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| Robert Stephenson (1803–59) was the engineer of Egypt's first railway (Photo credit: Wikipedia) |
on Robert’s meagre pay of 16 shillings a week. None of the children was ever sent to school. Instead, each was put to work as soon as he or she was old enough. Before he was 10, young George got a job minding cattle for a rich widow, for which he earned two pennies a day. As he grew older, he started doing other agricultural work, earning fourpence a day. He worked at a variety of jobs, leading plough-horses,
hoeing turnips, and working in the colliery to clear stones from the coal. By the age of 15, he had become a fireman. Within a couple of years, he gained expertise in his field.
At 18, realising that his illiteracy was an impediment to his progress, he joined night school and learnt to read and write. In 1802, he courted and married a girl named Fanny Henderson. Their only son, Robert was born the following year.
In 1813, Stephenson learnt that a 3-member team was developing a steam locomotive for Wylam colliery. (This was a success, and became famous as the Puffing Billy). Inspired by their efforts, Stephenson persuaded his own colliery manager to let him design an engine of his own. In 1814, he
built a locomotive that could haul 30 tons of coal up a hill at the speed of 4 miles per hour. It was a flanged-wheel locomotive that relied on adhesion between the wheel and track. He called his engine the Blucher. Although the Blucher was slow and unreliable, it made Stephenson’s reputation. He later worked on the design to overcome its shortcomings. Over the next 5 years, he built several more locomotives, some for the colliery and some for Scotland’s first authorised railway line, the Kilmarnock and Troon Railway.
Impressed by Stephenson’s achievements, the colliery owner gave him the task of building an 8-mile railway line from Hetton to Sunderland. The track was laid out in sections. His railway used a combination of gravity for downward inclines and locomotives for level and upward stretches. It was the first railway that did not use animal power.
In 1821, the British Parliament approved the building of the Stock and Darlington Railway. The proprietor of the railway, Edward Pease, had originally intended to use horses for pulling the carts on metal rails, but Stephenson met him and persuaded him to use steam locomotives instead. Impressed with Stephenson’s work, Pease offered him the post of chief engineer on the new line. Assisted by his 18-year-old son Robert, Stephenson began work. Now, a manufacturer was needed to provide the locomotives for the new line. In 1823, Pease and Stephenson jointly set up a company in Newcastle – Robert Stephenson & Co. – to manufacture locomotives. In 1825, the company’s first engine, Locomotion, was ready. On September 27th, the Stock and Darlington was inaugurated.Watched by a large crowd, the Locomotion, driven by George Stephenson, hauled 80 tons of coal and flour for a distance of 15 km in 2 hours.
The Stock and Darlington line successfully reduced the cost of transporting coal. In 1826, Stephenson was appointed engineer and provider of locomotives for the Bolton
and Leigh railway. He also was the chief engineer of the proposed Liverpool and Manchester railway.
The directors of the Liverpool and Manchester company held a competition to choose the locomotive they would use on the new railway. The competition was held at Rainhill in 1829. The Rocket, built by George and Robert Stephenson, emerged the winner.
By now, Stephenson was flooded with commissions. He was constantly working at improving his engines and the tracks.
In 1840, Stephenson settled into semi-retirement, moving to Tapton Hall near Chesterfield. He died on August 12, 1848, at the age of 67.
