The life of George Stephenson, railway engineer - Lighthouse ...

248 LIFE OF GEORGE STEPHENSON. [chap.xxi.
tablishment of the locomotive system depended upon the leading
engineers, it would have been swamped at the beginning. In the
mean time it was absolutely necessary that the directors of the
Liverpool Eailway should come to a decision whether fixed or
locomotive engines were to be employed. Mr. Stephenson urged,
as usual, the superiority of the latter, in point of eflSciency, convenience,
and economy, over any other mode of traction. The
directors, who were no engineers, could not disregard the adverse
opinions of professional men, and they declined to indorse his rec-
ommendation. But Mr. Stephenson had so repeatedly and
earnestly urged upon them the propriety of making a trial of the
locomotive before coming to any decision against it, that they at
length authorized him to proceed with the construction of one of
his engines by way of experiment. In their report to the pro-
prietors at their annual meeting on the 27th March, 1828, they
state that they had, after due consideration, authorized the en-
gineer " to prepare a locomotive engine, which, from the nature
of its construction and from the experiments already made, he is
of opinion will be effective for the purposes of the company,
without proving an annoyance to the public." In the same re-
port the directors express their confidence in Mr. Stephenson,
whose ability and unwearied activity they are glad to take the
opportunity of acknowledging. The locomotive thus ordered, was
placed upon the line in 1829, and was found of great service in
drawing the wagons full of marl from the two great cuttings;
In the mean time the discussion proceeded as to the kind of
power to be permanently employed for the working of the rail-
way. The directors were inundated with schemes of aU sorts for
facilitating locomotion. The projectors of England, France, and
America, seemed to be let loose upon them. There were plans
for working the wagons along the line by water power. Some
proposed hydrogen, and others carbonic acid gas. Atmospheric
pressure had its eager advocates. And various kinds of fixed
and locomotive steam power were suggested. - Thomas Gray
urged his plan of a greased road with cog rails ; and Messrs.
Vignolles and Ericsson recommended the adoption of a central
friction rail, against which two horizontal rollers under the loco-
motive, pressing upon the sides of this rail, were to afford the