The Life of George Stephenson and of his Son Robert Stephenson Comprising Also a History of the Invention and Introduction of the Railway Locomotive

George Stephenson bequeathed to his son his valuable collieries, his share in the engine manufactory at Newcastle, and his large accumulation of savings, which, together with th...

It is not improbable that the slow progress made by railways in public estimation was, in a considerable measure, due to the comparative want of success which had attended the f...

While George Stephenson was engaged in carrying on the works of the Midland Railway in the neighborhood of Chesterfield, several seams of coal were cut through in the Claycross...

We return to the career of Robert Stephenson, who was absent from England during the construction of the Liverpool Railway, but was now about to rejoin his father and take part...

The rapidity with which railways were carried out, when the spirit of the country became roused, was indeed remarkable. This was doubtless in some measure owing to the increased...

Explosions of fire-damp were unusually frequent in the coal-mines of Northumberland and Durham about the time when George Stephenson was engaged in the construction of his first...

The rapid increase in the coal-trade of the Tyne about the beginning of the present century had the effect of stimulating the ingenuity of mechanics, and encouraging them to dev...

While the discussion of steam-power as a means of locomotion was proceeding in England, other projectors were advocating the extension of wagon-ways and railroads. Mr. Thomas, o...

We have now to describe briefly another great undertaking, begun by George Stephenson, and taken up and completed by his son, in the course of which the latter carried out some...

The appointment of principal engineer of the railway was taken into consideration at the first meeting of the directors held at Liverpool subsequent to the passing of the act of...

The Liverpool and Manchester Bill went into Committee of the House of Commons on the 21st of March, 1825. There was an extraordinary array of legal talent on the occasion, but e...

The directors of the railway now began to see daylight, and they derived encouragement from the skillful manner in which their engineer had overcome the principal difficulties o...

Stephenson's experiments on fire-damp, and his labors in connection with the invention of the safety-lamp, occupied but a small portion of his time, which was necessarily devote...

While the coal proprietors of the Bishop Auckland district were taking steps to connect their collieries with the sea by means of an iron railroad, the merchants of Liverpool an...

The career of George Stephenson was drawing to a close. He had for some time been gradually retiring from the more active pursuit of railway engineering, and confining himself t...

George Stephenson had now acquired the character of an expert workman. He was diligent and observant while at work, and sober and studious when the day's work was done. His frie...

Of the numerous extensive projects which followed close upon the completion of the Liverpool and Manchester line and the locomotive triumph at Rainhill, that of a railway betwee...

George Stephenson had now been diligently employed for several years in the work of self-improvement, and he experienced the usual results in increasing mental strength, capabil...

In describing the completion of the series of great works detailed in the preceding chapter, we have somewhat anticipated the closing years of George Stephenson's life. He could...

In no quarter of England have greater changes been wrought by the successive advances made in the practical science of engineering than in the extensive colliery districts of th...

The application of steam-power to the driving of wheel-carriages on common roads was in 1759 brought under the notice of James Watt by his young friend John Robison, then a stud...

It is easy to understand how rapid transit from place to place should, from the earliest times, have been an object of desire. The marvelous gift of speed conferred by Fortunatu...

On quitting their humble home at Dewley Burn, the Stephenson family removed to a place called Jolly's Close, a few miles to the south, close behind the village of Newburn, where...

Robert Stephenson's gradual Retirement from the profession of Engineer.--His Tubular Bridge over the Nile.--Railways in Canada.--Proposed Bridge at Montreal.--A Tubular Bridge p...

Robert Stephenson appointed Mining Engineer in Colombia.--Mule Journey to Bogotá.--Mariquita.--Silver Mining.--Difficulties with the Cornishmen.--His Cottage at Santa Anna.--Res...

Projection of new Lines.--Dutton Viaduct on the Grand Junction.--The Manchester and Leeds.--Incident in Committee.--Summit Tunnel, Littleborough.--The Midland Railway.--The Work...

George Stephenson Surveys a line from Chester to Holyhead.--Robert Stephenson afterward appointed Engineer.--The Railway Works under Penmaen Mawr.--The Crossing of the Menai Str...

The London and Birmingham Railway projected.--George and Robert Stephenson appointed Engineers.--An Opposition organized.--Public Meetings against the Scheme.--Robert Stephenson...

Early Welsh Railway Acts.--Wandsworth, Croydon, and Merstham Railway.--Boyhood of Trevithick.--Becomes an Engineer.--His Career.--Constructs a Steam-carriage.--Its Exhibition in...

George Stephenson's Life at Tapton.--Experiments in Horticulture.--His Farming Operations.--Affection for Animals.--Bee-keeping.--Reading and Conversation.--Rencounter with Lord...

Sobriety and Studiousness.--Removal to Willington Quay, and Marriage.--Attempts a Perpetual-motion Machine.--William Fairbairn, C.E., and George Stephenson.--Ballast-heaving.--C...

The Railway finished.--Organization of the Working.--The public Opening.--Fatal Accident to Mr. Huskisson.--The Traffic begun.--Improvements in the Road, Rolling Stock, and Loco...

George Stephenson on Railways and Coal Traffic.--Leases the Claycross Estate.--His Residence at Tapton.--His Appearance at Mechanics' Institutes.--His Views on Railway Speed.--U...

Robert Stephenson's Career.--His extensive Employment as Parliamentary Engineer.--His rival, Brunel.--The Great Western Railway.--Width of Gauge.--Robert Stephenson's caution as...

Failure of the first public Railways near London.--Want of improved communications in the Bishop Auckland Coal-district.--Various Projects devised.--A Railway projected at Darli...

George Stephenson again appointed Engineer of the Railway.--Chat Moss described.--The resident Engineers of the Line.--George Stephenson's Theory of a Floating Road on the Moss....

The Bill before Parliament.--The Evidence.--George Stephenson in the Witness-box.--Examined as to Speed.--His Cross-examination.--Examined as to the possibility of constructing...

Stephenson's Improvements in the Mine-machinery.--Farther Improvements in the Locomotive and in the Road.--Experiments on Friction.--Early Neglect of the Locomotive.--Stephenson...

Slow Progress heretofore made in the Improvement of the Locomotive.--The Wylam Wagon-way.--Mr. Blackett orders a Locomotive.--Mr. Blenkinsop's Leeds Locomotive.--Mr. Blackett's...

Insufficiency of the Communication between Liverpool and Manchester.--A Tram-road projected by Mr. Sandars.--The Line surveyed by William James.--The Survey a failure.--George S...

Frequency of Colliery Explosions.--Accidents in the Killingworth Pit.--Stephenson's heroic Conduct.--Proposes to invent a Safety-lamp.--His first Lamp and its Trial.--Cottage Ex...

Newcastle in ancient Times.--The Coal-trade.--Modern Newcastle.--The Colliery Workmen.--The Pumping-engines.--The Pitmen.--The Keelmen.--Wylam Colliery and Village.--George Step...

Man's Desire for rapid Transit.--Origin of the Railway.--Early Coal Wagon-ways in the North of England.--Early Attempts to apply the Power of Wind to drive Carriages.--Sailing-c...

Stephenson's Life at Newburn.--Appointed Engine-man.--Duties of Plugman.--Study of the Steam-engine.--Experiments in Bird-hatching.--Learns to Read.--His Schoolmasters.--Progres...

Efforts at Self-improvement.--John Wigham.--Studies in Natural Philosophy.--Education of Robert Stephenson.--Sent to Bruce's School, Newcastle.--His boyish Tricks.--Stephenson's...

Watt and Robison's proposed Steam-carriage.--Memoir of Joseph Cugnot and his Road-locomotive.--Francis Moore.--James Watt's Specification of a Locomotive-engine.--William Murdoc...