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

70 LIFE OF GEOKGE STEPHENSON. [chap. viir.
fled into a neighbouring wood for concealment, and lay there
perdu for three days and nights, to escape the fury of the popu-
lace.* In 1789, Mr. Wm. Jessop constructed a railway a
Loughborough, in Leicestershire, and there introduced the castiron
edge-rail, with flanches cast upon the tire of the wagon
wheels to keep them on the track, instead of having the margin
orflanch cast upon the rail itself; and this plan was shortly after
adopted in other places. In 1800, Mr. Benjamin Outram, of
Little Eaton, in Derbyshire, used stone props instead of timber
for supporting the ends and joinings of the rails. As this plan
was pretty generally adopted, the roads became known as " Outram
roads," and subsequently, for brevity's sake, " tram-roads."
From this time the use of tram-roads rapidly extended, until at
length they were generally adopted in the mining districts.
The progress of railways was, indeed, such that the canal
interests became somewhat uneasy respecting them. The Duke
of Bridgewater, when congratulated by Lord Kenyon on the
successful issue of his scheme, made answer, with far-sighted
shrewdness,— " Yes, we shall do well enough if we can keep
clear of these d—d tram-roads—there's mischief in them !
It will be observed, however, that the improvements thus far
effected had been confined almost entirely to the road. The
railway wagons still continued to be drawn by horses. The
gradual improvements made in the rail, by improving the firm-
ness and smoothness of the track, had, indeed, effected consider-
able economy in horse-power; but that was all. What was
further wanted was, the adoption of some mechanical agency
applicable to the purpose of railway traction. Unless some
such agency could be invented, it was clear that railway. im-
provement had almost reached its limits. Inventors and pro-
jectors, however, presented themselves in numbers, and various
schemes were proposed. One suggested the adoption of sails,
supposing that the wagons might be impelled along the tram-
* Railway Locomotion and Steam Navigation, their principles and practice
by John Curr, of New South Wales. Loudon, Williams and Co., 18i7. The
author of this book was son of the John Cun- of Sheffield, who laid down the
above railway, and who also wrote a book, which was printed in 1797 entitled
" The Coal Viewer and Engine Builder's Practical Companion."
"