Railway Regulation Act, 1842

Board of Trade may postpone the opening.

6.[1] If the officer or officers appointed by the lords of the said committee to inspect any such railway or portion of railway shall, after inspection thereof, report in writing to the lords of the said committee that in his or their opinion the opening of the same would be attended with danger to the public using the same, by reason of the incompleteness of the works or permanent way, or the insufficiency of the establishment for working such railway, together with the grounds of such opinion, it shall be lawful for the lords of the said committee, and so from time to time, as often as such officers shall after further inspection thereof so report, to order and direct the company, to whom such railway shall belong, to postpone such opening for any period not exceeding one calendar month at any one time, until it shall appear to the lords of the said committee that such opening may take place without danger to the public; and if any such railway, or any portion thereof, shall be opened contrary to any such order and direction of the lords of the said committee, the company, to whom such railway shall belong, shall forfeit to her Majesty the sum of twenty pounds for every day during which the same shall continue open contrary to such order and direction; and any such penalty may be recovered in any of her Majesty’s courts of record, or in the court of session or in any of the sheriffs courts in Scotland: Provided always, that no such order as aforesaid shall be binding upon any railway company unless therewith shall be binding upon any railway company unless therewith shall be delivered to the said company a copy of the report of the officer or officers on which such order shall be founded.

[Ss. 7, 8 rep. 34 & 35 Vict. c. 78. s. 17.]