George and Robert Stephenson — Introduction Part 2

Perhaps the most striking of all the illustrations that could be offered of the extent to which railways facilitate the locomotion, the industry, and the subsistence of the population of large towns and cities, is afforded by the working of the railway system in connection with the capital of Great Britain.

The extension of railways to London has been of comparatively recent date; the whole of the lines connecting it with the provinces and terminating at its outskirts, having been opened during the last thirty years, while the lines inside London have for the most part been opened within the last sixteen years.

The first London line was the Greenwich Railway, part of which was opened for traffic to Deptford in February 1836. The working of this railway was first exhibited as a show, and the usual attractions were employed to make it "draw."

A band of musicians in the garb of the Beef-eaters was stationed at the London end, and another band at Deptford.

For cheapness' sake the Deptford band was shortly superseded by a large barrel-organ, which played in the passengers; but, when the traffic became established, the barrel organ, as well as the beef-eater band at the London end, were both discontinued.

The whole length of the line was lit up at night by a row of lamps on either side like a street, as if to enable the locomotives or the passengers to see their way in the dark;

but these lamps also were eventually discontinued as unnecessary.

As a show, the Greenwich Railway proved tolerably successful.

During the first eleven months it carried 456,750 passengers, or an average of about 1300 a-day.

But the railway having been found more convenient to the public than either the river boats or the omnibuses, the number of passengers rapidly increased.

When the Croydon, Brighton, and South-Eastern Railways began to pour their streams of traffic over the Greenwich viaduct, its accommodation was found much too limited; and it was widened from time to time, until now nine lines of railway are laid side by side, over which more than twenty millions of passengers are carried yearly, or an average of about 60,000 a day all the year round.

Since the partial opening of the Greenwich Railway in 1836, a large extent of railways has been constructed in and about the metropolis, and convenient stations have been established almost in the heart of the City.

Sixteen of these stations are within a circle of half a mile radius from the Mansion House, and above three hundred stations are in actual use within about five miles of Charing Cross.

To accommodate this vast traffic, not fewer than 3600 local trains are run in and out daily, besides 340 trains which depart to and arrive from distant places, north, south, east, and west.

In the morning hours, between 8. 30 and 10. 30, when business men are proceeding inwards to their offices and counting-houses, and in the afternoon between four and six, when they are returning outwards to their homes, as many as two thousand stoppages are made in the hour, within the metropolitan district, for the purpose of taking up and setting down passengers, while about two miles of railway are covered by the running trains.

One of the remarkable effects of railways has been to extend the residential area of all large towns and cities.

This is especially notable in the case of London.

Before the introduction of railways, the residential area of the metropolis was limited by the time occupied by business men in making the journey outwards and inwards daily; and it was for the most part bounded by Bow on the east, by Hampstead and Highgate on the north, by Paddington and Kensington on the west, and by Clapham and Brixton on the south.

But now that stations have been established near the centre of the city, and places so distant as Waltham, Barnet, Watford, Hanwell, Richmond, Epsom, Croydon, Reigate, and Erith, can be more quickly reached by rail than the old suburban quarters were by omnibus, the metropolis has become extended in all directions along its railway lines, and the population of London, instead of living in the City or its immediate vicinity, as formerly, have come to occupy a residential area of not less than six hundred square miles!

The number of new towns which have consequently sprung into existence near London within the last twenty years has been very great; towns numbering from ten to twenty thousand inhabitants, which before were but villages,--if, indeed, they existed.

This has especially been the case along the lines south of the Thames, principally in consequence of the termini of those lines being more conveniently situated for city men of business.

Hence the rapid growth of the suburban towns up and down the river, from Richmond and Staines on the west, to Erith and Gravesend on the east, and the hives of population which have settled on the high grounds south of the Thames, in the neighbourhood of Norwood and the Crystal Palace, rapidly spreading over the Surrey Downs, from Wimbledon to Guildford, and from Bromley to Croydon, Epsom, and Dorking.

And now that the towns on the south and south-east coast can be reached by city men in little more time than it takes to travel to Clapham or Bayswater by omnibus, such places have become as it were parts of the great metropolis, and Brighton and Hastings are but the marine suburbs of London.

The improved state of the communications of the City with the country has had a marked effect upon its population.

While the action of the railways has been to add largely to the number of persons living in London, it has also been accompanied by their dispersion over a much larger area.

Thus the population of the central parts of London is constantly decreasing, whereas that of the suburban districts is as constantly increasing.

The population of the City fell off more than 10,000 between 1851 and 1861; and during the same period, that of Holborn, the Strand, St. Martin's-in-the-Fields, St. James's, Westminster, East and West London, showed a considerable decrease.

But, as regards the whole mass of the metropolitan population, the increase has been enormous.

Thus, starting from 1801, when the population of London was 958,863, we find it increasing in each decennial period at the rate of between two and three hundred thousand, until the year 1841, when it amounted to 1,948,369. Railways had by that time reached London, after which its population increased at nearly double the former ratio.

In the ten years ending 1851, the increase was 513,867; and in the ten years ending 1861, 441,753: until now, to quote the words of the Registrar-General in a recent annual Report, "the population within the registration limits is by estimate 2,993,513; but beyond this central mass there is a ring of life growing rapidly, and extending along railway lines over a circle of fifteen miles from Charing Cross.

The population within that circle, patrolled by the metropolitan police, is about 3,463,771"!

The aggregation of so vast a number of persons within so comparatively limited an area--the immense quantity of food required for their daily sustenance, as well as of fuel, clothing, and other necessaries--would be attended with no small inconvenience and danger, but for the facilities again provided by the railways.

The provisioning of a garrison of even four thousand men is considered a formidable affair; how much more so the provisioning of nearly four millions of people!

The whole mystery is explained by the admirable organisation of the railway service, and the regularity and despatch with which it is conducted.

We are enabled by the courtesy of the General Managers of the London railways to bring together the following brief summary of facts relating to the food supply of London, which will probably be regarded by most readers as of a very remarkable character.

Generally speaking, the railways to the south of the Thames contribute comparatively little towards the feeding of London.

They are, for the most part passenger and residential lines, traversing a limited and not very fertile district bounded by the sea-coast; and, excepting in fruit and vegetables, milk and hops, they probably carry more food from London than they bring to it.

The principal supplies of grain, flour, potatoes, and fish, are brought by railway from the eastern counties of England and Scotland; and of cattle and sheep, beef and mutton, from the grazing counties of the west and north-west of Britain, as far as the Highlands of Scotland, which have, through the instrumentality of railways, become part of the great grazing grounds of the metropolis.

Take first "the staff of life"--bread and its constituents.

Of wheat, not less than 222,080 quarters were brought into London by railway in 1867, besides what was brought by sea; of oats 151,757 quarters; of barley 70,282 quarters; of beans and peas 51,448 quarters.

Of the wheat and barley, by far the largest proportion is brought by the Great Eastern Railway, which delivers in London in one year 155,000 quarters of wheat and 45,500 quarters of barley, besides 600,429 quarters more in the form of malt.

The largest quantity of oats is brought by the Great Northern Railway, principally from the north of England and the East of Scotland,--the quantity delivered by that Company in 1867 having been 97,500 quarters, besides 24,664 quarters of wheat, 5560 quarters of barley, and 103,917 quarters of malt.

Again, of 1,250,566 sacks of flour and meal delivered in London in one year, the Great Eastern brings 654,000 sacks, the Great Northern 232,022 sacks, and the Great Western 136,312 sacks; the principal contribution of the London and North-Western Railway towards the London bread-stores being 100,760 boxes of American flour, besides 24,300 sacks of English.

The total quantity of malt delivered at the London railway stations in 1867 was thirteen hundred thousand sacks.

Next, as to flesh meat.

In 1867, not fewer than 172,300 head of cattle were brought to London by railway,--though this was considerably less than the number carried before the cattle-plague, the Great Eastern Railway alone having carried 44,672 less than in 1864. But this loss has since been more than made up by the increased quantities of fresh beef, mutton, and other kinds of meat imported in lieu of the live animals.

The principal supplies of cattle are brought, as we have said, by the Western, Northern, and Eastern lines: by the Great Western from the western counties and Ireland; by the London and North-Western, the Midland, and the Great Northern from the northern counties and from Scotland; and by the Great Eastern from the eastern counties and from the ports of Harwich and Lowestoft.

In 1867, also, 1,147,609 sheep were brought to London by railway, of which the Great Eastern delivered not less than 265,371 head.

The London and North-Western and Great Northern between them brought 390,000 head from the northern English counties, with a large proportion from the Scotch Highlands.

While the Great Western brought up 130,000 head from the Welsh mountains and from the rich grazing districts of Wilts, Gloucester, Somerset, and Devon.

Another important freight of the London and North-Western Railway consists of pigs, of which they delivered 54,700 in London, principally Irish; while the Great Eastern brought up 27,500 of the same animal, partly foreign.

While the cattle-plague had the effect of greatly reducing the number of live stock brought into London yearly, it gave a considerable impetus to the Fresh Meat traffic.

Thus, in addition to the above large numbers of cattle and sheep delivered in London in 1867, the railways brought 76,175 tons of meat, which--taking the meat of an average beast at 800 lbs.

, and of an average sheep at 64 lbs.

--would be equivalent to about 112,000 more cattle, and 1,267,500 more sheep.

The Great Northern brought the largest quantity; next the London and North-Western;--these two Companies having brought up between them, from distances as remote as Aberdeen and Inverness, about 42,000 tons of fresh meat in 1867, at an average freight of about 0. 5d.

a lb.

Again as regards Fish, of which six-tenths of the whole quantity consumed in London is now brought by rail.

The Great Eastern and the Great Northern are by far the largest importers of this article, and justify their claim to be regarded as the great food lines of London.

Of the 61,358 tons of fish brought by railway in 1867, not less than 24,500 tons were delivered by the former, and 22,000 tons, brought from much longer distances, by the latter Company.

The London and North-Western brought about 6000 tons, the principal part of which was salmon from Scotland and Ireland.

The Great Western also brought about 4000 tons, partly salmon, but the greater part mackerel from the south-west coast.

During the mackerel season, as much as a hundred tons at a time are brought into the Paddington Station by express fish-train from Cornwall.

The Great Eastern and Great Northern Companies are also the principal carriers of turkeys, geese, fowls, and game; the quantity delivered in London by the former Company having been 5042 tons.

In Christmas week no fewer than 30,000 turkeys and geese were delivered at the Bishopsgate Station, besides about 300 tons of poultry, 10,000 barrels of beer, and immense quantities of fish, oysters, and other kinds of food.

As much as 1600 tons of poultry and game were brought last year by the South-Western Railway; 600 tons by the Great Northern Railway; and 130 tons of turkeys, geese, and fowls, by the London, Chatham and Dover line, principally from France.

Of miscellaneous articles, the Great Northern and the Midland each brought about 3000 tons of cheese, the South-Western 2600 tons, and the London and North-Western 10,034 cheeses in number; while the South-Western and Brighton lines brought a splendid contribution to the London breakfast-table in the shape of 11,259 _tons_ of French eggs;

these two Companies delivering between them an average of more than three millions of eggs a week all the year round!

The same Companies delivered in London 14,819 tons of butter, for the most part the produce of the farms of Normandy,--the greater cleanness and neatness with which the Normandy butter is prepared for market rendering it a favourite both with dealers and consumers of late years compared with Irish butter.

The London, Chatham and Dover Company also brought from Calais 96 tons of eggs.

Next, as to the potatoes, vegetables, and fruit, brought by rail.

Forty years since, the inhabitants of London relied for their supply of vegetables on the garden-grounds in the immediate neighbourhood of the metropolis, and the consequence was that they were both very dear and limited in quantity.

But railways, while they have extended the grazing-grounds of London as far as the Highlands, have at the same time extended the garden-grounds of London into all the adjoining counties--into East Kent, Essex, Suffolk, and Norfolk, the vale of Gloucester, and even as far as Penzance in Cornwall.

The London, Chatham and Dover, one of the youngest of our main lines, brought up from East Kent in 1867 5279 tons of potatoes, 1046 tons of vegetables, and 5386 tons of fruit, besides 542 tons of vegetables from France.

The South-Eastern brought 25,163 tons of the same produce.

The Great Eastern brought from the eastern counties 21,315 tons of potatoes, and 3596 tons of vegetables and fruit; while the Great Northern brought no less than 78,505 tons of potatoes--a large part of them from the east of Scotland--and 3768 tons of vegetables and fruit.

About 6000 tons of early potatoes were brought from Cornwall, with about 5000 tons of broccoli, and the quantities are steadily increasing.

"Truly London hath a large belly," said old Fuller, two hundred years since.

But how much more capacious is it now!

One of the most striking illustrations of the utility of railways in contributing to the supply of wholesome articles of food to the population of large cities, is to be found in the rapid growth of the traffic in Milk.

Readers of newspapers may remember the descriptions published some years since of the horrid dens in which London cows were penned, and of the odious compound sold by the name of milk, of which the least deleterious ingredient in it was supplied by the "cow with the iron tail."

That state of affairs is now completely changed.

What with the greatly improved state of the London dairies and the better quality of the milk supplied by them, together with the large quantities brought by railway from a range of a hundred miles and more all round London, even the poorest classes in the metropolis are now enabled to obtain as wholesome a supply of the article as the inhabitants of most country towns.

These great streams of food, which we have thus so summarily described, flow into London so continuously and uninterruptedly, that comparatively few persons are aware of the magnitude and importance of the process thus daily going forward.

Though gathered from an immense extent of country--embracing England, Scotland, Wales, and Ireland--the influx is so unintermitted that it is relied upon with as much certainty as if it only came from the counties immediately adjoining London.

The express meat-train from Aberdeen arrives in town as punctually as the Clapham omnibus, and the express milk-train from Aylesbury is as regular in its delivery as the penny post.

Indeed London now depends so much upon railways for its subsistence, that it may be said to be fed by them from day to day, having never more than a few days' food in stock.

And the supply is so regular and continuous, that the possibility of its being interrupted never for a moment occurs to any one.

Yet in these days of strikes amongst workmen, such a contingency is quite within the limits of possibility.

Another contingency, which might arise during a state of war, is probably still more remote.

But were it possible for a war to occur between England and a combination of foreign powers possessed of stronger ironclads than ours, and that they were able to ram our ships back into port and land an enemy of overpowering force on the Essex coast, it would be sufficient for them to occupy or cut the railways leading from the north, to starve London into submission in less than a fortnight.

Besides supplying London with food, railways have also been instrumental in ensuring the more regular and economical supply of fuel,--a matter of almost as vital importance to the population in a climate such as that of England.

So long as the market was supplied with coal brought by sea in sailing ships, fuel in winter often rose to a famine price, especially during long-continued easterly winds.

But now that railways are in full work, the price is almost as steady in winter as in summer, and (but for strikes) the supply is more regular at all seasons.

But the carriage of food and fuel to London forms but a small part of the merchandise traffic carried by railway.

Above 600,000 tons of goods of various kinds yearly pass through one station only, that of the London and North-Western Company, at Camden Town; and sometimes as many as 20,000 parcels daily.

Every other metropolitan station is similarly alive with traffic inwards and outwards, London having since the introduction of railways become more than ever a great distributive centre, to which merchandise of all kinds converges, and from which it is distributed to all parts of the country.

Mr. Bazley, M. P.

, stated at a late public meeting at Manchester, that it would probably require ten millions of horses to convey by road the merchandise traffic which is now annually carried by railway.

Railways have also proved of great value in connection with the Cheap Postage system.

By their means it has become possible to carry letters, newspapers, books and post parcels, in any quantity, expeditiously, and cheaply.

The Liverpool and Manchester line was no sooner opened in 1830, than the Post Office authorities recognised its utility, and used it for carrying the mails between the two towns.

When the London and Birmingham line was opened eight years later, mail trains were at once put on,--the directors undertaking to perform the distance of 113 miles within 5 hours by day and 5. 5 hours by night.

As additional lines were opened, the old four-horse mail coaches were gradually discontinued, until in 1858, the last of them, the "Derby Dilly," which ran between Manchester and Derby, was taken off on the opening of the Midland line to Rowsley.

The increased accommodation provided by railways was found of essential importance, more particularly after the adoption of the Cheap Postage system; and that such accommodation was needed will be obvious from the extraordinary increase which has taken place in the number of letters and packets sent by post.

Thus, in 1839, the number of chargeable letters carried was only 76 millions, and of newspapers 44. 5 millions; whereas, in 1865, the numbers of letters had increased to 720 millions, and in 1867 to 775 millions, or more than ten-fold, while the number of newspapers, books, samples and patterns (a new branch of postal business began in 1864) had increased, in 1865, to 98. 5 millions.

To accommodate this largely-increasing traffic, the bulk of which is carried by railway, the mileage run by mail trains in the United Kingdom has increased from 25,000 miles a day in 1854 (the first year of which we have any return of the mileage run) to 60,000 miles a day in 1867, or an increase of 240 per cent.

The Post Office expenditure on railway service has also increased, but not in like proportion, having been 364,000 pounds in the former year, and 559,575 pounds in the latter, or an increase of 154 per cent.

The revenue, gross and net, has increased still more rapidly.

In 1841, the first complete year of the Cheap Postage system, the gross revenue was 1,359,466 pounds and the net revenue 500,789 pounds; in 1854, the gross revenue was 2,574,407 pounds, and the net revenue 1,173,723 pounds; and in 1867, the gross revenue was 4,548,129 pounds, and the net revenue 2,127,125 pounds, being an increase of 420 per cent.

compared with 1841, and of 180 per cent.

compared with 1854. How much of this net increase might fairly be credited to the Railway Postal service we shall not pretend to say; but assuredly the proportion must be very considerable.

One of the great advantages of railways in connection with the postal service is the greatly increased frequency of communication which they provide between all the large towns.

Thus Liverpool has now six deliveries of Manchester letters daily; while every large town in the kingdom has two or more deliveries of London letters daily.

In 1863, 393 towns had two mails daily from London; 50 had three mails daily; 7 had four mails a day _from_ London, and 15 had four mails a day _to_ London;

while 3 towns had five mails a day _from_ London, and 6 had five mails a day _to_ London.

Another feature of the railway mail train, as of the passenger train, is its capacity to carry any quantity of letters and post parcels that may require to be carried.

In 1838, the aggregate weight of all the evening mails despatched from London by twenty-eight mail coaches was 4 tons 6 cwt.

, or an average of about 3. 25 cwt.

each, though the maximum contract weight was 15 cwt.

The mails now are necessarily much heavier, the number of letters and packets having, as we have seen, increased more than ten-fold since 1839. But it is not the ordinary so much as the extraordinary mails that are of considerable weight,--more particularly the American, the Continental, and the Australian mails.

It is no unusual thing, we are informed, for the last-mentioned mail to weigh as much as 40 tons.

How many of the old mail coaches it would take to carry such a mail the 79 miles journey to Southampton, with a relay of four horses every five or seven miles, is a problem for the arithmetician to solve.

But even supposing each coach to be loaded to the maximum weight of 15 cwt.

per coach, it would require about sixty vehicles and about 1700 horses to carry the 40 tons, besides the coachman and guards.

Whatever may be said of the financial management of railways, there can be no doubt as to the great benefits conferred by them on the public wherever made.

Even those railways which have exhibited the most "frightful examples" of financing and jobbing, have been found to prove of unquestionable public convenience and utility.

And notwithstanding all the faults and imperfections that have been alleged against railways, we think that they must, nevertheless, be recognised as by far the most valuable means of communication between men and nations that has yet been given to the world.

The author's object in publishing this book in its original form, was to describe, in connection with the 'Life of George Stephenson,' the origin and progress of the railway system,--to show by what moral and material agencies its founders were enabled to carry their ideas into effect, and work out results which even then were of a remarkable character, though they have since, as above described, become so much more extraordinary.

The favour with which successive editions of the book have been received, has justified the author in his anticipation that such a narrative would prove of general, if not of permanent interest.

The book was written with the concurrence and assistance of Robert Stephenson, who also supplied the necessary particulars relating to himself.

Such portions of these were accordingly embodied in the narrative as could with propriety be published during his lifetime, and the remaining portions have since been added, with the object of rendering more complete the record of the son's life as well as of the early history of the Railway system.

CONTENTS

CHAPTER I. NEWCASTLE AND THE GREAT NORTHERN COAL-FIELDS.

The colliery districts of the Pages 1-11 North--Newcastle-upon-Tyne in ancient times--The Roman settlement--Social insecurity in the Middle Ages--Northumberland roads--The coal-trade--Modern Newcastle--Coal haulage--Early waggon-roads, tram-roads, and railways--Machinery of coal-mines--Newcomen's fire-engine--The colliers, their character and habits--Coal-staiths--The keelmen CHAPTER II. WYLAM AND DEWLEY BURN--GEORGE STEPHENSON'S EARLY YEARS.

Wylam Colliery and village--George Stephenson's 12-30 birth-place--His parents--The Stephenson family--Old Robert Stephenson--George's boyhood--Dewley Burn Colliery--Sister Nell's bonnet--Employed as a herd-boy--Makes clay engines--Follows the plough--Employed as corf-bitter--Drives the gin-horse--Black Callerton Colliery--Love of animals--Made assistant-fireman--Old Robert and family shift their home--Jolly's Close, Newburn--Family earnings--George as fireman--His athletic feats--Throckley Bridge--"A made man for life!"

--Appointed engineman--Studies his engine--Experiments in egg-hatching--Puts himself to school, and learns to read--His schoolmasters--Progress in arithmetic--His dog--Learns to brake--Brakesman at Black Callerton--Duties of brakesman--Begins shoe-making--Fanny Henderson--Saves his first guinea--Fight with a pitman CHAPTER III. ENGINEMAN AT WILLINGTON QUAY AND KILLINGWORTH.

Sobriety and studiousness--Inventiveness--Removes to 31-46 Willington Quay--Marries Fanny Henderson--Their cottage at Willington--Attempts at perpetual motion--William Fairbairn and George Stephenson--Ballast-heaving--Chimney on fire, and clock-cleaning--Birth of Robert Stephenson--George removes to West Moor, Killingworth--Death of his wife--Engineman at Montrose, Scotland--His pump-boot--Saves money--His return to Killingworth--Brakesman at West Moor--Is drawn for the Militia--Thinks of emigrating to America--Takes a contract for brakeing engines--Improves the winding-engine--Cures a pumping-engine--Becomes famous as an engine-doctor--Appointed engine-wright of a colliery CHAPTER IV.

THE STEPHENSONS AT KILLINGWORTH--EDUCATION AND SELF-EDUCATION OF FATHER AND SON.

George Stephenson's self-improvement--John 47-62 Wigham--Studies in Natural Philosophy--Sobriety--Education of Robert Stephenson--Sent to Rutter's school, Benton--Bruce's school, Newcastle--Literary and Philosophical Institute--George educates his son in Mechanics--Ride to Killingworth--Robert's boyish tricks--Repeats the Franklin kite-experiment--Stephenson's cottage, West Moor--Odd mechanical expedients--Competition in last-making--Father and son make a sun-dial--Colliery improvements--Stephenson's mechanical expertness CHAPTER V.

EARLY HISTORY OF THE LOCOMOTIVE--GEORGE STEPHENSON BEGINS ITS IMPROVEMENT.

Various expedients for 63-88 coal-haulage--Sailing-waggons--Mr. Edgworth's experiments--Cugnot's first locomotive steam-carriage--Murdock's model locomotive--Trevithick's steam-carriage and tram-engine--Blenkinsop's engine--Chapman and Brunton's locomotives--The Wylam waggon-way--Mr. Blackett's experiments--Jonathan Foster--William Hedley--The Wylam engine--Stephenson determines to build a locomotive--Lord Ravensworth--The first Killingworth engine described--The steam-blast invented--Stephenson's second locomotive CHAPTER VI. INVENTION OF THE "GEORDY" SAFETY-LAMP.

Frequency of colliery explosions--Accident in the 89-108 Killingworth Pit--Stephenson's heroic conduct--A safety-lamp described--Dr. Clanny's lamp--Stephenson's experiments on fire-damp--Designs a lamp, and tests it in the pit--Cottage experiments with coal-gas--Stephenson's second and third lamps--The Stephenson and Davy controversy--Scene at the Newcastle Institute--The Davy testimonial--The Stephenson testimonial--Merits of the "Geordy" lamp CHAPTER VII.

GEORGE STEPHENSON'S FURTHER IMPROVEMENTS IN THE LOCOMOTIVE--THE HETTON RAILWAY--ROBERT STEPHENSON AS VIEWER'S APPRENTICE AND STUDENT.

The Killingworth mine machinery--Stephenson improves 109-122 his locomotive--Strengthens the road--His patent--His steam-springs--Experiments on friction--Steam-locomotion on common roads--Early neglect of the locomotive--Stephenson again thinks of emigration--Constructs the Hetton Railway--The working power employed--Robert Stephenson viewer's apprentice--His pursuits at Killingworth--His father sends him to Edinburgh University--His application to the studies of Chemistry, Natural History, and Natural Philosophy--His MS. volumes of Lectures--Geological tour with Professor Jameson in the Highlands CHAPTER VIII.

GEORGE STEPHENSON ENGINEER OF THE STOCKTON AND DARLINGTON RAILWAY.

The Bishop Auckland Coal-field--Edward Pease 123-145 projects a railway from Witton to Stockton--The Bill rejected--The line re-surveyed, and the Act obtained--George Stephenson's visit to Edward Pease--Appointed engineer of the railway--Again surveys the line--Mr. Pease visits Killingworth--The Newcastle locomotive works projected--The railway constructed--Locomotives ordered--Stephenson's anticipations as to railways--Public opening of the line--The coal traffic--The first railway passenger-coach--The coaching traffic described--The "Locomotion" engine--Race with stage-coach--Commercial results of the Stockton and Darlington Railway--The town of Middlesborough created CHAPTER IX. THE LIVERPOOL AND MANCHESTER RAILWAY PROJECTED.

Insufficient communications between Manchester and 146-172 Liverpool--The canal monopoly--A tramroad projected--Joseph Sanders--Sir R. Phillip's speculations as to railways--Thomas Gray--William James surveys a line between Liverpool and Manchester--Opposition to the survey--Mr. James's visits to Killingworth--Robert Stephenson assists in the survey--George Stephenson appointed engineer--The first prospectus--Stephenson's survey opposed--The canal companies--Speculations as to railway speed--Stephenson's notions thought extravagant--Article in the 'Quarterly'--The Bill before Parliament--The Evidence--George Stephenson in the witness box--Examined as to speed--His cross-examination--The survey found defective--Mr. Harrison's speech--Evidence of opposing engineers--Mr. Alderson's speech--The Bill withdrawn--Stephenson's vexation--The scheme prosecuted--The line re-surveyed--Sir Isaac Coffin's speech--The Act passed CHAPTER X.

CHAT MOSS--CONSTRUCTION OF THE LIVERPOOL AND MANCHESTER RAILWAY.

George Stephenson appointed engineer--Chat Moss 173-192 described--The resident engineers--Mr. Dixon's visit of inspection--Stephenson's theory of a floating road--Operations begun--Tar-barrel drains--The embankment sinks in the Moss--Proposed abandonment of the work--Stephenson perseveres--The obstacles conquered--Road across Parr Moss--The road formed--Stephenson's organization of labour--The Liverpool Tunnel--Olive Mount Cutting--Sankey Viaduct--Stephenson and Cropper--Stephenson's labours--Pupils and assistants--His daily life--Practical education--Evenings at home CHAPTER XI.

ROBERT STEPHENSON'S RESIDENCE IN COLOMBIA AND RETURN--THE BATTLE OF THE LOCOMOTIVE--THE "ROCKET."

Robert Stephenson mining engineer in Colombia--Mule 193-220 journey to Bogota--Mariquita--Silver mining--Difficulties with the Cornishmen--His cottage at Santa Anna--Longs to return home--Resigns his post--Meeting with Trevithick--Voyage to New York, and shipwreck--Returns to Newcastle, and takes charge of the factory--The working power of the Liverpool and Manchester Railway--Fixed engines and locomotives, and their respective advocates--Walker and Rastrick's report--A prize offered for the best locomotive--Conferences of the Stephensons--Boiler arrangements and heating surface--Mr. Booth's contrivance--Building of the "Rocket"--The competition of engines at Rainhill--The "Novelty" and "Sanspareil"--Triumph of the "Rocket," and its destination CHAPTER XII.

OPENING OF THE LIVERPOOL AND MANCHESTER RAILWAY, AND EXTENSION OF THE RAILWAY SYSTEM.

The railway finished--The traffic arrangements 221-236 organized--Public opening of the line--Accident to Mr. Huskisson--Arrival of the trains at Manchester--The traffic results--Improvement of the road and rolling stock--Improvements in the locomotive--The railway a wonder--Extension of the railway system--Joint-stock railway companies--New lines projected--New engineers--The Grand Junction--Public opposition to railways--Robert Stephenson engineer to the Leicester and Swannington Railway--George Stephenson removes to Snibston--Sinks for and gets coal--Stimulates local enterprise--His liberality CHAPTER XIII.

ROBERT STEPHENSON CONSTRUCTS THE LONDON AND BIRMINGHAM RAILWAY.

The line projected--George and Robert Stephenson 237-252 appointed engineers--Opposition--Hostile pamphlets and public meetings--Robert Stephenson and Sir Astley Cooper--The survey obstructed--The opposing clergyman--The Bill in Parliament--Thrown out in the Lords--Proprietors conciliated, and the Act obtained--The works let in contracts--The difficulties of the undertaking--The line described--Blisworth Cutting--Primrose Hill Tunnel--Kilsby Tunnel--Its construction described--Cost of the Railway greatly increased--Failure of contractors--Magnitude of the works--Railway navvies CHAPTER XIV.

MANCHESTER AND LEEDS, AND MIDLAND RAILWAYS--STEPHENSON'S LIFE AT ALTON--VISIT TO BELGIUM--GENERAL EXTENSION OF RAILWAYS AND THEIR RESULTS.

Projection of new lines--Dutton Viaduct, Grand 253-274 Junction--The Manchester and Leeds--Summit Tunnel, Littleborough--Magnitude of the work--The Midland Railway--The works compared with the Simplon road--Slip near Ambergate--Bull Bridge--The York and North Midland--George Stephenson on his surveys--His quick observation--Travelling and correspondence--Life at Alton Grange--The Stephensons' London office--Visits to Belgium--Interviews with the King--Public openings of English railways--Stephenson's pupils and assistants--Prophecies falsified concerning railways--Their advantageous results CHAPTER XV.

GEORGE STEPHENSON'S COAL MINES--THE ATMOSPHERIC SYSTEM--RAILWAY MANIA--VISITS TO BELGIUM AND SPAIN.

George Stephenson on railways and 275-300 coal-traffic--Leases the Claycross estate, and sinks for coal--His extensive lime-works--Removes to Tapton House--British Association at Newcastle--Appears at Mechanics' Institutes--Speech at Leeds--His self-acting brake--His views of railway speed--Theory of "undulating lines"--Chester and Birkenhead Company--Stephenson's liberality--Atmospheric railways projected--Stephenson opposes the principle of working--The railway mania--Stephenson resists, and warns against it--George Hudson, "Railway King"--Parliament and the mania--Stephenson's letter to Sir R. Peel--Again visits Belgium--Interviews with King Leopold--Journey into Spain CHAPTER XVI.

ROBERT STEPHENSON'S CAREER--THE STEPHENSONS AND BRUNEL--EAST COAST ROUTE TO SCOTLAND--ROYAL BORDER BRIDGE, BERWICK--HIGH LEVEL BRIDGE, NEWCASTLE.

George Stephenson's retirement--Robert's employment 301-319 as Parliamentary Engineer--His rival Brunel--The Great Western Railway--The width of gauge--Robert Stephenson's caution as to investments--The Newcastle and Berwick Railway--Contest in Parliament--George Stephenson's interview with Lord Howick--Royal Border Bridge, Berwick--Progress of iron-bridge building--Robert Stephenson constructs the High Level Bridge, Newcastle--Pile-driving by steam--Characteristics of the structure--Through railway to Scotland completed CHAPTER XVII. ROBERT STEPHENSON'S TUBULAR BRIDGES AT MENAI AND CONWAY.

George Stephenson surveys a line from Chester to 320-340 Holyhead--Robert Stephenson's construction of the works at Penmaen Mawr--Crossing of the Menai Strait--Various plans proposed--A tubular beam determined on--Strength of wrought-iron tubes--Mr. William Fairbairn consulted--His experiments--The design settled--The Britannia Bridge described--The Conway Bridge--Floating of the tubes--Lifting of the tubes--Robert Stephenson's anxieties--Bursting of the Hydraulic Press--The works completed--Merits of the Britannia and Conway Bridges CHAPTER XVIII. GEORGE STEPHENSON'S CLOSING YEARS--ILLNESS AND DEATH.

George Stephenson's Life at Tapton--Experiments in 341-356 Horticulture, Gardening, and Farming--Affection for animals--Bird-hatching and bee-keeping--Reading and conversation--Rencontre with Lord Denman--Hospitality at Tapton--Experiments with the microscope--Frolics--"A crowdie night"--Visits to London--Visit to Sir Robert Peel at Drayton Manor--Encounter with Dr. Buckland--Coal formed by the sun's light--Opening of the Trent Valley Railway--Meeting with Emerson--Illness, death, and funeral--Memorial Statues CHAPTER XIX.

ROBERT STEPHENSON'S VICTORIA BRIDGE, LOWER CANADA--ILLNESS AND DEATH--STEPHENSON CHARACTERISTICS.

Robert Stephenson's inheritances--Gradual retirement 357-380 from the profession of engineer--His last great works--Tubular Bridges over the St. Lawrence and the Nile--The Grand Trunk Railway, Canada--Necessity for a great railway bridge near Montreal--Discussion as to the plan--Robert Stephenson's report--A tubular bridge determined on--Massiveness of the piers--Ice-floods in the St. Lawrence--Victoria Bridge constructed and completed--Tubular bridges in Egypt--The Suez Canal--Robert Stephenson's employment as arbitrator--Assists Brunel at launching of the "Great Eastern"--Regardlessness of health--Death and Funeral--Characteristics of the Stephensons and resume of their history--Politics of father and son--Services rendered to civilization by the Stephensons INDEX 381

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS.

PAGE

Portrait of George Stephenson _to face title page_ High Level Bridge, _to face_ 1 Map of Newcastle District 2 Flange rail 6 Coal-staith on the Tyne 10 Coal waggons 11 Wylam Colliery and village 12 High Street House, Wylam--George Stephenson's birthplace 14 Newburn on the Tyne 20 Colliery Whimsey 30 Stephenson's Cottage, Willington Quay 31 West Moor Colliery 37 Killingworth High Pit 46 Glebe Farm House, Benton 47 Rutter's School House, Long Benton 51 Bruce's School, Newcastle 53 Stephenson's Cottage, West Moor 57 Sun-dial at Killingworth 60 Colliers' Cottages at Long Benton 62 Cugnot's Engine 64 Section of Murdock's Model Locomotive 66 Trevithick's high-pressure Tram-Engine 70 Improved Wylam Engine 78 Spur-gear 83 The Pit-head, West Moor 91 Davy's and Stephenson's Safety-lamps 101 West Moor Pit, Killingworth 108 Half-lap joint 111 Old Killingworth Locomotive 113 Map of Stockton and Darlington Railway 123 Portrait of Edward Pease 124 The first Railway Coach 139 The No. 1 Engine at Darlington 142 Middlesborough-on-Tees 145 Map of Liverpool and Manchester Railway (Western Part) 150 ,, (Eastern part) 151 Surveying on Chat Moss 172 Olive Mount Cutting 184 Sankey Viaduct 186 Robert Stephenson's Cottage at Santa Anna 198 The "Rocket" 212 Locomotive competition, Rainhill 215 Railway _versus_ Road 220 Map of Leicester and Swannington Railway 233 Stephenson's House at Alton Grange 236 Portrait of Robert Stephenson, _to face_ 237 Map of London and Birmingham Railway (Rugby to Watford) 242 Blisworth Cutting 243 Shafts over Kilsby Tunnel 246 Dutton Viaduct 254 Entrance to Summit Tunnel, Lancashire and Yorkshire 256 Railway Land-slip, near Ambergate, North Midland Railway 259 Bullbridge, near Ambergate 260 Coalville and Snibston Colliery 274 Tapton House, near Chesterfield 275 Lime-works at Ambergate 278 Newcastle, from the High Level Bridge 301 Royal Border Bridge, Berwick-upon-Tweed 311 High Level Bridge--Elevation of one Arch 318 Penmaen Mawr 322 Map of Menai Straits 325 Conway Tubular Bridge 334 Britannia Bridge 339 Conway Bridge--Floating the first Tube 340 View in Tapton Gardens 341 Pathway to Tapton House 347 Trinity Church, Chesterfield 355 Tablet in Trinity Church, Chesterfield 356 The Victoria Bridge, Montreal 357 Robert Stephenson's Burial-place in Westminster Abbey 369 The Stephenson Memorial Schools, Willington Quay 380 [Picture: Newcastle-upon-Tyne and the High-level Bridge]