CHAPTER XVII.

COMPLETION AND OPENING OF THE STOCKTON AND DARLINGTON RAILWAY.

MR. STEPHENSON now proceeded with the working survey of the improved line of the Stockton and Darlington Railway, laying out every foot of the ground himself, accompanied by his assistants. Railway surveying was as yet in its infancy, and was very slow and deliberate work. Afterwards it became a separate branch of railway bussiness, and was left to a special staff of surveyors. Indeed, on no subsequent line did Mr. Stephenson take the sights through the spirit level with his own hands and eyes as he did on this railway. He would start very early in the morning, and survey until dusk. Mr. John Dixon, who assisted in the survey, mentions that he remembers on one occasion, after a long day's work near Aycliffe, when the light had completely failed them, the party separated-some to walk to Darlington, four miles off, Mr. Stephenson himself to the Simpasture farmhouse, where he had arranged to stay for the night; and his last stringent injunction was, that they must all be on the ground to resume levelling as soon as there was light enough for the purpose. "You must not," he said, "set off from Darlington by daybreak, for then we shall lose an hour; but you must be here, ready to begin work as soon as it is daylight."

Mr. Stephenson performed the survey in top-boots and breeches a usual dress at the time. He was not at any time particular as to his living; and during the survey, he took his chance of getting a drink of milk and a bit of bread at some cottager's house along the line, or occasionally joined in a homely dinner at some neighbouring farmhouse. The country people were accustomed to give him a hearty welcome when he appeared at their door; for he was always full of cheery and homely talk, and, when there were children

about the house, he had plenty of surplus humour for them as Iwell as for their seniors.

After the day's work was over, Mr. Stephenson would drop in at Mr. Pease's, to talk over with him the progress of the survey, and discuss various matters connected with the railway. Mr. Pease's daughters were usually present; and on one occasion, finding the young ladies learning the art of embroidery, he volunteered to instruct them. "I know all about it," said he; "and you will wonder how I learnt it. I will tell you. When I was a brakesman at Killingworth, I learnt the art of embroidery while working the pitman's button-holes by the engine fire at nights." He was never ashamed, but on the contrary rather proud, of reminding his friends of these humble pursuits of his early life. Mr. Pease's family were greatly pleased with his conversation, which was always amusing and instructive; full of all sorts of experience, gathered sometimes in the oddest and most out-of-the-way places. Even at that early period, before he had mixed in the society of educated persons, there was a dash of speculativeness in his remarks, which gave a high degree of originality to his conversation; and sometimes he would, in a casual remark, throw a flash of light upon a subject, which called up a whole train of pregnant suggestions.

One of the most important subjects of discussion at these meetings with Mr. Pease, was the establishment of a manufactory at Newcastle for the building of locomotive engines. Up to this time all the locomotives constructed after Mr. Stephenson's designs, had been made by ordinary mechanics. working amongst the collieries in the north of England. But he had long felt that the accuracy and style of their workmanship admitted of great improvement, and that upon this the more perfect action of the locomotive engine, and its general adoption as the tractive power on railways, in a great measure depended. One great object that he had in view in establishing the proposed factory was, to concentrate a number of good workmen for the purpose of carrying out the improvements in detail which he was constantly making in his engine. He felt hampered by the want of efficient helpers in the shape of skilled mechanics, who could work out in a practical form the ideas of which his busy mind was always so prolific. Doubtless, too, he believed that the locomotive manufactory would prove a remunerative investment, and

that, on the general adoption of the railway system, which he now anticipated, he would derive solid advantages from the fact of his manufactory being the only establishment of the kind for the special construction of railway locomotives.

He still believed in the eventual success of railways, though it might be slow. Much, he believed, would depend upon the issue of this great experiment at Darlington; and as Mr. Pease was a man on whose sound judgment he could rely, he determined upon consulting him about his proposed locomotive factory. Mr. Pease approved of his design, and strongly recommended him to carry it into effect. But there was the question of means; and he did not think he had capital enough for the purpose. He told Mr. Pease that he could advance a thousand pounds-the amount of the testimonial presented by the coal-owners for his safety-lamp invention, and which he had still left untouched; but he did not think this sufficient for the purpose, and that he should at least require another thousand pounds. Mr. Pease had been very much struck by the successful performances of the Killingworth engine; and being an accurate judge of character, he was not slow to perceive that he could not go far wrong in linking a portion of his fortune with the energy and industry of George Stephenson. He consulted his friend Thomas Richardson in the matter; and the two consented to advance 5001. each for the purpose of establishing the engine factory at Newcastle. A piece of land was accordingly purchased in Forth Street, in August, 1823, on which a small building was erected the nucleus of the gigantic establishment which was afterwards formed around it; and active operations commenced early in 1824.

While the Stockton and Darlington Railway works were in progress, Mr. Stephenson held many interesting discussions with Mr. Pease, on points connected with its construction and working, the determination of which in a great measure affected the formation and working of all future railways. The most important points were these: 1. The comparative merits of cast and wrought-iron rails. 2. The gauge of the railway. 3. The employment of horse or engine power in working it. when ready for traffic.

The kind of rails to be laid down to form the permanent road, was a matter of considerable importance. A wooden tramroad had been contemplated when the first Act was ap

plied for; but Stephenson having advised that an iron road should be laid down, he was instructed to draw up a specification of the rails. He went before the directors to discuss with them the kind of rails which were to be specified. He was himself interested in the patent for cast-iron rails, which he had taken out in conjunction with Mr. Losh in 1816; and, of course, it was to his interest that his articles should be adopted. But when requested to give his opinion on the subject, he frankly said to the directors, "Well, gentlemen, to tell you the truth, although it would put 500l. in my pocket to specify my own patent rails, I cannot do so after the experience I have had. If you take my advice, you will not lay down a single cast-iron rail." Why?" asked the directors. "Because they will not stand the weight; there is no wear in them, and you will be at no end of expense for repairs and re-lays." "What kind of road, then," he was asked, "would you recommend? "Malleable rails, certainly," said he;

66

"and I can recommend them with the more confidence from the fact that at Killingworth we have had some Swedish bars laid down-nailed to wooden sleepers-for a period of fourteen years, the wagons passing over them daily; and there they are, in use yet, whereas the cast rails are constantly giving way."

The price of malleable rails was, however, so high-being then worth about 127. per ton-as compared with cast-iron rails at about 57. 10s., and the saving of expense was so important a consideration with the subscribers to the railway, that Mr. Stephenson was directed to provide, in the specification drawn by him, that only one half of the quantity of the rails required-or 800 tons—should be of malleable iron, the remainder being of cast-iron. The malleable rails were required by the specification to be "made from scraps or good English bars re-manufactured." They were also of the kind called "fish-bellied," after Birkenshaw's patent, and weighed only 28 lbs. to the yard, being 24 inches broad at the top, with the upper flange inch thick. They were only 2 inches in depth at the points at which they rested on the rails, and 31 inches in the middle or bellied part.

When forming the road, the proper gauge had also to be determined. What width was this to be? The gauge of the first tramroad laid down had virtually settled the point. The gauge of wheels of the common vehicles of the country-of

the carts and wagons employed on common roads, which were first used on the tramroads-was 4 feet 8 inches. And so the first tramroads were laid down of this gauge. The tools and machinery for constructing coal-wagons and locomotives were formed with this gauge in view. The Wylam wagonway, afterwards the Wylam plate-way, the Killingworth railroad, and the Hetton railroad, were all laid down on this gauge. Some of the earth-wagons used to form the Stockton and Darlington road were brought from the Hetton railway; and others which were specially constructed were formed of the same dimensions, these being intended afterwards to be employed in the working of the traffic.

As the time for the opening of the line approached, the question of the Tractive Power to be employed was warmly discussed. At the Brusselton incline, fixed engines must necessarily be made use of; and the designs for these were completed by Robert Stephenson in 1824, previous to his departure for Columbia, in South America. With respect to the mode of working the railway generally, it was decided that horses were to be largely employed, and arrangements were made for their purchase. The influence of Mr. Pease also secured that a fair trial should be given to the experiment of working the traffic by locomotive power; and three engines were ordered from the firm of George Stephenson and Company, at Newcastle, and were accordingly put in hand forthwith, in anticipation of the opening of the railway. These were constructed after Mr. Stephenson's most matured designs, and embodied all the improvements in the locomotive which he had contrived up to that time. No. 1 engine, the Active," which was first delivered upon the line, weighed about eight tons. It had one large flue or tube through the boiler, through which the heated air passed direct from the furnace at one end, lined with fire-bricks, to the chimney at the other. The combustion in the furnace was quickened by the adoption of the steam-blast into the chimThe heat raised was sometimes so great, and was so imperfectly abstracted by the surrounding water, that the chimney became almost red-hot. These engines, when put to the top of their speed, were found capable of running at the rate of from twelve to sixteen miles an hour; but they were better adapted for the heavy work of hauling coal trains at low speeds-for which, indeed, they were specially con

ney.

66