CHAPTER I.
Schemers and Projectors.
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-coaches.—Sir Isaac Newton's Proposal to employ Steam-power.—Dr. Darwin's Speculations on the Subject.—Mr. Edgeworth's Speculations.—Dr. Darwin's Prophecy.[Page 47]
CHAPTER II.
Early Locomotive Models.
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 Murdoch's Model.—William Symington's model Steam-carriage.—Oliver Evans's model Locomotive.[60]
CHAPTER III.
The Cornish Locomotive—Memoir of Trevithick.
Early Welsh Railway Acts.—Wandsworth, Croydon, and Merstham Railway.—Boyhood of Trevithick.—Becomes an Engineer.—His Career.—Constructs a Steam-carriage.—Its Exhibition in London.—Constructs a Tram-engine.—Its Trial on the Merthyr Railroad.—Trevithick's Improvements in the Steam-engine.—Attempts to construct a Tunnel under the Thames.—His numerous Inventions and Patents.—Engines ordered of him for Peru.—Trevithick a Mining Engineer in South America.—Is ruined by the Peruvian Revolution.—His return Home.—His last Patents.—Death and Characteristics.[73]
PART II.