In _Herepath’s Railway Journal_ for 1845 we meet with the following:—“A
learned counsel, the other day, gave as a reason for a wealthy and
aristocratic landowner’s opposition to a great line of railway
approaching his residence by something more than a mile distance, that
‘His Lordship rode horses that would not bear the puff of a steam
engine.’ Truly this was a most potent reason, and one that should weigh
heavily against the scheme in the minds of the Committee. His Lordship
has a wood some two miles off, between which and his residence this
railway is intended to pass. His lordship is fond of amusing himself
there in hunting down little animals called hares, and sometimes treats
himself to a stag hunt. Not the slightest interference is contemplated
with his lordship’s pastime, or rather pursuit, for such it is, occupying
nearly his whole time, and exercising all the ability of which he is
possessed; but still he objects to the intrusion. The bridge that is to
be constructed by the Company to give access to the wood, or forest, is
in itself all that could be wished, forming, rather than otherwise, an
ornamental structure to his lordship’s grounds; but then he fears that
should an engine chance (of course, these chances are not within his
control) to pass under the bridge at the same moment as he is passing
over, his high blood horses would prance and rear, and suffer injury
therefrom. His lordship is very careful and proud of his horse-flesh,
and thinks it hard, and what the legislature ought not to tolerate, that
they (his horses) are to be worried, or subjected to the chance of it, by
making a railway to serve the public wants!
“This _noble_ man is of opinion, too, that, should the railway be made,
he is entitled to an enormous amount of compensation; and, through his
agent, assigns as a reason for his extravagant demand—we do not
exaggerate the fact—that he is averse to railways in general, and
considers the system as an unjustifiable invasion of the province of
horse-flesh. This horse jockey lord thereby excuses his conscience in
opposing and endeavouring to plunder the railway company as far as he
possibly can.”