Railway Adventures and Anecdotes Part 13

An English traveller in Germany entered a first-cla.s.s carriage in which there was only one seat vacant, a middle one. A corner seat was occupied by a German, who evidently had placed his portmanteau on the opposite one-at least the traveller suspected that this was the case. The latter asked, "Is this seat engaged?" "Yes," was the reply. When the time for the departure of the train had almost arrived, the Englishman said, "Your friend is going to miss the train, if he is not quick." "Oh, that is all right. I'll keep it for him." Soon the signal came and the train started, when the pa.s.senger seized the portmanteau, and threw it out of the window, exclaiming, "He's missed his train but he mustn't lose his baggage!" That portmanteau was the German's.

GROWTH OF STATION BOOKSHOPS.

The gradual rise of the railway book-trade is a singular feature of our marvellous railway era. In the first instance, when the scope and capabilities of the rail had yet to be ascertained, the privilege of selling books, newspapers, etc., at the several stations was freely granted to any who might think proper to claim it. Vendors came and went, when and how they chose, their trade was of the humblest, and their profits were as varying as their punctuality. By degrees the business a.s.sumed shape, the newspaper man found it his interest to maintain a _locus standi_ in the establishment, and the establishment, in its turn, discerned a substantial means of helping the poor or the deserving among its servants. A cripple maimed in the company's service, or a married servant of a director or secretary, superseded the first batch of stragglers and a.s.sumed responsibility by express appointment. The responsibility, in truth, was not very great at starting. Railway travelling, at the time referred to, occupied but a very small portion of a man's time. The longest line reached only thirty miles, and no traveller required anything more solid than his newspaper for his hour's steaming. But as the iron lengthened, and as cities remote from each other were brought closer, the time spent in the railway carriage extended, travellers multiplied, and the newspaper ceased to be sufficient for the journey. At this period reading matter for the rail sensibly increased; the tide of cheap literature set in. French novels, unfortunately, of questionable character were introduced by the newsman, simply because he could buy them at one-third less than any other publication selling at the same price. The public purchased the wares they saw before them, and very soon the ingenious caterers for railway readers flattered themselves that there was a general demand amongst all cla.s.ses for the peculiar style of literature upon which it had been their good fortune to hit. The more eminent booksellers and publishers stood aloof, whilst others, less scrupulous, finding a market open and ready-made to their hands were only too eager to supply it. It was then that the _Parlour Library_ was set on foot. Immense numbers of this work were sold to travellers, and every addition to the stock was positively made on the a.s.sumption that persons of the better cla.s.s, who const.i.tute the larger portion of railway readers, lose their accustomed taste the moment they smell the engine and present themselves to the railway librarian.

-Preface to a Reprinted Article from the _Times_, 1851.

MESSRS. SMITHS' BOOKSTALLS.

The following appeared in the _Athenaeum_, 27th Jan., 1849. "The new business in bookselling which the farming of the line of the North-Western Railway by Mr. Smith, of the Strand, is likely to open up, engages a good deal of attention in literary circles. This new shop for books will, it is thought, seriously injure many of the country booksellers, and remove at the same time a portion of the business transacted by London tradesmen. For instance, a country gentleman wis.h.i.+ng to purchase a new book will give his order, not as heretofore, to the Lintot or Tonson of his particular district, but to the agent of the bookseller on the line of railway-the party most directly in his way.

Instead of waiting, as he was accustomed to do, till the bookseller of his village or of the nearest town, can get his usual monthly parcel down from his agent 'in the Row'-he will find his book at the locomotive library, and so be enabled to read the last new novel before it is a little flat or the last new history in the same edition as the resident in London. A London gentleman hurrying from town with little time to spare will buy the book he wants at the railway station where he takes his ticket-or perhaps at the next, or third, or fourth, or at the last station (just as the fancy takes him) on his journey. It is quite possible to conceive such a final extension of this principle that the retail trade in books may end in a great monopoly:-nay, instead of seeing the _imprimatur_ of the Row or of Albermarle Street upon a book, the great recommendation hereafter may be 'Euston Square,' 'Paddington,' 'The Nine Elms,' or even 'Sh.o.r.editch.' Whatever may be the effect to the present race of booksellers of this change in their business-it is probable that this new mart for books will raise the profits of authors.

How many hours are wasted at railway stations by people well to do in the world, with a taste for books but no time to read advertis.e.m.e.nts or to drop in at a bookseller's to see what is new. Already it is found that the sale at these places is not confined to cheap or even ephemeral publications;-that it is not the novel or light work alone that is asked for and bought.

"The prophecy of progress contained in the above paragraph has been fulfilled so far as the North-Western and Mr. Smith are concerned. His example, however, was not infectious for other lines; and till within the last three months, when the Great Northern copied the good precedent, and entered into a contract with Mr. Smith and his son, the greenest literature in dress and in digestion was all that was offered to the wants of travellers by the directors of the South-Western, the Great Western, and other trunk and branch lines with which England is intersected. A traveller in the eastern, western, and southern counties who does not bring his book with him can satisfy his love of reading only by the commonest and cheapest trash-for the pretences to the appearance of a bookseller's shop made at Waterloo, at Sh.o.r.editch, at Paddington, and at London Bridge, are something ridiculous. This should not be. It shows little for the public spirit of the directors of our railways that such a system should remain. Mr. Smith has, we believe, as many as thirty-five shops at railway stations, extending from London to Liverpool, Chester and Edinburgh. His great stations are at Euston Square, Birmingham, Manchester, Liverpool and Edinburgh. He has a rolling stock of books valued at 10,000. We call his stock rolling, because he moves his wares with the inclinations of his readers. If he finds a religious feeling on the rise at Bangor, he withdraws d.i.c.kens and sends down Henry of Exeter or Mr. Bennett; if a love for lighter reading is on the increase at Rugby, he withdraws Hallam and sends down Thackeray and Jerrold. He never undersells and he gives no credit. His business is a ready-money one, and he finds it his interest to maintain the dignity of literature by resolutely refusing to admit pernicious publications among his stock. He can well afford to pay the heavy fee he does for his privilege; for his novel speculation has been a decided hit-of solid advantage to himself and of permanent utility to the public."

-_Athanaeum_, Sept. 5, 1851.

A RESIDENT ENGINEER AND SCIENTIFIC WITNESS.

Shortly after the first locomotives were placed on the London and Birmingham Railway, a scientific civilian, who had given very positive evidence before Parliament as to the injury to health and other intolerable evils that must arise from the construction of tunnels, paid a visit to the line. The resident engineer accompanied him in a first-cla.s.s carriage over the newly-finished portion of the works. As they drew near Chalk Farm the engineer attracted the attention of his visitor to the lamp at the top of the carriage. "I should like to have your opinion on this," he said. "The matter seems simple, but it requires a deal of thought. You see it is essential to keep the oil from dropping on the pa.s.sengers. The cup shape effectually prevents this.

Then the lamps would not burn. We had to arrange an up-cast and down-cast chimney, in order to ensure the circulation of air in the lamp.

Then there was the question of shadow;"-and so he continued, to the great edification of his listener, for five or six minutes. When a satisfactory conclusion as to the lamp had been arrived at, the learned man looked out of the window. "What place is this?" said he. "Kensal Green." "But," said the other, "how is that? I thought there was one of your great tunnels to pa.s.s before we came to Kensal Green." "Oh,"

replied the Resident, carelessly, "did you not observe? We came through Chalk Farm Tunnel very steadily." The man of science felt himself caught. He made no more reports upon tunnels.

-_Personal Recollections of English Engineers_.

EXTRAORDINARY SCENE AT A RAILWAY JUNCTION.

A most extraordinary and unprecedented scene occurred on Monday morning at the Clifton station, about five miles from Manchester, where the East Lancas.h.i.+re line forms a junction with the Lancas.h.i.+re and Yorks.h.i.+re. The East Lancas.h.i.+re are in the habit of running up-trains to Manchester, past the Clifton junction, without stopping, afterwards making a declaration to the Lancas.h.i.+re and Yorks.h.i.+re Company of the number of pa.s.sengers the trains contain, and for whom they will have to pay toll. The Lancas.h.i.+re and Yorks.h.i.+re Company object to this plan, and demand that the trains shall stop at Clifton, so that the number of pa.s.sengers can be counted, and give up their tickets. The East Lancas.h.i.+re Company say that in addition to their declaration, the other parties have access to all their books, and to the returns of their (the East Lancas.h.i.+re Company's) servants; and that the demand to take tickets, or to count, is only one of annoyance and detention, adopted since the two companies have become compet.i.tors for the traffic to Bradford. Towards the close of last week, the dispute a.s.sumed a serious aspect, by one of the Lancas.h.i.+re and Yorks.h.i.+re Company's agents at Manchester (Mr. Blackmore) threatening that he would blockade or stop up the East Lancas.h.i.+re line, at the point of junction, with a large balk of timber. The East Lancas.h.i.+re Company got out a summons against Mr. Blackmore on Sat.u.r.day; but, notwithstanding this, the Lancas.h.i.+re and Yorks.h.i.+re Company's manager proceeded on Monday to carry the threat into execution, despite the presence of a large body of the county police. The East Lancas.h.i.+re early trains were allowed to pa.s.s upon the Lancas.h.i.+re and Yorks.h.i.+re line without obstruction; but at half-past 10 o'clock in the morning, as the next East Lancas.h.i.+re train to Manchester was one which would not stop at Clifton, but attempt to pa.s.s on to Manchester, a number of labourers, under the direction of Captain Laws, laid a large balk of timber, secured by two long iron crowbars, across the down rails to Manchester of the Lancas.h.i.+re and Yorks.h.i.+re line, behind which was brought up a train of six empty carriages, with its engine at the Manchester end. When the East Lancas.h.i.+re train came in sight, it was signalled to stop, and the Lancas.h.i.+re and Yorks.h.i.+re Company's servants went and demanded the tickets from the pa.s.sengers.

This demand, however, was fruitless, inasmuch as the East Lancas.h.i.+re parties had taken the tickets from the pa.s.sengers at the previous station-Ringley. The first act of the East Lancas.h.i.+re Company's servants was to remove the balk of timber, and this they did without hindrance.

They next attempted to force before them the Lancas.h.i.+re and Yorks.h.i.+re blockading train. This they were not able to do. The East Lancas.h.i.+re Company then brought up a heavy train laden with stone, and took up a position on the top line to Manchester. Thus the Lancas.h.i.+re and Yorks.h.i.+re Company's double line of rails was completely blocked up-one line by their own train, and the other by the stone train of the East Lancas.h.i.+re Company. In this position matters remained till near 12 o'clock. There were altogether eight trains on the double lines of rails of the two companies, extending more than half a mile. After which the blockade was broken up, and the various trains were allowed to pa.s.s onwards-fortunately without accident or injury to the pa.s.sengers.

-_Manchester Examiner_, March 13th, 1849.

GOODS' COMPEt.i.tION.

Within the last fortnight, we understand, the London and North-Western, in conjunction with the Lancas.h.i.+re and Yorks.h.i.+re, have commenced carrying goods between Liverpool and Manchester, a distance of 31 miles, at the ruinously low figure of 6d. per ton, where they used to have 8s. We further hear that the 6d. includes the expenses of collection and delivery. The cause is a compet.i.tion with the East Lancas.h.i.+re and the ca.n.a.l. At a very low estimate it has been calculated that every ton costs 6s. 3d., so that they are losing 5s. 9d. on every 6d. earned, or 860 per cent.

How long this monstrous compet.i.tion is to continue the directors only know, but the loss must be frightful on both sides. Chaplin and Horne had 10s. a ton for collecting and delivering the goods at the London end of the London and North-Western Railway, and, though the expense must be less in such comparatively small towns as Liverpool and Manchester, it can hardly be less than a half that, 5s. Therefore, allowing only 1s.

3d. for the bare railway carriage, which is under a halfpenny a ton a mile, we have 6s. 3d., the estimate showing the above-mentioned loss of 5s. 9d. on every 6d. earned.

-_Herepath's Journal_, Sept. 29th, 1849.

A POLITE REQUEST.

An amusing ill.u.s.tration of the formal politeness of a railway guard occurred some years ago at the Reigate station. He went to the window of a first cla.s.s carriage, and said: "If you please, sir, will you have the goodness to change your carriage here?" "What for?" was the gruff reply of Mr. Bull within. "Because, sir, if you please, the wheel has been on fire since half-way from the last station!" John looked out; the wheel was sending forth a cloud of smoke, and without waiting to require any further "persuasive influences," he lost no time in condescending to comply with the request.

A CHASE AFTER A RUNAWAY ENGINE.

Mr. Walker, the superintendent of the telegraphs of the South-Eastern Railway Company, remarks:-"On New Year's Day, 1850, a collision had occurred to an empty train at Gravesend, and the driver having leaped from his engine, the latter darted alone at full speed for London.

Notice was immediately given by telegraph to London and other stations; and, while the line was kept clear, an engine and other arrangements were prepared as a b.u.t.tress to receive the runaway, while all connected with the station awaited in awful suspense the expected shock. The superintendent of the railway also started down the line on an engine, and on pa.s.sing the runaway he reversed his engine and had it transferred at the next crossing to the up-line, so as to be in the rear of the fugitive; he then started in chase, and on overtaking the other he ran into it at speed, and the driver of the engine took possession of the fugitive, and all danger was at an end. Twelve stations were pa.s.sed in safety; it pa.s.sed Woolwich at fifteen miles an hour; it was within a couple of miles of London when it was arrested. Had its approach been unknown, the money value of the damage it would have caused might have equalled the cost of the whole line of telegraph."

STEAM DEFINED.

At a railway station, an old lady said to a very pompous looking gentleman, who was talking about steam communication. "Pray, sir, what is steam?" "Steam, ma'am, is ah!-steam, is ah! ah! steam is-steam!" "I knew that chap couldn't tell ye," said a rough-looking fellow standing by; "but steam is a bucket of water in a tremendous perspiration."

IN A RAILWAY TUNNEL.

Mr. Osborne in the _Sunday at Home_, says, "I have heard from a friend a strange story of a tunnel, which I will try to tell you as it was told to me. A well-known engineer was walking one day through a tunnel, a narrow one, and as he was going along, supposing himself safe, he thought his ear caught the far-off rumble of a train _in the tunnel_. After stopping and listening for a moment, he became sure it was so, and that he was caught, and could not possibly get out in time. What was he to do?

Should he draw himself up close to the side wall, making himself as small as possible, that the train might not touch him. Or should he lie down flat between the rails and let the train pa.s.s over him. Being an engineer, and knowing well the shape of things, he decided to lie down between the rails as his best chance. He had to make up his mind quickly, for in a minute or so the whole train came to where he lay, and went thundering over him, and-did him no harm whatever. But he afterwards told his friends, that in that brief moment of time, while the train was pa.s.sing over, he saw his whole past life spread out like a map, like an illuminated transparency, with every particular circ.u.mstance standing out plain."