpool, December 2C, 1825." 
 
 The time was now arrived when the question was 
 again to be brought under the consideration of the 
 legislature. A Deputation from the Railway Com- 
 mittee accordingly assembled in London in the first 
 week in February, 1826. 
 
 On the 7th of February, the Petition for the Bill 
 was presented to the House of Commons by General 
 Gascoyne. 
 
 On the 9th, the compliance with the standing orders 
 was proved in Committee. 
 
 On the 10th, the Bill was read 2i first time in the 
 House of Commons. 
 
 On the 20th, it was read a second time, without 
 discussion. 
 
 On March 6, Mr. Counsellor Adam made his 
 opening speech in Committee, and on the same side 
 were Mr. Sergeant Spankie, Mr. Joy, and Mr. W. 
 Brougham. 
 
 After the estimates and other evidence in the En- 
 gineering department had been recorded, the general 
 evidence in favour of the Bill, and with reference to 
 
32 
 
 the trade and commerce of the two towns, occupied 
 two days. 
 
 On the 9th of March, Mr. Spankie summed up, and 
 Mr. Counsellor Earle opened his case on behalf of 
 the opponents. The injury to be apprehended to 
 certain land-owners on the line of Railway, and the 
 competency of the Canal Companies to carry on the 
 trade between Liverpool and Manchester, were the 
 topics principally enforced. 
 
 On the 15th of March, Mr. Harrison, for the Canals, 
 summed up, in a speech of two hours, the burden of 
 -which was, that the Railway, as a conveyance, would 
 be neither cheap nor expeditious ; that it would be a 
 grievous injury to the land-owners on the line, and at 
 the same time ruinous to the projectors themselves. 
 
 On the 16th of March, Mr. Adam replied; after 
 which the room was cleared, and on the division, the 
 Preamble of the Bill was voted to be proved^ by a 
 majority of 43 to 18. 
 
 On the Gth of April, the Bill was read a third time 
 in the House of Commons. The debate on this 
 occasion was spirited ; General Gascoyne moved the 
 third reading, seconded by Mr. W. Peel ; the Hon. 
 Edward Stanley moved that the Bill be read that day 
 six months, and was seconded by Sir Isaac Coffin. 
 Mr. Huskisson and Sir John Newport spoke in favour 
 of the Bill ; and Mr. Philips (now Sir Geo. Philips) 
 and Capt. I. Bradshaw against it. On the division, the 
 numbers were 88 in favour, 41 against — majority 47. 
 
 On the 7th of April, the Bill was read a first time 
 in the House of Lords. 
 
 On the 10th of April, Lord Dacre moved the second 
 
33 
 
 reading, when the Earl of Derby declared his intention 
 to oppose the Bill in Committee, though he should 
 not object to the second reading. 
 
 On the 13th of April, Mr. Adam opened the case 
 for the Railway in the Committee of the Lords, thirty- 
 three Peers being present, Lord Kenyon having con- 
 sented to take the chair. 
 
 The evidence, on both sides, was similar in effect 
 to that offered to the House of Commons. On 
 the subject of the Locomotive Engine, however — 
 a machine which had been represented to the House 
 of Commons in so formidable a light, — evidence 
 was brought forward by the opponents of the Bill ; 
 but so poor a case was made, and so little objec- 
 tionable did the Engine appear to be, even from the 
 testimony of the opponents, that the Lords did not 
 think it necessary to hear any evidence on the other 
 side, although it was tendered by the Counsel for 
 the Bill. 
 
 On the 20th of April, Mr. Sergeant Spankie summed 
 up, on behalf of the Railway, and Mr. Alderson opened 
 in opposition. 
 
 On the 27th of April, Mr. Harrison summed up for 
 the opponents, and Mr. Adam replied ; after which, 
 the Committee adjourned till the 1st of May. 
 
 On that day the Committee of the Lords re-assem- 
 bled, thirty-two Peers being present. On a division, 
 the preamble was declared to be proved, the numbers 
 being 30 in favour — 2 against. 
 
 Amongst the Peers in favour of the Bill were Lord 
 Kenyon, the Earl of Lonsdale, the Bishop of Bath 
 
34 
 
 and Wells, the Bishop of Chester (now Bishop of 
 London), the Marquis of Salisbury, Earl of Cassiliis, 
 Lord Dacre, Earl of Caernarvon, &c. &c. 
 
 The Earl of Derby and the Earl of Wilton were the 
 opposing parties. The Bill was then read a third time 
 in the Lords, and passed without a division. 
 
 Such is a brief outline of the Parliamelitary pro- 
 ceedings on the Liverpool and Manchester Railway 
 Bill ; a measure which called into activity very power- 
 ful and conflicting interests. It could not, indeed, be 
 expected that wealthy and long-established Companies, 
 exercising their joint monopolies by prescriptive right 
 and undisputed usage, could contemplate with the 
 liberality of advocates for free trade the establish- 
 ment of a Company great and powerful as themselves, 
 for the avowed purpose of carrying on, by land, that 
 mighty traffic and interchange of commodities between 
 Liverpool and Manchester, which had been so long 
 and so profitably carried on by water. To put down, 
 in limine, a scheme so startling in its character, and 
 withal so full of unknown consequences, was an object 
 worthy of a strenuous and combined effort. The 
 attempt was accordingly made : no labour was spared, 
 no expedient left untried, no expenditure withheld. 
 The greatness of the effort, however, on the one side, 
 called forth proportionate exertion on the other. The 
 aggregate pecuniary cost entailed on the parties con- 
 cerned in the contest, was not less than from sixty to 
 seventy thousand pounds : it has been estimated much 
 higher. But the contest is over, and the result will be 
 satisfactory to all who contemplate with pleasure the 
 
35 
 
 commercial prosperity of the country, or who take an 
 interest in marking those great steps in the progress of 
 mechanical science, the successful study and varied 
 application of which, to arts and manufactures, have 
 contributed in no small degree to raise this country 
 to its present pre-eminence in wealth, power, and 
 civilization. 
 
36 
 
 CHAPTER II. 
 
 rORMATION OF THE RAILWAY AND EXPENDITURE. 
 
 The first General Meeting of Subscribers, under the 
 authority of the Act, was held in Liverpool on the 
 29th of May, 1826, when twelve Directors were chosen 
 by the Proj)rietors, in conjunction with three Directors 
 nominated by the Marquis of Stafford, to carry into 
 effect the formation of the projected Railway. The 
 first meeting of Directors was on the following day, 
 when Charles Lawrence, Esq. was elected Chairman, 
 and John Moss, Esq. Deputy Chairman ; and the 
 Board immediately took into consideration the choice 
 of a Principal Engineer. It was obvious, that in aa 
 undertaking of such magnitude, ?l resident l^w^meev oi 
 experience and ability was indispensable ; and the 
 Directors naturally turned their attention to Mr. 
 Stephenson, of Newcastle, a gentleman thoroughly ac- 
 quainted with practical mechanics, and possessing more 
 experience in the construction and working of Railways 
 than perhaps any other individual. The Directors, at 
 the same time, wrote to Messrs. Geo. and John Rennie, 
 requesting them to undertake the professional super- 
 intendence of the undertaking On the 17th of June, 
 Mr. Geo. Rennie had an interview with the Directors, 
 on which occasion the subject was discussed ; and, in 
 conclusion, Mr. Rennie proposed to the Directors to 
 
37 
 
 superintend the execution of the work, making six 
 visits per annum, and remaining on the ground seven 
 or ten days at each visit, but stipulating, at the same 
 time, that the resident Engineer should be of his own 
 appointing. On the 19th of June, the Directors took 
 Mr. Rennie's proposition into consideration. They 
 would have been glad of the professional assistance 
 of Mr. Rennie, but it was their duty to take advantage 
 of the best practical knowledge within their reach. 
 The trust reposed in them, and the responsibility 
 attaching to its due fulfilment, were too weighty to 
 allow of their being much influenced by ordinary 
 punctilios. Their course was direct to the great object 
 they had in view. Mr. Ronnie's proposition was 
 respectfully declined, and Mr. George Stephenson was 
 elected Principal Engineer to the Company. 
 
 The first point of actual operation was on Chat 
 Moss, where the draining was commenced in June, 
 1826. The first shaft of the Liverpool Tunnel was 
 opened in September of the same year, but very little 
 progress was made in either of these departments of 
 the work during 1826; and the earth-work (com- 
 prising the cuttings and embankings along the whole 
 line) was not commenced till January, 1827. It will 
 not be surprising that some delay should take place 
 in the first instance, before a sufficient quantity of 
 waggons, implements, and materials could be con- 
 structed or collected, to enable the Engineer to make 
 much progress in the execution of the work. In 
 Mechanics, it is found that it is not easy to put great 
 weights speedily into rapid movement ; and a variety 
 
38 
 
 of impediments must generally be encountered at the 
 commencement of great undertakings. In the case of 
 the Railway, the purchase of land was a preliminary 
 step, requiring time and consideration to accomplish. 
 Early in 1827, however, the machine was fairly in 
 motion ; the necessary arrangements were made ; 
 assistant Engineers were appointed ; and operations 
 in various parts of the line were in progress. 
 
 One of the objects of the Directors, in the summer 
 of 1826, had been to make arrangements to obtain a 
 loan of ^100,000. from the Exchequer Loan Com- 
 missioners, appointed by the authority of Parliament 
 to aid the completion of public works by the loan of 
 money, under proper securities for its repayment by 
 instalments, in a series of years. On a correspondence 
 with the Commissioners, it was considered necessary 
 to have the authority of a special Act of Parliament 
 for the purpose ; and accordingly, a General Meeting 
 of Proprietors, on the 11th of December, 1826, em- 
 powered the Directors of the Railway to apply to 
 Parliament for an Act to authorise the loan in question. 
 The Act was obtained in the spring of 1827, and in 
 June of the same year 5^100,000. was received from 
 the Commissioners. With the aid of this loan, in 
 addition to the several calls on the Subscribers, the 
 Directors were enabled to push forward the work 
 with more than ordinary vigour, and consequently to 
 give employment to an increased number of labourers, 
 which, at the period in question, and under the cir- 
 cumstances of the time, was an object of no small 
 importance. 
 
59 
 
 During the whole of the year 1827, the formation of 
 the Tunnel under Liverpool was carried forward with 
 spirit and perseverance. Night and day the excavation 
 proceeded, and many difficulties in the execution of the 
 workhad to be overcome. In someplacesthe substance 
 excavated was a soft blue shale, with abundance of 
 water ; in other places a wet sand presented itself, re^ 
 quiring no slight labour and contrivance to support till 
 the masonry which was to form the roof was erected. 
 In passingunderCrown-street, neartheBotanicGarden, 
 for want of sufficient props the superincumbent mass 
 fell in from the surface, being a depth of 30 feet, of loose 
 moss-earth and sand.* On some occasions the miners 
 refused to work, and it not unfrequently required the 
 personal superintendence and encouragement of the 
 Engineer to keep them at their posts. Nor is this 
 surprising, considering the nature of the operation 1 
 boring their way almost in the dark, with the water 
 streaming around them, and uncertain whether the 
 props and stays would bear the pressure from above 
 till the arch-work should be completed. Those who 
 visit the Tunnel in its present state, illuminated with 
 gas-lights, and traversed by horses, carriages, and 
 crowds of passengers, will not easily picture to them^ 
 selves the onginal dark and dangerous cavern, with 
 the roof and sides supported by shores, while the 
 miners pursued their arduous task by the light of a 
 few candles, whose feeble glimmer glancing on the 
 water which ran down the sides, or which spread out 
 
 • This happened while the Engineer was absent from Liverpool. 
 
4P 
 
 in a sheet below, was barely sufficient to show the 
 dreariness of the place. But while some portions of 
 the Tunnel were excavated under circumstances of 
 no little difficulty and danger, and requiring all the 
 skill and energy of the Engineer to accomplish, other 
 portions were hewn through a fine red sand-stone, 
 clean, dry, and substantial, and requiring neither props 
 nor artificial arching; the natural rock forming the 
 roof of the excavation. 
 
 The Tunnel was constructed in seven or eight 
 separate lengths, communicating with the surface by 
 upright shafts, through which the substance excavated 
 was conveyed away. The exact joinings of these 
 different lengths, so as to form one complete whole, 
 as now exhibited, was, of course, from time to time an 
 object of considerable interest, and to the Directors of 
 some anxiety ; and the accuracy with which this was 
 effected is highly creditable to the Engineer, and to 
 Mr. Locke, the Assistant Engineer for that department. 
 
 Nearly two-thirds of the Tunnel were completed in 
 1827, at an expense of twenty thousand pounds; and 
 about the same money was expended in the cuttings 
 and embankings along the line. The total expendi- 
 ture of the Company on the 31st of December, 1827, 
 including the cost of obtaining the Act of Parliament, 
 and other preliminary disbursements, was ^212,855. 
 19s. 8d. 
 
 Early in the year 1828, it became evident, notwith- 
 standing this large expenditure, that the progress of 
 the works was not advancing with that celerity which 
 was to be desired. On the earth-work, the estimate 
 
41 
 
 of which amounted to £138,000., only ^20,000. had 
 been expended at the close of 1827. The Directors 
 became fully sensible of the importance of expediting 
 the whole work. The interest on the capital expended, 
 and the loss of all income till the Railway, or at least 
 a considerable portion of it should be completed, 
 afforded motive sufficient to induce the Company to 
 push forward the operations with still increasing speed. 
 
 In the spring of this year (1828) the Directors 
 obtained an Act of Parliament for altering the line of 
 roadjimproving the curves, and shortening the distance, 
 by avoiding several circuitous routes, as laid down in 
 the Parliamentary plan. The improved parts of the 
 road are comprised between certain lands in the 
 township of Sutton, near Rainhill, and that part of 
 the line situate in Culcheth, near Bury-lane. 
 
 On the 9th of June, 1828, it was reported to the 
 Directors that the last joining between the several 
 lengths of the Tunnel was effected, and at that time all 
 very serious difficulties in the execution of this branch 
 of the undertaking were surmounted. In this year 
 principally, was effected the piling for the foundations 
 of the piers of the great Viaduct over the Sankey valley, 
 a business of much labour and cost, but indispensable 
 for the security of the superstructure. About two 
 hundred piles, varying from 20 to 30 feet in length, 
 were driven hard into the foundation site of each of 
 the ten piers. The heavy ram employed to impart 
 the finishing strokes, hoisted up with double purchase 
 and snail's pace to the summit of the Piling Engine, 
 and then falling down like a thunderbolt on the head 
 
 G 
 
42 
 
 of the devoted timber, driving it perhaps a single half 
 inch into the stratum below, is well calculated to put to 
 the test the virtue of patience, while it illustrates the 
 old adage of — *' slow and sure." The Viaduct com- 
 prises nine arches of 50 feet span each, stretching 
 across the valley of the Sankey, over which the 
 Railway was to be carried, at a height of nearly 70 
 feet above the level of the Sankey Canal. During the 
 present year (1828), was completed the Company's 
 bridge over the turnpike road and the old Mill Dam 
 at Newton, and the operations on Chat Moss were 
 carried on without intermission, embanking at each 
 end, and draining, levelling, &c. on the centre portions. 
 On the .315^ of December, 1828, the total expendi- 
 ture was j^46I,899. 19s. 6d., which included the 
 following items : — 
 
 On account of Chat Moss ^17,503 7 3 
 
 „ Cuttings &Embankings 84,565 19 3 
 
 Tunnel 33,937 14 2 
 
 Sankey Viaduct 32,223 6 9 
 
 Land 101,962 9 11 
 
 „ Iron Rails, Chairs, &c. 63,010 3 10 
 
 Early in the year 1829, the Directors, with the 
 sanction of the Proprietors, applied to Parliament and 
 obtained their fourth Act, the purport of which was — 
 first, to improve the termination of the line at the 
 Manchester end, by carrying the Railway in a more 
 direct course over the Irwell into Manchester, instead 
 of allowing it to terminate near the New Bailey, in 
 Salford, as set out in the original plan. This alteration 
 was a great improvement, as it brought the Railway 
 
43 
 
 to a station in Water-street, in the centre of the great 
 Carrying Companies' Establishments ; affording, at the 
 same time, convenient access to the different parts of 
 Manchester, whether with a view to merchandise laden 
 in the Railway waggons, or passengers arriving in the 
 Railway coaches. 
 
 Another important object of the Act of the present 
 year was to authorise the Company to raise an ad- 
 ditional capital of ^127,500. by 5100 £25. shares, 
 each holder of an original b^IOO. share being entitled 
 to one i§'25. share. The purpose of this new fund was 
 to enable the Company to provide depots, machinery, 
 waggons, carriages, &c. with all appurtenances be- 
 longing to a Carrying Department ; for it is to be 
 observed, that the original Railway Act requires the 
 Company to be carriers, though it does not provide 
 the means of carrying. That the raising of this 
 additional capital was deemed expedient by the Pro- 
 prietors at large, may be inferred from the circumstance 
 that only fifteen of the new shares (out of 5100) were 
 declined by the parties entitled to them, under the Act. 
 
 In the spring of 1829, the Directors were still anxious 
 for increased despatch in the execution of the work, 
 and the Engineer, in consequence, was instructed 
 to order the Contractors at the principal cuttings 
 throughout the line, to employ two sets of labourers, 
 and to work by night as well as day. The operations 
 accordingly proceeded still more rapidly than here- 
 tofore, though it must be allowed at considerably 
 increased expense ; and had it not been for an extra- 
 ordinary wet summer and autumn, the earth-work for 
 
44 
 
 a complete line of communication between Liverpool 
 and Manchester might have been accomplished by the 
 end of 1829, or the beginning of 1830, and the Railway 
 laid down for operations within a few months from 
 that period. As it was, very considerable delay was 
 occasioned by the heavy and long-continued rains, 
 besides no triflingexpense to the Company, in pumping 
 the water from the deep cuttings, which were too apt 
 to assume the appearance of a Canal rather than a 
 Railway. 
 
 The principal structure completed in 1829, was the 
 Company's bridge to carry the Liverpool and War- 
 rington turnpike road over the Railway at Rainhill. 
 The line of the public road at this place, crosses the 
 Jlailway in an oblique direction, at an angle of 34 
 degrees, the span of the arch being 54 feet, while the 
 breadth of the Railway under the bridge is only 30 feet. 
 It is called a Skew Bridge, in popular phraseology, and 
 is a very fine specimen of this kind of building, every 
 stone of the arch being shaped with angles and curve 
 adapted to the position in which it is placed. The 
 Winton bridge, over the public road, nearEccles, is a 
 very neat specimen of the same style of arch, but 
 \yithout the massive grandeur of the bridge at Rainhill. 
 
 In the present year, one road-way was laid along 
 the whole extent of Chat Moss, and the Rocket Steam 
 Engine, with a carriage and company, passed over it 
 on the first day of 1830. The practicability of carrying 
 the Railway over this Moss was seriously questioned 
 in the House of Comnions, and was honestly doubted 
 hy numbers who were acquainted with the soft and 
 
45 
 
 pulpy state of this huge bog — in some places 30 to 35 
 feet deep — and so fluid, that an iron rod would sink 
 through the Moss by its own gravity. The Railway, 
 indeed, for the most part, floats on the surface, its 
 compactness and buoyancy in the most fluid places 
 being assisted by hurdles of brushwood and heather, 
 laid under the wood sleepers which support the rails. 
 The portion of the Moss which presented the most 
 difficulty in its completion was about half a mile on 
 the east border, where an embankment of about 20 
 feet had to be formed above the natural level. The 
 weight of this embankment resting on a semi-fluid 
 base, pressed down the original surface: many thou- 
 sand cubic yards gradually and silently disappeared, 
 before the line of road made any approach to the 
 proposed level. By degrees, however, the whole 
 mass beneath and on each side of this embankment 
 became consolidated by the superincumbent and 
 lateral pressure, and a little perseverance finally com- 
 pleted the work. 
 
 In September, 1829, was commenced the Company's 
 bridge over the Irwell, in the improved line of road 
 authorised by the Act of that year. This was the 
 last great structure on the line of Railway from 
 Liverpool to Manchester. 
 
 In the appendix will be found a general abstract of 
 the total expenditure of the Railway, showing the cost 
 of the different branches of the undertaking. This 
 document may not be without interest to those who 
 shall hereafter embark in similar adventures ; though 
 it will be evident that no very exact rule of com- 
 
46 
 
 parison can be laid down, whereby to estimate the 
 cost of different Railways; for not only have the 
 wages of labour and the expense of materials to be 
 taken into the account, but especially, the time and 
 circumstances under which the work has to be accom- 
 plished — whether, notwithstanding unfavourable sea- 
 sons, considerations of the earlier opening of the road, 
 and more speedy acquisition of a profitable income, 
 may still justify the prosecution of the work with una- 
 bated vigour— by night as well as by day — even at the 
 increased expense which will thereby unavoidably be 
 incurred. The Liverpool and Manchester Railway 
 is a magnificent work ; but it will be useful to keep 
 in mind that such works cannot be executed except 
 at an expenditure of no ordinary magnitude. This 
 Railway will cost above ^800,000., including the 
 charge for stations and depots at each end, and 
 machinery, engines, waggons, &c. for a carrying 
 department. The immense traflfic between Liverpool 
 and Manchester amply justifies this outlay. But with 
 reference to any similar scheme, in extension of the 
 Railway system, it is desirable the projectors should 
 impartially calculate the cost of the work, as well as 
 the income it may be expected to produce; and 
 especially that they should make an ample allowance 
 beyond the first estimate of the expenditure, before 
 they embark in the undertakijig. 
 
47 
 
 CHAPTER III. 
 
 DESCRIPTION' OF THE RAILWAV—EXCURSIOX FROM LIVERPOOL TO 
 MANCHESTER. 
 
 There is so little in scenery that is interesting on the 
 turnpike road from Liverpool to Manchester, that a 
 formal description of the way between the two towns 
 may appear to be rather an unpromising undertaking. 
 The traveller along the Railway, however, will 
 speedily admit that there is little similitude between 
 the two routes ; the whole character, structure, and 
 appearance of the Railway being altogether different 
 from the general aspect of the turnpike road. Instead 
 of a uniform, flat, and uninteresting country, the line 
 of Railway is diversified continually by hill and dale, 
 offered to the contemplation of the traveller in a sort 
 of inverse presentment ; the passenger by this new line 
 of route having to traverse the deepest recesses, where 
 the natural surface of the ground is the highest, and 
 being mounted on the loftiest ridges and highest em- 
 bankments, riding above the tops of the trees, and over- 
 looking the surrounding country, where the natural 
 surface of the ground is the lowest, — this peculiarity 
 and this variety being occasioned by that essential 
 requisite in a well-constructed Railway — a level line- 
 imposing the necessity of cutting through the high 
 lands and embanking across tlie low ; thus, in effect, 
 
48 
 
 presenting to the traveller all the variety of mountain 
 and ravine in pleasing succession, whilst in reality he 
 is moving almost on a level plane, and while the natural 
 face of the country scarcely exhibits even those slight 
 undulations which are necessary to relieve it from 
 tameness and insipidity. 
 
 To accomplish a complete survey of the Railway, 
 we should commence our journey of observation at 
 the Liverpool end, in the Company's yard, in Wapping. 
 Here the lower entrance of the great Tunnel is acces- 
 sible through an open cutting, 22 feet deep and 46 
 feet wide, being space for four lines of Railway, with 
 pillars between the lines to support the beams and 
 flooring of the Company's warehouses, which are 
 thrown across this excavation, and under which the 
 waggons pass to be loaded or discharged through 
 hatchways or trap doors communicating with the 
 stores above; waggons loaded with coal or lime passing 
 underneath the warehouses to the open wharfs at the 
 Wapping end of the station. 
 
 Proceeding along the Tunnel, the line of Railway 
 curves to the right, or south-east, till it reaches the 
 bottom of the inclined plane, which is a perfectly 
 straight line, 1980 yards in length, with a uniform rise 
 of three-quarters of an inch to a yard. The Railway 
 from Wapping to the commencement of the inclined 
 plane is level ; the whole rise, therefore, from Wapping 
 to the Tunnel mouth, at Edge-hill, is 123 feet. The 
 Tunnel is 22 feet wide and 16 feet high, the sides 
 being perpendicular for five feet in height, surmounted 
 by a semicircular arch of 1 1 feet radius : the total 
 
4,0 
 
 length is 2250 yards. It is cut through various strata 
 of red rock, blue shale and clay, but principally through 
 rock of every degree of hardness, from the softest 
 sand-stone to the most compact free-stone, which the 
 axe or the chisel will with difficulty penetrate. It 
 frequently was found necessary, in the progress of the 
 work, to make an artificial vault of masonry, which 
 has been effected by brick arch-work in those places 
 where the natural rock could not be trusted to support 
 the superincumbent mass. The height from the roof 
 of the Tunnel upwards to the open surface of the 
 ground, varies from 5 feet to 70, the greatest mass of 
 superstratum being in the vicinity of Hope-street and 
 Crabtree-lane. The whole length of this vast cavern 
 is now furnished \\ith gas-lights, and the sides and 
 roof are tv/iiteivas/ied, to give better effect to the 
 illumination. The different colours and peculiar ap- 
 pearance of the varying strata through which the 
 Tunnel passes are thus hidden from view, and the 
 attention is no longer attracted to those faults or slips 
 in the solid rock, which indicate that the whole mass 
 has been rent asunder by one or more of those terrible 
 convulsions of nature, of which the traces are so fre- 
 quently visible, but of v^hich no other record remains. 
 The geologist will be disappointed, in traversing this 
 subterranean vault, to find the natural varieties con- 
 verted by lime-water into one uniform and artificial 
 appearance; but the principle of utility is paramount 
 in a commercial undertaking. 
 
 At the upper or eastern end of the Tunnel, the 
 traveller emerges into a spacious and noble area, 40 
 
 H 
 
50 
 
 feet below the surface of the ground, cut out of the 
 soiid rock, and surmounted on every side by walls 
 dnd battlements. From this area there returns a small 
 funnel, 290 yards in length, 15 feet wide, and 12 feet 
 high, parallel with the large one, but inclining upwards 
 in the opposite direction, and terminating in the 
 Company's premises in Crown-street, at the upper 
 and eastern boundary of Liverpool ; being the principal 
 station for the Railway coaches, and the depot for 
 ^als for the supply of the higher districts of the town. 
 Proceeding eastward from the two Tunnels, the road 
 pMSses through a Moorish archway, at present un- 
 finished, which is to connect the two Engine-houses, and 
 will form the grand entrance to the Liverpool stations. 
 Tliis structure is from a spirited design of Mr. Foster's, 
 a representation of which I have placed as a suitable 
 Fn ntispiece to this account of the Railway. The tra- 
 veller now find shimselfontheopen road to Manchester, 
 and has an opportunity of contemplating the peculiar 
 fearures of a well-constructed Railway, the line in this 
 pla ;e being perfectly level ; the slight curve, which was 
 uni voidable, beautifully set out; the road-way clean, 
 dr} ,and free from obstructions; and therailsfirmly fixed 
 on Massive blocks of stone. Crossing Wavertree-lane, 
 the Railway descends for 5^ miles at the rate of four 
 fee in the mile, — a declivity so slight and uniform 
 as vot to be perceived by the eye, but still sufficient 
 to give a mechanical advantage and facility of motion 
 to 1 load passing in that direction. The road a little 
 be; end Wavertree-lane is carried through a deep 
 raarle cutting, under several massive stone archways, 
 
51 
 
 thrown across the excavation to form the requisite 
 communications between the roads and farms on the 
 opposite sides of the Railway. Beyond the marie 
 cutting is the great rock excavation through Olive 
 Mount, about half a mile to the north of the village 
 of Wavertree. Here the traveller passes through a 
 deep and narrow ravine, 70 feet below the surface of 
 the ground, little more space being opened out tian 
 sufficient for two trains of carriages to pass each other ; 
 and the road winding gently round towards the south- 
 east, the j)rospect is bounded by the perpendicular 
 rock on either side, with the blue vault above, relieved 
 at intervals by a bridge high over head, connecting the 
 opposite precipices. The sides of the rock exhibit 
 already the green surface of vegetation, and present 
 altogether far more of the picturesque in their appear- 
 ance than might be expected from so recent an 
 excavation. At night, when the natural gloom of the 
 place is further deepened, the scene from the bridge ; 
 above will readily be imagined to be novel and striking 
 The light of the moon illuminating about half tb^ 
 depth, and casting a darker shade on the area below— 
 the general silence interrupted at intervals by a noise 
 like distant thunder — presently a train of carriages, 
 led on by an Engine of fire and steam, with her lamps 
 like two furnaces, throwing their light onward in 
 dazzling signal of their approach — with the strength 
 and speed of a war-horse the Engine moves forward 
 with its glorious cavalcade of merchandise from all 
 countries and passengers of all nations. But the 
 spectacle is transient as striking; in a moment the 
 
52 
 
 pageant is gone — tlie meteor is passed ; tlie flaring of 
 the lamps is only seen in the distance, and the observer, 
 looking down from the battlement above, perceives 
 that all again is still and dark and solitary. 
 
 Emerging from the Olive Mount cutting, you 
 approach the great Roby embankment, formed of the 
 materials dug outof the excavation we have described. 
 This embankment stretches across the valley for about 
 two miles, varying in height from 15 to 45 feet, and 
 in breadth at the base from 60 to 135 feet. Here the 
 traveller finds himself affected by sensations the very 
 reverse of what he felt a few minutes before. Mounted 
 above the tops of the trees, he looks around him over 
 a wide expanse of country, in the full enjoyment of the 
 fresh breeze, from whatever quarter it may blow. 
 
 This vast embankment strikingly exhibits how much 
 may be accomplished when our efforts are concen- 
 trated on one grand object. There is a feeling of 
 satisfaction by no means common-place, in thus over- 
 coming obstacles and surmounting difficulties, in 
 making the high places low and the rough places 
 plain, and advancing in one straight and direct course 
 to the end in view ; while the pleasure afforded by 
 the contemplation of this great work is further en- 
 lianced, when considered in contrast with ordinary 
 and every-day impressions. 
 
 After passing the Roby embankment you cross the 
 Huyton turnpike road, leaving liuyton Church and 
 village on the left hand, and proceed in a slightly 
 curved direction to the bottom of the inclined plane 
 at Whistou, between seven and eight miles from the 
 
53 
 
 Company's station in Liverpool. This plane rises in 
 the ratio of three-eighths of an inch in a yard, (or 1 in 
 96.) It is a mile and a half long in one straight line, 
 and the inclination (being so slight) would scarcely 
 attract observation, did not a decrease in the speed of 
 the carriages indicate that an important change had 
 taken place in the level of the way. At the top of 
 the Whiston inclined plane there is a portion of the 
 road (nearly two miles in length) on the exact level. 
 About half a mile from the top of the inclined plane, 
 the turnpike road from Liverpool to Manchester crosses 
 the line of the Railway at an acute angle of 34 degrees, 
 and is carried over the Railway by a substantial stone 
 bridge, of very curious and beautiful construction, 
 being built on the diagonal or skew principle, each 
 stone being cut to a particular angle to fit into a par- 
 ticular place, the span of the arch, measured at the 
 face, being 54 feet, while the width of the Railway 
 underneath, measured from wall to wall, is only 30 
 feel, — each face of the arch extending diagonally 45 
 feet beyond the square. Rainhill bridge is nine miles 
 from the Company's yard in Wapping, and it was 
 underneath and on each side of this bridge that the 
 experiments took place with the Locomotive Engines 
 which contended for the premium ofX'500. in October, 
 1829. 
 
 Passing over the summit level at Rainhill, we come 
 to the Sutton inclined plane, which descends in the 
 opposite direction, and is similar in extent and incli- 
 nation to the Whiston plane, the top level being 82 
 feet above the base of each plane. Par Moss is the 
 
54 
 
 next object of attention, the road-way across the 
 principal part of it being formed by the deposit of 
 heavy material (clay and stone) dug out of the Sutton 
 inclined plane. This Moss is about 20 feet deep, and 
 the material forming the Railway, as it was deposited, 
 sank to the bottom, and now forms an embankment 
 in reality 25 feet high, though only four or five feet 
 appears above the surface of the Moss. The borders 
 of this waste are in a state of increasing cultivation, 
 and the carrying of the Railway across this Moss will 
 hasten the inclosure of the whole area. 
 
 Leaving Par Moss, we soon approach the great 
 valley of the Sankey (about half way between Liver- 
 pool and Manchester), with its Canal at the bottom, 
 and its flats or barges in full sail passing to and fro, 
 between the River Mersey, near Warrington, and the 
 great Coal districts near St. Helen's. Over this valley 
 and Canal, and over the topmasts and high peaks of 
 the barges, the Railway is carried along a magnificent 
 viaduct of nine arches, each 50 feet span, built princi- 
 pally of brick, with stone facings, the height from the 
 top of the parapets to the water in the Canal being 70 
 feet, and the width of the Railway between the 
 parapets 25 feet. The approach to this great structure 
 is along a stupendous embankment, formed principally 
 of clay, dug out from the high lands on the borders of 
 the valley. Looking over the battlements, there is a 
 fine view down the valley to the south — Win wick 
 spire rishig in the distance, and below you, the 
 little stream of the Sankey running parallel with 
 the Canal ; while the masts and sails of the vessels, 
 
55 
 
 seen at intervals in the landscape ^vhere the Canal is 
 no longer visible, present a vivid specimen of inland 
 navigation. Immediately below you, the barges, as 
 they approach the bridge, escape from view for a few 
 minutes, till, having sailed under your feet, they become 
 again visible on the opposite side of the viaduct. 
 
 On leaving the Sankey, we speedily approach the 
 town of Newton, or rather the borough ; for this 
 ancient and loyal place sends two representatives to 
 Parliament, under the auspices of Colonel Legh, M. P. 
 A few hundred yards to the south of the town, the 
 Railway crosses a narrow valley by a short but lofty 
 embankment, and a handsome bridge of four arches, 
 each 40 feet span. Under the eastern arch the turn- 
 pike road passes from Newton to Warrington, and 
 beneath another arch flows a stream which turns all 
 old corn mill, immediately below the bridge. Adjacent 
 also, is situate one of those antique mansions, built in 
 the ancient baronial style, whose white exterior, with 
 black oak crossings and pointed gables, harmonizes 
 well witli the rude scenery around. 
 
 A few miles beyond Newton is the great Kenyotl 
 excavation, from which about 800,000 cubic yards of 
 clay and sand have been dug out, part being carried to 
 form the line of embankment to the east and west of 
 the cutting; and the remainder,deposited as spoil banks, 
 may be seen heaped up, like Pelion upon Ossa, towering 
 over tlie adjacent land. Near the end of this cutting, 
 tlieKenyon and Leigh Junction Rail way joins the Liver^ 
 pool and Manchester line by two branches, pointing to 
 the two towns respectively. This Railway joins the 
 
56 
 
 Bolton and Loic^h line, and thus forms the connectinjr 
 link between Bolton, Liverpool, and Manchester. 
 From the Kenyon excavation the transition is easy to 
 the Brosely embankment, formed of the material dug- 
 out of the cutting, as before described. Moving 
 onward, we pass over Bury-lane and the small River 
 Gless, or Glazebrook, being arrived on the borders of 
 the far-famed Chat Moss. This barren waste com- 
 prises an area of about twelve square miles, varying in 
 depth from 10 to 35 feet, the whole mass being of so 
 spongy and soft a texture that cattle cannot walk over 
 it. The bottom is composed of clay and sand, and it 
 is not an uninteresting, if not a very profitable specu- 
 lation, to carry our ideas back to that remote period 
 when the sea flowed over the basin of this huffefunjjus. 
 There are they who profess, by examining the vege- 
 table fibre of the Moss, to calculate its age; as the 
 fortune-teller will cast your nativity by the furrows in 
 your hand. No doubt this mass of vegetable matter 
 is still increasing. The flower and the leaf of the 
 heather still bud, grow to maturity, and fall ; and the 
 process of decomposition amalgamates the new and 
 the old fibre ; but what is thus deposited has been 
 previously extracted from the Moss, save what has 
 been supplied from the hydrogen and other gases 
 absorbed and combined in this great laboratory. At 
 a very moderate calculation, Chat Moss comprises 
 sixty millions of tons of vegetable matter; and we 
 shall leave to philosophers to calculate in how many 
 centuries this weight could be drawn from the clouds 
 and the air. Northward of the Moss, in the distance, 
 
57 
 
 is Tildsley Church, one of the modern Parliamentary 
 edifices ; and as we approach the eastern boundary, 
 conspicuous on a gentle eminence to the left, is Worsley 
 Hall, the seat of R. H. Bradshaw, Esq. M.P. so well 
 known as Trustee for the management of the Duke of 
 Bridgewater's Canal. 
 
 Beyond Chat Moss we traverse the Barton embank- 
 ment, crossing the low lands for about a mile between 
 the Moss and the Worsley Canal, over which the 
 Railway is carried by a neat stone bridge. At this 
 spot it is evident you are approaching a manufacturing 
 district. On the banks of the Canal a great cotton 
 factory rears its tall sides, with its hundred windows, 
 and the fly-wheel of its steam-engine pursuing its 
 continuous and uniform revolutions, as if symbolical 
 of that eternal round of labour and care, of abundant 
 toil and scanty remuneration, of strained exertion and 
 insufiicient repose, which, through day and night, 
 through seed time and harvest, through years of civili- 
 zation and ages of barbarism, have been the condition 
 and tenure on which the existence of so large a portion 
 of mankind has depended. 
 
 From the Barton embankment we soon arrive at 
 Eccles, four miles from Manchester, leaving to the 
 right the vicarage and parish church of that village. 
 Between this place and Manchester the Railway passes 
 at no great distance from several country seats and 
 villas, whose rich lawns and flourishing plantations 
 afford an agreeable variety, after the great sand hills 
 at Kenyon, or the wide waste of Chat Moss. 
 
 The immediate approach to Manchester, by the 
 I 
 
58 
 
 Railway, is through a portion of Salford, as little inter- 
 esting as can well be imagined. Over the River Irwell 
 the Railway is carried by a very handsome stone 
 bridge, and then over a series of arches, into the Com- 
 pany's station in Water-street and Liverpool-road, 
 Manchester; from which the traveller whose object is 
 pleasure rather than business, will probably make his 
 way, without loss of time, to the more genial attrac- 
 tions of the Albion Hotel, or New Bridgewater Arms. 
 
59 
 
 CHAPTER IV. 
 
 MECHANICAL PRINCIPLES AND PROPERTIES. A3 APPLICABLE TO RAILWAYS. 
 
 The most obvious mechanical advantage which a 
 Railway possesses over a common turnpike road, is to 
 be found in its superior hardness and smoothness of 
 surface. This comparative advantage, it is evident, 
 can be measured by no fixed standard ; though it is 
 common to estimate it in the proportion of seven to one. 
 It should constantly be borne in mind, however, that 
 this ratio of superiority in favour of a Railway can only 
 exist on an exact level. Let there be a very moderate 
 ascent — such as on an ordinary road would scarcely 
 attract observation — one foot in fifty for instance, and 
 the effect of a horse on a Railway is at once reduced 
 to about one-fifth of its effect on a horizontal plane; 
 and on arriving at such an inclination, with a load 
 calculated for a level, the horse would be unable to 
 move a single yard with the utmost exertion of its 
 strength ; while on a common road, undulations such 
 as I have stated are of ordinary occurrence — a horse 
 being able to exert a sufficiently increased power as 
 he ascends the eminence, and relieving himself as he 
 descends on the opposite side. But let it not be 
 imagined that the absolute resistance occasioned by a 
 certain inclination, is more on a Railway than on a 
 turnpike road : it is precisely the same, and this 
 peculiarity in the comparative result may be easily 
 
60 
 
 explained. The resistance on a Railway to the 
 progress of the carriage wheels (sometimes called the 
 rolliiig friction) being only about one-seventh what it 
 is on common roads, the ordinary load on a level 
 Railivay is seven times as great as the load on a 
 turnpike road. Consequently, when the force of 
 gravity is brought into operation by an ascending plane, 
 this opposing force (of gravity) being proportioned to 
 the load, will be seven times as great as on a turnpike 
 road. 
 
 Most of the Railways hitherto constructed have had 
 an inclination downwards, being for the conveyance of 
 coal from the pits to the river side. For purposes of 
 general traffic, however, and where there is any thing 
 like an equality of tonnage passing in both directions, 
 it cannot be too constantly kept in view, that to render 
 the moving power uniformly eflfective, and to maintain 
 for the Railway its fall comparative advantage over 
 the common roads, it must, as far as practicable, be 
 level. In the Liverpool and Manchester line, this 
 object has been in a great measure attained, as will 
 appear from the annexed section. From tlie top of the 
 Liverpool Tunnel to Manchester, with the exception 
 of two inclined planes at Rainhill (one ascending and 
 the other descending at an inclination of J in 90, and 
 where some assistant power must be used), there is 
 no greater inclination than in the ratio of about 1 in 880 ; 
 and since the advantage on the descending side will 
 nearly counterbalance the disadvantage in ascending 
 so gradual a slope, the Railway may be regarded, for 
 practical purposes, as nearly horizontal. 
 
SKCTION OK iH..; LlNi; ,„■ MAIL WAV Fi,<,.>, Li\-i:KI'(K»L TO .M A .\ ( ' II KS I K IJ 
 
 ■ ^ '■ ■ A/V L,,,/ 
 
 r . ,/ 
 
 '/^/ /. '.'■ /'■'■/ 
 
 ' ./ - y 
 
 . A- / 
 
 />...- /-*////// ,^^ ,/.. ,/, 
 
 TrJ , . / /r, ?/.'/0. 
 
 .Vi. Tfie SiiTfarc ,)/ fjtf /;,/,/.< at the /o^ o/' ///,- Tminf/ / f, fv c I /.t M /h'f ,^/>rr'/' //n /fa 
 
 ■/(r,n ,,,' M„n, /„:</<■, 
 
 /^'•^/ ^ t-t^^^„yjj 
 
 
 OialJfg/J 
 
 U 111. MAY. 
 
 -^ ; 
 
 
 ^««v/ / «(.»■</ (0,', 
 
61 
 
 A level line being attained, it is scarcely of less 
 importance that the Railway shonld be straight^ oral 
 least free from any abrupt curves. As carriages are 
 kept on the rail by flanges on the wheels, it is obvious 
 that where the curves are quick, the friction on the 
 sides of the rails, and consequent retardation, must 
 be very great. This is a point which, till lately, has 
 not been sufficiently attended to. In the Liverpool 
 and Manchester Railway, the curves seldom exceed 
 a deviation from a straight line of more than 4 inches 
 in 22 yards; forming a segment of a circle, which, if 
 extended, would embrace a circumference of fifteen 
 miles. The setting out of the curves on the ground is 
 a work requiring considerable skill and exactness, 
 and the manner in which this is performed affects the 
 real efficiency of the Railway no less than it does the 
 style and beauty of its appearance. 
 
 The material of which the rails were to be composed, 
 whether of cast or oi forged won, was a matter of some 
 importance. Each description ofrail has its advocates; 
 but after due consideration, and inquiry into their re- 
 spective merits, the Directors determined to adopt the 
 forged or rolled iron rail, in lengths of tive yards each, 
 made after Mr. Birkinshaw's pattern, as described in 
 Mr. Nicholas Wood's excellent book on Railways. A 
 similar rail is used on the Darlington way, but some- 
 what lighter; the Darlington rail weighing 281b. and 
 the Liverpool and Manchester 351b. per lineal yard. 
 The rails are supported every three feet on stone blocks, 
 each block containing nearly four cubic feet of stone. 
 Two holes, six inches deep and an inch iliameter, are 
 
(y'2 
 
 drilled in each block, and into these are driven oak 
 pings; and tlie cast-iron chairs or pedestals, to which 
 the rail is immediately fitted and fastened, are firmly 
 spiked down to the oak plugs; forming, altogether, a 
 construction of great solidity and strength. On the 
 embankments, where the foundation may be expected 
 to subside, the rails are laid on oak sleepers. 
 
 But supposing the Railway to be completed, of the 
 most improved construction and the best material, the 
 kind of carriage to be used, and the power to be em- 
 ployed, afford scope for ample discussion and the 
 most conflicting opinions ; for so new, or so little 
 understood, it would seem, is the application of me- 
 chanical principles to a Railway, tliat as much difficulty 
 presented itself to the Directors, in their endeavours 
 to come to a conclusion on these points, as if the 
 matter at issue involved a question of law or meta- 
 physics. On the firt-t announcement of a projected 
 Railway, on a complete scale, from Liverpool to 
 Manchester, the ingenuity of speculative mechanics 
 anticipated the most astonishing results to be obtained 
 from the most undeniable and acknowledged prin- 
 ciples. It was understood to have been previously 
 ascertained by Coulomb and Professor Vince, that 
 Jriction (as applicable to carriages) was the same at 
 all velocities. It seemed to follow, that on a level 
 Railway, where friction constituted the whole resist- 
 ance, the inert mass being once put in motion, it would 
 be as easy to travel twenty miles per hour, as Jive. 
 The fallacy of this idea arises in a good measure from 
 a misconcej)tion of the operation of the principle 
 
63 
 
 alluded to — that the friction is the same at all velocities 
 — from which it appears to have been inferred, that if 
 you provide a power sufficient to overcome the friction 
 at a very slow speed, and call that power one, and 
 then apply additional power to augment the speed te7i 
 fold, you may at pleasure relinquish this additional 
 power, and continue to move at the ten fold speed 
 with the power one. The truth is, however, that for 
 every ratio of increased speed you must exert increased 
 power, and must continue to use it. On a level 
 Railway, friction constitutes the whole resistance ; and 
 if it require a certain power to overcome such resist- 
 ance at two miles per hour, it will require ten times 
 that power to overcome the resistance at twenty miles 
 per hour, and it will require ihe increased power to be 
 continued as long as the speed is intended to be kept 
 up. If to convey a certain load at the rate of five 
 miles per hour requires a Locomotive Steam Engine 
 with a boiler and pistons of a certain given area, then 
 to move the same load at the rate of fifteen miles per 
 hour, the boiler and cylinders (if there be no improve- 
 ment in the construction) must be three times ihe area. 
 In this latter case, therefore, there will be three times 
 the steam (or power) expended per hour, but the 
 journey will be eflfected in one-third the time: the 
 ivhole expenditure of steam (or power), therefore, in 
 overcoming the friction will be nearly the same, 
 whether the journey be performed at a slow or a quick 
 speed. We will suppose, for illustration, that a 
 weight has to be raised, instead oi friction to be over- 
 come — the same principle will hold good. If it require 
 a certain power to raise a ton weight one hundred feet 
 
64 
 
 high ill ten minutes, it will require ten times the power 
 to raise it the same height in one minute — that is, at 
 ten times the speed ; yet a ton is a ton, at all velocities, 
 exactly as friction is the same, whatever the speed. 
 There is another error on the subject of friction, to 
 which it may be as well briefly to advert. Mr. Rankin, 
 in his publication on Railways,* lays it down as a 
 principle, that " the friction of wheel carriages is equal 
 in equal times ;" and in proof of this position, details 
 several experiments with a carriage drawn by a weight 
 descending from a pulley, which weight, he found, fell 
 according to the ascertained law of gravity, accele- 
 rating in the known ratio, in equal portions of time. 
 It appears to me that the result, as stated, proves that 
 friction is equal in equal spaces, and not in equal times. 
 Mr. Rankin does not give either the moving weights, 
 the load drawn, or the velocity, as not being necessary 
 to determine the principle. 1 will suppose a case, 
 therefore, to illustrate my position. A weight, by the 
 law of gravity, will fall — 
 
 16 feet in the 1st second of time, 
 
 48 feet in the 2d second of time, 
 
 80 feet in the 3d second of time. 
 
 Now the same weight, with the load or carriage 
 
 attached to it by means of a rope and pulley, we will 
 
 suppose to fall — 
 
 5 feet in the 1st second of time, 
 15 feet in the 2d second of time, 
 25 feet in the 3d second of time. 
 Accelerating as before, according to the law of gravity. 
 
 • A Popular Exposition of the Effect of Forces on a Railway, with some Experi- 
 ments on Friction. By David Rankin, Esq. Glasgow, 1828. 
 
65 
 
 Thus we have a descent, in equal times, of 5, 15, 25, 
 instead of 16, 48, 80. That is, the friction of the 
 carriao-e caused the weisfht to fall in the first second 
 only 5 feet instead of 1 6, being a retarding force of 1 1 . 
 In the second period the fall was 15 instead of 48, 
 being a retarding force of 33, or in the proportion of 15 
 to 5. In the third second of time the fall was 25 feet 
 instead of 80 — being a retarding force of 55 — being as 
 25 to 5, or exactly in proportion to the spaces passed 
 over, and not at all according to the times; in perfect 
 conformity, however, with the law of gravity. In 
 Mr. Rankin's experiment the friction was a uniformly 
 retarding force, which we have supposed to be 1 1 out 
 of 16; but, whether it were II or 3 in the first 16 feet, 
 it would be the same in every \G feet : the friction, 
 therefore, by the experiment was equal in equal spaces. 
 On the other hand, supposing the friction to be equal 
 in equal times, a power which wonld move a carriage 
 six miles in one hour, would encounter on\y 07ie fourth 
 the friction in traversing the same six miles in 09te^ 
 quarter of 'dn hour, which would be very convenient, 
 if it were the fact. But experiment corroborates the 
 doctrine, that the same resistance has to be overcome, 
 and therefore the same power must be expended, in 
 traversing a certain space, whatever be the time — 
 whether you take one hour or three to accomplish it. 
 
 Of course, in laying down this general rule as an 
 approximation to the truth, we suppose a perfect 
 Railway. If the road present considerable inequalities 
 or obstructions, the greater the speed, the greater will 
 be the resistance, from the shocks to be encountered. 
 
 K 
 
66 
 
 Moreover, at great velocities tlie resistance of the 
 air must not be left out of the calculation. At ten 
 miles per hour it has been found, by experiment, that 
 the resistance of the atmosphere is about half a pound 
 weight on a square foot of flat surface ; at fifteen miles 
 tiie resistance is I lb. per square foot; and at twenty 
 miles about 2 lb. per square foot; the increased re- 
 sistance being nearly as the squares of the velocities. 
 Now if we suppose the moving power calculated to 
 draw, at twenty miles per hour, one carriage weighing 
 4 tons, and presenting in front a surface of 20 square 
 feet, the resistance of the air would be 20 x 2 =40 lb., 
 or 10 lb. ])er ton drawn ; being about as much as the 
 friction, and consequently doublin<f the whole resist- 
 ance. In practice, it will probably be expedient to 
 fasten a t7-ai?i of carriages to one moving power, in 
 which case the first waggon, or the Engine itself, will 
 bear the brunt of the air's resistance ; which, con- 
 sidered in proportion to the whole weight drawn, and 
 avoiding, as far as may be, square flat surfaces in front 
 of the procession, will be less important. On the 
 other hand, it seems probable that a further modifi- 
 cation must be admitted at very high speeds; for we 
 can easily imagine a velocity, where i\\e projectile force 
 must be so great as very much to diminish the gravity, 
 and consequently the friction. But again, as we are 
 acquainted with no convenient power but steam, with 
 which to effect rapid motion — and since steam loses part 
 of its force from a very quick transmission through the 
 cylintlers — or since, if you keep the velocity of your 
 piston moderate, you must increase your t^peed by a 
 
67 
 
 complication of wheels, or a diminution of your cranks, 
 in which case the loss by the friction of the rubbing- 
 parts would be greater than by tiie quick movement 
 of the pistons, any gain by the diminution of gravity 
 at high velocities, will be more than counterbalanced 
 by the mechanical disadvantages we have stated ; 
 bringing out the practical result, within a certain range 
 for weight and speed, pretty nearly in conformity with 
 the rule as above laid down — subjct, however, to 
 exceptions and irregularities, tending to prove, that 
 when the construction of an Engine is adapted to a 
 quick speed and a light load, you cannot, with pro- 
 portionate advantage, substitute a heavy load and a 
 slow speed ; while it would be equally unavailing, with 
 an Engine calculated for a heavy load and a slow 
 pace, to attempt to substitute a light load and a high 
 speed. 
 
 But without dwelling any longer on the difficulty of 
 reducing, with minute exactness, abstract principles 
 to practical operation, it will easily be imagined that 
 the consideration of the kind of power to be employed 
 on the Railway occupied no small portion of the 
 Directors* time and attention : whether horses — or 
 Locomotive Engines — or Fixed Engines, drawing the 
 load, by means of ropes, from one station to another. 
 Each of these modes had been tried, and each had its 
 advocates, for in this case experience had by no means 
 settled the point at issue. 
 
 Multifarious were the schemes proposed to the 
 Directors, for facilitating Locomotion. Communi- 
 cations were received from all classes of persons, each 
 
recoinnieiiding an improved power or an improved 
 carriage; from professors of philosophy, down to the 
 humblest mechanic, all were zealous in their proffers 
 of assistance ; England, America, and Continental 
 Europe were alike tributary. Every element and 
 almost every substance were brought into requisition, 
 and made subservient to the great work. The friction 
 of the carriages was to be reduced so low that a silk 
 thread would draw them, and the power to be applied 
 was to be so vast as to rend a cable asunder. Hydrogen 
 gas and high-pressure steam — columns of water and 
 columns of mercury — a hundred atmospheres and a 
 perfect vacuum — machines working in a circle without 
 fire or steam, generating power at one end of the pro- 
 cess and giving it out at the other — carriages that con- 
 veyed, every one its own Railway — whc^els within 
 wheels, to multiply speed without diminishing power — 
 with every complication of balancing and countervailing 
 forces, to the nepliis ultra of perpetual motion. Every 
 scheme which the restless ingenuity or prolitic imagi- 
 nation of man could devise was liberally offered to the 
 Company : the difficulty was to choose and to decide. 
 The great theatre ofjo/«c/zca/ operations on Railways 
 was on the Stockton and Darlington line, and on the 
 Railways in the vicinity of Newcastle-on-Tyne. All 
 the established modes of conveying carriages on 
 Railways were there exeujplified — Horses, Loco- 
 motives, and Fixed Engines. Facts were wanted to 
 lead to a correct decision, and personal observation 
 seemed necessary, in order to arrive at a satisfactory 
 result. The Directors accordingly appointed two of 
 
69 
 
 their own body, accompanied by the writer, to proceed 
 to Darhngtoii and the neighbourhood of Newcastle, to 
 obtain on the spot, the requisite information, and to 
 report the same to the Board, with their opinion on 
 the subject. This journey of inspection took place 
 in the beginning of October, 1828, and the Deputation 
 returned with a fund of information ; but of so mixed, 
 and in some respects of so contradictory a nature, that 
 the great question as to the comparative merits of Loco- 
 motive and Fixed Engines was as far from being settled 
 as ever. One step was gained. The Deputation was 
 convinced, that for the immense traffic to be antici- 
 pated on the Liverpool and Manchester line, horses 
 were out of the question. The debateable ground 
 being thus narrowed, how was the remaining point to 
 be decided ? Was a capital of 5^100,000. to be in- 
 vested in Stationary Engines or in Locomotives? The 
 Directors resolved to obtain the assistance of two 
 professional Engineers, who should visit the Darlington 
 and Newcastle Railways, carefully examine the work- 
 ing of the two species of mechanical power, taking 
 note of the advantages and disadvantages of each, 
 make an accurate calculation of the cost of both modes 
 of conveyance, and report to the Board fully on the 
 whole subject. 
 
 James Walker, Esq. of Limehouse, and J. U. 
 Rastrick, Esq. of Stourbridge, being severally applied 
 to for the purpose, undertook the office assigned to 
 them. On the 12th of January, 1829, they attended 
 at the Board of Direction in Liverpool, previous to 
 their setting out on their professional tour. On the 
 
70 
 
 9th of the following* March, their separate Reports on 
 the comparative merits of the two systems of moving 
 power, were laid before the Directors, and ordered Co 
 be printed. 
 
 It may be supposed that the great question was 
 now finally set at rest, and that the Directors would 
 have no further diflSculty in coming to a decision on 
 the points at issue. Just the reverse. The advan- 
 tages and disadvantages of each system, as far as 
 deduced from their own immediate observation, were 
 fully and fairly stated, and, in the opinion of the 
 Engineers themselves, were pretty equally balanced. 
 The cost of an establishment of Fixed Engines between 
 Liverpool and Manchester, they were of opinion, 
 would be something greater than of Locomotives, to 
 do the same work ; but the annual charge, including 
 interest on capital, they computed would be less on 
 a system of Fixed Engines than with Locomotives. 
 The cost of moving a ton of goods thirty miles, that 
 is from Liverpool to Manchester, by Fixed Engines, 
 they estimated at 6.40d., and by Locomotives at 
 8.36d., supposing in each case a profitable traffic hath 
 ways. But with a system of Locomotives, the cost 
 of the first establishment need only be proportioned 
 to the demands of the trade ; while w ith Stationary 
 Engines, an outlay for a complete establishment would 
 be required in the first instance. And it was further 
 to be considered, that there appeared more ground 
 for expecting improvements in the construction and 
 working of Locomotives than of Stationary Engines. 
 On the whole, however, and looking especially at the 
 
71 
 
 coiiipiited annual cliarge of working the road on the 
 two systems on a Uirge scale, Messrs. Walker and 
 Rastrick were of opinion that Fixed Engiiies were pre- 
 ferable, and accordingly reconiinended their adoption 
 to the Directors. 
 
 On a careful consideration of the real state of the 
 case at this moment, it will not be matter of surprise 
 that the Directors still felt themselves unable to come 
 to a decision on the subject ; more especially when it 
 is remembered that Mr. Stephenson, the Company's 
 Engineer, was decidedly, as he had uniformly been, 
 in favour of Locomotive Engines, which he was con- 
 fident would be found to be the most economical and 
 by far the most cotivenient moving power that could 
 he employed. On the whole, therefore, the Directors 
 found themselves in pretty much the same situation 
 as they were before the recent survey was undertaken. 
 The leaning on the part of a majority of the Directors 
 was in favour of Locomotives, provided they could be 
 constructed of adequate power and at a less weight 
 than the travelling Engines then in use, which were 
 generally 8 to 9 tons in weight, and some still heavier ; 
 the consequence of which was no small injury to the 
 Railways, and proportionate expense in keeping the 
 road in repair. And further, it was quite essential, 
 according to the provisions of the Railway Act, that 
 they should not smoke. The Directors determined to 
 obtain, if possible, a Locomotive Engine of improved 
 construction, that should comply with these con- 
 ditions. Mr. Harrison had for some time been of 
 opinion, that the excitement of a reward, publicly 
 
72 
 
 offered by the Company, would be the most likely 
 means to obtain for them what they were in search of. 
 In this opinion his brother Directors now coincided ; 
 and accordingly they resolved, on the 20th of April, 
 1829, to offer a premium of X'500. for the most im- 
 proved Locomotive Engine, subject to certain stipu- 
 lations and conditions, a copy of which I subjoin : — 
 
 " Railway Office, Liverpool, 25th April, IgSp. 
 
 " STIPULATIONS AND CONDITIONS 
 
 " On tvhich the Directors of the Liverpool and Manchester Railway 
 offer a premium of £500. for the most improved Locomotive Engine. 
 
 " 1st. — The said Engine must " effectually consume its own 
 smoke/' according to the provisions of the Railway Act, 7th Geo. IV. 
 
 " 2d. — The Engine, if it weighs six tons, must be capable of 
 drawing after it, day by day, on a well-constructed Railway, on a 
 level plane, a train of Carriages of the gi'oss weight of twenty tons, 
 including the Tender and Water Tank, at the rate of ten miles per 
 hour, with a pressure of steam in the boiler not exceeding 50 lb. on 
 the square inch. 
 
 « 3d. — There must be two Safety Valves, one of which must be 
 completely out of the reach or control of the Engine-man, and neither 
 of which must be fastened down while the Engine is working. 
 
 « 4th. — The Engine and Boiler must be supported on springs, and 
 rest on six wheels ; and the height, from the ground to the top of the 
 chimney, must not exceed fifteen feet. 
 
 " 5th. — The weight of the Machine, with its complement of water 
 in the boiler, must, at most, not exceed six tons; and a Machine of 
 less weight will be preferred, if it draw ajler it a proportionate weight; 
 and if the Aveight of the Engine, &c. do not exceed ^I'e tons, then the 
 gross weight to be drawn need not exceed fifteen tons ; and in that 
 proportion for Machines of still smaller weight — provided that the 
 Engine, &c. shall still be on six wheels, imless the weight (as above) 
 be reduced to four tons and a half, or under, in Avhich case the 
 
73 
 
 boiler, &c. may be placed on four wheels. And the Company shall 
 be at liberty to put the boiler, fire tube, cylinders, &c. to the test of 
 a pressure of water not exceeding 1 50 lb. per square inch, without 
 being answerable for any damage the Machine may receive in 
 consequence. 
 
 " 6th. — There must be a mercurial gauge affixed to the Machine, 
 with index rod, showing the steam pressure above 45 lb. per square 
 inch ; and constructed to blow out a pressure of 60 lb. per inch. 
 
 " 7th. — The Engine to be delivered complete for trial, at the 
 Liverpool end of the Railway, not later than the 1 st of October next. 
 
 " 8th. — The price of the Engine, which may be accepted, not to 
 exceed £550., delivered on the Railway ; and any Engine not 
 approved, to be taken back by the owner. 
 
 " N. B. — The Railway Company will provide the Engine Tender, 
 Avith a supply of water and fuel, for the experiment. The distance 
 within the rails is four feet eight inches and a half." 
 
 Meanwhile, all measures relative to the moving- 
 power were suspended, till the result of the trials of 
 the specimen Engines should he ascertained. On the 
 6th of October, which was the day subsequently fixed 
 for the trials, four Locomotive Steam Engines were on 
 the ground appointed at Rainhill, a level portion of the 
 Railway, about nine miles from Liverpool. That the 
 Directors might come to the most correct decision on 
 the merits of the different machines produced, they 
 had engaged the professional assistance of Mr. 
 Rastrick, of Stourbridge, and Mr. Nicholas Wood, 
 of Killing-worth, both Engineers of great practical 
 knowledge; aided by the co-operation of John Ken- 
 nedy, Esq. of Manchester, who kindly complied with 
 the request of the Directors, that he would be one of 
 the Judges, on the occasion. 
 
 The Steam Engines which were entered on the 
 
 L 
 
74 
 
 lists to contend for the premium, were the " Novelty," 
 a beautiful machine, of a new construction, built by 
 Messrs. Braithwaite and Ericsson, of London ; the 
 " Rocket," built by Messrs. Robt. Stephenson and Co. 
 of Newcastle, with a boiler of a new construction, 
 suggested by the writer of this account; the '* Sans 
 Pareil," built by Mr. Timothy Hackworth, of Dar- 
 lington ; and the ** Perseverance," by Mr. Burstall, 
 of Leith. 
 
 The peculiarity of the exhibition, on the several days 
 of trial, attracted a large cwicourse of spectators; and 
 the unexampled speed of the ** Novelty" and the 
 '* Rocket'' excited universal surprise and admiration. 
 The trial of these Engines, indeed, may be regarded 
 as constituting a new epoch in the progress of me- 
 chanical science, as relating to locomotion. The most 
 sanguine advocates of travelling Engines had not 
 anticipated a speed of more than ten to twelve miles 
 per hour. It was altogether a new spectacle, to 
 behold a carriage crowded with company, attached 
 to a self-moving machine, and whirled along at the 
 speed of thirty miles per hour. The contest for the 
 premium was principally between the ** Novelty" and 
 the *' Rocket " This latter Engine was the first to 
 imdertake the task assigned by the Judges, as a test 
 of the Engine's power. The distance appointed to be 
 run was seventy miles ; and it was a condition, that 
 when fairly started, the Engine should travel on the 
 road at a speed of not less than ten miles per hour, 
 drawing after it a gross weight of 3 tons for every 
 ton weight of itself. The prescribed distance it should, 
 
SOCKET, LOCOMOTIVE 
 
 NOVJilLTY, LOCOMOTIVE, 
 
75 
 
 be understood was, owing to the circumstances of the 
 Railw'ay, obliged to be accomplished by moving 
 backwards and forwards, on a level plane of one mile 
 and three-quarters in length. Of course, the Engine 
 had to pass along the plane forty times, having to 
 make as many stops, and each time to regain the lost 
 speed and momentum. On the 8th of October, the 
 ** Rocket," weighing 4 tons 5 cwt. including the water 
 in the boiler, started on her journey at about half-past 
 ten in the morning, and performed the first thirty-five 
 miles in three hours and twelve minutes, being nearly at 
 the rate of eleven miles an hour. About a quarter of an 
 hour was then consumed in filling the water tank and 
 obtaining a fresh supply of coke. The second thirty- 
 five miles were performed in two hours and fifty-seven 
 minutes, or at the rate of twelve miles per hour, 
 including stoppages. The whole time, from the first 
 starting to the final arrival, was under six hours and a 
 half. The speed over the ground, with the prescribed 
 load, was frequently eighteen miles per hour, and 
 occasionally upwards of twenty. The whole perform- 
 ance was considerably greater than required by the 
 stipulations, or than had hitherto been accomplished 
 by a Locomotive Engine. 
 
 The •' Novelty" was the next Engine which under- 
 took the appointed task ; but owing to some derange- 
 ment having occurred in her pipes or machinery, she 
 was obliged to stop almost at the commencement of 
 the task assigned. Another day was appointed, and 
 another derangement took place. It became evident, 
 tlierefore, she was not in a state of conjpleteness; to 
 
76 
 
 warrant the Proprietors in prolonging the contest. 
 Accordingly, they informed the Judges that they 
 withdrew from the competition on the present occasion ; 
 having, nevertheless, full confidence in the merits and 
 principle of the Engine, and in its relative performance, 
 when they should have repaired the defects in the 
 structure or workmanship of the machine. 
 
 The Darlington Engine, the " Sans Pareil," was 
 the next on the list ; but being 5 cwt. above the weight 
 prescribed in the conditions, it may not be necessary 
 to discuss her nieritsin other respects. Mr. Burstall, 
 after consideration, withdrew from the contest, leaving 
 the field to the " Rocket." The Report of the Judges 
 corresponded with the above statement, and the Direc- 
 tors accordingly awarded the premium to the writer 
 of this account and the Messrs. Stephensons, to whose 
 excellent construction of the machinery I was much 
 indebted for the favourable award of the Umpires. 
 
 From this date, the question bet ween Locomotive and 
 Fixed Engines mustbeconsideredaspractically settled. 
 The fitness of Locomotives for the purposes of travel- 
 ling, at almost any speed that could be desired, was 
 strikingly exemplified ; and the importance of this cir- 
 cumstance was duly estimated ; the conveyance of pas- 
 sengers between Liverpool and Manchester having long 
 been considered a valuable branch of the undertaking. 
 There still remained one point to be settled — I allude 
 to the kind of power to be employed in ascending the 
 inclined planes of Whiston and Sutton. These planes 
 are each a mile and a half long, witli an inclination of 
 three-eighths of au inch to a yard, being a rise of 1 in 
 
77 
 
 96. Stationary Engines on the summit, with ropes 
 passing over sheaves or pullies along the whole ascent, 
 are the means resorted to at the inclined plane in the 
 Liverpool Tunnel ; also on the Darlington inclined 
 planes, and at the colHeries in the north. It vt'as quite 
 evident, however, that such a plan of operations in the 
 centre of the Liverpool and Manchester line, with the 
 interruption to be expected from a chmige of the 
 moving power, to say nothing of the danger always 
 to be apprehended from a system of ropes and pullies, 
 was to be avoided, if possible. It became an object, 
 therefore, of no small interest to ascertain the power 
 of the new Locomotives on the planes in question ; 
 and in the first place, as the effective power of the 
 Engine is necessarily limited by the adhesion of the 
 wheels on the rails (in as much as if a force be exerted 
 beyond that point, the wheels will turn round, while 
 the carriage will remain stationary), it was important 
 to know whether this difficulty was likely to occur on 
 the planes in question. It has been ascertained that 
 the adhesion of the Engine wheels (as now constructed 
 with wrought-iron tires) on wrought-iron rails is equal 
 to T<yth of the weight of the machine, in the most un- 
 favourable state of the rails. If the Engine weigh 4| 
 tons, the adhesion on the four wheels would be Toth 
 of that weight, or about 500 lb. ; or supposing — which 
 is frequently the case — that the machinery is only 
 connected with two wheels, then, if the weight be 
 equally divided, the adhesion will be = 250 lb.; which, 
 multiplied by ^200 {the friction being only ^ioth of the 
 gravili/ of the load), gives 2ti tons as the load, com- 
 
78 
 
 meHSurate with the adhesion, in the most unfavourable 
 state of the rails, — about 40 tons being the adhesive 
 load in an average state of the rails. Now these being 
 the data, an inclined plane rising one yard in a hundred, 
 will present no impediment on the ground of adhesion, 
 provided the system be to maintain the same speed 
 throughout the journey ; for supposing, as above, that 
 the adhesion of the Engine wheels on the level, be 
 = 250 lb., it will be the same on the inclined plane, 
 minus T^<yth part (2| lb.) ; a difference so small as 
 to occur, every day, in the varying states of the 
 rails, and quite unnecessary to be taken into the 
 calculation. The question to be decided, therefore, 
 was the power of the Engine to take a load up the 
 inclined plane, the adhesion being equal to the power, 
 at similar speeds. For instance, 7 tons on an inclined 
 plane rising one in a hundred, is a proportionate load 
 to 30 tons on a level, at fifteen miles per hour, tlie 
 weight of the Engine being ih tons, as explained here- 
 after. But if it be attempted to take 30 tons up the 
 plane, by going proportionably slower, the power of 
 the Engine might do this, but the adhesion of the 
 wheels would be insufficient, and they would turn 
 round, while the Engine stood still, because 30 tons 
 on the inclined plane = 99 tons on a level, and we 
 have supposed the adhesion to be equal to 40 tons on 
 a level. It follows, therefore, either that the Engine 
 must be worked below the adhesiveness of the wheels 
 on the level, or you cannot increase the proportionate 
 load, by diminishing the speed on the inclined plane. 
 During the trials for the premium, at Uainhill, the 
 
79 
 
 " Rocket" frequently ascended the Whiston inclined 
 plane, with a carriage holding twenty to thirty pas- 
 sengers, at a speed of fifteen to eighteen miles per 
 hour ; and the ease and regularity with which this was 
 effected produced a general and confident impression, 
 thateven uptheinclined planes, the Locomotive Engine 
 would be the power employed. Indeed, the feeling 
 at the moment, was very prevalent, that it was imma- 
 terial whether the Engine travelled up an inclined 
 ])lane, or on a level ; and various schemes were speedily 
 in agitation for converting turnpike roads into Railways, 
 regardless of the ordinary inequalities of the ground. 
 Time and reflection will correct a notion so plausible, 
 but yet so erroneous ; otherwise the must grievous dis- 
 appointments will be the consequence. Dazzled and 
 gratified with the spectacle of the Engine, with her 
 carriage and twenty passengers, moving up the plane 
 at a speed hitherto not attained by the swiftest mails, 
 the spectator forgot, or was not aware, that she would 
 have taken Jour carriages, each with its score of pas-" 
 sengers, at the same speed, on a level; or, in more 
 general terms, that the annual performance of a Loco- 
 motive Engine, on a level Railway, would be about 
 four times as great as on an inclined plane, rising 
 one yard in a hundred. I have said about four 
 times ; for the comparative ratio will depend much on 
 the weight of the Engine, the speed of travelling, and 
 the construction of the carriage wheels and axles. 
 The more power you can comprise in the same weight 
 of Engine, the greater will be her comparative per-< 
 formance on an inclined plane ; and on the other hand^ 
 
m 
 
 the greater the improvement in wheels and axles, and 
 the more the/riction is diminished, the greater will be 
 the comparative performance on a level. Mr. Nicholas 
 Wood, in his book on Railways, estimates the friction 
 of loaded waggons at -rh of the load moved ; that is, 
 that one pound weight, suspended over a pulley, 
 would draw 2001b. on a level Railway. Since Mr. 
 Wood made his experiments, further improvements 
 have been made in the construction of wheels and 
 axles; perhaps to the extent of 25 per cent., leaving 
 the amount of friction on a level Railway -rh of the 
 load moved, or 9 lb. per ton. This ratio, however, 
 allows nothing for the resistance of the air : it sup- 
 poses both waggons and Railway in very complete 
 order, and the line an absolute and undeviating level. 
 Moreover, experiments on the frictioii of waggons 
 have generally been made on single waggons; and 
 there is reason to believe, that the resistance offered 
 by a number of waggons fastened to each other is 
 greater than the proportionate weight would indicate : 
 and this may be accounted for by the separate car- 
 riages being out of square, with reference to each other, 
 thereby occasioning a straining and lateral friction. 
 On the whole, perhaps, we shall come sufficiently near 
 the truth if we adopt Mr. Wood's ratio of Ths as the 
 amount of resistance to a train of waggons on a level 
 way, under ordinary circumstances of rails and 
 waggons, wind and weather. The inclination of the 
 Whiston plane being I in 96, the opposing force of 
 gravity of any load on its ascent willbe-grth of the 
 whole weight moved ; or if we say Th^ih. part, the 
 
81 
 
 resistance by gravity will be double the resistance by 
 friction. It will follow, then, that if a Locomotive 
 Engine, weighing 4 tons 10 cwt. is exactly able to draw 
 after it 30 tons weight on a level, at fifteen miles per 
 hour (which I estimate to be the power of an Engine 
 on the " Rocket" principle, with the latest improve- 
 ments), the same Engine will draw only 7 tons, at the 
 same speed, up an inclined plane rising one yard in a 
 hundred. This result may be illustrated as follows : — 
 
 The load drawn on the inclined plane is declared 
 
 to be 7 tons. 
 
 Now the «r/</^7^owrtZ resistance (by 
 gravity) is double the resist- 
 ance hy friction; then, as the 
 load drawnis 7 tonSjthe o-rat'iV// 
 of the plane equals ihe friction 
 
 of 14 tons. 
 
 But the Engine weighs 4 tons 
 
 10 cwt., and is opposed by a 
 
 force of gravity equal to the 
 
 friction of double that weight, 
 
 or 9 tons. 
 
 Therefore 7 tons on the inclined^ 30 tons on a level, at 
 plane equals the draught of . j 15 miles per hour. 
 
 Or the same result may be brought out by another 
 process, as follows : — The gross weight proposed to 
 be drawn on a level is 30 tons, at fifteen miles per hour, 
 on which the friction, estimated at rs^, = 3361b. 
 
 M 
 
82 
 
 Then, on an inclined of 1 in 100, the gross 
 weight is declared to be 7 tons, on which 
 
 the friction, estimated at rho, is = 78.41b. 
 
 Resistance by gravity, r^r^ of 7 tons = 156.8 „ 
 
 Resistance by gravity on 4^ tons, the weight 
 
 of the Engine at i4o = 100.8 ,, 
 
 = 336 lb. 
 The resistance to be overcome, in both instances, 
 being 336 lb., at fifteen miles per honr, besides 
 the fi'iction of the Engine, which does not enter 
 into the calcnlation in either case — the effective per- 
 formance being what is required for all practical pur- 
 poses. If a slower speed be submitted to, a heavier 
 load may be drawn on the level, and the performance 
 on the inclined plane (if the adhesion be sufficient) 
 will be found, by the same formula, to be more than 
 proportionable greater; the resistance by gravity of 
 the Engine being a fixed quantity, but smaller, compara- 
 tively y as the load drawn \s greater. Thus an Engine 
 of the same weight being exactly able to draw 45 tons 
 on a level, at ten miles per hour, would take 12 tons 
 on the inclined plane at the same speed. 
 
 Because the load on the incline being 12 tons, 
 
 The resistance by gravity is double that by 
 
 friction, or 24 „ 
 
 And the resistance by gravity of the Engine 
 
 being equal to double its weight on a level = 9 „ 
 
 = 45 tons, 
 on a level. 
 
 I am aware that the recent performance of Loco- 
 
83* 
 
 motives, on our inclined planes, has been considered 
 greater than in the ratio I have given : it is very pos- 
 sible, however, that the attained speed and momentum 
 of the Engine and carriages, before commencmg the 
 ascent, have not been taken into the account. The 
 ** Comet" Locomotive (a new Epgine, on the " Rocket" 
 principle) had to ascend the Whiston inclined plane 
 with about 20 tons behind her. With this load, she 
 attained a speed of sixteen or eighteen miles per hour, 
 on the level way, before coming to the ascent. Assisted 
 by this momentum, she accomplished the task : her 
 speed, however, diminished from sixteen or eighteen 
 miles to about three or four miles per hour, before she 
 reached the top ; the distance being one mile and a 
 half, and having sufficient steam the whole time. Now 
 it would be quite erroneous, from these data, to take 
 the average speed between three miles and eighteen, 
 and to infer that the power of the Engine was equal 
 to convey a load of 26 tons, up an inclination of 1 in 
 96, at ten miles and a half per hour ; her real power, 
 as shown by the experiment, and estimated in a co7i- 
 tinuing speed with the load as stated, being only three 
 or four miles, or proportionate to about 7 tons up the 
 same plane, at fifteen miles per hour. It becomes 
 worthy of remark, therefore (connected with this 
 branch of our subject), that in considering the section 
 for a projected Railway, the length of the inclined 
 planes should be taken into the account, as well as 
 the steepness of ascent ; since, ou a plane half a mile 
 long, it is evident much more may be accomplished 
 than on one, three or four times that length. 
 
84 
 
 The actual cost of conveyance by Railway and 
 Locomotive Engines is perhaps not yet very accurately 
 ascertained. The necessity of using coke instead of 
 coal, in order to comply with the Parliamentary re- 
 strictions as to smoke, will increase, in some degree, 
 the expense of the Engines on the Liverpool and 
 Manchester line.* Until the late trials, it was doubtful 
 how far coke could be used at all, except at a very 
 serious sacrifice of the power and efficiency of the 
 Engine. By an improved construction of machine, 
 this difficulty is in a great measure obviated ; and the 
 difference in expense between coke and coal, which 
 still subsists, should be cheerfully borne by Railway 
 Companies, to relieve the community at large from 
 the volumes of dense black smoke, with which, it is 
 to be feared. Railways will be disfigured, where there 
 is no Parliamentary enactment, to protect the public 
 from so serious and unnecessary a nuisance. 
 
 " The consumption of coke, by the different Engines in the ordinary business and 
 working of the Railway, has yet to be determined by experience. Messrs. Braithwaite 
 and Ericsson, the patentees of the " Novelty," have contracted with the Company to 
 furnish an Engine not exceeding 5 tons weight, which shall draw 40 tons gross from 
 Liverpool to Manchester in two hours (being assisted up the inclined plane), the 
 consumption of coke not to exceed half a pound weight per ton drawn per mile. 
 
85 
 
 CHAPTER V. 
 
 CONSIDERATIONS— MORAL—COMMERCIAL— ECONOMICAL. 
 
 Before concluding our account of the Railway, we 
 shall take a single glance at the position we occupy, 
 and the probable changes, whether for good or evil, 
 which may be expected to occur (as the consequence 
 of our operations) in the state and circumstances of the 
 community around. The first and most obvious result 
 must needs be a great revolution in the established 
 modes of conveyance, both for merchandise and pas- 
 sengers, between Liverpool and Manchester ; and 
 consequently in the private interests of a large class of 
 persons, who have been engaged, directly or indirectly, 
 in the coaching or carrying business. An undertaking 
 like the Liverpool and Manchester Railway, com- 
 pleted at a cost, including its machinery and carriages, 
 of upwards of ^800,000. for a line of thirty-one miles, 
 and professing to be decidedly superior to existing 
 establishments, cannot be brought imperceptibly or 
 silently into operation. 13ut though a great change 
 must take place in the application of capital, and the 
 distribution of revenue, amongst large companies and 
 wealthy proprietors, the effect on the whole, with 
 reference to the employment of the labouring classes, 
 may be considered as decidedly favourable. It has 
 frequently been matter of regret, that in the progress 
 
86 
 
 of mechanical science, as applicable to trade and 
 manufactures, the great stages of improvement are too 
 often accompanied with severe suffering to the indus- 
 trious classes of society. The machinery of the 
 present day continually supersedes that of a few years 
 back ; and as the substitution of mechanism for manual 
 labour is the object generally aimed at, immediate 
 privation to the labouring community seems the inevi- 
 table result. It has consequently been a subject of 
 speculation, how far the rapid extension of manufac- 
 tures, by the instrumentality of successive improve- 
 ments in machinery, is advantageous to a country, as 
 regards its moral and social condition. I recollect 
 that, during the progress of the Railway Bill through 
 Parliament, when some members of the Railway 
 Committee waited on Lord Harewood, and urged the 
 advantages to trade and manufactures to be anticipated 
 from the facilities of communication to be afforded by 
 the Railway, his Lordship demurred at once to our 
 ])roposition, that any new impetus to manufactures 
 tvould be advantageous to the country. And before 
 this point can be settled, we must determine the 
 broader and more general question, whether it be 
 desirable that a nation should continue in the quiet 
 enjoyment of pastoral or agricultural life, or that it 
 should be launched into the bustle and excitement of 
 commerce and manufactures. We must refer to the 
 history of the world, and compare the characters and 
 capabilities for happiness, of different ages and nations. 
 We must decide between qualities of different kinds 
 and claims of opposite characters — between the simple 
 
87 
 
 and the refined ; between the passive and the Active ; 
 between a state of society presenting fewer temptations, 
 and adorned by humbler virtues, and one where, 
 amidst the collision of interests and the excitements 
 of passion, there is room at least for the exercise of 
 the highest qualities, both moral and intellectual. We 
 must determine in what happiness consists : whether 
 in the cultivation and exercise of all the active powers 
 and faculties which belong to us as men, and citizens, 
 and freemen ; or whether it be wise to limit our ambition 
 to more sober and tranquil enjoyments, to a state of 
 society, where, if there be fewer pleasures there are 
 also fewer pains, and where, at least, may be realized 
 the poet's definition of contentment — " Health, peace, 
 and competence." Fortunately, we are not required 
 to make choice between two conditions of society, 
 separated, in the history of man, and in the ordinary 
 course of events, by centuries of gradual and imper- 
 ceptible transition. It must be admitted that the 
 golden age is past, and it is to be feared the iron age has 
 succeeded ; that, with reference to many of us, our 
 lines are fallen amidst eternal rivalries and jealousies — 
 agricultural, manufacturing, and commercial. The 
 stern principle of competition is prominent in every 
 department of industry. The most strenuous activity 
 is hardly sufficient, in the present day, to secure to 
 the artizan, or his employer, a scanty return for his 
 labour or capital. Every invention, by which time is 
 saved and business expedited, is seized with avidity, 
 and in self-defence. Every increased facility of pro- 
 duction, though its inevitable tendency be to glut the 
 
88 
 
 market and to lower prices, yet, as it affords immediate 
 gain to its possessor, is eagerly resorted to. If profit 
 be reduced to the smallest per centage on capital, 
 every one is active to realize this minimum, as expe- 
 ditiously as possible : one step diminished in the 
 process of a manufacture, or the saving of a few hours 
 in the period of conveyance from one town to another, 
 forms part of a nice calculation, every small item in 
 which must be attended to, in order to secure a very 
 moderate remuneration. Hence all the contrivances 
 for abridging labour, for shortening distances, and 
 expediting returns. Every one is on the alert in his 
 own department, or he is left behind ; the most active 
 exertion being barely sufficient to enable a man to 
 maintain his station in the world. The race of com- 
 petition is universal and unceasing — every manufacture 
 striving against every other ; cotton and silk and 
 woollen reciprocally against each other, and against 
 themselves, and iron against iron, in all its multifarious 
 branches. Every class, and every individual, in every 
 department of industry, hurrying along, struggling 
 with fortune and the times, and jostling his fellow- 
 sufferers ; while the Land-owner boldly enters the list 
 against the field — *' Protection" bis motto — viewing 
 with complacency the desperate efforts of the rival 
 competitors, and especially the never-ceasing race of 
 population against subsistence — the great first mover 
 in the busy drama. 
 
 But how little soever to the taste of the contem- 
 plative mind may be the present condition and aspect 
 of society, as constituting a vast trading community, 
 
89 
 
 the Liverpool and Manchester Railway presents one 
 great object for our admiration, ahuost unalloyed 
 by any counteracting or painful consideration. We 
 behold, at once, a new theatre of activity and employ- 
 ment presented to an industrious population, with all 
 the indications of health and energy and cheerfulness 
 which flow from such a scene. Or if we take a wider 
 range, and anticipate the extension of Railways 
 throughout the country, intersecting the island in every 
 direction where the interchange of commodities, or 
 the communication by travelling, will warrant the cost 
 of their establishment; if we look to the construction 
 of only one hundred Railways, equal in extent to 
 the Liverpool and Manchester, comprising a line of 
 three thousand miles, in various situations, and ab- 
 sorbing a capital of fifty or sixty millions of pounds 
 sterling, what a source of occupation to the labouring 
 community ! what a change in the facility of giving 
 employment to capital, and consequently in the value 
 of money ! 
 
 But perhaps the most striking result produced by 
 the completion of this Railway, is the sudden and 
 marvellous change which has been effected in our ideas 
 of time and space. Notions which we have received 
 from our ancestors, and verified by our own experi- 
 ence, are overthrown in a day, and a new standard 
 erected, by which to form our ideas for the future. 
 Speed — despatch — distance — are still relative terms, 
 but their meaning has been totally changed within a 
 few months : what was quick is now slow ; what was 
 distant is now near; and this change in our ideas 
 
 N 
 
90 
 
 will not be limited to the environs of Liver(30ol 
 and Manchester — it will pervade society at large. 
 Our notions of expedition, though at first having 
 reference to locomotion, will influence, more or less, 
 the whole tenor and business of life. In the com- 
 mercial world, the first successful attempt to introduce 
 fresh energy and despatch into the system of our 
 foreign trade was the institution of Packet Ships, a few 
 years ago, to sail between New York and Liverpool, 
 on stated days, whether fully loaded or not. The 
 convenience, both to passengers and shippers of goods, 
 from knowing precisely the day of sailing, soon made 
 the Packet Ships the favourite conveyance, and ac- 
 cordingly their numbers and destinations rapidly 
 multiplied. But this improvement, though great, was 
 less open to general observation, and its effects, there- 
 fore, less striking than what may be expected from 
 the establishment of Railway conveyance and Loco- 
 motive Engines. A transition in our accustomed rate 
 of travelling, from eight or ten miles an hour, to fifteen 
 or twenty (not to mention higher speeds), gives a new 
 character to the whole internal trade and commerce 
 of the country. A saving of time is a saving of money. 
 For the purposes of locomotion, about half the number 
 of carriages will suffice, if you go twice the speed ; or 
 the aggregate travelling ofthe country may be doubled, 
 or more than doubled, without any additional expense 
 to the community. The same may be said of the 
 number of waggons for the conveyance of merchandise. 
 The saving of capital, therefore, in this department of 
 business is considerable, from expedition alone. A 
 
91 
 
 great part of the inland trade of the country is con- 
 ducted by the agency of travellers; and here, what 
 a revolution in the whole system and detail of business, 
 when the ordinary rate of travelling shall be twenty 
 miles instead of ten, per hour. The traveller will 
 live double times : by accomplishing a prescribed 
 distance in Jive hours, which used to require ten, 
 he will have the other five at his own disposal. The 
 man of business in Manchester willbreakfastathome — 
 proceed to Liverpool by the Railway, transact his 
 business, and return to Manchester before dinner. A 
 hard day's journeying is thus converted into a morn- 
 ing's excursion. It has been well observed, in our 
 public journals, that Manchester is thus brought as 
 near to Liverpool as the east to the west end of 
 London, whether we estimate vicinity by the cost of 
 conveyance, or the time not unfrequently spent in 
 effecting it. Gradually, the whole internal traffic of 
 the country, with all the varieties of local inter- 
 course, will assume a new character. Already a 
 Railway, on a grand scale, is advertised from London 
 to Birmingham, and from Birmingham to Liver- 
 pool ; and thus is commenced that grand trunk, 
 which will unite the north and the south, and bring 
 into closer communication the Capitals of England, 
 Scotland, and Ireland. The rapid transit of intelli- 
 gence, from one end of the country to the other, will 
 not be the least important of the results to be accom- 
 plished ; while the quick conveyance of merchandise 
 will infuse new life into trade and manufactures. 
 The grocer in Birmingham will receive his ponderous 
 
hogsheads of sugar or coffee with the celerity of a 
 parcel by the post-coach ; and the warehousemaii in 
 the Metropolis will be supplied with his bales of spriug 
 goods, from Manchester, in less time than he has been 
 accustomed to receive his patterns by the flying van. 
 
 But we must not confine our views to London, or 
 Liverpool, or Manchester : there can be no question 
 that foreign countries will adopt the Railway com- 
 munication, as one great step in mechanical improve- 
 ment and commercial enterprise. France and Ger- 
 many and America have already their Railways; and 
 the Pasha of Egypt may be expected to follow close 
 on the heels of his brother potentates. The country 
 of the Pyramids, of Memphis, and of Thebes, shall 
 then be celebrated for Railways and Steam Carriages ; 
 the land of the proud Mameluke or the wandering 
 Arab, of Sphynxes and Mummies, will become the 
 theatre of mechanical invention, science and the 
 arts. The stately Turk, with his turban and slip- 
 pers, will quit his couch and his carpet, to mount 
 his Engine of fire and speed, that he may enjoy the 
 delight of modern locomotion. So long is it, since a 
 reward was offered to the inventor of a new pleasure, 
 that some scepticism were excusable as to the possi- 
 bility of any great and novel excitement. But the 
 Locomotive Engine and Railway were reserved for 
 the present day. From west to east, and from north 
 to south, the mechanical principle, tlie philosophy of 
 the nineteenth century, will spread and extend itself. 
 The world has received a new impulse To the for- 
 tunate few, who are independent of times and circum- 
 
93 
 
 stances, the present moment is a period of more than 
 ordinary interest ; to the world at large, it continues, 
 as it was wont to be, a season of labour and difficulty. 
 Whether the period will ever arrive when a whole 
 community shall enjoy the pleasures and satisfactions 
 to be expected from that happy combination of the 
 powers and capabilities of the human race, which is 
 conceivable, but has hitherto been realized only by 
 the Utopian theorist ; — whether we shall ever see 
 united, the energy, activity, and enterprise of a refined 
 and commercial people, with the simplicity and quiet 
 enjoyment of philosophical life, in its most favoured 
 aspects ; — whether the period will sometime come, 
 when the fervour of an earnest enthusiasm — religious, 
 moral, social — shall not be inconsistent with the cal- 
 culations of the merchant, or the speculations of the 
 political economist ; — when science and literature, 
 commerce and the arts, and all the stirring influences 
 of man's nature, in the highest state of wealth and 
 civilization, shall be enlisted to promote the improve- 
 ment and well-being of the whole community ; — when, 
 by a happy alchemy, the iron and the golden age shall 
 be amalgamated, and man be allowed to enjoy the 
 benefits of two states of society, hitherto deemed 
 incompatible, or at least separated, in our experience, 
 by intervening centuries, if indeed either counterpart 
 has ever been realised. — These are speculations which 
 we may glance at, for a moment, in passsing, and 
 forget when the vision is gone. But the world and its 
 inhabitants are constantly before us; and here we find 
 no pause or resting place — no period of uninterrupted 
 
94_ 
 
 enjoyment or repose, for the million. The genius of 
 Watt, or Davy, or Stephenson, may improve the state 
 of nations, or the fortunes of individuals, hut it affects 
 not the condition of the great mass of the human race : 
 for this consummation we must look to other sciences 
 than chemistry and mechanics; to the tardy overthrow 
 of prejudice, and the slow progress of unpopular truth; 
 to the diffusion of that knowledge which teaches the 
 laws and principles on which depend the moral, 
 physical, and political condition, the subsistence, and 
 well-being of mankind. 
 
 Meanwhile, the genius of the age, like a mighty 
 river of the new world, flows onward, full, rapid, 
 and irresistible. The spirit of the times must needs 
 manifest itself in the progress of events, and the 
 movement is too impetuous to be stayed, were it 
 wise to attempt it. Like the ** Rocket" of fire and 
 steam, or its prototype of war and desolation — whether 
 the harbinger of peace and the arts, or the Engine of 
 liostile attack and devastation — though it be a futile 
 attempt to oppose so mighty an impulse, it may not 
 be unworthy our ambition, to guide its progress and 
 direct its course. 
 
APPENDIX. 
 
.97 
 
 GENERAL ABSTRACT of EXPENDITURE to 31st MAY, 1830. 
 
 Advertising Account £ 332 1 4 
 
 Brickmaking Account 9,724 4 4 
 
 Bridge Account 99,065 11 9 
 
 Charge for Direction 1,911 
 
 Charge for Fencing 10,202 16 5 
 
 Cart Establishment 461 6 3 
 
 Chat Moss Account 27,719 11 10 
 
 Cuttings and Embankments 199,763 8 
 
 Carrying Department, comprising 
 
 Amount expended in Land and Buildings for~k 
 Siations and Depots, Warehouses, Offices, &c. >- £35,538 
 at the Liverpool end ...) 
 
 Expended at the Manchester Station 6,159 
 
 Side Tunnel, being the approach to the Crown-street \ 9 iR- n n 
 Station J "' 
 
 Gas Light Account, including cost of Pipes, 1 i nic n n 
 Gasometer, &c J ^'"■*'' " " 
 
 Engines, Coaches, Machines, &c 10,991 11 4 
 
 56,219 11 4 
 
 Formation of Road 20,568 15 5 
 
 Iron Rail Account 67,912 2 
 
 Interest Account (balance) 3,629 16 7 
 
 Land Account 95,305 8 8 
 
 Office Establishment 4,929 8 5 
 
 Parliamentary and Law Expenditure 28,465 6 11 
 
 Stone Blocks and Sleepers 20,520 14 5 
 
 Surveying Account .". 19,829 8 7 
 
 Travelling Expenses 1,423 1 5 
 
 Tunnel Account 34,791 4 9 
 
 Tunnel Compensation Account 9,977 5 7 
 
 Waggon Account 24,185 5 7 
 
 Sundry Payments for Timber, Iron, Petty Disbursements, &c. "^ c, 9.,^ 1- » 
 
 not included in the foregoing Accounts J ->— / / 
 
 £739,165 5 
 
 M 
 
SCHEDULE OF BRIDGES ON THE 
 
 NAMES OF BRIDGES. 
 Commencing at the Liverpool end. 
 
 "a 
 
 — ai 
 
 -I 
 
 o o 
 
 c ^ 
 
 •^^ 
 
 1= 
 
 Parks' Bridge 
 
 Old Lane Bridge 
 
 Wright's Bridge 
 
 Rathbone's Lane Bridge 
 
 Sandown Bridge 
 
 Mill Lane Arcnway 
 
 Waveitree Nook Bridge 
 
 Ainsworth's Bridge 
 
 Case's Bridge, No. 1 
 
 Ditto, No. 2 
 
 Childwall Lane Bridge 
 
 Pilch Lane Bridge 
 
 Jamieson'a Bridge 
 
 Lord Derby's Bridge 
 
 Baron's Bridge 
 
 Ball's Bridge 
 
 Huyton Hey Bridge 
 
 Seel's Bridge 
 
 Lee's Bridge, No. 2 
 
 Ditto, No. 1 
 
 Whiston Bridge, No. 1 
 
 Ditto, No. 2 
 
 Makin's Occupation Bridge 
 
 Cumber Lane Bridge 
 
 Stone Lane Bridge 
 
 Spring Lane Bridge 
 
 Rainhill Bridge 
 
 Bourne's Tunnel 
 
 Marshall's Cross Bridge 
 
 Sutton Bridge 
 
 Sankey Viaduct 
 
 Legh's Cattle Archway 
 
 'Sandy Main's Bridge 
 
 Newton Bridge 
 
 Parkside Bridge 
 
 Lockingstump Lane Bridge 
 
 Kenyon Tunnel 
 
 Hardman's Bridge 
 
 Newton's Bridge 
 
 Broseley Bridge 
 
 Withington's Bridge 
 
 Duckinfield's Bridge 
 
 Bury Lane Bridge 
 
 Glazebrook Bridge 
 
 Ht)dgkinson's Cattle Bridge 
 
 Chat Moss (Frame) Bridge 
 
 Legh's Brick Arch 
 
 Worsley Brook. Great Culvert.. 
 
 Trafford's Bridge 
 
 Sandy Lane Bridge 
 
 M'^inton Skew Bridge 
 
 Canal (Duke's) Bridge 
 
 3Ionks' Hall Bridge 
 
 Eccles Bridge 
 
 Whitaker's Mill Dam 
 
 Stothard's Occupation Bridge .. 
 
 (tore Booth's Bridge 
 
 Cross Lane Bridge 
 
 Jones's Bridges — No. 1 
 
 No. 2 
 
 No. 3 
 
 Oldfield Lane Bridge 
 
 Irwell Bridge 
 
 Sundry Culverts, Foot Bridges, and 
 
 Square. 
 Square. 
 Square. 
 Askew. 
 Square. 
 Askew. 
 Askew. 
 Square. 
 Square. 
 Square. 
 Square. 
 Square. 
 Square. 
 Square. 
 Square. 
 Square. 
 Square. 
 Square. 
 Square. 
 Square. 
 Square. 
 Askew. 
 Unfshd. 
 Square. 
 Square. 
 Square. 
 Askew. 
 Askew. 
 Square. 
 Square. 
 Square. 
 Square. 
 Askew. 
 Square. 
 Askew. 
 Square. 
 Square. 
 Square. 
 Square. 
 Square. 
 Square. 
 Square. 
 Square. 
 Square. 
 Square. 
 Square. 
 Square. 
 Square. 
 Square. 
 Square. 
 Askew. 
 Square. 
 Square. 
 
 Sq. & Aslcew 
 
 Under. 
 Under. 
 Under. 
 Under. 
 Under. 
 Lender. 
 Under. 
 
 Over. 
 
 Over. 
 
 Over. 
 
 Over. 
 
 Over. 
 
 Over. 
 
 Over. 
 
 Over. 
 
 Over. 
 
 Over. 
 
 Over. 
 
 Over. 
 
 Over. 
 Lender. 
 Under. 
 
 Under. 
 Under. 
 Under. 
 Under. 
 
 Over. 
 Under. 
 Under. 
 
 Over. 
 
 Over. 
 
 Over. 
 
 Over. 
 Under. 
 Under. 
 Under. 
 Under. 
 Under. 
 Under. 
 
 Over. 
 
 Over. 
 
 Over. 
 Ov.Brook 
 
 Over. 
 
 Over. 
 
 Over. 
 Ov.Brook 
 
 Over. 
 
 Over. 
 
 Over. 
 
 Over. 
 Under. 
 Under. 
 
 38 
 
 47 
 
 15 
 
 32 6 
 
 Square. 
 Square' 
 Askew. 
 Askew. 
 Askew. 
 Askew. 
 Askew. 
 Askew. 
 
 Under. 
 Under. 
 Under. 
 Under. 
 Under. 
 Under. 
 Lender. 
 Ov. River 
 
 31 
 
 34 
 
 Ashler with brick ftrch^faoed with itone. 
 
 Brick-work. 
 Brick-work. 
 
 Atbler with brick arrh, faced with ttou*. 
 
 Ashler. 
 
 Brick -work. 
 
 Ashler. 
 
 Ashler. 
 
 Ashler. 
 
 Ashler. 
 
 Brick arch and ashler quoins. 
 
 Ditto. 
 
 Ditto. 
 
 Ditto. 
 
 Ditto. 
 
 Ditto. 
 
 Ditto. 
 
 Rubble, with ashler quoins. 
 
 Brick arch andashlerquoins. 
 
 Ditto. 
 
 Ditto. 
 
 Ashler with brick arch. faced withtton*. 
 
 Timber on stone piers. 
 
 Ashler. 
 Wood with stone piers. 
 
 Afhicr with brick arch, faced with stone. 
 
 Ashler. 
 
 Ashler and rubble. 
 
 Ashler. 
 
 Ashler. 
 
 Brick with stone face, quoins & parapets. 
 
 Brick-work. 
 Brick-work. 
 Brick-work,with stone facing 
 Brick-work. 
 Brick -work. 
 Brick-work. 
 Brick-work. 
 Brick-work. 
 Brick-work. 
 Brick-work. 
 Brick-work. 
 Brick, with stone quoins. 
 
 Bnck. with stunequoiiis&.^tonepiUaster». 
 
 Brick. 
 
 Brick and timber. 
 
 Brick. 
 
 Brick. 
 
 Brick. 
 
 Brick and stone quoins. 
 
 Brick and stone pilasters. 
 
 Dressed ashler. 
 
 Brick. 
 
 Brick and stone quoins. 
 
 Brick-work and Masonry ... 
 
 Brick. 
 
 Brick. 
 
 Biiek and stone quoins to arch. 
 
 Brick. 
 
 Brick. 
 Brick and stone quoins. 
 Brick and stone quoins. 
 
 Ashler. 
 
 compensation in lieu of Occupation Bridges 
 
LIVERPOOL AND MANXHESTER RAILWAY. 
 
 
 C s 
 
 1! 
 
 |l 
 
 
 III 
 
 '. A 
 
 1- 
 
 i 
 
 ?■' ' 
 
 
 
 CO -3. 
 
 ■a 
 = S 
 .2 " 
 
 1^. 
 
 
 = 0. « 2 
 
 ii 
 
 gas 
 
 C J, 
 
 
 
 ■a s 
 
 COST. 
 
 
 0-2 
 
 s2 
 
 
 
 OS K 
 
 3si 
 
 25 i. 
 
 j. 
 
 a g 
 
 _c a 
 
 3 
 
 3 
 
 
 
 a 
 
 < 
 
 ^•^ 
 
 
 ^ 
 
 
 s 
 
 en 
 
 35 
 
 z 
 
 z 
 
 
 
 
 
 Ft. 
 
 In. 
 
 Ft. 
 
 In. 
 
 Ft. In. 
 
 
 
 Ft. In. 
 
 Ft. In. 
 
 £. S. D. 
 
 1 
 
 Stone. 
 
 Masonry. 
 
 28 
 
 
 
 30 
 
 
 
 26 9 
 
 Level. 
 
 _ 
 
 
 
 741 5 9 
 
 2 
 
 Stone. 
 
 Brick. 
 
 12 
 
 
 
 30 
 
 
 
 18 
 
 Level. 
 
 _ 
 
 
 
 Unfthd. 
 
 156 10 
 
 3 
 
 Stone. 
 
 Brick. 
 
 15 
 
 
 
 30 
 
 
 
 18 
 
 Level. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 184 5 6 
 
 4 
 
 Stone. 
 
 Masonry. 
 
 23 
 
 6 
 
 30 
 
 
 
 24 3 
 
 Level. 
 
 
 
 __ 
 
 Unfshd. 
 
 973 14 2 
 
 fi 
 
 Stone. 
 
 Masonry. 
 
 15 
 
 8 
 
 40 
 
 
 
 40 6 
 
 Level. 
 
 
 
 __ 
 
 
 
 765 13 1 
 
 6 
 
 None. 
 
 Rock. 
 
 60 
 
 
 
 25 
 
 
 
 35 
 
 Level. 
 
 
 
 ^_ 
 
 
 
 91 3 11 
 
 7 
 
 Stone. 
 
 Rock. 
 
 20 
 
 
 
 37 
 
 6 
 
 18 
 
 Iin20 
 
 __ 
 
 5 
 
 __ 
 
 274 9 4 
 
 8 
 
 Stone. 
 
 Masonry. 
 
 34 
 
 6 
 
 12 
 
 
 
 13 6 
 
 
 Level. 
 
 
 
 
 418 5 10 
 
 9 
 
 Stone. 
 
 Masonry. 
 
 34 
 
 6 
 
 12 
 
 
 
 16 
 
 _^ 
 
 Level. 
 
 
 
 
 
 418 2 
 
 10 
 
 Stone. 
 
 Masonry. 
 
 34 
 
 6 
 
 12 
 
 
 
 16 
 
 , 
 
 Level. 
 
 
 
 
 
 493 3 
 
 11 
 
 Stone. 
 
 fllasonry. 
 
 66 
 
 6 
 
 14 
 
 
 
 16 
 
 _ 
 
 Level. 
 
 _ 
 
 
 
 346 12 1 
 
 12 
 
 Stone. 
 
 Masonry. 
 
 34 
 
 6 
 
 16 
 
 
 
 16 
 
 ^_ 
 
 lin 30 
 
 
 
 5 6 
 
 270 1 
 
 13 
 
 Stone. 
 
 Masonry. 
 
 34 
 
 6 
 
 12 
 
 
 
 18 
 
 ^^^ 
 
 Level. 
 
 __ 
 
 
 202 7 
 
 14 
 
 Stone. 
 
 Masonry. 
 
 34 
 
 6 
 
 12 
 
 
 
 20 
 
 ,., 
 
 Level. 
 
 ^ 
 
 
 
 241 16 1 
 
 15 
 
 Stone. 
 
 3Iasonry. 
 
 34 
 
 6 
 
 12 
 
 
 
 16 
 
 _ 
 
 Level. 
 
 _, 
 
 
 
 240 9 11 
 
 16 
 
 Stone. 
 
 Masonry. 
 
 34 
 
 6 
 
 12 
 
 
 
 19 
 
 _ 
 
 Level. 
 
 __ 
 
 _ 
 
 204 6 6 
 
 17 
 
 Stone, 
 
 Masonry. 
 
 34 
 
 6 
 
 12 
 
 
 
 12 4 
 
 — 
 
 Level. 
 
 _ 
 
 
 
 302 3 2 
 
 18 
 
 Stone. 
 
 3Iasonry. 
 
 34 
 
 6 
 
 12 
 
 
 
 14 
 
 .^ 
 
 lin 30 
 
 _ 
 
 1 6 
 
 215 3 
 
 19 
 
 Stone. 
 
 Masonry. 
 
 34 
 
 6 
 
 12 
 
 
 
 14 10 
 
 — 
 
 Level. 
 
 
 
 
 215 8 10 
 
 20 
 
 Stone. 
 
 Masonry. 
 
 34 
 
 6 
 
 12 
 
 
 
 21 10 
 
 ,.. , 
 
 Level. 
 
 __ 
 
 _ 
 
 282 9 
 
 21 
 
 Stone. 
 
 Masonry. 
 
 47 
 
 6 
 
 22 
 
 
 
 18 
 
 linl3 
 
 _ 
 
 14 
 
 
 
 960 5 
 
 22 
 
 Stone. 
 
 Masonry. 
 
 24 
 
 
 
 30 
 
 
 
 18 
 
 lin20 
 
 _^ 
 
 15 
 
 — 
 
 1174 1 
 
 23 
 
 __ 
 
 
 
 _ 
 
 _ 
 
 30 
 
 
 
 , 
 
 
 
 _ 
 
 
 
 — 
 
 74 15 2 
 
 24 
 
 Stone. 
 
 Masonry. 
 
 16 
 
 
 
 30 
 
 
 
 18 
 
 lin20 
 
 __ 
 
 12 
 
 .• 
 
 636 13 
 
 26 
 
 Stone. 
 
 Masonry. 
 
 9 
 
 
 
 45 
 
 
 
 18 
 
 Level. 
 
 
 
 
 - - 
 
 193 15 3 
 
 26 
 
 Stone. 
 
 Masonry. 
 
 16 
 
 
 
 30 
 
 
 
 18 
 
 1 in 30 
 
 
 
 e~ 
 
 ,__ 
 
 418 19 8 
 
 27 
 
 Stone. 
 
 Masonry. 
 
 30 
 
 
 
 30 
 
 
 
 18 
 
 lin26 
 
 
 
 12 
 
 ... 
 
 3735 6 7 
 
 28 
 
 Stone. 
 
 3Iasonry. 
 
 104 
 
 
 
 7 
 
 
 
 7 
 
 __ 
 
 _ 
 
 __ 
 
 ,_ 
 
 165 5 a 
 
 29 
 
 Stone. 
 
 Masonry. 
 
 24 
 
 
 
 30 
 
 
 
 18 
 
 lin20 
 
 _ 
 
 5 
 
 , 
 
 864 13 10 
 
 30 
 
 Stone. 
 
 Masonry. 
 
 26 
 
 6 
 
 30 
 
 
 
 23 
 
 Level. 
 
 ^ 
 
 _ 
 
 , , 
 
 470 8 9 
 
 31 
 
 Stone. 
 
 Brick-work. 
 
 25 
 
 
 
 50 
 
 
 
 eO'oCanal 
 
 __ 
 
 
 
 
 
 45,208 18 6 
 
 33 
 
 None. 
 
 Brick. 
 
 None. 
 
 12 
 
 
 
 6 
 
 _^ 
 
 
 
 „, , 
 
 257 18 5 
 
 33 
 
 Stone. 
 
 Brick. 
 
 35 
 
 
 
 12 
 
 
 
 15 
 
 
 
 . 
 
 , „ 
 
 
 
 429 I 
 
 34 
 
 Stone. 
 
 Brick. 
 
 25 
 
 
 
 30 
 
 
 
 27 
 
 _^ 
 
 
 
 - 
 
 ,, 
 
 6340 12 5 
 
 35 
 
 Stone. 
 
 Rock. 
 
 20 
 
 
 
 30 
 
 
 
 18 6 
 
 1 in 18. 
 
 _^ 
 
 8 
 
 ^ , 
 
 316 19 6 
 
 36 
 
 Stone. 
 
 Brick. 
 
 20 
 
 
 
 30 
 
 
 
 18 
 
 Level. 
 
 ■ 
 
 
 ,, , 
 
 491 14 9 
 
 37 
 
 Stone. 
 
 Brick. 
 
 _ 
 
 
 30 
 
 
 
 19 
 
 Level. 
 
 ,^^ 
 
 , ,, 
 
 , , 
 
 1703 19 1 
 
 38 
 
 Stone. 
 
 Brick. 
 
 12 
 
 '0 
 
 30 
 
 
 
 20 
 
 lin 9 
 
 ,^_ 
 
 , 
 
 3 6 
 
 434 7 9 
 
 39 
 
 Stone. 
 
 Brick. 
 
 12 
 
 
 
 30 
 
 
 
 18 
 
 1 in 12 
 
 ^^ 
 
 7 
 
 
 369 12 2 
 
 40 
 
 Stone. 
 
 Brick. 
 
 20 
 
 
 
 30 
 
 
 
 18 
 
 1 in 18 
 
 __ 
 
 7 
 
 __ 
 
 663 4 10 
 
 41 
 
 Stone. 
 
 Brick. 
 
 35 
 
 
 
 12 
 
 
 
 14 
 
 
 Level. 
 
 
 __^ 
 
 419 15 4 
 
 42 
 
 Stone. 
 
 Brick. 
 
 35 
 
 
 
 12 
 
 
 
 14 
 
 __ 
 
 Level. 
 
 ^^ 
 
 
 
 323 10 3 
 
 43 
 
 Stone. 
 
 Brick. 
 
 35 
 
 
 
 16 
 
 
 
 16 
 
 
 
 I in 20 
 
 
 
 3 
 
 621 1 7 
 
 44 
 
 Stone. 
 
 Brick. 
 
 35 
 
 
 
 30 
 
 
 
 30ab.Biv. 
 
 _^ 
 
 
 , , 
 
 
 1758 8 6 
 
 45 
 
 Stone. 
 
 Brick. 
 
 35 
 
 
 
 9 
 
 
 
 10 
 
 .^ 
 
 _ 
 
 _ 
 
 UnfThd. 
 
 13 9 
 
 46 
 
 Stone. 
 
 Brick. 
 
 25 
 
 
 
 12 
 
 
 
 13 
 
 _^ 
 
 _ 
 
 __ 
 
 
 466 19 6 
 
 47 
 
 Stone. 
 
 Brick. 
 
 25 
 
 
 
 16 
 
 
 
 16 
 
 __ 
 
 Level. 
 
 . 
 
 
 
 613 9 6 
 
 48 
 
 Stone. 
 
 Brick. 
 
 125 
 
 
 
 13 
 
 
 
 13 to Wat. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 1598 6 8 
 
 49 
 
 Stone. 
 
 Brick. 
 
 69 
 
 
 
 12 
 
 
 
 13 
 
 _^ 
 
 Level. 
 
 ■ 
 
 ._^ 
 
 689 6 
 
 50 
 
 Stone. 
 
 Brick. 
 
 25 
 
 
 
 16 
 
 
 
 21 
 
 
 
 Level. 
 
 
 
 
 
 1098 18 4 
 
 51 
 
 Stone. 
 
 Masonry. 
 
 25 
 
 
 
 22 
 
 
 
 20 
 
 _^ 
 
 Level. 
 
 ^_ 
 
 
 
 1725 10 5 
 
 52 
 
 Stone. 
 
 Masonry. 
 
 25 
 
 
 
 25 
 
 
 
 12 to Wat. 
 
 , 
 
 Level. 
 
 
 
 1158 8 11 
 
 S3 
 
 Stone. 
 
 Red Rock. 
 
 36 
 
 
 
 30 
 
 
 
 18 
 
 lin 13 
 
 
 6~ 
 
 
 453 19 11 
 
 54 
 
 Stone. 
 
 Red Rock. 
 
 48 
 
 
 
 30 
 
 
 
 18 
 
 lin 24 
 
 
 
 6 
 
 
 
 954 1 
 
 55 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 631 10 2 
 
 5fi 
 
 Stone. 
 
 "Brick."" 
 
 "12" 
 
 0" 
 
 "30" 
 
 0" 
 
 16" "6" 
 
 iin 14" 
 
 
 "5 "o" 
 
 Unfshd." 
 
 31 19 
 
 57 
 
 Stone. 
 
 Brick. 
 
 18 
 
 8 
 
 30 
 
 
 
 18 
 
 lin 18 
 
 
 5 
 
 
 417 13 7 
 
 58 
 
 Stone. 
 
 Brick. 
 
 48 
 
 
 
 30 
 
 
 
 18 
 
 1 in 30 
 
 
 6 
 
 
 801 12 3 
 
 59 
 
 Stone. 
 
 Brick. 
 
 42 
 
 
 
 30 
 
 
 
 18 
 
 lui20 
 
 
 
 6 
 
 
 
 60 
 
 Stone. 
 
 Brick. 
 
 42 
 
 
 
 30 
 
 
 
 18 
 
 
 
 
 6 
 
 ( ) 
 
 559 14 5 
 
 61 
 
 Stone. 
 
 Brick. 
 
 48 
 
 
 
 30 
 
 
 
 18 
 
 lin 20 
 
 
 
 6 
 
 J Onfi- f 
 S Dished r 
 
 
 62 
 
 Stone. 
 
 Brick. 
 
 48 
 
 
 
 30 
 
 
 
 18 
 
 lin 13 
 
 
 
 7 
 
 988 15 11 
 
 63 
 
 Stone. 
 
 Masonry. 
 
 53 
 
 
 
 63 
 
 
 
 30 to Ri' 
 
 
 
 
 
 (. J 
 
 8795 4 4 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 4296 16 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 £ 
 
 1 
 
 
 
 99,065 11 9 
 
100 
 
 OBSERVATIONS. 
 
 Bhickmaking Accounts. — The greater part of these Bricks 
 are fast using in the building of the Manchester Warehouses, Offices, 
 &c. and some in completing the Bridges at each end of the line. 
 
 Bridges. — The foregoing description of the several Bridges in 
 a tabularform, I have thoughtwould not be uninteresting, as affording 
 a popular view of the kind of structures that may be expected to 
 occur in similar undertakings. It will be seen that several of the 
 Bridges are still unfinished, though fast approaching their completion 
 — for this purpose a fund is reserved, as per the estimate below. 
 
 Chat Moss. — Under this head is comprised the earth-work 
 from Bury-lane Bridge to Legh's Occupation Bridge, on the east 
 border of the Moss, a distance of 4<f miles. The Embankments 
 in this space consist of about 277:,000 cubic yards of moss earth, in 
 the formation of which about 677,000 cubic yards of raAV moss have 
 been used ; the difference in measurement being occasioned by the 
 squeezing out of the superabundant water, and consequent consolida- 
 tion of the moss. The expenditure on this district has been less than 
 the average expenditure of the rest of the line. 
 
 Cuttings and Embankments. — Under this head is comprised 
 the earth-work on the whole line, exclusive of the Chat Moss dis- 
 trict. The Cuttings somewhat exceed the Embankings : the surplus 
 is principally deposited along the border of the great Kenyon 
 Cutting. The Excavations consist of about 722,000 cubic yards of 
 rock and shale (including some side cuttings at Eccles, to expedite 
 and improve the consistency of the Barton Embankment), and about 
 2,006,000 cubic yards of marie, earth and sand. This aggregate 
 mass has been removed to various distances, from a few furlongs to 
 between three and four miles ; and no inconsiderable porl ion of it has 
 been hoisted up by machinery, from a depth of 30 to 50 feet, to be 
 deposited on the surface above, either to remain in permanent spoil 
 banks, as at Kenyon, or to be afterwards carried to the next embank- 
 ment, as at the deep rock cutting through Olive Mount ; the process 
 in this latter case being rendered expedient from considerations of 
 increased expedition. WJiere land for the deposit of spoil banks has 
 been purchased, the cost of the land forms jiart of the expenditure 
 
101 
 
 under this head, and a ^ood deal of substantial and lofty walling in 
 the deep cuttings is also included. The unavoidable expense of 
 pumping out the water from the several cuttings on the line during 
 a wet season, was adverted to in the text. 
 
 Formation of the Permanent Road. — This consists of what 
 is termed ballasting the road — that is, depositing a layer of broken 
 rock and sand, about two feet thick, viz. one foot below the blocks, 
 and one foot distributed between them, serving to keep them firm 
 in their places. Spikeing down the iron chairs to the blocks or 
 sleepers, fastening the rails to the chairs with iron keys, and adjusting 
 the rail-way to the exact width and curve and level, come under 
 this head of expenditure. 
 
 Iron Rail Account. — This expenditure comprises the following 
 items : — 
 
 Rails for a double way from Liverpool to Manchester, with occa- 
 sional lines of communication, and additional side lines at the different 
 Depots, being about 35 miles of double way, = 3847 tons, at prices 
 
 averaging something less than £l2. 10s. per ton iJ48,000 
 
 Cast-iron Chairs, ]428tons, at anaverageof£lO. 10s... 15,000 
 
 Cost of Spikes and Keys, to fasten the Chairs to the 1 o con n n 
 Blocks and the Rails to the Chair f ^'^"^^ " " 
 
 Cost of Oak Plugs for the Blocks 6l5 
 
 Sundry Freights, Cartages, Sec. &c 467 2 
 
 <€67,912 Z 
 
 Land. — This is a heavy item of expenditure. The price of land 
 in the vicinity of large towns is usually high ; and the outlay was 
 further enhanced by numerous claims for compensation, owing to 
 the prejudice which a few years since existed against Railways, and 
 especially against what now appears their peculiar recommendation — 
 the Locomotive Engine. A great change has taken place in this 
 respect. At the close of 1828 the charge under this head was nearly 
 £102,000., but a portion of this amount being for the Dejiots, has 
 been transferred to the Carrying Department. 
 
 Office Establishment. — This comprises the salaries of Treasurer 
 and Clerks, Office Rent, Stationary, Printing, Szc. since October, 
 1824. 
 
102 
 
 Stone Blocks and Sleepers. — Out of the 31 miles, about 
 18 are laid with Stone Blocks, and 13 with Wood Sleepers, oak 
 or larch ; these latter being laid principally across the Embank- 
 ments, and across the two districts of moss. A considerable quan- 
 tity of Wood Sleepers have been destroyed, unavoidably, in the 
 progress of the work. 
 
 Surveying Account. — This comprises the cost of Surveys, 
 Plans, &c. for the two applications to Parliament, in 1825 and 1826 ; 
 also the salaries of the Engineer, and principal Assistants, Stationary, 
 &c. from the commencement of the undertaking. 
 
 Travelling Expenses. — This includes the cost of sundry 
 journeys and deputations to London, Darlington, Newcastle, &c. 
 since 1 824 : also the cost of journeys of inspection on the line of 
 Railway during the progress of the works. 
 
 Tunnel Compensation Account.— This consists of compen- 
 sation paid to parties under whose premises the Liverpool Tunnel 
 is excavated, for damage, either real or supposed ; and further, of 
 loss sustained on the re-sale of sundry houses and lands which the 
 Company were required to purchase. There will be a credit to this 
 account for premises re-sold to the extent of about £2500. 
 
 Waggon Account. — This expenditure is principally for waggons 
 used in the progress of the work. There will be a credit to 
 this accownt from the re-sale of such waggons as cannot conve- 
 niently be adapted to the future purposes of the Railway, and by a 
 transfer of the remainder to the carrying department, at their 
 estimated value. 
 
 It will be observed that the statement of expenditure is up to the 
 3 1st of May, 1830. The Railway, however, will require a further 
 outlay to render it complete, though the Locomotive Engine has 
 passed over every foot of ground from Liverpool to Salford. The 
 slopes of the Cuttings want dressing, and several of them want pro- 
 tecting with foot walls. The permanent road-way is not quite 
 finished, and some portions that have been laid down require adjust- 
 ing and re-levelling. The fencing also in jwrtions of the line will 
 be incomplete for some time. 
 
 The Directors, in their Report dated 25th March last, estimated 
 
103 
 
 the total expenditure, including Warehouses, Machinery and Car- 
 riages, at £820,000., which may be apportioned as follows: — 
 
 Expenditure, as above, in actual payments, tol p_o_,^_ _ _ 
 31st May ^| ±.7^9,105 5 O 
 
 Outstanding engagements to the same date 7,500 
 
 For Walling the Slopes in sundry places, and 1 n -p-r^ f. /» 
 
 completing permanent road J '' 
 
 For completing the Bridges, including the Irwell, \ 
 
 J66000, and Parapets of the Sankey Viaduct \- 9,600 
 £l400, and compensation in lieu of bridges ... j 
 
 Additional Engines, Waggons and Machinery, 1 . „ _ „ _ ^ 
 part under contract for delivery j '' 
 
 Completing Stations, Wharfs, Warehouses, ) _^ _. 
 
 Offices, &c f ^-"'""^ ^ " 
 
 Fencing at sundry places 3,000 
 
 Contingencies 12,084 15 
 
 £820,000 
 
 The public opening of the Railway is a subject of interest and 
 inquiry. It is some time since coal for the Company's purposes was 
 conveyed from the Elton Head Collieries, in Sutton, to the Crown- 
 street Station, in Liverpool ; and on the 14th of the present month 
 (June), an experiment was made which may be regarded as a pre- 
 liminary measure to a general opening, well calculated to exhibit the 
 peculiar chai'acter of Railway conveyance, and to put to the test 
 the capabilities of the Locomotive Engine. On this occasion the 
 Directors, in two of their carriages (the one a close glass coach, the 
 other an open carriage) proceeded in a journey of inspection from 
 Liverpool to Manchester and back. The Arrow Locomotive, one 
 of the improved Engines on the Rocket principle, was the moving 
 power. The gross weight draM-n was about 23 tons, consisting as 
 follows :— 
 
 Stone in seven Waggons 20 tons. 
 
 Weight of Waggons 7 „ 
 
 Engine-Tender and six persons 3 „ 
 
 Two Carriages and 20 persons 3 „ 
 
 S3 tons. 
 With this load she travelled from the Engine House, Liverpool, to Old- 
 
104 
 
 fleld-lane Bridge, Salford, Manchester, the distance being about 2y 
 miles, in two hours and 25 minutes, including two stoppages to take in 
 water. Up the 'Whiston inclined plane she was assisted by the Dart, 
 an Engine of similar construction and power, and the first quarter 
 of a mile of the ascent was accomplished at a speed of 1 7 miles per 
 hour, which however decreased to about 4 miles per hour before 
 the summit was gained, the mile and a half being accomplished in 
 12 minutes, the average speed, therefore, being 7^ miles per hour. 
 At the top of the ascent, the Dart was unyoked, and the Arrow pro- 
 ceeded with her cargo along the straight and level plane at Rainhill 
 at the rate of l6 miles per hour. On the return from Manchester 
 the Engine-Tender and the two Carriages with passengers, con- 
 stituted the whole load drawn. The first 9i niiles from Oldfield- 
 lane Bridge to Glazebrook Bridge, including the Chat Moss district, 
 were accomplished at a speed averaging from ip to 20 miles per 
 hour. The whole distance was accomplished in 1 hour and 46 
 minutes, including stoppages, the speed generally varying from 18 
 to 25 miles and upwards per hour, and the Engine not working to 
 her full power, a great portion of the way. The speed up the Sutton 
 inclined plane, (without any assistant Engine,) averaged more than 
 15 miles per hour. The day was wet, and the rails, in places, very 
 dirty ; the whole performance therefore, took place under circum- 
 stances by no means favourable; but the result was highly satisfactory. 
 It will now be in the discretion of the Directors to name the day 
 when they shall consider the Railway in that state of completeness 
 which may render expedient the public conveyance of passengers or 
 merchandise, either the whole distance, or along part of the line in 
 the first instance. It may be sufficient to refer the date of the opening 
 of the Liverpool and Manchester Railway to the summer of 1830. 
 
 Liverpool, June, 1830. 
 
 FINIS. 
 
 rP.rNTKD EV WALES AND BAtNES, f,ASTI.K-STREET. 
 
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