When the economy and value of steam power had been demonstrated by Watt, it was inevitable that steam should be applied for traction purposes. Yet the genius of George Stephenson undoubtedly accelerated the development of that idea. The success of his locomotive set men thinking. The modern motor-car is the, natural descendant of the first engine that dragged long the passengers of 100 years ago. The aeroplane is the natural child of the motorcar. In these days we read of speeds of 120 miles per hour with no surprise. Actually we have records of 200 miles per hour. One hundred years ago, it was considered as blasphemy to speak of speeds exceeding 12 miles an hour, We have "speeded up" more in 100 years than in all th countless centuries before when man was groping a way to his scientific triumphs of to-day, The No, 1 engine, the "Locomotion," was designed by George Stephenson and it was driven by him on the historic day in 1825, The train consisted of six waggons loaded with coals and flour; after these was the passenger coach filled with the directors and friends; then followed 21 wagons. fitted with temporary for Passengers; and lastly came six waggon loads of coals, making in alla train of 38 vehicles, The local chronicler of that day quaintly reported the extraordinary event follows:—"The signal being given the engine started off with this immense train of carriages; and such was its velocity that in some parts the speed was frequent ly 12 miles an hour." As far as the records show us the train averaged on that first journey a safe and steady speed of from four to six miles an hour.
The Pioneers Great discoveries are seldom, and great inventions are never the work of any one individual. The name of George Stephenson, will al ways be connected with the railway because his was the genius which produced engine No. 1, "Locomotion." And it ig more to his credit that he invented the locomotive i to-day, the ive and the Stephenson link motion reversing gear, inventions without which locomotives would never have triumphed over mail coaches.. But before we consider the work of Stephenson, it is only fair' to mention one or two other' pioneers in mechanical traction.' 'The names chiefly associated with the early development of steam power are James Watt, an ins strument maker employed by the University of Glasgow, Richatd' Trevithick of Redruth, "The Cornish Giant" as he was nick-, named, Blenkinsop of "Puffing
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.