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

OHAP. XXVI.] STAGECOACH AND RAILWAY CONTRASTED. 315
appeared, however, that during the first eight years not fewer
than five millions of passengers had been conveyed along the
Liverpool and Manchester Railway, and of this vast number
only two persons had lost their lives by accident. During the
same period, the loss of life by the upsetting of stage-coaches
had been immensely greater in proportion. The public were
not slow, therefore, to detect the fact, that travelling by railways
was greatly safer than travelling by common road ; and in all
districts penetrated by railways the coaches were very shortly
taken off from want of support.
Mr. Stephenson himself had a narrow escape in one of the
stage-coach accidents so common twenty years ago, but which
are already almost forgotten. While the Birmingham line was
under construction, he had occasion to travel from Ashby-de-la-
Zouche to London by coach. He was an inside passenger with
several others ; and the outsides were pretty numerous. When
within ten miles of Dunstable, he felt, from the rolling of the
coach that one of the linch-pins securing the wheels had given
way, and that the vehicle must upset. He endeavoured so to
fix himself in his seat, holding on firmly by the arm-straps, that
he might save himself on whichever side the coach fell. The
coach soon toppled over, and feU crash upon the road, amidst
the shrieks of his fellow passengers and the smashing of glass.
He immediately pulled himself up by the arm-strap above him,
let down the coach window, and climbed out. The coachman
and passengers lay scattered about on the road, stunned, and
some of them bleeding, whilst the horses were plunging in theii-
harness. Taking out his pocket knife, he at once cut the traces
and set the horses free. He then went to the help of the pas-
sengers, who were all more or less hurt. The guard had his
arm broken ; and the driver was seriously cut and contused. A
scream from one of his fellow-passenger " insides " here attracted
his attention ; it proceeded from an elderly lady, whom he had
before observed to be decoirated with one of the enormous bonnets
in fashion at that time. Opening the coach door he lifted the
lady out; and her principal lamentation was that her large
bonnet had been crushed beyond remedy ! Mr. Stephenson
then proceeded to the nearest village for help, and saw the pas-