R AILROADIANA. A EWH IST RY r E L N O o NG AND, P I C U R E S U E BI R AP H I C AL H I ST R I C AL L E G E DA R A N D T Q , OG , O , N Y A I A I A N K ET NT QU R S C H E S . D ESC RI P TI VE OF N IT TH E RAILR AD TH E VIC I Y OF O S , T ER ES F I R S S I . W I T H A M A P A N D I L L U S T R A T I O N S . " I LO N DO N A N D B I RM I N G H A M RA I LW A Y . L O N D O N T ’ I MPK IN M R H LL AND C o. TI ONER T. S , A S A , S A S C OUR 8 8 1 3 . Th e p ers o n c ha rgi ng t hi s m a t e ri a l i s re s p on s ibl e for i t s ret ur n t o th e lib r a r y from whi c h i t w a s wi t hd r a w n on or b efo r e t h e l t t Da t a m e l o a e s e s t p d b e w . ' Th e f t ut i a t io n a nd und e r i ni n o f b oo ks a re re a s o n s , m l , l g f o r d i s c i pl i na ry a c t i o n a nd ma y re s ult i n d i s m i s s a l f ro m t h e Uni ve rs i t y. To re ne w ( a l l Te e h o ne C e nt e r 333 - 8 400 l p , UN IVERS ITY O F ILLINO IS l IBRARY AT URBANA‘ C HAMPAIG N TH E experience of a recent excursion on the ondon and~ ¢ fi m R l ll ll c Birmingha ai way , origina y suggested the idea of co e ting the information contained in the foll owing pages . It was a fine A th e al day in utumn , and in the few hours between arriv of the of l u to first and the departure the ast train , the writers so ght make themselves acquainted with the scenery and hi story of T N oul RING . otwithstanding it may be thought these c d be w l i n compressed ithin narrow imits , that time was consumed for l i seeking pre iminary information , which m ght have been n l l l oy adva tageous y as well as agreeab y emp ed in using it . The moment came when they were obliged to enter the Ra ilway u l l l a xi ium, or ose the ast conveyance , and they found them selves tantalized with a knowledge that they had been oc cupied z on l l of in ga ing what east deserved attention , whi e objects 2 03 60 6 V I T I N RO D UCTI ON . Bu superior interest had escaped them . t the error they l R l l l dep ored was not to be repaired . e ent ess as o d Time him l k — u l se f, the driver ta es his seat the a xi ium starts and the un ifi tourists return grat ed . To l — u speak more serious y the rapid comm nication , now f l l ef ected by rai ways between p aces remote from each other , is working a mighty change in the relations of different parts of o the Empire . The man of pleasure may find it an amusement t t l li terar Railr oad s udy these , but neverthe ess a y , to assist him fi in the taskf will prove not less important than the iron one by hi l h w ch he passes over the ground . To supp y suc a desideratum to o t o l of satisfy curi sity , and spare the toi and irksomeness l n of . hurried and wearyi g enquiries , is the object this vo ume It has been trul y remarked by an author whose attenti on was early awakened to the c onsequenc es of the application of steam ll to common road trave ing, that the stations , as they are ll ll l of ca ed , wi a ways be fixed in the vicinity some town of a of n of importance , many of which , thous nds the i habitants u of l London have not had an opport nity visiting , whi st , so far ‘ l - orti on of ul as the p easure taking p our pop ation is concerned , l l u of ll one de ightfu and instr ctive consequence the change , wi be to make the Public acquainted with the beauties of their own INTRO D UCTI ON . — l country especiall y of its r ural sections . These wi l now l become objects of rational attraction . Individua s who seeking l l them , seek at the same time p easure , information and hea th ll l v wi fee that good ser ice may be rendered by descriptions , an d l for narratives facts , which enab e them to decide them l at l h ow se ves , whatever p ace they may be , their time can be l most agreeab y spent . B efore entering upon our task , it may not be amiss to draw attention to the general features of the country intersected by i l . this portion of the Birm ngham ine We find in it three rivers , Colne Gade Ba lboarne all b the , the , and the , tri utaries of the l o l e Thames , and a th ugh the eminences which enc os these l al - hi streams are not of great e evation , nor the v es through w ch they glide suffic iently depressed to afford a decided character u a of fine of pict resque and rom ntic beauty , yet there is enough l scenery to p ease and to gratify . Independently of the mere l l scenery , the vicinity of the capita , and the sa ubrity of the air (attractions not generall y neglected by the noble and the weal thy) contributed in former days to make this district a — favourite resort thus accounting for the growth of towns ul l i n u i m tip y ng estates in a manner unknow in the distant co nt es , and u n u Castle M onaster st ddi g the co ntry with the , the y, the vi I NTRO D UCTI ON . ‘ M anor - [ muse or Vi lla the , in accordance with the wants and of ll fashions the times which ca ed each into existence . If we coul d go back five or six centuries - we should view this u l i l co ntry in a comparative y primitive cond tion . In ater days the streams were made subservient to the purposes of manu o ll of facture ; the water beyed the wi man , and became a l d o . l an ab urer Then , as distant p aces grew into importance , commerce with its spreading arms created new wants throughout l C anal and the wor d , the appeared brought with it fresh sources of occupation and wealth increased the popul ation of the towns and communicated the life of trade to the hithert o quiet — l l - l Rai lr oad and va eys . Last y the has started into existence now s l l preads its giant ength a ong these sequestered scenes , to th e a o ul and of astonishment of the n tive p p ation , the j oy the - f li inn keepers in the immediate vicinity o the ne . l R l l In eaving the ai road itse f to be described by others , we woul d remark that the particul ar p oint on which an individual u n may wish to finish his j o rney is ow merely a matter of taste . e ort u l di u il The fi req ired to reach a p ace stant a h ndred m es , is little more than that which is required to reach one but a third of n For n n ll o the dista ce . i sta ce Sha we g to Berkhamsted INTRO D UCT I O N . vii or Kenilworth ! The former will cost us one hour and a half in journeying ; the l atter something less than four hour s t out of l n l fa igue being the question in either case , whi e the i terva between the out and home trips affords sufficient l eisure to i n l cu l al inspect , a sing e day , whatever is rious in the oc ity . Be it — remembered that there is no walking the hill s no pulli ng up to l or l of al e n l take a unch , a g ass , nor goi g s ow to give the s w l l to an l .