The curious historical fact, however, is, that the amount of engineering talent thus suddenly required existed not on the surface of our country, but, on the contrary, many hundred fathoms beneath it. The brilliant talents that were required were “black diamonds,” without metaphor embedded in the bowels of the earth. Science called her spirits from the vasty deep, and in obedience to her commands there arose out of the shafts of our coaleries, and from beneath the bottom of the Thames—
Old George Stephenson, who had served his articles of apprenticeship in a coal-mine, for many years working at the engines both above ground and below;
Isambard Brunel, whose principal experience had been acquired in the construction of the Thames Tunnel;
Joseph Locke, a colliery-viewer, who had served his apprenticeship below ground;
Robert Stephenson, brought up as a coal-miner, served his apprenticeship at Killingworth colliery;
Frank Forster had worked for seven years as an apprentice in a coal-mine;
Nicholas Wood, ditto;
Charles Lean, ditto;
And a crowd of similar genii, all slaves of the same lamp, or “Old Davy,” as they term it.
To such men the difficulties attendant upon the construction of a railway were trifling as compared with those against which all their lives they had been contending.