Francis Giles

Rennie employed Giles, his former pupil, to carry out the detail work for the survey of the London to Portsmouth Ship Canal.

Giles famously stated: No engineer in his senses would go through Chat Moss if he wanted to make a railway from Liverpool to Manchester.

As a result of overestimate of the costs and difficulty of crossing Chat Moss he was regarded as a cautious and safe man.

Lancashire shareholders, demanded the figures be confirmed by another engineer, but even then should Giles remain in office, they recommend that no further capital should be forthcoming.

Giles made an unauthorised approach to influential landowners and shareholders for further money and proposed deferring the bill to borrow further money, suggesting that the central unfinished portion of the line should be left incomplete until revenue from the completed London to Basingstoke and Winchester to Southampton sections were forthcoming.