The colliery districts of the North—Newcastle-upon-Tyne in ancient times—The Roman settlement—Social insecurity in the Middle Ages—Northumberland roads—The coal-trade—Modern Newcastle—Coal haulage—Early waggon-roads, tram-roads, and railways—Machinery of coal-mines—Newcomen’s fire-engine—The colliers, their character and habits—Coal-staiths—The keelmen

Pages 1–11

Wylam Colliery and village—George Stephenson’s birth-place—His parents—The Stephenson family—Old Robert Stephenson—George’s boyhood—Dewley Burn Colliery—Sister Nell’s bonnet—Employed as a herd-boy—Makes clay engines—Follows the plough—Employed as corf-bitter—Drives the gin-horse—Black Callerton Colliery—Love of animals—Made assistant-fireman—Old Robert and family shift their home—Jolly’s Close, Newburn—Family earnings—George as fireman—His athletic feats—Throckley Bridge—“A made man for life!”—Appointed engineman—Studies his engine—Experiments in egg-hatching—Puts himself to school, and learns to read—His schoolmasters—Progress in arithmetic—His dog—Learns to brake—Brakesman at Black Callerton—Duties of brakesman—Begins shoe-making—Fanny Henderson—Saves his first guinea—Fight with a pitman

12–30

Sobriety and studiousness—Inventiveness—Removes to Willington Quay—Marries Fanny Henderson—Their cottage at Willington—Attempts at perpetual motion—William Fairbairn and George Stephenson—Ballast-heaving—Chimney on fire, and clock-cleaning—Birth of Robert Stephenson—George removes to West Moor, Killingworth—Death of his wife—Engineman at Montrose, Scotland—His pump-boot—Saves money—His return to Killingworth—Brakesman at West Moor—Is drawn for the Militia—Thinks of emigrating to America—Takes a contract for brakeing engines—Improves the winding-engine—Cures a pumping-engine—Becomes famous as an engine-doctor—Appointed engine-wright of a colliery

31–46

George Stephenson’s self-improvement—John Wigham—Studies in Natural Philosophy—Sobriety—Education of Robert Stephenson—Sent to Rutter’s school, Benton—Bruce’s school, Newcastle—Literary and Philosophical Institute—George educates his son in Mechanics—Ride to Killingworth—Robert’s boyish tricks—Repeats the Franklin kite-experiment—Stephenson’s cottage, West Moor—Odd mechanical expedients—Competition in last-making—Father and son make a sun-dial—Colliery improvements—Stephenson’s mechanical expertness

47–62

Various expedients for coal-haulage—Sailing-waggons—Mr. Edgworth’s experiments—Cugnot’s first locomotive steam-carriage—Murdock’s model locomotive—Trevithick’s steam-carriage and tram-engine—Blenkinsop’s engine—Chapman and Brunton’s locomotives—The Wylam waggon-way—Mr. Blackett’s experiments—Jonathan Foster—William Hedley—The Wylam engine—Stephenson determines to build a locomotive—Lord Ravensworth—The first Killingworth engine described—The steam-blast invented—Stephenson’s second locomotive

63–88

Frequency of colliery explosions—Accident in the Killingworth Pit—Stephenson’s heroic conduct—A safety-lamp described—Dr. Clanny’s lamp—Stephenson’s experiments on fire-damp—Designs a lamp, and tests it in the pit—Cottage experiments with coal-gas—Stephenson’s second and third lamps—The Stephenson and Davy controversy—Scene at the Newcastle Institute—The Davy testimonial—The Stephenson testimonial—Merits of the “Geordy” lamp

89–108

The Killingworth mine machinery—Stephenson improves his locomotive—Strengthens the road—His patent—His steam-springs—Experiments on friction—Steam-locomotion on common roads—Early neglect of the locomotive—Stephenson again thinks of emigration—Constructs the Hetton Railway—The working power employed—Robert Stephenson viewer’s apprentice—His pursuits at Killingworth—His father sends him to Edinburgh University—His application to the studies of Chemistry, Natural History, and Natural Philosophy—His MS. volumes of Lectures—Geological tour with Professor Jameson in the Highlands

109–122

The Bishop Auckland Coal-field—Edward Pease projects a railway from Witton to Stockton—The Bill rejected—The line re-surveyed, and the Act obtained—George Stephenson’s visit to Edward Pease—Appointed engineer of the railway—Again surveys the line—Mr. Pease visits Killingworth—The Newcastle locomotive works projected—The railway constructed—Locomotives ordered—Stephenson’s anticipations as to railways—Public opening of the line—The coal traffic—The first railway passenger-coach—The coaching traffic described—The “Locomotion” engine—Race with stage-coach—Commercial results of the Stockton and Darlington Railway—The town of Middlesborough created

123–145

Insufficient communications between Manchester and Liverpool—The canal monopoly—A tramroad projected—Joseph Sanders—Sir R. Phillip’s speculations as to railways—Thomas Gray—William James surveys a line between Liverpool and Manchester—Opposition to the survey—Mr. James’s visits to Killingworth—Robert Stephenson assists in the survey—George Stephenson appointed engineer—The first prospectus—Stephenson’s survey opposed—The canal companies—Speculations as to railway speed—Stephenson’s notions thought extravagant—Article in the ‘Quarterly’—The Bill before Parliament—The Evidence—George Stephenson in the witness box—Examined as to speed—His cross-examination—The survey found defective—Mr. Harrison’s speech—Evidence of opposing engineers—Mr. Alderson’s speech—The Bill withdrawn—Stephenson’s vexation—The scheme prosecuted—The line re-surveyed—Sir Isaac Coffin’s speech—The Act passed

146–172

George Stephenson appointed engineer—Chat Moss described—The resident engineers—Mr. Dixon’s visit of inspection—Stephenson’s theory of a floating road—Operations begun—Tar-barrel drains—The embankment sinks in the Moss—Proposed abandonment of the work—Stephenson perseveres—The obstacles conquered—Road across Parr Moss—The road formed—Stephenson’s organization of labour—The Liverpool Tunnel—Olive Mount Cutting—Sankey Viaduct—Stephenson and Cropper—Stephenson’s labours—Pupils and assistants—His daily life—Practical education—Evenings at home

173–192

Robert Stephenson mining engineer in Colombia—Mule journey to Bogota—Mariquita—Silver mining—Difficulties with the Cornishmen—His cottage at Santa Anna—Longs to return home—Resigns his post—Meeting with Trevithick—Voyage to New York, and shipwreck—Returns to Newcastle, and takes charge of the factory—The working power of the Liverpool and Manchester Railway—Fixed engines and locomotives, and their respective advocates—Walker and Rastrick’s report—A prize offered for the best locomotive—Conferences of the Stephensons—Boiler arrangements and heating surface—Mr. Booth’s contrivance—Building of the “Rocket”—The competition of engines at Rainhill—The “Novelty” and “Sanspareil”—Triumph of the “Rocket,” and its destination

193–220

The railway finished—The traffic arrangements organized—Public opening of the line—Accident to Mr. Huskisson—Arrival of the trains at Manchester—The traffic results—Improvement of the road and rolling stock—Improvements in the locomotive—The railway a wonder—Extension of the railway system—Joint-stock railway companies—New lines projected—New engineers—The Grand Junction—Public opposition to railways—Robert Stephenson engineer to the Leicester and Swannington Railway—George Stephenson removes to Snibston—Sinks for and gets coal—Stimulates local enterprise—His liberality

221–236

The line projected—George and Robert Stephenson appointed engineers—Opposition—Hostile pamphlets and public meetings—Robert Stephenson and Sir Astley Cooper—The survey obstructed—The opposing clergyman—The Bill in Parliament—Thrown out in the Lords—Proprietors conciliated, and the Act obtained—The works let in contracts—The difficulties of the undertaking—The line described—Blisworth Cutting—Primrose Hill Tunnel—Kilsby Tunnel—Its construction described—Cost of the Railway greatly increased—Failure of contractors—Magnitude of the works—Railway navvies

237–252

Projection of new lines—Dutton Viaduct, Grand Junction—The Manchester and Leeds—Summit Tunnel, Littleborough—Magnitude of the work—The Midland Railway—The works compared with the Simplon road—Slip near Ambergate—Bull Bridge—The York and North Midland—George Stephenson on his surveys—His quick observation—Travelling and correspondence—Life at Alton Grange—The Stephensons’ London office—Visits to Belgium—Interviews with the King—Public openings of English railways—Stephenson’s pupils and assistants—Prophecies falsified concerning railways—Their advantageous results

253–274

George Stephenson on railways and coal-traffic—Leases the Claycross estate, and sinks for coal—His extensive lime-works—Removes to Tapton House—British Association at Newcastle—Appears at Mechanics’ Institutes—Speech at Leeds—His self-acting brake—His views of railway speed—Theory of “undulating lines”—Chester and Birkenhead Company—Stephenson’s liberality—Atmospheric railways projected—Stephenson opposes the principle of working—The railway mania—Stephenson resists, and warns against it—George Hudson, “Railway King”—Parliament and the mania—Stephenson’s letter to Sir R. Peel—Again visits Belgium—Interviews with King Leopold—Journey into Spain

275–300

George Stephenson’s retirement—Robert’s employment as Parliamentary Engineer—His rival Brunel—The Great Western Railway—The width of gauge—Robert Stephenson’s caution as to investments—The Newcastle and Berwick Railway—Contest in Parliament—George Stephenson’s interview with Lord Howick—Royal Border Bridge, Berwick—Progress of iron-bridge building—Robert Stephenson constructs the High Level Bridge, Newcastle—Pile-driving by steam—Characteristics of the structure—Through railway to Scotland completed

301–319

George Stephenson surveys a line from Chester to Holyhead—Robert Stephenson’s construction of the works at Penmaen Mawr—Crossing of the Menai Strait—Various plans proposed—A tubular beam determined on—Strength of wrought-iron tubes—Mr. William Fairbairn consulted—His experiments—The design settled—The Britannia Bridge described—The Conway Bridge—Floating of the tubes—Lifting of the tubes—Robert Stephenson’s anxieties—Bursting of the Hydraulic Press—The works completed—Merits of the Britannia and Conway Bridges

320–340

George Stephenson’s Life at Tapton—Experiments in Horticulture, Gardening, and Farming—Affection for animals—Bird-hatching and bee-keeping—Reading and conversation—Rencontre with Lord Denman—Hospitality at Tapton—Experiments with the microscope—Frolics—“A crowdie night”—Visits to London—Visit to Sir Robert Peel at Drayton Manor—Encounter with Dr. Buckland—Coal formed by the sun’s light—Opening of the Trent Valley Railway—Meeting with Emerson—Illness, death, and funeral—Memorial Statues

341–356

Robert Stephenson’s inheritances—Gradual retirement from the profession of engineer—His last great works—Tubular Bridges over the St. Lawrence and the Nile—The Grand Trunk Railway, Canada—Necessity for a great railway bridge near Montreal—Discussion as to the plan—Robert Stephenson’s report—A tubular bridge determined on—Massiveness of the piers—Ice-floods in the St. Lawrence—Victoria Bridge constructed and completed—Tubular bridges in Egypt—The Suez Canal—Robert Stephenson’s employment as arbitrator—Assists Brunel at launching of the “Great Eastern”—Regardlessness of health—Death and Funeral—Characteristics of the Stephensons and resumÉ of their history—Politics of father and son—Services rendered to civilization by the Stephensons

357–380

Index

381