Mr. Ammon Beasley - General Manager, Taff Vale Railway. - Mr. Beasley has made a life-long study of the numerous Parliamentary restrictions that harass the proper working of our railways. In this article, Mr. Beasley gives ' Chapter and Verse ' for many of the absurd limitations placed upon railway enterprise in its early days.

The article text applicable to the TVR states : -

The Section of the Taff Vale railway Act restricting the speed on that railway is worth quoting : -

"No locomotive or other engine or other power whatsoever for the drawing, propelling, or conveying of any articles, matters, or things on the said railway or any branches thereof, shall pass, go, or proceed on the said railway or on any of the branches thereof at a greater speed than 12 miles per hour ; and that if any person or persons shall wilfully cause such locomotive or other engine or power as aforesaid to pass, go, or proceed on the said railway or on any of the branches thereof at a greater pace or rate of speed than 12 miles per hour, such person or persons offending as aforesaid shall forfeit and pay a sum not exceeding £20 nor less than 40s. for every such offence."

Evidently the Taff Vale railway directors entertained no fear of speed greater than 12 miles an hour, as the first passenger train ever run upon the railway - a special train conveying guests to the official opening - attained a speed of over 40 miles an hour, and no body was hurt and nobody fined. But then, the directors has taken the precaution of getting the restriction repealed by an Act passed a few weeks previously. . . .