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

CHAP. XXVII.J ME. STEPHENSON'S PUPILS. 339
than it would bear. He never was an advocate for unfavour-
able gradients—he wanted low levels. They had been passing
that day upon a beautiful low level, and it was in a situation
where no low level line would ever be brought to compete
with it."
Mr. Stephenson always took great pleasure in alluding to the
services rendered to himself and the public by the young men
brought up under his eye—his pupils at first, and afterwards his
assistants. No great master ever possessed a more devoted band
of assistants and fellow-workers than he did. And, indeed, it
was one of the most marked evidences of his own admirable tact
and judgment that he selected, with such undeviating correctness,
the men best fitted to carry out his plans. The ability to ac-
complish great things, to carry grand ideas into practical efiect,
depends in no small measure on an intuitive knowledge of char-
acter, which Mr. Stephenson possessed in a remarkable degree.
Thus, on the Liverpool and Manchester line, he secured the able
services of Messrs. Vignolles and Locke ; the latter had been
his pupil, and had laid down for him several coal-lines in the
north.* John Dixon, trained by him on the Stockton and Dar-
lington Railway, afterwards ably carried out his views on the
Canterbury and Whitstable, the Liverpool and Manchester, and
the Chester Railways. Thomas Gooch was his able representa-
tive in superintending the execution of the formidable works of
* An unliappy difference afterwards occurred between Mr. Stephenson and
Mr. Locke, on the latter being appointed the principal engineer of the Grand
Junction Eailway, during the progress of the worljs. Considerable personal
feeling was thrown into the affair, which had no small influence upon the railway
politics (so to speak) of the time; and in determining the direction of the
new lines of railway between Manchester and the South. The projectors of
the Manchester and Birmingham Eailway—a rival line to the Grand Junction
at once invited Mr. Stephenson to act as their engineer; and it was alleged that
a personal feeling actuated him in the professional support which he gave to
the undertaking. The declared object of the promoters, however, was to
secure a more direct communication between Manchester and London than
was afforded by the circuitous route via Warrington. Mr. Crawshay, at one of
their meetings, asserted, that he for one would never cease going to Parliament
until they had got the nearest and best way to the metropolis. In like manner,
the Trent Valley line, projected with the same object, had the strong support
of the Manchester men; indeed, the project originated almost entirely with
them.
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