At a meeting held the 16th day of March, 1818, in the Town's-Hall, at
Knaresbro', your Committee were authorised to appoint a suitable person
to take a survey of the country, in order to point out the most eligible
line for a Canal to Knaresbro'.
After various correspondence with different engineers, the choice of your
Committee fell upon Thomas Telford, Esq. a gentleman of long experience,
and of whose abilities, as a civil engineer, every reliance was placed.
About the latter end of May following, this gentleman visited Knaresbro',
viewed the localities of the place, took running and comparative levels
over the shortest and most convenient ground, to the higher side of
Linton-lock, and also towards Tadcaster. In the latter direction, as
being a more direct communication with the port of Hull, he fully
recommended a close survey to be made, for which purpose he sent his
assistant Mr. Palmer, who commenced the survey with such other assistance
as he required, about the latter end of June, and continued surveying and
levelling in various directions until the middle of September;--about
this time your Committee became alarmed for the success of the intended
Canal, both on account of the unfavourable ground between the town of
Knaresbro' and Ribston, and the difficulty of obtaining a sufficient head
of water in a natural manner.
Besides at this time the elevated situation of Knaresbro' above the
Wharfe was ascertained to be 198 feet, equal to 22 locks of 9 feet each;
and hence, even if water could be obtained at a cheap rate, by artificial
means, the number of locks requisite for locking down into a navigable
part of the river Wharfe or Ouse, distant about twenty miles, would alone
render the project unadvisable, by swelling the expense of the work in
such a manner as would totally destroy the expected advantages to be
derived by the trade of Knaresbro' and the surrounding neighbourhood, or
leave little or no hopes for the shareholders receiving a fair per
centage for their money embarked.
Under these circumstances your committee abandoned all further hopes of a
Canal, and notwithstanding the funds then collected for the survey were
exhausted, they relied on the same spirit which gave rise to the project,
and felt convinced of the great utility and advantages of a Rail-way, if
taken from a navigable part of the river Wharfe, and continued, passing
Knaresbro', up the valley to Pateley-Bridge.
The object of extending the work thus far, was, in order to secure the
back carriage of the lead, which is produced on a large scale in that
neighbourhood, besides the excellent lime for agricultural purposes made
at Greenhow-Hill, and the very excellent stone to be had there for making
and repairing of highways; together with the inexhaustible quantities of
stone for all purposes of building, which by the accounts we have of it,
cannot be excelled; and also the produce of many flax and cotton mills,
all of which are turned by water, and hence more likely to increase in
number than diminish; the quantity of tonnage to be found in that
direction, at a comparatively small expense in obtaining it, added to the
tonnage of the lower end of the line, would, undoubtedly increase, not
only the utility of the work, as regards the country in general, but give
a preponderating quantity of tonnage in a descending direction; the
advantages of which were so obvious to your Committee, that a survey
nearly upon new ground was undertaken, and continued under very
favourable hopes, till at length it was brought within the compass of
both plans and sections, and exhibited to your Committee about the latter
end of January, 1819.
From which data, and what more Mr. Palmer was able to give Mr. Telford
from his own observations, your Committee requested Mr. Telford to give
his estimates of the most advantageous manner of communicating this place
with the navigable part of the river Ouse at Acaster Sailby, (this being
at that time the point fixed on at the lower end of the line) either by a
double Rail-way only, or by a double Rail-way to the Brook Crimple, and
hence by a Canal to Acaster Sailby, taking the water from this brook as a
supply, and forward from Knaresbro' to Pateley-bridge, by a single
Rail-way, with passing places.