the company's share issue if it could raise £30,000. On 5 June 1856 the East Somerset Railway Act was passed, authorising share capital of £75,000. The City of Wells had anticipated a rail connection from the Somerset Central Railway, which had opened from Glastonbury to Highbridge in 1854; the Somerset Central main line was to have passed through the City, but the railway's priorities had changed and even a branch connection was much delayed. Accordingly, interested parties in Wells approached the provisional directors of the East Somerset line; if Wells subscribed £12,500, would the ESR connect to their city? They would, and nearly all of the promised subscription was quickly forthcoming; the ESR obtained an Act on 25 July 1857 extending their powers to reach Wells, and authorising an additional £40,000 capital. The connection to Wells opened in 1862. Contract had been let to Brotherhood for the construction of the Shepton Mallet section early in 1857 and in October 1858 Captain Yolland of the Board of Trade visited the line for the formal inspection prior to opening for passengers. There were a number of detail issues: a turntable was provided at Shepton Mallet but not at Witham; and the signalling arrangements at Witham were questionable. The Company undertook that only tank engines would be used, rendering the turntable unnecessary, and Brunel personally managed to persuade the Board of Trade that opening was permissible: they agreed, and the opening took place on 9 November 1858. The line was single, and on the broad gauge with longitudinal sleepers and bridge rails. The GWR would work the line including maintaining the permanent way. Extending to Wells The Somerset Central Railway opened its line as far as Wells on 15 March 1859, and seeing that the projected ESR extension there would abstract business from them, they proposed to the ESR that the two lines should link at Street, combine and arrange for the whole combined line to be worked by the GWR. The ESR did not favour this arrangement, and decided to proceed with its own extension. However the implacable opposition of a landowner made adherence to the route originally designed impracticable, and a deviation to avoid his residence was planned; this was authorised by another Act of 14 June 1860. It appears that a connection with the Somerset Central Railway at Wells had been included in the original Act, but that this was