Report of the Railway Department of the Board of Trade on the London, Worcester, and Wolverhampton, | Page 2

be carried through it without danger.
It will be readily conceded that the importance of the district in
question is such as to entitle it to require the best means of
communication, whether by Canal or Railway. Between
Wolverhampton and Stourbridge there are at present about 100 blast
furnaces in work, producing about 468,000 tons of pig iron annually. In
order to produce this quantity, nearly 4,000,000 tons of coals, lime,
ironstone, and other raw materials are consumed, which are raised from
the mines of the district, and transported to the various furnaces, forges
and founderies.
The export of iron from the district is about 240,000 tons annually, in
addition to large quantities of heavy hardwares, tin plates, glass, and
other goods. The export of coal is also very large, and might be greatly
augmented by increased facilities of communication.
The population, depending for support on the iron-works, mines, and
manufactories of the district, is estimated at not less than 230,000; and
the total population of the respective towns and places between
Wolverhampton and Worcester, which would be benefited by the
proposed Railway communication, is believed to exceed 300,000.
Among these towns may be mentioned Kidderminster, a place of
considerable manufacturing importance, and great intercourse with
different parts of the kingdom; Droitwich, with its extensive salt works;
Stourbridge, Stourport and Worcester.
The construction of a Railway in this direction will also lead, in all
probability, to extensions into the fertile agricultural district on the west
of the Severn, towards Leominster and Ludlow.
The claim of the district, therefore, to the most improved mode of

communication can hardly be disputed; and whatever claims Canal
Companies may have from benefits previously conferred, or from past
liberality of management, such claims cannot be considered by us in
any other light than those of other private interests, unless in so far as
they may be based upon public considerations.
Our Report will not, in any way, prejudice or affect the right of those
Canal Companies to have their vested interests, if any, carefully
considered by the Legislature.
Upon public grounds, therefore, we have merely had to consider the
allegation that the interests of the district will not be promoted by the
introduction of Railways, and that Railways cannot be constructed
through it without danger.
Upon the first point it seems sufficient to refer to the unanimous
opinion of the parties principally interested, and who have the best
opportunities of judging of the effects likely to follow from the
introduction of Railways. The only difference of opinion has arisen
from the anxiety of the parties to obtain a Railway of some description
or other, which has led them to support different competing schemes;
but all parties have united in the strongest representations of the vital
importance to the district of obtaining a good Railway communication,
in addition to those afforded by the Canals. A memorial signed by the
representatives of 46 iron-works, 57 furnaces, and 98 collieries, in the
Staffordshire mineral district, including the trustees of Lord Ward,
from whose estate alone upwards of 1,000,000 tons of coal and iron are
raised annually, in favour of the London and Birmingham scheme; and
another memorial, representing 37 iron-works, and 9 collieries, in
favour of the Great Western scheme, were presented to us; the
memorialists in each case urging in the strongest manner the
advantages of Railway communication to the district.
It is stated, that without such communication, they have to compete at a
great disadvantage with the iron districts of South Wales and Scotland,
which, from their readier access to the sea, can convey their products to
market at a cheaper rate. The Canals are stated to be not only more
tedious and expensive, but subject to serious interruptions, often for

weeks together, from frost in winter and drought in summer. In short, it
is urged that the apprehensions of the Canal Companies are the best test
of the further advantage of a Railway; since unless the latter obtained a
large proportion of the heavy traffic, which it could only do by
affording the public a better and cheaper means of transport, the
interests of the Canals could not be prejudiced.
With so strongly expressed a wish on the part of such an important
district for Railway communication, and with two great Companies
competing with one another to afford it, we do not think that, upon
public grounds, we should be justified in reporting that it ought to be
withheld on account of any apprehended interference with existing
water communications. In the case of one Canal Company, special
reasons existed which might have weighed more strongly than those
derived solely from private considerations; viz. that a guarantee had
been given to assist the Severn Navigation Commissioners to raise
money for the purpose of carrying out a great public