THE END OF THE JOURNEY.
And now, ladies and gentlemen, "I leave you here," and trust I have
given you no cause for complaint on the score of either civility or
politeness to my passengers. I fear that in some places the road may
have been heavy and the pace slow. Perhaps it may be thought that the
style is incoherent, to which I can only say that such is usually the
character of chatter; and if I have written anything which has
afforded some interest or amusement, my most ardent hopes are
satisfied.
The tale I have told has, in one sense, been told before, but so many
fresh phases and incidents were so constantly turning up in the old
mode of travelling, that it is not necessarily a twice-told tale.
Probably the first idea of most readers upon closing the book will be,
"How thankful I am that my lot was not cast in the days of my father
or grandfather;" and this naturally leads to the reflection that when
the busy wit of man had not produced so many inventions for evading
the minor ills of life, the first idea was to endure them; but now,
when fresh schemes of all sorts and descriptions are being propounded
every day to render life easy, it is to cure them; and if this does
not go to the length of making artificial wants, no doubt it is the
wisest course to adopt.
To the old hand, however, who has not forgotten his early experiences,
this eagerness to escape all hardship may seem to savour of softness
and effeminacy, but I make no doubt that, though not called forth as
it used to be in the days of yore, there still exists in the youth and
manhood of Old England the same pluck and power of endurance when duty
calls, as there ever was; and that as long as we continue to cherish
our old field sports and games, we are not in much danger of losing
them.
It were folly to stand up for road travelling as against the greater
convenience of railways; still, I confess to a lingering feeling of
regret that what was brought to such a state of perfection should have
so completely vanished, and I think I cannot express these feelings
better than by a short anecdote.
Many years ago, when hunting with the late Sir W. W. Wynn's hounds,
when they had the advantage of the guidance of John Walker, I asked
him which pack, whether the large or small, showed the best sport and
killed the most foxes. His answer was, "Well, I really think the large
pack does kill most foxes and give the best sport altogether, but _I
like the little ones_." And if asked which is the best mode of
travelling, whether by road or rail, I must confess that, as a
travelling machine for conveying us from one part of the country to
another, the railway is the best both for safety, speed, and economy;
but having said this, I am constrained to make the same sort of
reservation as was made by John Walker, and say, "_I like the
coaches_."
Most noticeable of all, perhaps, was the plucky effort made in 1837 to
revive the favourite "Red Rover" coach between London and Manchester,
which had been discontinued upon the opening of the London and
Birmingham and the Grand Junction Railways. It was "the last charge of
the Old Guard," and shared the same fate. It may be interesting,
however, to append a copy of this singular notice--one more evidence
of the reluctance of Englishmen to be beaten, even at long odds. The
very date at foot is significant, for the enterprise was embarked on
in the teeth of the approaching winter.
THE RED ROVER REËSTABLISHED
THROUGHOUT TO MANCHESTER.
Bull and Mouth Inn.
It is with much satisfaction that the Proprietors of the RED
ROVER oach are enabled to announce its
REËSTABLISHMENT
as a direct conveyance THROUGHOUT BETWEEN LONDON AND MANCHESTER,
and that the arrangements will be the same as those which before
obtained for it such entire and general approval.
In this effort the Proprietors anxiously hope that the public will
recognize and appreciate the desire to supply an accommodation
which will require and deserve the patronage and support of the
large and busy community on that line of road.
The RED ROVER will start every evening, at a quarter before
seven, by way of
COVENTRY STAFFORD MACCLESFIELD
BIRMINGHAM NEWCASTLE-UNDER-LYNE AND
WALSALL CONGLETON STOCKPORT
and perform the journey _in the time which before gave such
general satisfaction_.
[Symbol: Pointing hand] It will also start from the "Moseley
Arms" Hotel, MANCHESTER, for LONDON, every evening, at nine
o'clock.
EDWARD SHERMAN ) _Joint_
JOHN WEATHERALD and Co. ) _Proprietors_.
_LONDON_,
_October 28, 1837_.
An old song may come in here:--
"The road, the road, the turnpike road,
The hard, the brown, the smooth, the broad,
Without a mark, without a bend,
Horses 'gainst horses on it contend.
Men laugh at the gates, they bilk the tolls,
Or stop and pay like honest souls.
I'm on the road, I'm on the road,
I'm never so blithe as when abroad
With the hills above and the vales below,
And merry wheresoe'er I go.
If the Opposition appear in sight,
What matter, what matter, we'll set that all right."
In the introduction I ventured to point out some inaccuracies which I
had observed in a statement made upon the subject of coach fares, and
as it is probably one which few remember anything about, I give a
statement of what would be about the profit and loss of a month's
working of a coach for a hundred miles.
RECEIPTS.
A Full Load on the Way-bill both ways. £ s. d.
8 inside passengers 15 0 0
14 outside 25 4 0
Parcels 1 0 0
-----------
£ 41 4 0
-----------
Month's receipts 988 16 0
Deduct expenses 113 14 0
-----------
£875 2 0
-----------
PAYMENTS.
Daily
£ s. d.
15 toll-gates, at 3s.[3] 2 5 0
Hire of coach, per mile 2-1/2d. 1 0 10
Mileage duty, 2d.[4] 0 6 8
Washing and oiling coaches 0 2 0
-----------
4 8 6
-----------
For 4 weeks 106 4 0
Monthly.
8 road booking-offices £ 4 0 0
2 end booking-offices 2 0 0
Making Share bills 1 0 0
Oil and trimming lamps, say 0 10 0
-----------
Total £113 14 0
-----------
[3] It was usual for coaches to come to terms with the
pikers to pay for three horses instead of four.
[4] There had also to be paid £5 licence duty yearly when
the plates were taken out.
This makes £8 15s. to be divided per mile, which, of course, would
give a very handsome profit; but full loading could not be expected
every day, and if it was reduced to half loads, it would not be such a
very fat concern.
The cost of each horse was usually put at 17s. 6d. a week, including
blacksmith, and that, supposing a man to cover a ten-mile stage for
which eight horses would be ample if not running on Sundays, would
cost £7 a week, or £28 a month, leaving, at about half loading, say
£20 profit. But from this has to be deducted saddler, veterinary
surgeon, and wear and tear, the two latter of which depend, to a
certain extent, on circumstances over which he has not much control,
as it depends upon such things as sickness in the stables and
accidents.
[_APPENDIX._]
His Majesty's Mails.
[Illustration: V. R.]
G. P. O.
APPENDIX.
LIST OF MAIL COACHES WHICH WORKED OUT OF LONDON.
{ Hounslow, } From the
{ Maidenhead, } "Spread Eagle,"
{ Reading, } Gracechurch Street,
Bath, { Newbury, } and
through { } "Swan with Two
{ Hungerford, } Necks,"
{ Marlborough, } Lad Lane.
{ Devizes, }
{ Aylesbury, }
{ Bicester, } From the
Birmingham, { } "King's Arms,"
through { Banbury, } Holborn Bridge.
{ Leamington, }
{ Warwick, }
{ Croydon, }
Brighton, { Reigate, } From the
through { Crawley, } "Blossoms Inn,"
{ Cuckfield, } Lawrence Lane.
{ Hounslow, }
{ Reading, } From the
Bristol, { Newbury, } "Swan with Two
through { Marlborough, } Necks,"
{ Calne, } Lad Lane.
{ Chippenham, }
{ Bath, }
Carlisle--_See Glasgow_.
{ Barnet, }
{ St. Albans, }
{ Dunstable, }
{ Northampton, }
Chester, { Hinckley, } From the
through { Atherstone, } "Golden Cross,"
{ Lichfield, } Charing Cross.
{ Stafford, }
{ Nantwich, }
{ Tarporley, }
{ Hounslow, }
{ Bagshot, }
{ Basingstoke, }
{ Andover, }
Devonport, { Salisbury; } From the
through { Sherborne; } "Swan with Two
{ Chard, } Necks,"
{ Honiton, } Lad Lane.
{ Exeter }
{ Dartford, } From the
{ Rochester, } "Swan with Two
Dover, { Sittingbourne, } Necks,"
through. { Faversham, } Lad Lane.
{ Canterbury, }
{ Ware, }
{ Buntingford, }
{ Royston, }
{ Caxton, } From the
Edinburgh, { Huntingdon, } "Bull and Mouth,"
through { Grantham } St. Martin's-le-Grand.
{ Newark }
{ Doncaster }
{ Ferry Bridge, }
{ York, }
{ Northallerton, }
{ Darlington, }
{ Durham, }
{ Newcastle, }
{ Alnwick, }
{ Berwick, }
{ Dunbar, }
{ Haddington, }
{ Basingstoke, }
{ Andover, }
{ Salisbury, }
Exeter, { Blandford, } From the
through { Dorchester, } "Bull and Mouth,"
{ Bridport, } St Martin's-le-Grand.
{ Axminster, }
{ Honiton, }
{ Barnet, }
{ Hatfield, }
{ Baldock, }
{ Biggleswade, }
{ Stilton, }
{ Stamford } From the
Glasgow, { Grantham, } "Bull and Mouth,"
through { Newark, } St Martin's-le-Grand.
{ Doncaster, }
{ Wetherby, }
{ Boroughbridge, }
{ Greta Bridge, }
{ Appleby, }
{ Carlisle, }
{ Hounslow, }
{ Maidenhead, } From the
Gloucester, { Henley, } "Cross Keys,"
through { Nettlebed, } Wood Street,
{ Oxford } and
{ Witney, } "Golden Cross,"
{ Burford, } Charing Cross.
{ Cheltenham, }
{ Barnet, } From the
{ Woburn, } "Swan with Two
{ Newport-Pagnel, } Necks,"
Halifax, { Market Harborough, } Lad Lane,
through { Nottingham, } and
{ Sheffield, } "Bull and Mouth,"
{ Huddersfield, } St. Martin's-le-Grand.
{ } From the
{ } "Golden Cross,"
Hastings, { Farnborough, } Charing Cross.
through { Tunbridge, } and "Bolt in Tun,"
{ Lamberhurst, } Fleet Street.
{ Barnet, }
{ St. Albans, }
{ Coventry, } From the
Holyhead, { Birmingham, } "Swan with Two
through { Wolverhampton, } Necks,
{ Shrewsbury, } Lad Lane.
{ Oswestry, }
{ North Wales, }
{ Barnet, }
{ Hertford, }
{ Biggleswade, } From the
{ Stilton, } "Spread Eagle,"
Hull, { Peterborough, } Gracechurch Street,
through { Folkingham, } and
{ Lincoln, } "Swan with Two
{ Brigg, } Necks,"
{ Across the Humber to } Lad Lane.
{ Kingston-upon-Hull }
{ Barnet, }
{ Bedford, }
Leeds, { Higham Ferrers, } From the
through { Kettering, } "Bull and Mouth,"
{ Nottingham, } St. Martin's-le-Grand.
{ Sheffield, }
{ Wakefield, }
{ Barnet, }
{ St. Albans, } From the
{ Coventry, } "Swan with Two
Liverpool, { Lichfield, } Necks,"
through { Newcastle-u-Lyne, } Lad Lane.
{ Knutsford, }
{ Warrington, }
{ Caxton, } From the
Louth, by { Peterborough, } "Bell and Crown,"
Boston, { Deeping, } Holborn, and
through { Spalding, } "Saracen's Head,"
{ Spilsby, } Skinner Street.
{ Barnet, }
{ St. Albans, }
{ Dunstable, }
{ Northampton, } From the
Manchester, { Market Harborough, } "Swan with Two
through { Leicester, } Necks,"
{ Derby, } Lad Lane.
{ Ashbourne, }
{ Congleton, }
{ Macclesfield, }
{ Ilford, }
Norwich, { Romford, }
by Ipswich, { Brentwood, } From the
through { Chelmsford, } "Spread Eagle,"
{ Witham } Gracechurch Street.
{ Colchester, }
Norwich, by { Epping, } From the
Newmarket, { Bury St. Edmunds, } "Belle Sauvage,"
through { Thetford, } Ludgate Hill.
{ Kingston, } From the
Portsmouth, { Esher, } "White Horse,"
through { Guildford, } Fetter Lane and
{ Godalming, } "Bolt in Tun,"
{ Petersfield, } Fleet Street.
{ Hounslow, } From the
{ Staines, } "Swan with Two
Southampton { Bagshot } Necks,"
and Poole, { Alton, } Lad Lane, and
through { Alresford } "Bell and Crown,"
{ Winchester, } Holborn.
} From the
{Hounslow, } "Cross Keys,"
Stroud, { Henley, } Wood Street,
through { Abingdon, } and the "Swan
{ Faringdon, } with Two Necks,"
{ Cirencester, } Lad Lane.
{ Lynn, } From the
Wells { Ely, } "Swan with Two
(Norfolk), { Cambridge, } Necks,"
through { Royston, } Lad Lane.
{ Ware, }
{ Uxbridge, }
{ Beaconsfield, }
{ High Wycombe, }
{ Oxford, } From the
Worcester, { Woodstock, } "Bull and Mouth,"
through { Chipping Norton, } St. Martin's-le-Grand.
{ Moreton-in-Marsh, }
{ Evesham, }
{ Pershore, }
{ Romford, }
{ Chelmsford, }
{ Witham, } From the
Yarmouth, { Colchester, } "White Horse,"
through { Ipswich, } Fetter Lane.
{ Saxmundham, }
{ Lowestoft, }
So much for the main arteries, but the account would
hardly be complete without showing how the more remote
and out-of-the-way districts were provided for. I will, therefore,
add the routes of a few mails which might be considered
as prolongations of some of those already mentioned, but
they were worked under fresh contracts and with fresh
coaches.
South Wales was served by three--one from Bristol and
two from Gloucester, as shown below:--
{ New Passage Ferry,
{ Newport,
Bristol to { Cardiff,
Milford Haven, { Cowbridge,
by { Neath,
{ Caermarthen.
{ Ross,
{ Monmouth,
Gloucester to { Abergavenny,
Milford Haven, { Brecon,
by { Llandovery,
{ Caermarthen,
{ Haverfordwest.
Gloucester to Aberystwith, by Ross, Hereford, Kington, Rhayader,
and Dyffryn Castle.
The Gloucester and Milford was, I think, driven out of Gloucester at
one time by Jack Andrews, a very good coachman, and over the lower
ground there was a man of the name of Jones. I may, perhaps, be told
that that is not a very distinguishing mark of a man in those parts,
perhaps it is not, but if the name failed to convey a knowledge of who
he was, he, at any rate, possessed one very characteristic feature
which was that he always drove without gloves whatever might be the
state of the weather. If he saw his box passenger beating his hands
against his body or going through any other process with the vain hope
of restoring the circulation into his well-nigh frozen fingers, his
delight was to hold out his gloveless hand and say, "Indeed, now there
is a hand that never wore a glove."
And this recalls to my memory another anecdote which was told me a
great many years ago, and which, though it refers to the other
extremities, may not be inappropriately introduced here. It appertains
to a very well known character already mentioned, the well known Billy
Williams, often spoken of as Chester Billy. I am aware that tales are
sometimes engrafted on remarkable characters which are also told of
others, still I believe I shall not be doing a wrong to any one if I
tell this as "'twas told to me," of our old friend Billy. At any rate,
it is too good to be lost, so here it is.
On one very cold winter morning it happened that Billy had a box
passenger who was stamping his feet on the footboard in the vain
attempt to restore the circulation of the blood, which led Billy to
remark, "Your feet seem cold this morning, sir," to which the
gentleman answered, "I should think they were, are not yours?" "No,"
says Billy, "they're not;" adding, "I expect you wash 'em." "Wash
them," says the passenger, "of course I do, don't you?" "No," was the
reply, "I should think not, I _iles_ 'em."
The Manchester mail was also prolonged to Carlisle, though the direct
Carlisle mail went by a rather shorter route, but then the populous
district on the west coast had to be provided for. It travelled
through Preston, Lancaster, Kendal and Penrith. This was, over some of
the ground at any rate, one of the fastest mails in England.
Again, in addition to these, which may be said to have had their
origin in London, there existed a considerable number of what were
called "cross country mails," some of which ran long distances and at
high speed, connecting together many important districts. A few of
them I will mention, beginning with the Bristol and Liverpool, which
was a very fast one.
{ Aust Passage Ferry,
Bristol to { Monmouth,
Liverpool, { Hereford,
by { Shrewsbury,
{ Chester,
{ Woodside Ferry.
{ Bath,
Bristol to { Tetbury,
Oxford, { Cirencester,
by { Fairford,
{ Faringdon.
{ Warrington,
{ Manchester,
Liverpool { Rochdale,
to { Halifax,
Hull, { Bradford,
by { Leeds,
{ Tadcaster,
{ York.
Bristol { Gloucester,
to { Wincanton,
Birmingham, { Droitwich,
by { Bromsgrove.
Birmingham { Lichfield,
to { Derby,
Sheffield, by { Chesterfield.
And no doubt there were several others in one part of the country or
another, but I have been unable to meet with any regular list of them,
though it is very unlikely that such a road as that between Bristol
and Exeter by Taunton, for example, should have been left out. This
road certainly had a fast coach on it. The "Royal Exeter" ran from
Cheltenham to Exeter through Gloucester and Bristol, driven between
Cheltenham and Bristol at one time by Capt. Probyn, and afterwards by
William Small. It was a fast coach, stopping for dinner at Nisblete's,
at Bristol, and then proceeding on its journey to Exeter.
Then, again, there was a populous and important district through the
Staffordshire Potteries, from Birmingham to Liverpool and Manchester,
which must have been provided for somehow, but it is not impossible
that this may have been effected by the bags being conveyed to
Lichfield by the Sheffield, and then transferred to the down Liverpool
and Chester mails.
There were also running short distances what were called third class
mails, which carried twelve passengers, and the coachman was in charge
of the bags. On one of them which ran between Shrewsbury and Newtown I
did a good deal of my early practice.
And now, having given a list, more or less perfect, of the mails which
traversed England and Wales, perhaps a few words on the subject of the
pace at which they travelled may not be without interest.
After singling out the London and Birmingham day mail, which was timed
at twelve miles an hour, it is impossible to say, at the present date,
which was the fastest coach. That the "Quicksilver" was the fastest
mail, I have no doubt, though I believe the palm has been disputed by
the Bristol, and perhaps some others; for if a passenger asked a
coachman which was the fastest, he was very likely to be told that the
one he was travelling in was. I cannot, however, believe that any of
these claims could have been supported by facts. "_Cui bono?_" We
can see at a glance why the Devonport should be pushed along as fast
as possible, because the journey was a long one; but the distance to
Bristol was only one hundred and twenty miles, and whether the mail
arrived there at eight or nine o'clock in the morning would have been
thought little of in those days, but in a journey of two hundred and
twenty-seven miles half a mile an hour makes an appreciable
difference. It would seem reasonable, therefore, that the longer mails
should have been accelerated as much as possible, and so I believe it
really was the case, and that the Holyhead was, after the
"Quicksilver," the fastest out of London. At any rate, I know that,
when travelling by it, we always passed all the other mails going the
same road, and that included a considerable number, as the north road
and the Holyhead were synonymous as far as Barnet, and, moreover, the
Post-Office was likely to have screwed up these two mails the
tightest, as one carried the Irish bags and the other had the
correspondence of an important dockyard and naval station.
To single out the fastest coach would be still more impossible. The
"Wonder" had a world-wide reputation, which was well deserved, both
for the pace and regularity with which she travelled and the admirable
manner in which she was appointed in every way; but what gave that
coach its preponderating name was the fact of its being the first
which undertook to be a day coach over a distance much exceeding one
hundred and twenty miles. The Manchester Telegraph must have surpassed
the "Wonder" in pace, and, certainly, when we consider the difference
of the roads and the hills by which she was opposed in her journey
through Derbyshire, had the most difficult task to accomplish; and,
again, the "Hirondelle" was timed to go the journey of one hundred and
thirty-three miles between Cheltenham and Liverpool in twelve hours
and a half, which is a higher rate of speed than the "Wonder," which
was allowed fifteen and a half hours to cover the one hundred and
fifty-four miles between London and Shrewsbury, and on a far superior
road.
I have been induced to enter into this subject because one sometimes
now-a-days meets with people who appear to have a somewhat hazy idea
about it, and talk glibly of twelve miles an hour as if it was nothing
so very great after all. Well, I am not going to deny that it can be
done, because I know that it has been effected by the Birmingham day
mail, as already stated, and I have also been told by an old inspector
of mails that in the latter days they did contrive to screw some
Scotch mails up to that speed; but I am sure I can safely say that no
mail or stage-coach ever was timed at even eleven miles an hour during
the main coaching days, however much faster they might have gone when
racing or on special occasions, though I believe it would have been
attempted, at any rate, if road travelling had not been put an end to
by the railways.
Twelve miles an hour is very great work to accomplish. Why, when
stoppages of all sorts are allowed for, it means thirteen miles, and
that means galloping for the greater part of the way.
Though the subjoined List is not comprehensive, nor indeed
absolutely accurate, it may be worth inserting, as conveying a fair
idea of what coaches ran.
PRINCIPAL NIGHT MAILS SOME NOTED DAY COACHES
Time
(including
stoppages)
Miles from of Mail
London. TO h. m.
110-1/2 BATH 11 0 { "Beaufort Hunt," "York
{ House," "White Hart."
50 BEDFORD "Times."
119 BIRMINGHAM 11 56 { "Tally-Ho," "Tantivy,"
{ "Greyhound," "Economist,"
{ "Rocket," "Eclipse,"
{ "Triumph," "Crown Prince,"
{ "Emerald," "Albion," "Day,"
{ etc.
BRECON "Red Rover."
53 BRIGHTON { "Red Rover," "Times,"
{ "Age," "Quicksilver,"
{ "Pearl," "Dart," "Arrow,"
{ "Vivid."
121 BRISTOL 11 45 { "Prince of Wales," "Monarch,"
{ "Regulator."
50 CAMBRIDGE "Star."
95 Cheltenham (_see below_) { "Berkeley Hunt," "Rival,"
{ "Magnet," "Favourite."
181 CHESTER "Criterion."
217-1/2 DEVONPORT 23 45 "Quicksilver."
71 DOVER
176 EXETER 19 0 { "Telegraph" (165 miles)
{ 17 hours; "Defiance"
{ (168 miles), 19 hours;
{ "Nonpareil," "Herald."
111 GLOUCESTER 11 55
195-1/2 HALIFAX 20 5 "Hope."
68 HASTINGS
135 HEREFORD "Champion," "Tiger."
259 HOLYHEAD 26 55
172-1/2 HULL 18 12
197 LEEDS 21 0 "Courier," "Rockingham.'
201-1/2 LIVERPOOL 20 50 { "Umpire," "Fair Trader,"
{ "Express," "Erin-go-bragh."
148 LOUTH 16 0
99 LYNN 10 33
185 MANCHESTER 19 0 { Telegraph" (186 miles),
{ 18 hours 15 minutes,
{ "Beehive", "Estafette,"
{ "Peveril of the Peak,"
{ "Cobourg," "Red Rover."
129 MONMOUTH "Mazeppa," "Royal Forester."
113-1/2 NORWICH
_viâ_
IPSWICH 11 38 "Shannon."
117-1/2 NORWICH
_viâ_
NEWMARKET 13 0 "Phenomenon."
106 POOLE "Phoenix."
73 PORTSMOUTH { "Diligence," "Regulator,"
{ "Hero."
158 SHREWSBURY { "Wonder," 15 hours 45
{ minutes; "Nimrod," "Stag,"
{ "Union," "Oxonian."
SOUTHAMPTON "Star."
105 STROUD 12 9
195 WETHERBY
(Glasgow Mail) 20 36
128 WEYMOUTH "King's Royal."
23 WINDSOR "Taglioni."
114 WORCESTER 12 20
197 YORK
(Edinburgh Mail) 20 54 "Wellington."
30 LIVERPOOL AND PRESTON
129-1/2 EDINBURGH AND
ABERDEEN { "Defiance" (12 hrs.
{ 10 min., including
{ 30 min. Ferry).
CHELTENHAM AND
LIVERPOOL { "Hirondelle," "Hibernia"
{ (see above).
SHREWSBURY AND { "ROYAL OAK," "NETTLE,"
WELSHPOOL { "ENGINEER."
AND ABERYSTWITH
NOTES.
The fastest coaches were the "Defiance" (Edinburgh and Aberdeen),
the "Wonder" (Shrewsbury and London), for which alone 150 horses
were kept, and the mail from Liverpool to Preston. The next fastest
were the Holyhead, Exeter, and Scotch mails, and those to Bath and
Bristol (which last ones did not stop for meals on the road). The
slowest is the Stroud mail, but formerly was the Worcester mail,
which used to be most frequently overturned of any. The Hastings and
Brighton mails had only two horses. For some reason or other, with
which I am not acquainted, the Liverpool mail, and, I believe, the
Halifax also, though leaving London at the same time as the others,
had a day coach on the up journey, arriving at St. Martin's-le-Grand
about 7 p.m. One of the Birmingham coaches was lighted by gas for a
time, as far back as 1834. A coach running every day between London
and Birmingham paid annually for toll-gates the sum of £1,428. The
double miles of the mails travelling reached at one time 6,619 a
journey.
SCOTCH AND IRISH MAILS.
It is interesting to compare the running of the Edinburgh and Glasgow
coaches out of London. Both left St. Martin's at the same hour, but by
a different road. At Alconbury (65 miles out of London) the two
coaches must have frequently been in sight of each other on a
moonlight night--if punctual a bare four minutes divided them (not a
yokel in that part of Huntingdonshire but could discuss the merits of
the rival whips)--and at Grantham (108 miles out) they probably
transferred some mail bags picked up upon their different roads.
At Doncaster (159 miles from London) less than a quarter of an hour
divided the two vehicles after travelling all through the night and
portion of the following day, a feat successfully performed that would
make the hair of a modern South-Eastern Railway guard stand upon end.
Indeed, tradition says that the up and down coaches nearly always
"crossed" within a few yards of the same bridge. Even that northern
metropolis, Newcastle, was treated with scant ceremony; as soon as
fresh horses were attached and the mail bags exchanged, the coach went
forward without pause, the next "stop and examine coach" after York
being at Belford (near Berwick-upon-Tweed).
With the Edinburgh coach there were three halts only upon the road for
refreshments, and these were liable to curtailment in heavy weather
when any minutes had been lost on the way--at the ordinary stages the
changes of horses being sometimes made in less than a minute.
The Glasgow coach, though over a considerably more uneven road, was
slightly the quicker of the two, the rival distances by road being
almost identical. This coach was not encumbered with heavy bags for
the Highlands, and had the additional stimulus for the first dozen
miles or so out of London of racing the Holyhead mail through Barnet.
This celebrated mail made its "first stop" (other than for change of
horses) at Birmingham, its second at Shrewsbury, its third at Corwen,
and its fourth at Bangor. The speed of this mail was no less than nine
and three-quarters miles an hour, or over ten miles if stoppages are
taken into account.
At Shrewsbury five minutes only were allowed for refreshments, and the
timing of this coach was so close that it was due there one minute
before the beautiful, varied, and sonorous clocks of that proud
borough struck the hour of noon (11.59 a.m.). At Wolverhampton it was
timed to arrive also at one minute past the hour (9.1 a.m.), while the
timepieces of the guards were checked once or twice on the road by
special clocks, and the discrepancy, if any, taken note of in writing.
Another notable piece of "good running" was shown by the rival mails
to Caermarthen, which reached there from town the following evening.
The Gloucester coach arrived at eight o'clock (224 miles), and was
followed at only half-an-hour's interval by the Bristol (238 miles)
coming by a different road the whole journey, and having often to face
a rough sea when transferring its passengers at Aust Passage, near
Chepstow. This last mail was one of the quickest of all out of London;
as far as Bristol it was expedited in 1837 to run at the speed of ten
miles and three furlongs an hour, prior to which time it had to cede
the palm to the celebrated Falmouth (or, as it was often miscalled,
Devonport--confusing it with the Plymouth coach) Quicksilver mail. No
doubt a higher speed still would have been attained in the winter
months had these coaches not to include so much night work in their
running.
It is very difficult, unless precise dates are attached, to give now
the absolute distances travelled. Each year roads were straightened
out and bends removed, gradients modified, or minor deviations to
towns of less importance struck out. A list of such accelerations will
be found in Mogg's edition of Paterson and of the principal ordinary
routes traversed in Paterson, Leigh, or Cary.
What prospects the Coventry bicycle might have had _before_ the
arrival of the telegraph and railway epoch it is difficult to
conjecture; but its speed must then have placed it in the first rank
of means of locomotion.
1837. Scotch Mails. DOWN.
TO THURSO VIÂ EDINBURGH.
Miles _St. Martin's-le-Grand._ p.m. --
LONDON dep. 8. 0 night
12-1/2 Waltham Cross arr. 9.25 --
22 Ware " 10.26 --
35-1/4 Buckland " 11.52 --
a.m.
45-1/2 Arrington " 12.57 --
60 HUNTINGDON " 2.30 --
65-1/4 Alconbury Hill " 3. 3 --
72-1/4 Stilton " 3.45 --
87 STAMFORD " 5.15 --
95 Stretton " 6. 3 day
108-1/2 GRANTHAM { arr. 7.23 --
{ dep. 8. 3 --
115-3/4 Long Bennington arr. 8.53 --
122-1/4 NEWARK " 9.30 --
132-3/4 Scarthing Moor " 10.34 --
145-1/2 Barnby Moor " 11.49 --
p.m.
155-1/4 Rossington Bridge " 12.47 --
159-1/2 DONCASTER " 1.12 --
166-1/4 Askerne " 1.55 --
179-3/4 Selby " 3.21 --
194 YORK { arr. 4.54 --
{ dep. 5.34 --
207-1/4 Easingwold arr. 6.54 night
218 Thirsk " 7.58 --
227 NORTHALLERTON " 8.52 --
243 DARLINGTON " 10.28 --
a.m.
261-1/2 DURHAM " 12.23 --
276 NEWCASTLE- { arr. 1.50 --
ON-TYNE { dep. 1.53 --
290-1/2 Morpeth arr. 3.22 --
300-1/2 Felton " 4.23 --
309-3/4 ALNWICK " 5.17 --
324-1/2 BELFORD { arr. 6.47 day
{ dep. 7.17 --
339-3/4 BERWICK-ON-TWEED arr. 8.47 --
353-1/2 Houndswood " 0. 9 --
369-1/4 Dunbar " 11.41 --
p.m.
380-1/4 Haddington " 12.45 --
397-1/4 EDINBURGH G.P.O. " 2.23 --
(_Time on road_ 42 h. 23 m. _The quickest train
time the journey has been performed in was on
August 31, 1888, when the King's Cross train
arrived in_ 7h. 27m.)
444 Perth arr. 9. 0 night
466 Dundee " 11.15 --
a.m.
534 Aberdeen " 6.22 day
p.m. --
641 Iverness " 8. 6 night
a.m.
783 Thurso " 8.10 day
TO GLASGOW.
Miles. _St. Martin's-le-Grand._ p.m.
LONDON dep. 8. 0 night
11-1/4 Barnet arr. 9.18 --
25-1/4 Welwyn " 10.46 --
a.m.
37-1/2 Baldock " 12. 6 --
46-3/4 Caldecot " 1. 2 --
55-1/4 Eaton " 1.55 --
65-3/4 Alconbury Church " 2.59 --
75-1/4 Stilton " 3.56 --
90 STAMFORD " 5.28 --
98 Stretton " 6.18 day
111-1/2 GRANTHAM { arr. 7.40 --
{ dep. 8.20 --
117-1/2 Foston arr. 8.56 --
125-1/2 NEWARK " 9.44 --
138-1/2 Ollerton " 11. 3 --
143 Worksop " 11.52 --
p.m.
151-1/2 Bagley " 12.40 --
159-3/4 DONCASTER " 1.26 --
174-1/4 Pontefract " 2.53 --
[asterism] _Change for_ LEEDS _and_ WAKEFIELD.
184-1/4 Aberford arr. 3.52 --
[asterism] _Change for_ BRADFORD.
191-3/4 WETHERBY. { arr. 4.36 --
{ dep. 5.11 --
[asterism] _Change here for_ YORK.
204 Boroughbridge arr. 6.23 night
216 Leeming " 7.35 --
227 Catterick Bridge " 8.41 --
236 Foxhall " 9.35 --
240-1/2 Greta Bridge " 10. 2 --
250-1/2 New Spital " 11.10 --
a.m.
260 Brough " 12.15 --
268 APPLEBY " 1. 7 --
282 PENRITH " 2.28 --
293 Hesketh " 3.23 --
_Manchester Mail_ 3.0 p.m.,
reaches
_Carlisle G.P.O._ 4.48 a.m.
303 CARLISLE G.P.O. { arr. 4.17 --
{ dep. 5. 0 --
312-3/4 Gretna arr. 5.55 --
322 Ecclefechan " 6.48 day
332-3/4 Dunwoodie " 7.49 --
342-1/2 Beattock Bridge " 8.42 --
361 Abington " 10.26 --
370 Douglas Mill " 11.18 --
376 Lesmahagow Bar. " bags dropped.
p.m.
387-1/4 Hamilton " 12.57 --
397-3/4 GLASGOW G.P.O. " 2. 0 --
(_Time on road, 42 hours._)
1837. Irish Mails. DOWN.
TO KINGSTOWN VIÂ HOLYHEAD.
Miles. _St. Martin's-le-Grand._ p.m.
LONDON dep. 8. 0 night
11-1/4 Harriet arr. ---- --
20-1/2 St. Albans " ---- --
24-1/2 Redbourne " 10.44 --
33-1/2 DUNSTABLE " ---- --
a.m.
42-1/4 Brickhill " 12.32 --
51-1/4 Stony Stratford " 1.26 --
59 Towcester " 2.12 --
71-1/4 Daventry " 3.25 --
79 Dunchurch " 4.11 --
90-1/4 COVENTRY " 5.18 --
108-1/2 BIRMINGHAM { arr. 7. 8 day
{ dep. 7.43 --
116-1/2 Wednesbury arr. 8.28 --
122 WOLVERHAMPTON " 9. 1 --
134-1/2 Shiffnal " 10.14 --
142-1/4 Heygate Junction. " 10.59 --
144-1/2 Wellington " 11.20 --
152-1/2 SHREWSBURY { arr. 11.59 --
p.m.
{ dep. 12. 4 --
161 Netcliffe arr. 12.52 --
170-1/2 OSWESTRY " 1.45 --
176-1/4 Chirk " ---- --
183 LLANGOLLEN " 2.57 --
193-1/4 CORWEN { arr. 3.57 --
{ dep. 4.25 --
199-1/2 Tynant arr. 5. 1 --
206-1/4 Cernioge " 5.39 --
213-1/2 "New Stables" " 6.21 night
220-3/4 Capel Curig " 7. 2 --
228-1/4 Tyn-y-maes " 7.46 --
BANGOR { arr. 8.20 --
{ dep. 8.25 --
Anglesea Ferry arr. 8.43 --
_Here cross the Menai Straits at night by ferry until
the opening of Telford's Suspension Bridge, in 1826._
Mona Inn arr. 9.43 --
259 Holyhead Post Office { arr. 10.55 --
{ dep.
323 Kingstown arr.
327 Dublin "
(_Time on journey, h. m. Present time on journey, h. m._)
[asterism] _It may be curious to note that the present train
mail service is under the liability of a penalty of £1 14s. for
each minute it is after time through any avoidable cause._
TO WATERFORD (P) VIÂ GLOUCESTER AND MILFORD.
Miles. p.m.
LONDON dep. 8. 0 night
12-1/4 Hounslow arr. 9.20 --
19-3/4 Colnbrook " ---- --
23-3/4 Slough " ---- --
29 Maidenhead " 11. 8 --
38-1/4 Henley-on-Thames " ---- --
43 Nettlebed " ---- --
a.m.
61-1/4 OXFORD { arr. 2.38 --
{ dep. ---- --
72-3/4 Witney arr. 3.58 --
80 Burford " ---- --
89-3/4 Northleach " 5.43 --
97-1/4 Andoverford " ---- day
102-3/4 CHELTENHAM { arr. 7. 3 --
{ dep. ---- --
112 GLOUCESTER { arr. 8. 0 --
{ dep. ---- --
129 Ross arr.10. 8 --
139 MONMOUTH " 11.11 --
p.m.
156 Abergavenny " 12.53 --
176 BRECON " 3. 1 --
197 Llandovery " 5.22 --
224 CARMARTHEN " 8. 0 night
Haverfordwest "
HUBBERSTON "
[asterism] _Compare the quicker relative time to Carmarthen made
by the Bristol mail immediately following, notwithstanding having
to cross the Bristol Channel._
TO WATERFORD (P) VIÂ BRISTOL AND PEMBROKE.
Miles _St. Martin's-le-Grand._ p.m.
LONDON dep. 8. 0 night
12-1/4 Hounslow arr. 9.12 --
29 Maidenhead " 10.50 --
READING " ---- --
a.m.
59 Newbury " 1.41 --
Marlborough " ---- --
90 CALNE " 4.49 --
Chippenham " ---- --
109 BATH " 6.32 day
122 BRISTOL { arr. 7.45 --
{ dep. ---- --
134 New Passage Ferry arr. 9.12 --
NEWPORT " ---- --
p.m.
166 CARDIFF " 12.53 --
Cowbridge " ---- --
Neath " ---- --
211 Swansea " 5.18 --
238 CARMARTHEN " 8.31 night
a.m.
273 Hobbs Point " 12.34 --
Pembroke " 1. 9 --
Western and Foreign Mails.--1837.--Up and Down.
Falmouth Exeter Devonport
Mail.[5] Mail. Mail.
ST. MARTIN'S-LE-GRAND dep. 8. 0 p.m. 8. 0 p.m. 8. 0 p.m.
12 Hounslow arr. ---- ---- 9.12
19 Staines " ---- 9.56 ----
23 Slough " ---- ---- ----
29 Maidenhead " ---- ---- 10.40
58 Newbury " ---- ---- 1.53 a.m.
77 Marlborough " ---- ---- 3.43
91 Devizes " ---- ---- 5. 6
109 BATH " ---- ---- 7. 0
149 Bridgewater " ---- ---- 11.30
160 TAUNTON " ---- ---- 12.35 p.m.
180 Collumpton " ---- ---- 2.42
29 Bagshot " 10.47 p.m. ---- ----
67 Andover " 2.20 a.m. 2.42 a.m. ----
84 SALISBURY " ---- 4.27 ----
126 Yeovil " ---- 8.53 ----
143 Chard " ---- 11. 0 ----
80 Amesbury " 3.39 ---- ----
125 Ilchester " 7.50 ---- ----
Honiton " 11. 0 12.31 p.m. ----
EXETER { arr. 12.34 p.m. 2.12 3.57
{ dep. 12.44 ---- ----
210 Newton arr. ---- 6.33
218 Totnes " ---- 7.25
190 Ashburton " 2.41 ----
214 PLYMOUTH " 5. 5 ----
DEVONPORT { arr. 5.14 10. 5
{ dep. ---- ----
234 Liskeard arr. 7.55
246 Lostwithiel " 9.12
254 St. Austell " 10.20
268 TRURO " 11.55
279 FALMOUTH " 1. 5 a.m.
_Naval Station for the departure of the foreign packets._
Miles from London:--HONITON, via Amesbury, 154; via Salisbury, 156.
EXETER, via Amesbury, 170; via Salisbury, 173; via, Taunton, 193.
DEVONPORT, via Amesbury, 216; via Taunton, 243.
_Packet arrives from abroad._
FALMOUTH dep. 1.45 a.m.
TRURO arr. 2.55
St. Austell " 4.29
Lostwithiel " 5.36
Liskeard " 6.52
DEVONPORT { arr. ----
{ dep. 9.30 4.45 a.m.
PLYMOUTH dep. ---- ----
Ashburton " 12. 3 p.m. ----
Totnes " ---- 7.30
Newton " ---- 8.25
EXETER { arr. 2. 0 ---- ----
{ dep. 2.20 11.50 p.m. 10.15
Honiton dep. 4. 4 1.27 a.m. ----
Ilchester " 6.49 ---- ----
Amesbury " 11. 0 ---- ----
Chard " ---- 2.55 ----
Yeovil " ---- 4.30 ----
SALISBURY " ---- 8.50 ----
Andover " 12.19 a.m. 11. 0 ----
Bagshot " 4. 2 ---- ----
Collumpton " ---- ---- 11.38
TAUNTON " ---- ---- 1.37 p.m.
Bridgewater " ---- ---- 2.52
BATH " ---- ---- 7.30
Devizes " ---- ---- 9.24
Marlborough " ---- ---- 10.49
Newbury " ---- ---- 12.42 a.m.
Maidenhead " ---- ---- 3.44
Slough " ---- ---- ----
Staines " ---- 3.46 p.m. ----
Hounslow " ---- ---- 5.26
ST. MARTIN'S-LE-GRAND arr. 6.50 5.42 6.40
NOTES.--Greenwich time throughout. The mails left London
one hour earlier (at 7.0 p.m.) on Sundays. The Falmouth
(nicknamed the "Quicksilver") mail averaged over 10 miles an
hour between London and Devonport.
[5] NOTE. The Falmouth mail was allowed 25 minutes stoppage
at Ilminster (8.58 a.m. to 9.23), notwithstanding which it
travelled between London and Exeter at the average speed of
10 miles and 2 furlongs an hour.
SIMMONS & BOTTEN,
Printers,
LONDON, E.C.