Historical Account of the Navigable Rivers, Canals, and Railways, of Great Britain/Avon and Gloucestershire Railway

by Joseph Priestley

AVON AND GLOUCESTERSHIRE RAILWAY.

9 George IV. Cap. 94, Royal Assent 19th June, 1828.

This railway commences from the River Avon, below the town of Keynsham, whence it takes a northerly course by Willsbridge, Haul Lane Coal Works and Warmley, to the Bristol and Gloucestershire Railway, at Rodway Hill, in the parish of Mangotsfield, where it terminates.

It is in length five miles, two furlongs and four chains, with a total rise, from the level of the Avon, below the tail of Keynsham Lock, (which is 2 feet above the Bristol Floating Harbour), of 198 feet, viz. from the Avon, an inclined plane three thousand three hundred and sixty-six yards in length, rising 124 feet; another three thousand three hundred and forty-four yards in length, with a rise of 19 feet only; while the remainder of the railway, which is two thousand six hundred and eighteen yards, has a rise of 55 feet. The estimate for this undertaking was made by Mr. John Blackwell, and amounts to the sum of £20,226, 11s. 2d. The act for making it is entitled, ‘An Act for making and maintaining a Railway or Tramroad from Rodway Hill, in the parish of Mangotsfield, in the county of Gloucester, to the River Avon, in the parish of Bitton, in the same county.’

The subscribers, at the time the act was obtained, were ten in number, together with the Proprietors of the Kennet and Avon Canal Navigation, who alone subscribed £10,000; and £12,000 were subscribed by the others. The act incorporates these parties by the name of “The Avon and Gloucestershire Railway Company,” with power to raise, amongst themselves, the sum of £21,000, in two hundred and ten shares, of £100 each, and, if necessary, a further sum of £10,000 on mortgage of the undertaking.

TONNAGE RATES

	d.
For every Description of Goods…………	2 per Ton, per Mile.
Fractions as for a Quarter of a Ton, and as for a Quarter of a Mile.

Owners of lands may make branches to communicate with this railway, and may erect wharfs, and demand the following rates.

WAREHOUSING AND WHARFAGE RATES

		d.
For the Wharfage of all Coal, Culm, Lime, Lime-stone, Clay, Iron, Ironstone. Iron-ore, Lead-ore or any other Ores, Timber, Stone, Bricks, Tiles, Slate, Gravel or other Things	$\scriptstyle {\left.{\begin{matrix}\ \end{matrix}}\right\}\,}$	2	per Ton.
For the Warehousing of every Package not exceeding Fifty-six Pounds.		2
Ditto above Three Hundred Pounds, and not exceeding Six Hundred Pounds	$\scriptstyle {\left.{\begin{matrix}\ \end{matrix}}\right\}\,}$	4
Ditto exceeding One Thousand Pounds		6

Should any Goods or other Articles remain longer than Fourteen Days, a further Sum of One Penny per Ton for Wharfage, and Two-pence per Ton for Warehousing, the same for the next Three Days, and the like Sum of One Penny and Two-pence respectively, for every succeeding Three Days which the same remain on the Wharfs or Warehouses.

CRANAGE RATES.

	s.	d.
Per any Weight under Two Tons with one Lift of the Crane	0	6	per Ton.
Ditto of Two Tons, and less than Three Tons, ditto	1	0	ditto.
Ditto of Three Tons, and less than Four Tons, ditto.	1	6	ditto.
And so progressively advancing Sixpence per Ton.

The object of this railway is to open more beneficially the very extensive collieries and stone quarries which abound on the line, at Coal Pit Heath, and other places in the parishes of Westerleigh, Pucklechurch, and Mangotsfield.

The coal brought down this railway to the River Avon, will find its way, by the Kennet and Avon and the Wilts and Berks Canals, through the counties of Wiltshire and Berkshire, and even down the Thames to Reading, Maidenhead and Windsor.