the
Great Eastern, and in order to shorten the driving journey to London,
gentlemen and tradesmen rose early in the morning and drove from places
in Cambs. and North Herts, to Broxbourne to join the new conveyance,
the engine of which frightened the passengers as it drew up at the
station! It was not an uncommon sight I am told to see a muster of all
kinds of vehicles drawn up in rows at Broxbourne from all parts of the
north-east of Hertfordshire, and there left to await their owners'
return. The start had, of course, to be made at a very early hour in
the morning to get to Broxbourne by eight or nine o'clock--"30 m.p. 8"
(30 minutes past 8), was the manner of printing the first time tables.

{177}

As to the accommodation, at first the guard of a train in some cases
sat perched on a back seat of the last carriage outside! like a cab
driver, but things had already begun to improve a little at the time I
am writing of. Here is a description by one of the old Royston
travellers of a journey from Broxbourne to London.

"At first the 3rd class carriages were open, like cattle trucks, and
without seats, and when seats were added they were very rough ones.
Later on the open carriages were improved by placing iron hoops over
the top and tarpauling over these, something after the fashion of a
railway van in our streets now. A smartly-dressed young man in his
Sunday best, desiring to appear to great advantage in London, would
find his white waistcoat--which was generally worn in those days--a
very sorry spectacle, after standing in an open carriage and catching
the smoke of the engine, from which there was no protection! On one
occasion there was a very great pressure in the train up from
Broxbourne to London, and one of these 3rd class carriages with the
iron hoop and tarpauling roof over it was so full that the pressure on
the wheels and consequent friction began to produce sparks and then
smoke! All the passengers were in a terrified state! Some of them set
to work trying to tear the tarpauling away from the roof in order to
communicate with the guard, but unfortunately the tarpauling seemed to
be the strongest part of the carriage, and it appeared to be a case of
all being burned to death before the train stopped! At last one young
fellow becoming more desperate, got his head through the top of the
carriage--that is through the tarpauling--and had his high top hat
carried away by the breeze; but succeeded in gett