RAILWAYS OF ENGLAND.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXII, Issue 19061, 4 July 1925, Page 11

RAILWAYS OF ENGLAND.

: CENTENARY PAGEANT. * ENGINES OF THE PAST, AN INTERESTING CEREMONY. t" i ....I .m ' I '' By Teloeraph—Pres» Aaaociatwn—Copyright. A/.and N. 3, LONDON, July 2. The history of rail way traction was epitomised in a remarkable centcniry pageant this afternoon. This was carried out on the old Stockton arid Darlington line, on which Hedley's old locomotive, " Puffing Billy" was constructed ill 1813. ''v.'.'- '• The old engine was placed at the head of a procession tix miles in length, and was followed immediately in striking contrast by a modern " Flying Scotsman," ; The most, popular feature of the pageant, however, was George Stephenson's first passenger engine, called "Locomotive No. 1." The driver of this wore a coloured tail coat aid a 2li. top hat, as was the custom when this engine was first commissioned in 1825.

The Duke of York unveiled a tabiui commemorating the booking of tha fir si passenger in October,-1825.

Railways* ih England had their origin; in the tramways, or waggon-ways, which at least as early as tha 16th century were used in the mineral districts round Newcastle for the conveyance of coal from, the pits to the river Tyne loir shipment. Until early in the 19th century the railways were nearly all worked by horsed traction and the use of steam had made little progress. John Blenkinsop in 1811 patented an, engine with cogged wheel and rack-rail which was used to conver coal to Leeds from the Middleton colliery., I'd 1813 William Hedley built two locomotives, "Puffing Billy"' and "Wylam Dilly,". for hauling coal from the Wylam colliery, near Newcastle. It was in the following year that George Stephenson's first engine, the "Blucher," drew d train of eight loaded waggons weighing 30 tons, at a speed of foiir miles an hour, up a gradient of 1 in 450. On the Stockton and Darlington railway, which was anthorised by Parliament in 1821, animal power was at first proposed, bet, on the -ad vice of Stephenson, its engineer, steam engines were adopted. This line, with three branches, was over 38 miles in length. It was fa the first; instance laid with a single track, passing-places being provided at intervals of a quarter of a mile. At its opening on September 27. 1825, a train of 34 vehicles, making at gross load wag drawn by one engine driven by Stephenson, with a signalman on horseback in advance. The train attained 4 speed of 15 miles an hour on favourable parts of the line. \ From the first passengersi insisted on being carried on this line, and finally, on October 10, 1825, tie company began to » run a daily coach oil the train, coiled the "Experiment." This carried six persona inside and from 15 to 20 outside, and it made the journey from Darlington to Stockton and back in two hotTS. The fare was Is, -and each 1 passenger was allowed to take baggage not exceeding 141b. in weight. I