described--Blisworth Cutting--Primrose Hill
Tunnel--Kilsby Tunnel--Its construction
described--Cost of the Railway greatly
increased--Failure of contractors--Magnitude of the
works--Railway navvies

CHAPTER XIV.

MANCHESTER AND LEEDS, AND MIDLAND RAILWAYS--STEPHENSON'S LIFE AT
ALTON--VISIT TO BELGIUM--GENERAL EXTENSION OF RAILWAYS AND THEIR
RESULTS.

Projection of new lines--Dutton Viaduct, Grand 253-274
Junction--The Manchester and Leeds--Summit Tunnel,
Littleborough--Magnitude of the work--The Midland
Railway--The works compared with the Simplon
road--Slip near Ambergate--Bull Bridge--The York and
North Midland--George Stephenson on his surveys--His
quick observation--Travelling and
correspondence--Life at Alton Grange--The
Stephensons' London office--Visits to
Belgium--Interviews with the King--Public openings
of English railways--Stephenson's pupils and
assistants--Prophecies falsified concerning
railways--Their advantageous results

CHAPTER XV.

GEORGE STEPHENSON'S COAL MINES--THE ATMOSPHERIC SYSTEM--RAILWAY
MANIA--VISITS TO BELGIUM AND SPAIN.

George Stephenson on railways and 275-300
coal-traffic--Leases the Claycross estate, and sinks
for coal--His extensive lime-works--Removes to
Tapton House--British Association at
Newcastle--Appears at Mechanics' Institutes--Speech
at Leeds--His self-acting brake--His views of
railway speed--Theory of "undulating lines"--Chester
and Birkenhead Company--Stephenson's
liberality--Atmospheric railways
projected--Stephenson opposes the principle of
working--The railway mania--Stephenson resists, and
warns against it--George Hudson, "Railway
King"--Parliament and the mania--Stephenson's letter
to Sir R. Peel--Again visits Belgium--Interviews
with King Leopold--Journey into Spain

CHAPTER XVI.

ROBERT STEPHENSON'S CAREER--THE STEPHENSONS AND BRUNEL--EAST COAST
ROUTE TO SCOTLAND--ROYAL BORDER BRIDGE, BERWICK--HIGH LEVEL BRIDGE,
NEWCASTLE.

George Stephenson's retirement--Robert's employment 301-319
as Parliamentary Engineer--His rival Brunel--The
Great Western Railway--The width of gauge--Robert
Stephenson's caution as to investments--The
Newcastle and Berwick Railway--Contest in
Parliament--George Stephenson's interview with Lord
Howick--Royal Border Bri