Railway Intelligence - Cumberland and Westmorland Newspaper Transcriptions

Railway Intelligence

SCOTTISH CENTRAL RAILWAY - At a meeting of the Provisional Committee of this
line, held at Perth, the report of the Engineer, MR. ERRINGTON [in behalf of
MR. LOCK and himself], was unanimously adopted. The line by Streathern was
preferred, but a branch is likely to be made to Crieff. A very favourable
opinion was expressed of the Scottish Midland Junction (or Strathmore)
Railway.

THE EGYPTIAN RAILWAY. - The project of a railway across the desert has long
been before the Pacha of Egypt, and at length it has been represented, that
the plans have so matured, that if British capital were advanced, the great
object in view would not long remain without accomplishment. It is stated
that the Pacha is prepared to assist in carrying out the proposed railway,
and to render every aid in his power to facilitate the mails, and give
protection to passengers proceeding to, or coming from, the East Indies,
&c. - 'Observer'.

RAILWAYS AND THE IRON TRADE. - In his evidence before the Select Committee
on Railways, last session, MR. HUDSON stated, that in the case of the York
and North Midland Railway, of which he had been chairman from the first, the
price of the iron used was £11 10s per ton; whereas in the case of the
Newcastle and Darlington line, which, it will be remembered, owes its
existence mainly to MR. HUDSON's exertions, the price was only £6 5s per
ton, the cost of delivery being in favour of the York line. MR. HUDSON
added, that for 49 miles of a single line of railway, 4,500 tons of iron are
required. ' Railway Record'.

EXCURSION TRAINS ON RAILWAYS. - The Board of Trade has just issued a
circular to the several railway companies calling their attention to the
danger of the plan adopted on some railways of running excurion trains down
by several engines.

They state that the opinion of several of the most experienced practical men
has been taken, and that they all state the present mode of working the
excursion trains to be extremely dangerous; and the Board of Trade
recommend that these excursion trains should be divided into sections, so
that no more than two engines should be used with any one train of
carriages.

They also point out the extreme danger likely to arise from the want of
punctuality in the arrival of these excursion trains, arising from their
great weight; and they strongly urge upon the companies to adopt a
different mode of working the excursion trains in order to avoid the danger
of the present method. It ought to be observed that very few companies have
adopted these "monster trains", and it is to be hoped that those which have
adopted them, will alter their arrangements to such as are more compatible
with safety.

DURHAM AND SUNDERLAND RAILWAY. - It is intended by the directors of the
Durham and Sunderland Railway to apply to parliament for an act to enable
them to extend the railway about ten miles further west into the coalfield
in the Auckland district, we understand, and also to obtain powers to
purchase the way-leaves on the entire line, the company having paid upwards
of £50,000 for way-leave rent, a sum considerably exceeding the entire value
of the land occupied by the railway. The station at Sunderland is also
about to be removed from its present situation to the south side of
Sunderland Churchyard, at the foot of Nicholson-street, which will be a
great accommodation to passengers from its proximity to the town. These
measures are calculated to promote the prosperity of the railway, and there
can be no doubt that the revenue will ultimately be greatly increased, and
render it a profitable investment to the proprietors. 'Durham Advertiser'.

LOCAL RAILWAYS. - Much interest is at present excited in the neighbourhood
on the subject of the line likely to be chosen for connecting this part of
the country with the line of railway from Newcastle to Edinburgh. MR.
BRUNELL, it seems, had recommended the South side of the Tweed as that most
eligible, bringing the line through the estates of Wooden, Pinnaclehill,
&c., with a station somewhere nearer the south end of Kelso Bridge; and the
usual parliamentary notices of intention to adopt such a line, have already
been stuck upon the Parish Church doors, &c. But we understand some doubts
are still entertained whether or not it would be better to cross the Tweed a
few miles below Kelso, and thus bring the line direct into the town; and a
survey is now making with the view of enabling the projectors to come to a
final determination on the subject.

While these surveys are going on, it would be idle to indulge in conjectures
as to what may be the ultimate determination that may be come to; but so
far as the interests of the town of Kelso are concerned, it is certainly
desirable that the line should come direct into the town. The intended
railway from Edinburgh to Galashields, and Hawick, will render a connecting
line between that railway and the one by the east coast of immense
importance ot the whole of this district. 'Kelso Mail'.

DIABOLICAL ATTEMPT TO INJURE A RAILWAY TRAIN.
On Saturday, as the mail train from York to London was passing under
Milford-bridge, in the evening, the engine-driver was knocked down by some
miscreant throwing a stone, which caught him on the head, from the effects
of which he remained insensible for some time afterwards.

Fortunately, the stoker was competent to undertake the management of the
engine, or a dreadful catastrophe must have ensued, there being two trains
on the same line, about a mile from the bridge, and waiting the arrival of
the train in question.

The railway company offered a reward of £50 for the apprehension and
conviction of the offenders, and on Sunday last MAGUIRE and HUDSON, two of
the rural police officers, took into custody three young men named THOMAS
NEWBY, SAMUEL WESTMORELAND, and ROBERT WALES, servants in husbandry at
Milford, on suspicion of being the perpetrators of the above diabolical act.

On Monday, they were taken before a magistrate, and remanded, nothing very
conclusive having been elicited against them up to that time, but on the
following day WALES implicated the other two in the transaction. From his
statement, it appeared that he, NEWBY, and WESTMORELAND, were returning home
from the fields on the Saturday evening, when they observed the train
approaching.

One of the three suggested that they should each take a stone, and endeavour
to pitch it into the engine, as it passed through the bridge, which was
agreed to. However, before the train came **, WALES declined trying the
dangerous experiment, but his companions walked to the crown of the bridge
and dropped a stone as the train passed.

NEWBY and WESTMORELAND were taken before COL. MARKHAM and T. S. WATSON,
Esq., at Sherburn, by whom they were committed for trial at the next West
Riding sessions. 'Hull Packet'.
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