8vo. 16pp. Wrappers. Ottley No.7052. Not in Skempton. This is the first survey for the Stockton & Darlington railway. It came about in response to a survey for a canal, carried out earlier in 1818 by George Leather, which would have bypassed Darlington. Overton, who was employed by a group of Darlington industrialists, surveyed a route for a railway, as well as a canal, which would pass through Darlington. He presented his report to the committee on 29th September 1818. In order to get the scheme into the next parliamentary session, the plans were hurriedly prepared and deposited by the end of the month, even though no decision had been taken about whether there should be a canal or a railway. The decision to build a railway was taken two weeks later. When the first Stockton & Darlington bill, based on Overton’s survey, came before parliament it was narrowly rejected and George Stephenson, who surveyed a modified route, was engineer to the line as finally built. The speed with which the survey was made and the plans deposited must account for the fact that no separate report by Overton seems to have been printed. Instead, his findings were incorporated in the present item (which also gives a background history of the project), signed by Thomas Meynell, Chairman of the Darlington committee. Overton was a Welsh engineer and a partner in the Hirwaun Ironworks. He was one of the foremost Welsh tramroad builders which must have made him seem a good choice to advise on the building of a railway. Although he was to be replaced by Stephenson, his favourable report and estimates (also included here) must have given confidence in the scheme from the outset. An item of the greatest rarity.
GBP 580.00
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