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

268 LIFE OF GEORGE STEPHENSON. [chap.xxiii.
means of bellows,—an adoption of Trevethick's idea. The day
being now far advanced, and some dispute having arisen as to
the method of assigning the proper load for the " Novelty," no
particular experiment was made, further than that the engine
traversed the line by way of exhibition, occasionally moving at
the rate of twenty-four miles an hour.
The " Sans-pareil," constructed by Mr. Timothy Hackworth,
was next exhibited; but no particular experiment was made
with it on this day. This engine differed but little in its con-
struction, from the locomotives last supplied by Mr. Stephenson
to the Stockton and Darlington Railway, of which Mr. Hack-
worth was the locomotive foreman. It had the double tube con-
taining the fire, passing along the inside of the boiler and I'eturn-
ing back to the same end at which it entered. It had also the
steam blast in the chimney ;
but, as the contraction of the orifice
by which the steam was thrown into the chimney for the purpose
of intensifying the draught, was a favourite idea of Mr. Hack-
worth, he had sharpened the blast of his engine in a remarkable
degree. This was the only novel feature in the " Sans-pareU."
The contest was postponed until the following day ; but before
the judges arrived on the ground, the bellows for creating the
blast in the " Novelty " gave way, and it was found incapable of
going through its performance. A defect was also detected in
the boiler of the " Sans-pareil ;
" and Mr. Hackworth was
allowed some further time to get it repaired. The large number
of spectators who had assembled to witness the contest were
greatly disappointed at this postponement ; but, to lessen it, Mr.
Stephenson again brought out the " Rocket," and, attaching to it
a coach containing thirty persons, he ran them along the line at
the rate of from twenty-four to thirty miles an hour, much to
their gratification and amazement. Before separating, the
judges ordered the " Rocket " to be in readiness by eight o'clock
on the following morning, to go through its definitive trial ac-
cording to the prescribed conditions.
On the morning of the 8th of October, the " Rocket " was
again ready for the contest. The engine was taken to the ex-
tremity of the stage, the fire-box was filled with coke, the fire
lighted, and the steam raised until it lifted the safety-valve