Locomotive power was employed by George Stephenson (q.v.) on the Killingworth railway in 1814, and with such success, that it was afterward applied on the Stockton and Darlington railway, for which the first act of parliament was passed in 1821. In this last undertaking, btephenson was encouraged by the generous and enlightened aid of Edward Pease, a member of the society of Friends, whose name will always be asso ciated with the history of railway enterprise. The Stockton and Darlington was the first railway in which carriages traveled with passengers: yet, even with time measure of success so secured, the locomotive Was still an imperfect machine, for its rate of progress continued to be little faster than the walk of a horse. Acceleration was now the grand desideratum, and it was attained by using a very simple contrivance—that of sending the waste steam up the chimney, so as to cause a powerful draught in the fire; a rapid generation of steam was the consequence, and by this appliance, along with the multi tubular boiler, the machine shot forward with an energy hitherto unknown (see STEAM ENGINE).
It certainly seems very strange that, notwithstanding the proved feasibility of rail ways, the public at large could not be stimulated to give any heed to the subject. It was shown in this, as in the analogous case of steam-boats, that the world may remain skeptical of an invention long after it has been practically established beyond cavil. The idea of extending railways over the kingdom for general traffic was perhaps first conceived by Thomas Gray of Nottingham, who, full of enthusiasm, besieged the public, and memorialized the government on this his favorite project, between 1820 and 1824. A work embodying his views, Observations on a General Iron Railway, etc., was pub lished in 1820. Gray's ardent notions met with little favor. Unfortunately, he was no
mechanic, and, seemingly unacquainted with the advances which had been made, labored under the old exploded belief, that locomotives must have cogged wheels. After Gray, there appeared another projector, William James of London, who, in 1822, endeavored, without success, to'establish a railway between Liverpool and Manchester. Opposition caused his plans to be laid aside. The next and more fortunate projector was Joseph Sanders of Liverpool. He issued the prospectus of a railway front Liverpool to Man chester, Oct. 29, 1824; and this line, surveyed by Stephenson, was, after much unworthy opposition, and some changes of route, sanctioned by the legislature. It was formally opened for traffic, Sept. 15, 1830. Provided with sonic of George Stephenson's improved locomotives, the success of 'the line was immediate and complete—in fact, the great rail way system was inaugurated.
Now.-properly speaking, began that course of commercial enterprise, unregulated, and often wasteful, which has since assumed such importance. Refraining from all control over railway operations, the government left speculators to carry lines anywhere or anyhow, that parliament could be persuaded to sanction. The result, as is well known, has been in many places a complication of competing lines on no principle of economy or enlightened foresight. Abandoned, as it were, to the audaeity of promoters, and the mere brute force of capital, schemes, good. bad, and indifferent. had to fight their way at a cost almost exceeding belief; whileat the same time there has been much waste of money in allowing circuitous lines to places which are afterward, in a great measure, superseded by others more direct.