A HISTORY OF THE GREAT WESTERN
RAILWAY
BEING THE STORY OF THE BROAD GAUGE George Augustus Sekon This book was written by George Sekon in the 1890s and published in 1895. It provides a detailed account of the development, history, and demise of Brunel’s Broad Gauge. He was the author of several other railway books, including “The Evolution of our Railways” and “A History of the South Eastern Railway”. I have used the first chapter as a scene setter for the contemporary report of Brunel’s speech to Government promoting the Great Western Railway. This was no standalone publication for, in order to assure the reader of its accuracy, he mentions that he had “sent proofs to F G Saunders, Esq., the Chairman of Directors of the Great Western Railway, for the honour he has done me in revising the proofs of this work and also to G K Mills, the Secretary of the Railway, both for information supplied and for help he has accorded me in supplying correct dates, statistics etc.” I intend to return to this book at a later date for more information on the Broad Gauge as it developed. (The sub-heads are mine to break up a solid block of text! - Ed)
CHAPTER I. THE INCEPTION OF THE GREAT WESTERN RAILWAY. THE merchants of Bristol, ever in the van of improvement , and always ready to adopt any new measure that would enlarge their commerce, were among the earliest of those who clearly saw the great advantages to be derived from railway communication with other parts of the country, and especially with London; the usual method of transit for goods between the two places at that time being the Avon and Thames at either end, and the round-about system of canals connecting at Bath with the Avon, and at Reading with the Thames. This water communication provided only a very costly and very tedious mode of transit, liable to be stopped by the drought of summer and the frost of winter, so that for want of a quicker and cheaper connection between Bristol and London, the manufacturers and merchants of the former place found themselves shut out of many of the most important markets for their merchandise. As early as 1825, the merchants of Bristol had tried to form a company to construct a railway to London, but at that time the general public knew nothing of steam in connection with railways, so that no support could be obtained, and the proposal was dropped; but in the autumn of 1832 a committee was formed which determined to proceed with the matter, and an engineer was advertised for. Isambard Kingdom Brunel was advised to apply for the appointment, and told he was likely to obtain it, as he was known and popular at Bristol in connection with his attempt to 42
GREAT WESTERN STAR MAGAZINE
construct a suspension bridge over the Avon at Clifton, but which had been temporarily abandoned for lack of funds. He was also told that the committee would appoint as engineer, the person who guaranteed to construct the line for the least amount of money. His answer to this was, “You are holding out a premium' to the man who will make you the most flattering promise, and it is quite obvious that the man who has either the least reputation at stake, or who has most to gain by temporary success, and least to lose by the consequences of disappointment, must be the winner in such a race.” Despite this fearless expression of his views, he was appointed Engineer March 7th, 1833, and at once commenced the survey of the country between London and Bristol. After going over the several districts through which the line might have been constructed, he chose the course now occupied by the Great Western Railway, and having finished his surveys in June , no time was lost by the Committee, for on July 30th, 1833. the Mayor of Bristol called a public meeting of the inhabitants, and it was then resolved to form a company to construct a railway from Bristol to London. A local Board of Directors was formed, the Corporation, Dock Company and Society of Merchant Venturers ·each having official representatives on the Board in addition to the several general merchants and gentlemen elected Directors at the meeting. A somewhat similar Board of Directors was chosen in London, and preparations were at once made to prepare a Bill for the next session of Parliament.
January/February 2021
