London: Printed by W. Clowes and Sons, Stamford Street.

TO
RAILWAY TRAVELLERS,
AND
TO THE PROPRIETORS
OF THE

AND
OTHER BRITISH RAILWAYS,
THESE ROUGH SKETCHES, DELINEATING THE DIFFICULTIES ATTENDANT UPON THE CONSTRUCTION, MAINTENANCE, AND WORKING OF A RAILWAY, ARE INSCRIBED.

CONTENTS.

CHAP. PAGE
Introduction [7]
I. On the Construction of a Railway [11]
II. On the Maintenance of the Permanent Way [33]
III. The Trains, Euston [38]
IV. The Railway Carriages [48]
V. Lost Luggage Office [53]
VI. Parcel Delivery Office [56]
VII. The Locomotive Engine—Camden [61]
VIII. Goods Department [68]
IX. Wolverton [81]
X. Letters and Newspapers [92]
XI. Crewe [100]
XII. A Railway Town [109]
XIII. The Electric Telegraph [113]
XIV. The Railway Clearing-House [134]
XV. Moral [144]
APPENDIX [157]
Rules and Regulations [159]

INTRODUCTION.

A good many years ago, one of the toughest and hardest riders that ever crossed Leicestershire undertook to perform a feat which, just for the moment, attracted the general attention not only of the country but of the sporting world. His bet was, that, if he might choose his own turf, and if he might select as many thorough-bred horses as he liked, he would undertake to ride 200 miles in ten hours!!!

The newspapers of the day described exactly how “the Squire” was dressed—what he had been living on—how he looked—how, at the word “Away!” he started like an arrow from a bow—how gallantly Tranby, his favourite racer, stretched himself in his gallop—how, on arriving at his second horse, he vaulted from one saddle to another—how he then flew over the surface of the earth, if possible, faster than before—and how, to the astonishment and amidst the acclamations of thousands of spectators, he at last came in … a winner!