Page:Rivers, Canals, Railways of Great Britain.djvu/532

 immense quantity of coal from the coal district in the neighbourhood of Birmingham, to Oxford and other towns situate upon the banks of the Thames.

OYSTERMOUTH RAILWAY.
44 George III. Cap. 55, Royal Assent 29th June, 1804.

THIS railway commences at the Brewery Bank in the town of Swansea, where it communicates with the Swansea Canal; it then travels along the banks of the Swansea Bay in a south-westerly direction past Sketty, Lelbyputt and Norton Halls, when turning towards the east it terminates at Oystermouth, not far from Castle Hill Field; from Swansea northwards it is continued on the west side of the Swansea Canal as far as Morriston, communicating with several mines on the line.

The act for executing this work was passed in the year 1804, under the title of 'An Act for making and maintaining a Railway or Tramroad from the town of Swansea, into the parish of Oystermouth, in the county of Glamorgan.' By it the proprietors are incorporated as "The Oystermouth Railway or Tramroad Company," with power to raise £8,000, in shares of £100 each; and in case this should prove inadequate, a further sum of £4,000, either by subscription amongst themselves, or by the creation of new shares, or by mortgage of the works. They are also empowered to collect the following

TONNAGE RATES.
Fractions of a Mile to be paid for as the Quarters therein, and of a Ton, for a Quarter of a Mile, as a whole Ton.

The Company also have the power of charging according to their discretion for Parcels not exceeding Five Hundred Weight.

This railroad runs through a district full of mines and minerals, and affords all the facilities for shipping their produce which works of this description are intended to supply.