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

CHAP. III.] LEAENS ENGINE-BEAKEING. 35
SO far as to stop the working of the pit because Stephenson had
been called in to the brake. But one day as Mr. Charles Nixon,
the manager of the pit, was observed approaching, Coe adopted
an experiment which had the effect of putting a stop to the op-
position. He forthwith called upon George Stephenson to
" come into the brake-house, and take hold of the machine.''
No sooner had he done this, than Locke, as usual, sat down,
and the working of the pit was stopped. " What's the meaning
of this ? " asked Mr. Nixon ;
" what's wrong that the pit is stand-
ing ? " Coe's answer was that Locke had refused to take the
corf. "And why?" asked Nixon. "Because Locke objects
to my learningGeorge there (pointing to Stephenson) to brake.''
Locke, when requested to give an explanation, said that "young
Stephenson couldn't brake, and, what was more, never would
learn to brake : he was so clumsy that he was like to rive his
arms off." Mr. Nixon, however, ordered Locke to go on with
the work, which he did; and Stephenson, after some further
practice, acquired the art of brakeing.
After working at the Water-row Pit, and in the neighbour-
hood of Newburn, for about three years, George, with his com-
panion Coe, was removed to Black CaUerton Colliery in the
year 1801. The pit there belonged to the same masters, Nixon
and Cramlington, and George was regularly appointed brakesman
at the Dolly Pit.