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Thomas Whitmore naturally objected to the Apley deviation. It was suggested that he should receive compensation of £15,000 plus £150 per acre for land purchased, and on 17 July 1854 Nicholson was asked to see what arrangement he could make. The new plans and sections were deposited on 30 November<ref name=Marshall31/>.
==1855==
Robert Nicholson died at his home in Newcastle on 9 May 1855, at the early age of 46, from a cold which developed into a serious illness. His health may have been weakened by overwork, as he was involved in other projects at the time including the Border Counties Railway which was about to be started. [[John Fowler]], then aged 38, was appointed to replace him.<ref name=Marshall32>Marshall (1989), pp.32-33.</ref>
On 16 June, Morton Peto chaired a special Shareholders' meeting to approve submission of a new Bill to reduce the Company's capital and authorise the deviations. On 12 July, Henry Whitmore testified to the House of Lords Committee on behalf of his brother that Thomas Whitmore was satisfied with the new arrangements and had withdrawn his objections. Fowler testified that the revised plan, together with abandoning the proposed Madeley branch, would reduce the cost to £480,000. The new Severn Valley Railway Act received Royal Assent on 30 July 1855. It repealed the 1853 Act, although the Company's incorporated status continued unchanged. The revised route, reduced share capital of £480,000 and borrowing powers of £160,000 were duly authorised, with completion to take place within 5 years.<ref name=Marshall32/>
On 16 August the Mayor of Bridgnorth wrote to the Company requesting that the location of the station at Bridgnorth be changed. By November Fowler had prepared a revised plan with two further cost saving deviations:
*leaving the OW&W line north of Hartlebury rather than south of it and rejoining the authorised route at Upper Mitton, north of Stourport, avoiding the need for second station at Hartlebury south of the OWW's, and
*leaving the authorised route near [[Eardington|Eardington ironworks]], crossing a [[Oldbury Viaduct|viaduct at Oldbury]] and passing under Bridgnorth High Town via a [[Bridgnorth Tunnel|500 yard tunnel]] (which became 550 yards as built), rejoining the authorised route at the south end of the Apley deviation. This avoided the need for two expensive bridges at Quatford (£8,000) and north of Bridgnorth (£9,000)<ref name=Marshall32/>.
==See also==
