Every Railway Bill must be read twice, both in the House of Commons and in the House of Lords. A committee, duly appointed for each House, must report upon it, and if the reports from such committees be favourable, the Bill will be read a third time, and passed.
When it has passed both Houses, the Bill receives the Royal Assent, and becomes law.
The minimum scale of four inches to a mile for the plans is so very small that it is rarely, if ever, adopted. It would necessitate enlarged plans of so many portions to show clearly the property or buildings inside the limits of deviation, that in practice it is found expedient to make the plans to a much larger scale.
[Figs. 1] and [2] show a small portion of a Parliamentary plan and section drawn to the minimum scale allowed, with an enlargement of a small part to distinguish the houses clearly.
[Figs. 3] and [4] show a part of the same plan and section drawn to a scale of 400 feet to an inch, a scale which is very frequently adopted, and is sufficiently large to distinguish the buildings and small plots, except in closely populated districts. This scale also gives ample room for reference numbers.
The Parliamentary plans and sections must be accurate in delineation, levels, and description. All property within the prescribed limits of deviation must be clearly shown, and the numbers and description on the plans and book of reference must be concise and complete, to enable the owners to ascertain to what extent they will be affected. In every place where it is proposed to interfere with any public highway, street, footpath, river or canal, the manner of such proposed alteration must be shown and described on both plan and section. The commencement and termination of every tunnel must be correctly indicated, and the length given on both plan and section. An omission of any of the above requirements might prove very detrimental to the scheme, and possibly result in the Bill being thrown out of Parliament for non-compliance with standing orders.
In carrying out the works the constructors have power to deviate the centre line either to the one side or the other, provided that such deviation will permit of the boundary of the works, or property to be acquired, to come within the limits
of deviation or property referenced, and they may also vary the levels of the line to the extent prescribed in the standing orders.