The Magic of Stephenson's Name.

When pursuing the subject of early railway working, it is quite impossible to get away from the magic name of Stephenson. There were other engineers who played a vital part in the development of the locomotive, but it is George Stephenson, and his brother Robert, who ever and again step into the limelight with some fresh achievement to add another rung to the ladder of railway progress. At the Rainhill trials the genius of Stephenson received its hallmark. Here, the world-famed locomotive “Rocket” beat all comers in the £500 open contest promoted by the directors of the Liverpool and Manchester line, for the most efficient steam engine.

Four years previous to the Rainhill trials the world's first public railway had been opened—the historic Stockton and Darlington line. On this occasion, George Stephenson's “Locomotion No. 1” had strikingly demonstrated the possibilities of locomotive haulage, and in the following year, 1826, construction of the Liverpool and Manchester Railway, an idea originally suggested by a London engineer named James, was commenced. The Liverpool and Manchester Railway was planned as a double-track route between the two points named, to carry both passengers and merchandise. The promoters were backed up by the Liverpool and Manchester cotton merchants, as it was realised that, through the construction of the railway, the journey time of 36 hours (by water) from Liverpool to Manchester could be reduced to page 20 one of about two hours. May 29th, 1826, was the date of the first general meeting of the Liverpool and Manchester Railway Company, and at this meeting George Stephenson was selected to hold the appointment of chief engineer to the undertaking. In all, the new railway cost something like £820,000, engineering difficulties of a rare nature being encountered.