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

328 LIFE OF GEOEGE STEPHENSON. [chap. xxvn.
south to the energy of his son. Besides the Grand Junction, he
was, shortly after the completion of the Liverpool and Man-
chester line, engaged in surveying and laying out a railway from
Manchester to Leeds, with the object of forming a connection be-
tween the principal towns of Lancashire and Yorkshire. An at-
tempt had been made to obtain an act for this purpose as early
as the year 1831 ; but having been met by the powerful opposi-
tion of the landowners, aided by the canal companies, it was de-
feated, and was not revived until several years later. Mr.
Stephenson, however, having carefully examined the entire dis-
trict, had already determined in his own mind the route of the
Manchester and Leeds line, and decided that no other was prac-
ticable, without the objectionable expedient of a tunnel three and
a half miles in length under Blackstone Edge, and the additional
disadvantage of heavy gradients. This line, as projected by
him, and afterwards considerably improved, was somewhat cir-
cuitous, and the works were heavy ; but on the whole the
gradients were favourable, and it had the advantage of passing
through a district full of manufacturing towns and villages, the
teeming hives of population, industry, and enterprise. The act
authorizing the construction of the railway, was finally obtained
in the session of 1836 : it was greatly amended in the succeed-
ing year ; and the first ground was broken on the 18th of
August, 1837.
An incident occurred while the second Manchester and Leeds
Bill was before the Committee of the Lords, which is worthy of
passing notice in this place, as illustrative of Mr. Stephenson's
character. The line which was authorized by Parliament in
1836, had been hastily surveyed within a period of less than six
weeks ; and before it received the Royal assent, Mr. Stephenson
became convinced that many important improvements might be
made in it, and communicated his views to the directors. They
determined, however, to obtain the act, although conscious at the
time that they would have to go for a second and improved line
in the following year. The second bill passed the Commons in
1837 without difficulty, and promised in like manner to receive
the sanction of the Lords' Committee. Quite unexpectedly,
however, Lord Wharncliflfe, who was interested in the Man-