Railway Adventures and Anecdotes: Extending over More Than Fifty Years
This ebook was transcribed by Les Bowler.
EDITED BY RICHARD PIKE.
THIRD EDITION.
“The only bona fide Railway Anecdote Book published on either side of the Atlantic.”— Liverpool Mercury .
London: Hamilton, Adams, and Co. Nottingham: J. Derry.
1888.
nottingham: j. derby, printer, wheeler gate and hounds gate.
Although railways are comparatively of recent date we are so accustomed to them that it is difficult to realize the condition of the country before their introduction. How different are the present day ideas as to speed in travelling to those entertained in the good old times. The celebrated historian, Niebuhr, who was in England in 1798, thus describes the rapid travelling of that period:—“Four horses drawing a coach with six persons inside, four on the roof, a sort of conductor besides the coachman, and overladen with luggage, have to get over seven English miles in the hour; and as the coach goes on without ever stopping except at the principal stages, it is not surprising that you can traverse the whole extent of the country in so few days. But for any length of time this rapid motion is quite too unnatural. You can only get a very piece-meal view of the country from the windows, and with the tremendous speed at which you go can keep no object long in sight; you are unable also to stop at any place.” Near the same time the late Lord Campbell, travelling for the first time by coach from Scotland to London, was seriously advised to stay a day at York, as the rapidity of motion (eight miles per hour) had caused several through-going passengers to die of apoplexy.
It is stated in the year 1825, there was in the whole world, only one railway carriage, built to convey passengers. It was on the first railway between Stockton and Darlington, and bore on its panels the motto—“Periculum privatum,
publica utilitas.” At the opening of this line the people’s ideas of railway speed were scarcely ahead of the canal boat. For we are told, “Strange to say, a man on horseback carrying a flag headed the procession. It was not thought so dangerous a place after all. The locomotive was only supposed to go at the rate of from four to six miles an hour; an ordinary horse could easily keep ahead of that. A great concourse of people stood along the line. Many of them tried to accompany the procession by running, and some gentlemen on horseback galloped across the fields to keep up with the engine. At a favourable part of the road Stephenson determined to try the speed of the engine, and he called upon the horseman with the flag to get out of his way! The speed was at once raised to twelve miles an hour, and soon after to fifteen, causing much excitement among the passengers.”
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WAY-LEAVES.
THE ATMOSPHERIC RAILROAD ANTICIPATED.
FIRST RAILWAY BILL.
RAILWAY FROM MERSTHAM TO WANDSWORTH.
RAILWAY ANNOUNCEMENT.
MERTHYR TYDVIL RAILWAY.
AN AFFRIGHTED TOLL-KEEPER.
SHREWD OBSERVERS.
CUVIER’S DESCRIPTION OF THE LOCOMOTIVE.
A RAILWAY PROJECTOR.
OPENING OF THE DARLINGTON AND STOCKTON RAILWAY.
EARLY RAILWAY COMPETITION.
CALCULATION AS TO RAILWAY SPEED.
ALARMIST VIEWS.
PARLIAMENTARY OPPOSITION.
DIFFICULTIES ENCOUNTERED IN MAKING RAILWAY SURVEYS.
LIVERPOOL AND MANCHESTER RAILWAY.
ELEVATED SIGHT-SEERS WISHING TO DESCEND.
THE DUKE’S CARRIAGE.
LORD BROUGHAM’S SPEECH.
EARLY RAILWAY TRAVELLING.
CRABB ROBINSON’S FIRST RAILWAY JOURNEY.
EARLY AMERICAN RAILWAY ENTERPRISE.
ENGLISH AND AMERICAN OPPOSITION.
AN UNPLEASANT TRIAL TRIP.
PROGNOSTICATIONS OF FAILURE.
SIR ASTLEY COOPER’S OPPOSITION TO THE LONDON AND BIRMINGHAM RAILWAY.
OPPOSITION TO MAKING SURVEYS.
SANITARY OBJECTIONS.
ELEVATED RAILWAYS.
EVIDENCE OF A GENERAL SALESMAN.
THE ANXIOUS HAIR-DRESSER.
A NAVVY’S REASON FOR NOT GOING TO CHURCH.
PREJUDICE REMOVED.
A RIDE FROM BOSTON TO PROVIDENCE IN 1835.
APPEALING TO THE CLERGY.
AIR-WAYS INSTEAD OF RAILWAYS.
PREJUDICE AGAINST CARRYING COALS BY RAILWAYS.
AN EPITAPH ON THE VICTIM OF A RAILWAY ACCIDENT.
TRAFFIC-TAKING.
ORIGIN OF COOK’S RAILWAY EXCURSIONS.
THE DEODAND.
AN UNFORTUNATE DISCUSSION.
RUNAWAY MATCH.
A RAILWAY ROMANCE.
GIGANTIC POWER OF LOCOMOTIVE ENGINES.
NOVEL NOTICE TO DEFAULTING SHAREHOLDERS.
A QUICK DECISION.
THE VERSAILLES ACCIDENT IN 1842.
AN AMATEUR SIGNALMAN.
STEAM WHISTLE.
RIVAL CONTRACTORS AND THE BLOTTING PAD.
RAILWAY LEGISLATION.
AN EXPENSIVE PARLIAMENTARY BILL.
THE RECTOR AND HIS PIG.
SIR MORTON PETO’S RAILWAY MISSION.
CLEVER CAPTURE.
COMPENSATION FOR LAND.
A LANDOWNER’S OPPOSITION.
PICTURE EVIDENCE.
EXTRAORDINARY USE OF THE ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH.
LOST LUGGAGE.
VERY NICE TO BE A RAILWAY ENGINEER.
AN ACCOMMODATING CONTRACTOR.
THE TWO DUKES AND THE TRAVELLER.
THE GREAT RAILWAY MANIA DAY.
RAILWAY FACILITIES FOR BUSINESS.
RAILWAY SIGNALS.
FOG-SIGNALS.
“ALMOST DAR NOW.”
WORDSWORTH’S PROTEST.
THE HON. EDWARD EVERETT’S REPLY TO WORDSWORTH’S PROTEST.
REMARKABLE ADVERTISEMENT.
RAILWAY EPIGRAM.
LOUIS PHILIPPE AND THE ENGLISH NAVVIES.
ADVANTAGES OF RAILWAY-TUNNELS.
DAMAGES EASILY ADJUSTED.
LIABILITIES OF RAILWAY ENGINEERS FOR THEIR ERRORS.
EXTRAORDINARY ACCIDENT.
PROVIDENTIAL ESCAPE.
GROWTH OF STATION BOOKSHOPS.
MESSRS. SMITHS’ BOOKSTALLS.
A RESIDENT ENGINEER AND SCIENTIFIC WITNESS.
EXTRAORDINARY SCENE AT A RAILWAY JUNCTION.
GOODS’ COMPETITION.
A POLITE REQUEST.
A CHASE AFTER A RUNAWAY ENGINE.
STEAM DEFINED.
IN A RAILWAY TUNNEL.
HIGHLANDER AND A RAILWAY ENGINE.
EXTRACTS FROM MACREADY’S DIARIES.
FREAKS OF CONCEALED BOGS.
A RAILWAY MARRIAGE.
ATTEMPTED FRAUDS.
A BRIDE’S LOST LUGGAGE.
IMPROVEMENT IN THIRD-CLASS TRAVELLING.
A GREAT DISCOVERY.
A DREADED EVIL.
SAFETY ON THE FLOOR.
LIFE UPON THE RAILWAY, BY A CONDUCTOR.
A COUNTY COURT JUDGE’S FEELING AGAINST RAILWAYS.
RAILWAY TICKETS.
TAKEN ABACK.
FAITHFUL UNTO DEATH.
NARROW ESCAPES FROM BEING LYNCHED.
CURIOUS NOTICE.
OBTAINING INFORMATION.
THE GOAT AND THE RAILWAY.
THE BALACLAVA RAILWAY.
PASSENGERS AND OTHER CATTLE.
EXPANSION OF RAILS.
A SMART REJOINDER.
COURTING ON A RAILWAY THIRTY MILES AN HOUR.
THE MERCHANT AND HIS CLERK.
REMARKABLE WILL.
IMMENSE FRAUD ON THE GREAT-NORTHERN RAILWAY.
MELANCHOLY ACCIDENT.—SINGULAR ACTION.
A CATASTROPHE.
WEDDING AT A RAILWAY STATION.
ENGINE FASCINATION.
COMPETITION FOR PASSENGERS.
ACCIDENT HOAX.
A’PENNY A MILE.
SINGULAR FREAK.
A.B.C. AND D.E.F.
NATIONAL CONTRAST.
REMARKABLE ACCIDENT.
ENGINEERING LOAN, OR STAKING OUT A RAILWAY.
MR. FRANK BUCKLAND’S FIRST RAILWAY JOURNEY.
AN IDEA ON RAILWAYS.
BURNING THE ROAD CLEAR.
QUITE TOO CLEVER
A DIFFICULTY SOLVED.
AMERICAN PATIENCE AND IMPERTURBABILITY.
A WIDE-AWAKE CONDUCTOR.
A KID-GLOVED SAMSON.
A RAILWAY TRAIN TURNED INTO A MAN-TRAP.
THE GOOD THINGS OF RAILWAY ACCIDENTS.
BENEFICIAL EFFECT OF A RAILWAY ACCIDENT.
AN EARLY MORNING RIDE TO THE RAILWAY STATION.
CHEAP FARES.
WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO?
REPROOF FOR SWEARING.
LIABILITY OF COMPANIES FOR DELAY OF TRAINS.
THE DYING ENGINE DRIVER.
“DOWN BRAKES,” OR FORCE OF HABIT.
TRENT STATION.
CURIOUS CASUALTY.
THE POLITE IRISHMAN.
WOLVES ON A RAILWAY.
ARTEMUS WARD’S SUGGESTION.
BAVARIAN GUARDS AND BAVARIAN BEER.
VERY COOL.
THE BLACK REDSTART.
STOPPING A RUNAWAY COUPLE.
INSURED.
A NEW TRICK.
TRAVELLING IN RUSSIA.
AN ARMY WITH BANNERS.
A KANGAROO ATTACKING A TRAIN.
SNAGS’ CORNERS.
A NEWSPAPER WONDER.
MONETARY DIFFICULTIES IN SPAIN.
A CARLIST CHIEF AS A SUB-CONTRACTOR.
HOW TO BEAR LOSSES.
RAILROAD INCIDENT.
NOVEL OBSTRUCTION.
RAILROAD TRACKLAYER.
A GROWING LAD.
FORGED TICKETS.
A YANKEE COMPENSATION CASE.
ABERGELE ACCIDENT.
RAILWAY DESTROYERS IN THE FRANCO-GERMAN WAR.
FRIGHTENED AT A RED LIGHT.
DRIVING A LAST SPIKE.
MARRIAGE AND RAILWAY DIVIDENDS.
THE NUMBER ONE HUNDRED AND TWENTY.
ENGINE DRIVING.
ENGINE DRIVERS’ PRESENCE OF MIND.
A SMUGGLING LOCOMOTIVE.
THE CUSTOM OF THE COUNTRY.
AN INSULTED WOMAN.
DISSATISFIED PASSENGERS.
COPY OF A NOTICE.
SNOWED UP ON THE PACIFIC RAILWAY.
AT FAULT.
A WIDOW’S CLAIM FOR COMPENSATION.
THE LADY AND HER LAP-DOG.
WHAT IS PASSENGERS’ LUGGAGE?
CONVERSION OF THE GAUGE.
FOURTH-OF-JULY FACTS.
AN EXTRAORDINARY WAIF.
NOT TO BE CAUGHT.
THE DOCTOR AND THE OFFICERS.
A BRAVE ENGINE DRIVER.
COOL IMPUDENCE AND DISHONESTY.
THE BOOKING-CLERK AND BUCKLAND.
REMARKABLE RESCUE OF A CHILD.
TAKING HIM DOWN A PEG.
A REMARKABLE NOTICE.
FLUTTER CAUSED BY THE MURDER OF MR. BRIGGS.
A CURIOUS RACE.
A GREENLANDER’S FIRST RAILWAY RIDE.
A NOVEL ACTION.
A KISS IN THE DARK.
THE GRAVEDIGGER’S SUGGESTION.
A LITTLE BOY’S COOLNESS.
PHOTOGRAPHING AN EXPRESS TRAIN.
NERVOUSNESS.
A PROFITABLE RAILWAY.
THE POLITE BRAHMIN.
MR. FRANK BUCKLAND AND HIS BOOTS.
DRINKING FROM THE WRONG BOTTLE.
HORSES VERSUS RAILWAYS.
A SLIGHT MISTAKE.
EXPENSIVE CONTRACTS.
MR. BRASSEY’S STRICT ADHERENCE TO HIS WORD.
EXTRAORDINARY ACCIDENT.
REMARKABLE MEMORY FOR SOUNDS.
A DISINGENUOUS BISHOP.
DROPPING THE LETTER “L.”
RAILWAYS A JUDGMENT.
CLAIM FOR GOODWILL FOR COW KILLED ON THE RAILWAY.
TOUTING FOR BUSINESS AND FRAUDS.
HEROISM OF A DRIVER.
IT’S CROYDON.
YOUR TICKET.
AN OLD SCOTCH LADY ON THE LOSS OF HER BOX.
RAILWAY MANNERS.
SHUT UP IN A LARGE BOX.
AWFUL DEATH ON A RAILROAD BRIDGE.
THAT ACCURSED DRINK.
RAILWAY UP VESUVIUS.
EXTRAORDINARY ESCAPE OF BALLOONISTS.
A HEAVY SLEEPER.
A MAD ENGINE-DRIVER.
A MEXICAN CHIEF’S RAILWAY IMPRESSIONS.
MY ORDERS.
EFFECTS OF CONSTANT RAILWAY TRAVELLING.
AN ELECTRIC TRAMWAY INCIDENT.
DUTY IN DISGUISE.
THE MARQUIS OF HARTINGTON ON GEORGE STEPHENSON.
THE STEPHENSON CENTENARY.
REMARKABLE COINCIDENCES.
LOSS OF TASTE.
DANGEROUS LUGGAGE.
STUMPED.
A MONKEY SIGNALMAN.
A CURIOUS CLASSIFICATION.
PROFITABLE DAMAGES.