Tue 20 Dec 1842
Special Meeting. Mr Buckland attended with proposal from Mr Cripps sanctioned by Mr Brunel, chief engineer to Railway Company. Span of bridge to be increased 2 feet, provided ends of timber rest on corbels. Towing path to be reduced by 2 feet, leaving a waterway of 24 feet. Agreed provided not less than 6 feet between waterside of towing path, abutments at least 26 feet, wing walls of towing path built to satisfaction of Navigation Company. Drainage of tunnel only permitted under conditions agreed for bridge in Act of Parliament.
On payment of £150, Clerk may draw off water from Stonehouse Level Monday 26 December to following Saturday night.
Repair in this level and removal of soil near Mr R L Davies’ bridge during stoppage.
At a Special Meeting of the Committee of the Stroudwater Navigation held at the Committee Room Walbridge on Tuesday the 20^th Dec^r 1842
Present: [In time 4/6 & 1/0]
M^r Jos Fisher, M^r Sam^l Fisher, M^r P H Fisher, M^r Wyatt, M^r Stanton in the Chair, M^r Cosham, M^r Hughes, M^r Croome, M^r Wathen.
M^r Buckland attended with a proposal from M^r Cripps sanctioned by M^r Brunel as Chief Engineer of the Railway Company that the Span of the intended Railway Bridge should be increased two feet provided the Ends of the Timbers might rest on Corbels, and that the Width of the towing Path should be diminished two feet more whereby a waterway of Twenty Four feet would be secured within the Northern abutment now erected.
This Proposal was taken into Consideration and it did not meet the Views of the meeting to agree to it But,
Resolved that M^r Buckland should be informed that the present Negotiation is not to be sited in any whatever to the Prejudice of the Rights and Interests of this Company unless it leads to an amicable arrangement between this Company and the Railway Company but that this Committee is (?) to agree to the Bridge being build without (?) of the Abutment now erected provided there be Space left between the Waterside of the Towing Path (which shall not be less than Six feet in Width) and the s^d Abutment at the top water Level of this Navigation of at least 26 feet and provided the Wing Walls of the towing Path be so constructed that the angle of Diversion shall not be less that One foot in One yard from each Side of the said Bridge and that the said walls be built to the Satisfaction of the Navigation Company. And further that in case the Tunnel or Heading for the drainage be continued the said Railway Company would enter into an engagement under their Common Seal to (?) the same in Repair and for the protection of this Company to a similar effect in all respects to the protection given this Company as regards the Bridge by the Act of Parliament authorising the Erection thereof by the said Railway Company.
Resolved that these Conditions being complied with by a Resolution of the Directors of the said Railway Company to be communicated to the Clerk of this Company and to be accompanied by an undertaking of the Clerk or Solicitors of this Company that the Engagement above mentioned shall be carried into effect and on payment of £150 to the Clerk of this Navigat^n he be authorised to draw off the water from the Stonehouse Level during next week and to leave the said Water drawn off from Monday next the 26^th Ins^t to the following Saturday Night when the Water is to be again let in.
Resolved also that such repair as are wanting in this level and particularly the Removal of the soil collected near M^r R S Davis's Bridge so as to impede the Navigation be removed during the Intended Stoppage.
