The English civil engineer, George Stephenson, (1781-1848) is frequently known today as the “Father of the Railways”, such were his pioneering methods and attention to detail. The Library recently purchased one of his works, a report showing his mapping and comparison of two possible railway lines connecting the Welsh borders to the Irish Sea, together with a unique lithograph chart of both routes. This is believed to be the only surviving copy. One line is from Chester to Holyhead and the second is from Wolverhampton (but for the purpose of a fair comparison, the eastern side of the chart is Chirk) to Porthdinllaen. Stephenson's advice was clearly in favour of the first line because it was cheaper and involved fewer inclines. It was agreed to build the railway on the route to Holyhead. This railway line remains in use today.
A public meeting was held in Chester in 1839 in the presence of Stephenson. He was given the opportunity to answer questions from members of the public about his plans. It is clear from reading the report that they discussed how to cross the Menai, and Stephenson subsequently decided on a plan to build a low bridge. Britannia Bridge's fame and effectiveness over the years is testament to Stephenson's talent as a railway engineer.
The text of the report goes into considerable technical detail regarding the landscape of the railway and the engineering work that would need to be carried out. One obvious reason for choosing the railway to Holyhead was that it would be 61 miles shorter. It was clear that this line extended naturally and closer to the industrial centres in Lancashire, Leeds, Hull, York and the potteries area in Staffordshire. In the final paragraphs of the report Stephenson outlines the strongest reasons for choosing the line to Holyhead. 40 miles of this track would be nearly flat while the track to Porthdinllaen would be much steeper and as a result more power would be required from the train engine. This additional power would be the equivalent to having to build an additional 20 miles of railway.
Looking at the two plans on the lithograph chart, it’s obvious that the railway to Holyhead is the most suitable. It contains many flat stretches, although mountainous areas are also present. As a comparison, the inclines are far more frequent and steeper on the railway plan to Porthdinllaen. Another difference is that it would have been necessary to dig more tunnels on the second route.
The railway from Chester to Holyhead received Royal Assent in June 1845, and as a result, it was built gradually and was completed in 1850. Today, the effect of the railway can be seen clearly on the coastal towns. Holyhead, Bangor, Abergele and Rhyl have developed centres which attract industries and tourists, while Porthdinllaen, Porthmadog and Harlech remain much smaller centres.
Hywel Lloyd,
Assistant Librarian.
Category: Article