Coming back to the viaduct, built by the contractors Tredwell's, it is amazing to see how the value of money has changed and the original proposals. Although the GWR had an offshoot company (GWR&Brentford Railway Co), that owned the docks site, relations between the 2 companies weren't always rosy. The original intention of the Brentford Railway Co. was to build a wooden trestle viaduct. GWR's engineer, working under the then 'absent' Brunel, objected and wanted a 'more substantial' structure for the viaduct. The dispute went to arbitration and the result is the viaduct we see today. The viaduct was built in time for the opening of the line (1859). The cost of the viaduct? to include all brickwork, earth banking, iron work, girders etc came to the princely sum of .... just over 2,400 pounds ! The whole line from Southall down to the docks cost just over 210,000 pounds.Other negotiations between the 2 companies concerned the cost of how much GWR would charge the Brentford offshoot for transporting goods on the line up to Southall. The line was used to replace the canal traffic, in the 12 months prior to the line opening the Grand Junction at Brentford carried well over 125,000 tons of traffic - presumably by horse drawn barge?I'll shut up in case I get labelled sad statto man.
John Wood ● 7387d