The GWR Comes to London - Why Paddington?
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The GWR Comes to London - Why Paddington? David Hodgkins The Great Western Railway and Paddington have parliamentary plans deposited in November 1833 for been closely associated for so long that the terms are railways from London to Reading and from Bath to almost interchangeable. Why their terminus was built Bristol. Thus from South Acton only one route was there and not elsewhere is of course briefly explained shown through Hammersmith, Brompton and Pimlico in MacDermot’s History of the Great Western to Vauxhall Bridge Road (Figure 1).5 Railway and more fully in Michael Tutton’s Paddington Station, 1833-1854, but even the latter Opposition from Earl Cadogan does not do justice to the many interests which led to the choice of Paddington and rests mainly on the records of the GWR itself, though there is much The kind of works that were involved in the relevant material to be found in other sources, approach to the London terminus can be seen from particularly the Parliamentary records, papers of the another letter from Saunders to Hardwick. The Turnpike Commissioners of the Metropolis, and the railway would be 25 feet above the Fulham Road London & Birmingham Railway archives which and at that point carried for a considerable distance reveal the difference in views within that company.1 on either side on a viaduct composed of a succession of arches. The width of the base of the structure would be about 36 feet.6 This plan however Initial Uncertainty encountered strenuous opposition from the landowners in Chelsea and Pimlico, particularly Earl The GWR were slow to settle on a London Cadogan and the Marquess of Westminster. terminus. At the outset in August 1833 the directors Cadogan’s surveyor asked Hardwick for information decided that the plan and prospectus should show on the ornamental parts of the railway, the description two lines of road from London to Maidenhead and of arches etc across his lordship’s property which explain that no route had yet been finally adopted.2 the model did not sufficiently illustrate.7 He warned One line on the plan terminated in the Paddington that Cadogan’s support would depend to a great area; the second crossed the Thames below Kingston measure on the answer he received. The board agreed and terminated in Lambeth, opposite Westminster. to meet Cadogan’s wishes regarding the passage of The latter option was soon abandoned. Philip the railway through the valuable part of his property Hardwick3 was asked to confer with the Marquess in Chelsea, provided that he gave his support and of Westminster, Lord Holland, and other great landed that the success of the application to Parliament was proprietors who were interested in the proposed line not endangered.8 Following the successful second of railway on its approach to London. By October reading of the Bill in the Commons by a ‘triumphant Brunel, in Hardwick’s absence, was asked to consult majority’ (182 to 92) on 10 March, Hardwick was the Marquess’s agent about the book of reference as sent to Paris to see him.9 Cadogan however was a matter of urgency. Already there had been changes adamant despite a number of concessions. in the approach to London as Charles Saunders, the London Secretary of the GWR, wrote early in Brompton and the Turnpike Commissioners October that the design of passing through the playground of the Westminster scholars had been abandoned.4 At the end of October the London The result was that following discussions in the Committee resolved that the line of railway ought to early stages of the lengthy Commons Committee, the commence at the London end on the west side of the board decided on Brompton as a terminus, noting Vauxhall Bridge Road, contiguous to the River that the concession had already been made to Thames and the works of the Equitable Gas Cadogan, though they then seemed unwilling to Company. This proposal was incorporated in the abandon extension through Chelsea and Pimlico at 40 Figure 1. some future date.10 Although the Brompton terminus that part of the road leading to the terminus was too was included in the amended version of the bill which narrow for the likely increase in road traffic arising went to the Lords, by then the GWR had run into from the station. The commissioners were ready to serious difficulties over this proposal. The main consider any suggestions the GWR might have for objection came from the Turnpike Commissioners overcoming the problem of the narrowness of the of the Metropolis11 who when informed of the road, for providing sufficient ground for the standing proposal reacted sharply. The plan was to terminate of the various vehicles necessary to take away the the railway at the Hoop and Toy public house at the railway’s passengers and loads, and for widening the western end of Thurloe Place. The inn was first road from the Hoop and Toy to the Fulham Road. licensed in 1760 and still flourishes today, though The GWR quickly replied that they did not have, nor the brick and timber building of the latter part of the could they obtain, power to widen the road.14 late fifteenth or early sixteenth century was replaced in 1844 and reconstructed in 1927.12 The actual site George Carr Glyn and a Joint Terminus proposed for the station was to the rear of the inn close to the site of the future South Kensington station. However ‘as it appeared to the commissioners The initiative for a joint GWR-LBR line was taken that the adoption of such a measure might be by the Metropolitan Turnpike Commissioners detrimental to the interests of the public’, they doubtless in order to reduce the impact of the new appointed a sub-committee which included Lord railways on their roads. They petitioned Parliament Grosvenor, the Marquess of Westminster’s son.13 not to allow the GWR to cross the roads under their They first asked for plans, but considered that these jurisdiction conceiving that one railway on that line did not satisfactorily explain the mode of crossing (i.e. of entry to London from the Acton area) was as the roads, so they decided to summon Brunel, Ward, much as was necessary and ought to be permitted. the GWR’s solicitor, and Saunders. The GWR Their solicitor asked the LBR if the GWR could enter officials attended on 22 April, but failed to convince London by the LBR route and if so where they could the commissioners. The main difficulty was that the join it. He specifically asked for Robert Stephenson’s railway would cross the Old Brompton Road by a opinion on the matter and whether four lines would bridge of 11 arches, 21 feet in width which was less be necessary, and whether the two lines in Primrose than the width of the road. There was also a problem Hill Tunnel would suffice.15 George Carr Glyn, a 41 director of the London & Birmingham Railway, when from the depot at Camden Town at the intersection telling James Cropper, a fellow director in Liverpool, of the road from Harlesden Green to Acton. He did about this idea, added that he had ‘urged this not conceive that four lines from the junction to the suggestion on the Great Western six months back’ depot would be necessary. The difficulties of traffic (i.e. in November 1833 or thereabouts) ‘and its would be confined to the depot. The whole of the adoption would have saved that body much passengers might, he thought, be accommodated but opposition and expense, but the Bristoleans did not how far it was desirable to bring the whole of the like it.’16 Glyn was not yet chairman of the LBR, but goods to the LBR depot he was scarcely prepared to he was an influential director, and was on the Finance offer any decided opinion. It must materially depend Committee. He also had close links with the GWR. on the capabilities of the Regent’s Canal.21 Glyn He was a partner in Glyn, Hallifax & Mills, the LBR’s subsequently commented that Robert Stephenson’s London bankers, and Edward Wheeler Mills, the report on the communication from the solicitors on brother of one of Glyn’s partners in the bank and the Metropolitan Trust was rather meagre. He also himself a partner from 1835, had taken the chair at wrote that George Stephenson had said that it would the first joint meeting of the GWR’s Bristol and be almost impossible to carry on the traffic of both London Committees and was a director of the GWR lines from one station, but added his view was not from 1834 until 1863. Glyn, Hallifax & Mills were officially before them.22 appointed the GWR’s bankers in London. Glyn’s brother-in-law, Riversdale William Grenfell was also Earl Cadogan and the GWR’s defeat in the House a director, but Glyn himself never became a member of Lords of the GWR board, though he held shares — he was listed as a shareholder at the end of 1835 and was appointed Treasurer in October 1835.17 Glyn was In July the Metropolitan Commissioners, when they therefore in strong position to bridge the interests of heard that the Western Railway Bill had passed the the LBR and GWR. Commons, decided to oppose it in the Lords since Glyn now told Cropper that the idea of the Turnpike they were opposed to the alternative of Brompton.23 Commissioners was of the greatest importance and In the Upper House Cadogan was the main opponent.