Advised by telegram to attend at 10 am were Edward Betts and the partnership's hands-on field manager James Beatty. Beatty, a 34 year old Irishman from Enniskillen, had twelve years experience with the firm and had the reputation of being a very safe pair of hands, reliable in meeting deadlines, and getting the most out of the difficult workforce. It was a stroke of luck that he was available. A year before, he had been in Nova Scotia, surveying the first phase of the line which would link Halifax with the interior of Canada and the United States. Working in thickly wooded country into the winter months in sub zero temperatures, he had completed the survey well within the target time - possibly self preservation was the overriding motivation for the team! However the construction stage had been suspended in the uncertain economic climate that followed the outbreak of war, and Beatty had been recalled to London.
Peto outlined his requirement, which must have ellicited much pursed lips and heavy breathing. They had four days to put together a detailed plan for the Crimean Railway project for him to present to the Prime Minister Lord Aberdeen for approval. He gave them two main guidelines. The project was to operate completely independently from the army in everything except rations, and they would be entitled to cut corners from their normal passenger rail specifications in the interests of speed of construction. Betts would be responsible for procuring supplies and Beatty for personnel. Beatty would be Chief Engineer with full overall responsibilty at the site. Oh, and not to forget detailed costings. With that Peto left for the House of Commons, to start lobbying for his railway.
For the two planners the immediate problem was to get an accurate picture of the terrain. The maps available were based on a 35 year old Russian survey, with no contours. For a more up to date picture, they had to try to blend in topographic reports in the newspapers, and eye witness descriptions. By making the best use of what they had, it was clear that there were three distinct passages of terrain; easy gradient from Balaklava across the plain, the ascent to Sapourne Ridge, and level track along the Heights to the camps. For the relatively level stretches they could use dray horses. For the ascent it was impossible to judge the severity of the gradient without a survey, but they made the assumption that a winding drum cable hauling system would be able to cope. Locomotives could be placed on order as a future luxury.
