The following is from a paper by J Frederick Smith originally ‘Printed for Private Circulation’
Mr Smith was an acquaintance of Frederick Swanwick and was given access to his diaries and papers from which he detailed his work as below.
1832 Whitby & Pickering Railway (24 miles) Mr Swanwick carried out the survey and after a joint inspection with George Stephenson laid out the line, designed and specified the works
1833 Whitby & Pickering Railway – making drawings and superintending the construction. Assisting Mr Stephenson in his railway work in Leicestershire, Staffordshire, Cheshire and Lancashire.
1834-5 Whitby & Pickering – Construction
Midland & East junction – Assistant to Stephenson, responsible for surveying the railway
Stockport & Warrington – Assistant to Stephenson, responsible for surveying the line, providing estimates and preparation of reports. Assisting Mr Stephenson in his railway work in Leicestershire, Staffordshire, Cheshire and Lancashire.
1835-6 Whitby & Pickering – Construction
Stockport & Manchester (7 miles) – Assistant to Stephenson, superintended survey, Parliamentary plans and sections, detailed estimates, gave evidence in Committee in Parliament
Manchester & South Union Railway (71 miles) – examined the country and attended in London to oppose other railways.
Huddersfield & Leeds Railway (16 miles) – Assistant to Stephenson, surveyed the country, superintended surveys, set out the line, made plans and sections for deposit with the Clerks of the Peace, made drawings of works, estimates of cost.
London & Blackwall Railway – Consultant
York & North Midland Railway (20 miles) – Assistant to Stephenson, examined the country, superintended the survey and deposit of plans, detailed drawings of bridges, detailed estimates, superintended valuation of land, canvassed landowners, attended Committees of Parliament.
North Midland Railway – Assistant to Stephenson – examined country from Derby to Leeds, superintended surveys, made drawings, detailed estimates, attended Committees of Parliament.
Sheffield & Rotherham Railway (5 miles) – engineer in chief. Examined country, superintended surveys, deposited plans, made drawings, estimates, attended Parliamentary Committee
1836-7 Whitby & Pickering Railway – completed construction
North Midland Railway – Setting out railway, making detailed drawings, letting contracts, superintending construction.
Doncaster, North Midland & Goole Railway (22 miles) Acting engineer – Superintended surveys, examined the country, waited upon landowners, made estimates
1838-40 North Midland Railway – constructing and completion
Sheffield & Rotherham Railway – constructing and completion
1841-4 North Midland Railway – resident engineer. Surveying, preparing plans obtaining Acts of Parliament for extensions to the Midland Railway such as Erewash Valley, Nottingham and Lincoln, Nottingham and Mansfield, Pinxton and Mansfield, junction railways between Midland Railway and Manchester, Sheffield and Lincolnshire.
1844-5 Darfield to Worsborough (5 miles); Darfield to Elsecar (3 miles); Chevet to Horbury (4 miles); Oakenshaw to Wakefield (3 miles); Ambergate to Crich (3 miles) Robert Stephenson and Frederick Swanwick engineers. Country examined, lines surveyed, plans deposited, estimates and design made
Swinton to Lincoln Railway (44 miles) Robert Stephenson & Frederick Swanwick engineers – examined country, superintended survey, deposited plans, made estimates and designs. Attended Committees of Parliament, and opposing Wakefield, Pontefract and Goole Railways, also Manchester, Sheffield and Midland Junction Railway.
1845-6 Leeds,Wakefield and Midland Junction Railway, (6 miles) Frederick Swanwick engineer. Examined country, took trial levels, superintended surveys, lithograph plans and sections, attended Parliamentary Committees.
Great Grimsby, Louth, Horncastle, Lincoln and Midland Junction Railway (45 miles). Examined Country, superintended surveys, deposited plans, made drawings, estimates, examined opposing railway projects, attended Committees of Parliament.
Eastern Counties Railway, (54 miles) – Robert Stephenson and Frederick Swanwick, engineers. Examined country, directing and completing surveys, detailed estimates, attended Parliamentary Committees.
Sheffield, Bakewell and West Midland Railway, (32 miles) – Robert Stephenson and Frederick Swanwick
Northampton, Banbury and Cheltenham Railway. Offered appointment as engineer.
Darfield to Worsborough (5 miles); Darfield to Elsecar (3 miles); Chevet to Horbury (4 miles) Robert Stephenson and Frederick Swanwick engineers, second application to Parliament
Swinton to Lincoln. Robert Stephenson and Frederick Swanwick engineers. Second application to Parliament.
Lincoln to South Milford (53 miles) Robert Stephenson and Frederick Swanwick engineers. Examined country, superintended surveys, deposited plans, made drawings and estimates.
1846-7 Sheffield, Barnsley, Doncaster and Goole Railway (43 miles) Robert Stephenson and Frederick Swanwick engineers. Examined country, superintended surveys, deposited plans, made drawings and estimates.
Shropshire Union Railway, (55 miles) Robert Stephenson and Frederick Swanwick engineers. Examined country, superintended surveys, deposited plans, made drawings and estimates.
Wakefield and Harrogate Railway, (18 miles) – Frederick Swanwick engineer. Examined country, superintended surveys, deposited plans, made drawings and estimates.
1847-8 Newark and Gainsboro’ Railway (20 miles) Robert Stephenson and Frederick Swanwick engineers, Superintended surveys, deposited plans, made drawings and estimates.
1848- No new enterprises noted. Was engaged completing Midland Railway Branches already authorised, such as Nottingham and Mansfield (opened in 1848); Midland and Sheffield and Manchester (opened 1847); Erewash Valley, completed in 1848; Nottingham and Lincoln; many branch railways in Midland system.