Although railways are comparatively of recent date we are so accustomed
to them that it is difficult to realize the condition of the country
before their introduction. How different are the present day ideas as to
speed in travelling to those entertained in the good old times. The
celebrated historian, Niebuhr, who was in England in 1798, thus describes
the rapid travelling of that period:—“Four horses drawing a coach with
six persons inside, four on the roof, a sort of conductor besides the
coachman, and overladen with luggage, have to get over seven English
miles in the hour; and as the coach goes on without ever stopping except
at the principal stages, it is not surprising that you can traverse the
whole extent of the country in so few days. But for any length of time
this rapid motion is quite too unnatural. You can only get a very
piece-meal view of the country from the windows, and with the tremendous
speed at which you go can keep no object long in sight; you are unable
also to stop at any place.” Near the same time the late Lord Campbell,
travelling for the first time by coach from Scotland to London, was
seriously advised to stay a day at York, as the rapidity of motion (eight
miles per hour) had caused several through-going passengers to die of
apoplexy.
It is stated in the year 1825, there was in the whole world, only one
railway carriage, built to convey passengers. It was on the first
railway between Stockton and Darlington, and bore on its panels the
motto—“Periculum privatum, publica utilitas.” At the opening of this
line the people’s ideas of railway speed were scarcely ahead of the canal
boat. For we are told, “Strange to say, a man on horseback carrying a
flag headed the procession. It was not thought so dangerous a place
after all. The locomotive was only supposed to go at the rate of from
four to six miles an hour; an ordinary horse could easily keep ahead of
that. A great concourse of people stood along the line. Many of them
tried to accompany the procession by running, and some gentlemen on
horseback galloped across the fields to keep up with the engine. At a
favourable part of the road Stephenson determined to try the speed of the
engine, and he called upon the horseman with the flag to get out of his
way! The speed was at once raised to twelve miles an hour, and soon
after to fifteen, causing much excitement among the passengers.”
George Stephenson was greatly impressed with the vast possibilities
belonging to the future of railway travelling. When battling for the
locomotive he seemed to see with true prescience what it was destined to
accomplish. “I will do something in course of time,” he said, “which
will astonish all England.” Years afterwards when asked to what he
alluded, he replied, “I meant to make the mail run between London and
Edinburgh by the locomotive before I died, and I have done it.” Thus was
a similar prediction fulfilled, which at the time he uttered it was
doubtless considered a very wild prophecy, “Men shall take supper in
London and breakfast in Edinburgh.”
From a small beginning railways have spread over the four quarters of the
globe. Thousands of millions of pounds have been spent upon their
construction. Railway contractors such as Peto and Brassey at one time
employed armies of workmen, more numerous than the contending hosts
engaged in many a battle celebrated in history. Considering the mighty
revolutions that have been wrought in social affairs and in the commerce
of the world by railways, John Bright was not far wrong when he said in
the House of Commons “Who are the greatest men of the present age? Not
your warriors, not your statesmen. They are your engineers.”
The Railway era, although of modern date, has been rich in adventures and
incidents. Numerous works have been written upon Railways, also memoirs
of Railway Engineers, relating their struggles and triumphs, which have
charmed multitudes of readers. Yet no volume has been published
consisting exclusively of Railway Adventures and Anecdotes. Books having
the heading of Railway Anecdotes, or similar titles, containing few of
such anecdotes but many of a miscellaneous character, have from time to
time appeared. Anecdotes, racy of the Railway calling and circumstances
connected with it are very numerous: they are to be found scattered in
Parliamentary Blue Books, Journals, Biographies, and many out-of-the-way
channels. Many of them are highly instructive, diverting, and
mirth-provoking, having reference to persons in all conditions. The
“Railway Adventures and Anecdotes,” illustrating many a quaint and
picturesque scene of railway life, have been drawn from a great variety
of sources. I have for a long time been collecting them, and am willing
to believe they may prove entertaining and profitable to the railway
traveller and the general reader, relieving the tedium of hours when the
mind is not disposed to grapple with profounder subjects.
The romance of railways is in the past and not in the future. How
desirable then it is that a well written history of British Railways
should speedily be produced, before their traditions, interesting
associations, and early workers shall be forgotten. A work of such
magnitude would need to be entrusted to a band of expert writers. With
an able man like Mr. Williams, the author of _Our Iron Roads_, and the
_History of the Midland Railway_, presiding over the enterprise, a
history might be produced which would be interesting to the present and
to future generations. The history although somewhat voluminous would be
a necessity to every public and private library. Many of our railway
companies might do worse than contribute £500 or £1000 each to encourage
such an important literary undertaking. It would give an impetus to the
study of railway matters and it is not at all unlikely in the course of a
short time the companies would be recouped for their outlay.
Before concluding, it is only right I should express my grateful
acknowledgments to the numerous body of subscribers to this work. Among
them are noblemen of the highest rank and distinction, cabinet ministers,
members of Parliament, magistrates, ministers of all sections of the
Christian church, merchants, farmers, tradesmen, and artisans. Through
their helpful kindness my responsibility has been considerably lightened,
and I trust they will have no reason to regret that their confidence has
been misplaced.