ding, in turn, a new form
of competition with the railways.

In 1860, long distance highway traffic did seem doomed, for the "iron
horse" could cover the ground in what then appeared a prodigious pace.
Six trains ran each way between Oswestry and Welshpool on week-days and
two each way on Sundays, while excursion fares advertised in connection
with a Sunday School trip from Oswestry to Welshpool held out the
alluring advantage of "covered carriages, 1s.; first-class, 2s." for the
double journey--a figure to make the mouth of the present day passenger
water! It was hardly so necessary then, as it has proved to be on recent
occasions, to the writer's personal knowledge, for groups of mourners
travelling to a funeral to contrive to save a few pence by taking
"pleasure party" tickets!

But, as yet, no "pleasure" or any other party could proceed by rail
beyond Welshpool. Work on the remaining link, had begun; but at the
Newtown end, where arrangements had been entered into for a working
alliance with the Newtown and Llanidloes Railway. At the Welshpool end
circumstances were not so propitious. The original surveys had been made
by way of Berriew, but this necessitated carrying the line through part
of the Glansevern domain, and, as the late Earl of Powis had jocularly
remarked, in connection with the planning of a neighbouring line, the
_beau ideal_ of a railway is one that comes about a mile from one's own
house and passes through a neighbour's land.

[Picture: Kilkewydd Bridge, near Welshpool, as recently re-built.
Reproduced from the "Great Western Magazine."]

So it was to the other side of the valley that Mr. Piercy had, at length,
to carry his measuring instruments, and, crossing the Severn at
Kilkewydd, climb the long incline to Forden. Before this was finally
accomplished the dissolution of partnership between the contractors had
taken place, and while Mr. Davies transferred his attention to some
adjacent railway schemes, Mr. Savin took into partnership Mr. Ward of the
Donnett, Whittington, near Oswestry, and the name of "Savin and Ward"
was, for some years, to become as familiar in the railway world as had
previously been that of "Davies and Savin." The four mile stretch
between Newtown and Abermule was in working order and trains were running
over this isolated section of the Oswestry and Newtown system, but the
remaining gap between Abermule and Welshpool had still to receive its
finish