CENTURY OF RAIL

Evening Post, Volume CXX, Issue 126, 23 November 1935, Page 10

CENTURY OF RAIL

THE GREAT WESTERN

MARCH OF PROGRESS

PRINCE AT BANQUET

, (From "The Post's" Representative.) LONDON, November 2; Many amusing stories of the early days of railway travelling were told at the centenary banquet of the Great Western Railway. One hundred inspectors, drivers, firemen, and porters were among the guests. The Prince of Wales was the chief guest, and about four hundred others whose names are well known attended. Mr. H. H. Sterling represented the New Zealand Railways. As the. Prince remarked, it was the company's night out. "The Royal Road" was the title given to the G.W.R. by the Prince.. "It well deserves the name," he said, "if only from the fact that it was upori its wheels that Queen Victoria first experienced railway travelling, and that over its lines she was borne upon her last journey home." Describing the original opposition to railways, the Prince said:— -When Queen Victoria, in June, 1842. made her first journey by train from Slough to Paddinglon, and even declared 'she had enjoyed it,' wide circles in Britain sustained a serious shock, and men and women shook their heads far more than they did when, some years ago, I began to .use the aeroplane as a convenient way of getting about the country. .- "Such were the' resistances of the old world to what was no doubt th« prime agent in creating the new. But the steam norse ploughed his way through them all, and nothing could stop the march, of human destiny. A NEW, TERRIFIC WORLD. ~ "Tonight we meet in a new, terrific world where the size of everything grows larger and larger and the pace of everything grows faster and faster, and when we are whirled along to greater triumphs or greater disasters tha\i any that have gone bet ore. "When the pioneers- of the Great Western Railway were building ths track to Bristol, England, in the word: of Disraeli, 'was for the few and fo» the very few.' Now we have made it a land for the many, and we dream and contrive for the days when it shall be a land for all." Sir Robert Home, chairman of the Great Western Company, also recalled Queen Victoria's journey on June 13, 1842, when she travelled in the. first eight-wheeled railway coach. "Members of the House of Commons did not fail to take notice of this journey," added Sir Robert. "A question was asked in the House which seemed to imply that her Majesty's person ought not to be subjected to the risks of railway travel. An answer was given stating that two carriages had . been interposed between the engine and the one occupied by the Queen to obviate risk of collision." THE QUEEN'S SIGNAL DISC. Sir Robert mentioned chat the Queen's favourite coachman insisted upon accompanying the engine-driver to see that nothing was done to endanger her Majesty's safety. According to the contemporary narrative, when he descerided to the platform at the end of the journey he much more resembled a dishevelled Christy minstrel .than a servant in the Royal livery. Sir Robert also said that whe'h a new coach was built for the Queen in 1850 it carried on the roof a signal of disc and crossbar, which was operated from within the coach by her Majesty. She was able to indicate by that means whether she wished the trail, to stop or go faster or more slowly ' "A servant who travelled on the termer, seated under a hood, was able to observe, the Royal signals and establish communication with the engine driver. Among the opponents to the construction of the railway, said Sir Robert,, was the Profost of Eton, "who feared the effect upon his pupils of a railway which might lure them to the lights of London." It was mentioned that Mr. Arthur Baldwin, the Premier's father, was chairman of the G.W.R. Board Mrs. Baldwin, replying to the toast of the guests, said the Great Western Railway held a very warm corner in the Premier's heart. To this day an old Great Western key which belonged to his father travels with him in a special box with his papers and cherished pipe.

The Prince of Wales accepted a wooden model of "Lord of the Isles," an engine which covered 789.000 milos in 33 years' service. Similar models were disti'ibuted to each guest. They contained a cigar and a cigarette.