there were now difficulties with the avon & gloucestershire horse railway, which the canal owned. it had never been a success, and in 1841 £45,000 of capital spent on it had to be written off. then the bristol & gloucester railway bought the bristol & gloucestershire horse railway, with which the a&gr connected, and converted it to the broad gauge and to locomotive operation, the narrow gauge being left in place for the part over which the a&gr ran to coalpit heath. it took an hour to pull an a&gr train over this section, and their trains were fitted in with the six steam trains a day of the bristol & gloucester. somewhat naturally the kennet & avon complained of the results of this system, and the board of trade stopped the working by horses when it came to their ears. eventually after a discussion the b&gr offered to haul two trains a day of a&gr waggons each way along the joint stretch with their locomotives at 6d a ton including toll, and this offer was accepted.