In December, 1835, a public meeting was held in Worcester, over which the Mayor, J. W. Lea, Esq., presided; at which it was fully determined to proceed with this Railway, which was to go from Gloucester to Worcester, on the western side the river; to cross the Severn at Worcester, thence direct to Kidderminster, and afterwards to Birmingham in one direction and Wolverhampton in another. The capital was to consist of 800,000 shares of £50 each. The shares were taken up pretty freely, and the bill was read a second time, and went into committee in March, 1837. It was strenuously opposed there by the Birmingham Canal Company, and by several landowners. The preamble was, however, declared proved. The committee divided on the point, and the numbers were—for, 15; against, 14. General Lygon, the chairman of the committee, was most indefatigable in promoting the undertaking. The bill was thrown out on bringing up the report in the House of Commons, by a majority of 165 to 88. The principal argument used against it was that it would destroy the beauty of the county of Worcester. Its defeat was principally owing to the landowners. It was attempted to be revived in the following year, but without success. * * * * * IN 1840 the Railway Commissioners were engaged in determining what would be the most desirable route for a grand trunk line which should connect the metropolis with the Welsh coast, so that the quickest possible communication might be made with Ireland. One project was to carry a line from Port Dynllaen, in Brecknockshire, to Didcot, on the Great Western line; and in this the people of Worcester felt much interested. 1840—MARCH 17—A public meeting was held in Worcester in favour of this line; and in the absence of the Mayor, Mr. Chalk, who was in London to present the address of congratulation from the town council to Her Majesty, John Dent, Esq., was called to the chair. A report from the Chamber of Commerce on the subject of the meeting was read by Mr. Alderman Edward Evans, and it was resolved to procure subscriptions in order to obtain another survey of the line of country from the Royal Commissioners. A similar meeting was held in the next week at Evesham. The Chester and Holyhead route, though the longest by several miles, was eventually preferred by the Commissioners, because Holyhead was the better harbour and starting point for vessels. * * * * * IN 1842 a branch railway was projected to connect Evesham with the Birmingham and Gloucester Railway at Eckington, but it was strenuously opposed by the owners of lands through which it must have passed, and was thereupon abandoned. * * * * *