South Australian Railway Company
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The South Australian Railway Company was an attempt in the 1840s by private capitalists to establish a railway in the infant colony of South Australia. The company was based in London, where most of the capital was to be raised, £25,000 in the first instance. There were two or three local directors, since in the days before electric undersea cable telegraph, London was too far away for effective control.
The first route from Adelaide to Port Adelaide was only 6 miles long, quite straight and flat and suitable for horse drawn operation. The initial line was to be single track, with frequent crossing loops.
A longer route to the Burra copper mines was proposed later on.
Directors
British directors (possibly incomplete): G. F. Angas, Esq., George Barnes Esq, W.G Gover, Esq., Rowland Hill, Esq., J. B. Montefiore, Esq.: Managing Director.—Edwin Hill, Esq.: Colonial Director—Robert Gouger, Esq.
The provisional committee in February 1846 was:[1]
- Capt. Bagot M.L.C.
- John Baker Esq.
- Charles Beck, Esq.
- James Bunce, Esq.
- William Giles, Esq.
- Jacob Hagen, Esq. M.L.C.
- John Hart, Esq.
- Capt. George Hall
- James Henderson, Esq.
- E. L. Montefiore, Esq.
- J. B. Neales, Esq.
- William Peacock, Esq.
- Saml. Stocks, Jun., Esq.
- W. Younghusband, Esq.
