Taking the GWR Act to Parliament* In 1839, John Williams, Library of Science and Art, 106, Great Russell Street, London published a book written by S C Brees, C.E &c entitled:
APPENDIX TO
RAILWAY PRACTICE, CONTAINING
A COPIOUS ABSTRACT OF THE WHOLE OF THE
EVIDENCE GIVEN UPON THE
LONDON AND BIRMINGHAM, AND GREAT WESTERN
RAILWAY BILLS,
WHEN BEFORE PARLIAMENT, PROPERLY DIGESTED AND ARRANGED WITH MARGINAL NOTES. AMONG THE SEVERAL WITNESSES EXAMINED WILL BE FOUND THE FOLLOWING EMINENT CIVIL ENGINEERS: GEORGE STEPHENSON ESQ, CHARLES VIGNOLES, ESQ, GEORGE LEATHER ESQ, ROBERT STEPHENSON ESQ, HENRY R PALMER ESQ, WILLIAM C MYLNE ESQ, I K BRUNEL, ESQ, GEORGE W BUCK ESQ, FRANCIS GILES ESQ, J U RASTRICK ESQ, HENRY H PRICE ESQ, COL G HENDERSON, JOSEPH LOCKE, ESQ, DR DIONYSIUS LARDNER, THOMAS CABREY ESQ, &C &C
________________________ TO WHICH IS ADDED
A GLOSSARY OF TECHNICAL TERMS, USED IN CIVIL ENGINEERING, EXPLAINING AND ILLUSTRATING EVERY WORD IN ORDINARY USE, AND
THE DETAILS OF HAWTHORNE’S CELEBRATED LOCOMOTIVE ENGINE FOR THE PARIS AND VERSAILLES RAILWAY.
I was fortunate to acquire a copy of this book which in 1952 had been in the possession of Harry Withers, Leading Porter, Tewkesbury, ex L.M.R - ed.
GREAT WESTERN RAILWAY Abstract of Evidence given before a Committee of the House of Lords, June 1835 The Bill was entitled, “An Act for making a Railway from Bristol to join the London and Birmingham Railway near London, to be called the Great Western Railway; with Branches therefrom to the towns of Bradford and Trowbridge in the County of Wilts” The Bill was passed. Please note, the spelling, capitalisation, punctuation are those of the original publisher - Ed 46
GREAT WESTERN STAR MAGAZINE
Examined Isambard Kingdom Brunel Esq. C.E I was applied to about February 1833 by the Provisional Committee, on the practicability of making a Railroad from Bristol to London, The connection between myself and the Provisional Committee was sought for by them entirely: my Instructions were no further than asking my terms, stating the object was to Survey the country from Bristol to London, with a view to the Best Line of Communication, without reference to any other district. Shortly after commencing the Survey, I pointed out to the Committee two or three different Lines I had examined, one passed to the South of Marlborough Downs, and the
January/February 2021
