Life of Robert Stephenson

Front matter

m. ItU ffitbrarg

^fe

North (Carolina i^tate llnmerBila

Chapter I. The Battle Of The Gauges

Great Western Railway in 1833 — Brunei's Scheme for a Broad Gauge — History of the Narrow Gauge — Advantages anticipated by Brunei from a Broad Gauge — Brunei's Report of 1838 — Theory of Railway Districts — ■ Break of Gauge first takes place at Gloucester in 1844 — Goods Traffic, not Passengers, the grand Cause of Difiiculty at ' Breaks of Gauge ' — Gauge Pamphleteers — The Oxford and Wolverhampton Contest in 1845 — Lord Diilhousie's and Mr. Cobden's Motions — Royal Gauge Commission appointed— Brunei's Inconsistencies — The Railway Clearing House, instituted under the Auspices of Mr. Glyn and Mr. Hudson — Its leading Principles and its Retm-ns for 1845 — Witnesses examined by the Gauge Commissioners — Brimel left alone — Robert Stephenson's Character as a Parliamentary Witness — His Evidence before the Gauge Commission — Brunei's Expedients for obviating the Evils of ' Break of Gauge ' — The Commissioners' Report — The last Ai-gument in favour of Competition advanced by the Broad Gauge Party and answered by Mr. Thornton Hunt — niustrated Evidence — The Gauge Act — Robert Stephenson's Report on Double Gauges .... Page 1

Chapter II. Iron' Bkidges

Mr. Stephenson's large Practice in Iron Bridges — His Article on the Subject in the Enq/clopcedia Britannica — Modern Use of the Material — Early Bridges — First Iron Arch Bridges — Tom Paine's Bridge — Full

VOL. II. a

" I^tBBABY OF ftXAfli COLLF^^ vi CONTENTS OF

Development of the Iron Arch Bridge — First Use of Wrought Iron — Suspension Bridges — Captain Samuel Brown — Mr. Telford— The Menai Bridge — Introduction of Railways— Consequent large Demand for Iron Bridges — Return to the Form of the simple Beam— Comparison of the three different Systems of Iron Bridges— Advantages of the Girder System — Cast-iron Gii-ders — Compound Girders — The Dee Bridge — Royal Commission on Iron Railway Structures — Introduction of Wrought-iron Girders — Different Varieties of Girders — Examples — The Aire Bridge — The Benha Bridge — Last Work of Mr. Stephenson's Life, Restoration of Tom Paine's Bridge ..... Page 30

CHAPTER m.

THE BRITANNIA BRIDGE.

The Port of Holyhead— The Holyhead Trunk Road— Interruption by the Menai Strait — Attempts to establish a Passage — Telford's Suspension Bridge— Introduction of Railways— Chester and Holyhead Railway — Proposal to use Telford's Bridge for Railway Purposes — Mr. Stephenson designs an independent Bridge — The Britannia Rock — Proposal for a Bridge of two Arches — Opposition in Parliament — First Idea of the Tubular Construction — Its Novelty — Preliminary Experiments : Mr. Fairbairn and Mr. Hodgkinson — Important Principles derived from the Experiments — Mr. Stephenson's Report — Commencement of the Masonry— Further experimental Inquiries — Means of placing the Tubes in their Positions — Contracts for the Tubes — Their Manufacture— Floating and Raising — Description of the Bridge — Principle of Continuity — Tubes — Mr. Stephenson's Explanations of Peculiarities in their Construction— Towers and Abutments— Architectural Design — Cost — The Conway Bridge 73

Chapter IV. The High Level Bridge At Newcastle-on-txne

Object of the Bridge —Ravine of the Tyne— Ancient Bridge .at a Low Level — Inconveniences of the Passage — Early Proposals for a High Level Bridge — Mr. Green's Scheme — High Level Bridge Company — Mr. Stephenson appointed Engineer — Newcastle and Darlington Railway — Proposal for the Double Roadway — Parliamentary Proceedings — Description of the Bridge — The Piers — The Iron Superstructure — Mr. Stephenson's Motives for the Adoption of the Bowstring Girder — Letting of the Contract — Driving the Piles — Manufacture of the Ironwork — Erection — Completion ........ 113

THE SECOND VOLUME.

Chapter V

APFArRS, PUBLIC AND PRIVATE, DUEITfG THE CONSTRXJCTION OF THE CHESTER AND HOLYHEAD RAILWAY.

Newcastle and Berwick Line — The High Level Bridge — Trent Valley Line — Leeds and Bradford Line — Italian Trip in 1845 — Norwegian Trip in 1846 — Norwegian Liberality — Irish Famine — Lord George Bentinck's Proposal to subsidise Irish Railway Companies — Robert Stephenson, George Hudson, and IVlr. Laing consulted — Lord George Bentinck's Speech in the House of Commons — Election to the Council and Vice- Presidency of the Institute of Civil Engineers — Narrow Escape on the Chester and Holyhead Railway — Death of George Stephenson — Relations between Father and Son — Elected Fellow of Royal Society — Grand Banquet at Newcastle — Summary of his Railways — High Level Bridge opened by the Queen — Robert Stephenson declines the Honour of Knighthood— ' Nene Valley Drainage and Navigation Improvement Commissioners ' — Appointed Engineer with Sir John Rennie to the ' Norfolk Estuary Company ' — Consulted by the Town Council of Livei-pool as to the best Means of supplying Liverpool with Water — Grand Central Station at Newcastle opened by the Queen — Royal Border Bridge opened by the Queen — Statistics relating to Royal Border Viaduct — Robert Stephenson desirous of Rest .... Page 128

Chapter VI. Egbert Stephenson As Politician And Member Of The House Of

COMMONS.

George Stephenson's Political Opinions and Sympathies — Robert Stephenson's Toryism — * Little Lord John ! ' — Opinions on Popular Education — Robert Stephenson M.P. for Whitby in Yorkshire — 'One of the Impenetrables ' — Speech in the House of Commons on the proposed Site for the Great Exhibition of 1851 — Discussion on the Army Estimates, June 19, 1856 — First Speech against the Suez Canal — Second Speech against the Suez Canal — Speech on ' The State of the Serpentine ' — Popularity in the House of Commons — Letter to Admiral Moorsom on Crimean Mismanagement — Reason for declining the Invitation of the Newcastle Conservatives — Dislike of Party Strife— Testimonial to Sir William Hayter ...,,. 142

Chapter VII. Robert Stephenson In London Society. (^tat 47-55.)

The Year of the Great Exhibition — In the Park — An Impostor imposed upon — No. 34 Gloucester Square — ' The Sunday Lunches ' — Works of viii CONTENTS OF

Art — Philosopbical Apparatus — Demeanour in Society — 'The Chief in Great George Sti'eet — Kobert Stephenson and ' the Profession ' — Stories of Robert Stephenson's Generosity—' The Westminster Review ' on Robert Stephenson — Cab-drivers and their Payment — Zenith of Robert Stephenson's Prosperity — His part in the Great Exhibition of 1851 — Crack-brained Projectors — Aquatic Amusements — The ' House without a Knocker' — Alexandria and Cairo Railway — Victoria (St. Lawi-ence) Viaduct — Mr. Samuel Bidder's Reminiscences — Grand Banquet at Montreal to Robert Stephenson — His Speech on the Occasion — Connection with Mr. Alexander Ross — The St. Lawi-ence Viaduct completed, and inspected by Robert Stephenson's Deputies . . Page 157

CHAPTER Vm.

THE GKEAT VICTORIA BEIDGE OVER THE RIVER ST. LAWRENCE IN CANADA.

One of Mr. Stephenson's Last AVorks — Line of Lakes and River St. Lawi'ence — Difficulties of the Navigation — Introduction of Railways into Canada — The Grand Trunk Railway — Engineering Problem in the Design of the Bridge — Phenomena of the Ice — Early Proposals for a Bridge— ISIr. A. W. Ross — Mr. Stephenson consulted — Joint Report — Mr, Stephenson visits Canada and reports again to the Directors — Surveys — Letting of the Contract — Iron- work — Mr. G. R. Stephenson — Controversy on the fitness of the Design — Mr. Stephenson's Views — Description of the Bridge — Site — Piers — Tubes — Erection of the Bridge — Foundations— Caissons — Shortness of the Working Season — Contrivances to save Time — Inspection of the Bridge — Opening by the Prince of Wales — Difficulties overcome ...... 190

Chapter IX. Concluding Tears At Home And Abroad. (.etat. 47-55.)

Athenajum Club — Geographical Society — Royal Society Club — The ' Philosophical Club ' of the Royal Society — Robert Stephenson, President of the Institution of Civil Engineers — Receives the honorary D.C.L. of Oxford — The Dark Side of his Prosperity— Failing Health — Admiration of Mechanical Skill— Speech at Sunderland — The Wear Bridge — Strong Afi'ection for Newcastle — Periodic Visits to the Factoiy — Judicious and Considerate Conduct to humble Relations — Visits to Long Benton — Contribution to Painted Window in Long Benton Church — "N'isit to AVylam — Isaac Jackson, the Clockmakei" — On Board the 'Titauia' — Letter to Admiral Moorsom — Ilampstead Churchyard — Social Engagements— Trip to Egypt — An unfulfilled l*resentiment — Letters from Alexandria and Algiers — Last Christmas Dimier of Stephenson and Brunei — Last London Season — Last Visit to Royal Society Club — Last Will and Testament — Last Voyage to Norway— Opening of the Norwegian Railway- — Banquet to Robert Stephenson at Christiauia — Last Public Speech. 230

THE SECOND VOLUME.