The Strand to Crystal Palace Royal Commission on London Traffic part two.

The Kearney Files

We have given much consideration to the question whether future in in central area and in outer areas which are already being covered with buildings should be in shallow subways or in deep level tubes. The question of the relative advantages of " shallow " tube railways and and " tubes " is so important for the future that we think it necessary to discuss the subject at some length. The existence of a thick and continuous bed of clay under London on the North side of the Thames was the main inducement for the adoption since 1889 of cast iron tubes for deep level underground railways, the case made for tube railways of the type of the Metropolitan and Metropolitan District Railways was based upon,
(1) The economy in construction,
(2) Avoidance of interference with street traffic, sewers and pipes during construction and consequence disturbance of trade,
(3) Avoidance of damage to adjoining properties,
(4) A supposed superiority of ventilation experience has proved that the cost of tube railways including the cost of the shafts and lifts approximates to the cost of "shallow" railways under similar conditions of locations.

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