MANCHESTER AND LEEDS, AND MIDLAND RAILWAYS—STEPHENSON’S LIFE AT ALTON—VISIT TO BELGIUM—GENERAL EXTENSION OF RAILWAYS AND THEIR RESULTS. Projection of new lines—Dutton Viaduct, Grand 253–274 Junction—The Manchester and Leeds—Summit Tunnel, Littleborough—Magnitude of the work—The Midland Railway—The works compared with the Simplon road—Slip near Ambergate—Bull Bridge—The York and North Midland—George Stephenson on his surveys—His quick observation—Travelling and correspondence—Life at Alton Grange—The Stephensons’ London office—Visits to Belgium—Interviews with the King—Public openings of English railways—Stephenson’s pupils and assistants—Prophecies falsified concerning railways—Their advantageous results CHAPTER XV. GEORGE STEPHENSON’S COAL MINES—THE ATMOSPHERIC SYSTEM—RAILWAY MANIA—VISITS TO BELGIUM AND SPAIN. George Stephenson on railways and 275–300 coal-traffic—Leases the Claycross estate, and sinks for coal—His extensive lime-works—Removes to Tapton House—British Association at Newcastle—Appears at Mechanics’ Institutes—Speech at Leeds—His self-acting brake—His views of railway speed—Theory of “undulating lines”—Chester and Birkenhead Company—Stephenson’s liberality—Atmospheric railways projected—Stephenson opposes the principle of working—The railway mania—Stephenson resists, and warns against it—George Hudson, “Railway King”—Parliament and the mania—Stephenson’s letter to Sir R. Peel—Again visits Belgium—Interviews with King Leopold—Journey into Spain CHAPTER XVI. ROBERT STEPHENSON’S CAREER—THE STEPHENSONS AND BRUNEL—EAST COAST ROUTE TO SCOTLAND—ROYAL BORDER BRIDGE, BERWICK—HIGH LEVEL BRIDGE, NEWCASTLE. George Stephenson’s retirement—Robert’s employment 301–319 as Parliamentary Engineer—His rival Brunel—The Great Western Railway—The width of gauge—Robert Stephenson’s caution as to investments—The Newcastle and Berwick Railway—Contest in Parliament—George Stephenson’s interview with Lord Howick—Royal Border Bridge, Berwick—Progress of iron-bridge building—Robert Stephenson constructs the High Level Bridge, Newcastle—Pile-driving by steam—Characteristics of the structure—Through railway to Scotland completed CHAPTER XVII. ROBERT STEPHENSON’S TUBULAR BRIDGES AT MENAI AND CONWAY. George Stephenson surveys a line from Chester to 320–340 Holyhead—Robert Stephenson’s construction of the works at Penmaen Mawr—Crossing of the Menai Strait—Various plans proposed—A tubular beam determined on—Strength of wrought-iron tubes—Mr. William Fairbairn consulted—His experiments—The design settled—The Britannia Bridge described—The Conway Bridge—Floating of the tubes—Lifting of the tubes—Robert Stephenson’s anxieties—Bursting of the Hydraulic Press—The works completed—Merits of the Britannia and Conway Bridges