Railway Intelligence: Teign Valley Railway Bill: House of Commons, Wednesday: After the Despatch of our parcel yesterday: Mr. John Bowden, corn merchant, of Newton & Totnes, was examined by Mr. West on behalf of the South Devon opposition and said the real market of this district was Totnes, and the Buckfastleigh line would provide, in his opinion, all the accommodation that was necessary. The traffic of the district was really not such as to justify the construction of another line. The district was an exporting and not an importing one, and the natural vent for its produce was Newton … (continued discussion) … Mr. Michelmore, a landowner near Dart Bridge and proprietor of a very valuable estate consisting of orchards and pasture lands opposed the bill, and so also did Mr. French, Mr. Pinsent, and Mr. Wolston. These gentlemen all complained of the injury which would be done to their estates by the proposed line; and there was no such case of public necessity as required the sacrifice of their interests. In his opinion, there would not be traffic enough, upon the whole of the line, to pay the expenses of the first five miles out of Exeter. … … (continues) … … Mr. John Pinsent, of Newton, a maltster and coal merchant, of Newton, expressed his opinion that the proposed line was not needed, and that there was not enough traffic to support two lines of railway between Newton and Exeter and between Totnes and Exeter. The general feeling of the district, he believed, was that there was sufficient railway accommodation at present: Cross-examined by Mr. Clark: Did not attend the meetings in Chudleigh, Ashburton, or Buckfastleigh, at which petitions were adopted in favour of the line. … … (continues) …
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Referenced
GRO0518 Devonport: John Ball Pinsent: 1819 – 1901