It would be difficult to close this series of Railway Anecdotes more
appropriately than in the words of George Stephenson’s celebrated son
Robert at a banquet given to him at Newcastle-upon-Tyne, in August, 1850.
“It was but as yesterday,” he said, “that he was engaged as an assistant
in tracing the line of the Stockton and Darlington Railway. Since that
period, the Liverpool and Manchester, the London and Birmingham, and a
hundred other great works had sprung into vigorous existence. So
suddenly, so promptly had they been accomplished, that it appeared to him
like the realization of fabled powers, or the magician’s wand. Hills had
been cut down, and valleys had been filled up; and where this simple
expedient was inapplicable, high and magnificent viaducts had been
erected; and where mountains intervened, tunnels of unexampled magnitude
had been unhesitatingly undertaken. Works had been scattered over the
face of our country, bearing testimony to the indomitable enterprise of
the nation and the unrivalled skill of its artists. In referring thus to
the railway works, he must refer also to the improvement of the
locomotive engine. This was as remarkable as the other works were
gigantic. They were, in fact, necessary to each other. The locomotive
engine, independent of the railway, would be useless. They had gone on
together, and they now realized all the expectations that were
entertained of them. It would be unseemly, as it would be unjust, if he
were to conceal the circumstances under which these works had been
constructed. No engineer could succeed without having men about him as
highly-gifted as himself. By such men he had been supported for many
years past; and, though he might have added his mite, yet it was to their
co-operation that all his success was owing.”