Railway Adventures and Anecdotes: Extending over More Than Fifty Years
History
Railway Adventures and Anecdotes: Extending over More Than Fifty Years
Railroads
plaudits of the well dressed people who thronged the numerous booths, and
all the walls and eminences on both sides the line. Our speed was
gradually increased till, entering the Olive Mountain excavation, we
rushed into the awful chasm at the rate of twenty-four miles an hour.
The banks, the bridges over our heads, and the rude projecting corners
along the sides, were covered with masses of human beings past whom we
glided as if upon the wings of the wind. We soon came into the open
country of Broad Green, having fine views of Huyton and Prescot on the
left, and the hilly grounds of Cheshire on the right. Vehicles of every
description stood in the fields on both sides, and thousands of
spectators still lined the margin of the road; some horses seemed
alarmed, but after trotting with their carriages to the farther hedges,
they stood still as if their fears had subsided. After passing Whiston,
sometimes going slowly, sometimes swiftly, we observed that a vista
formed by several bridges crossing the road gave a pleasing effect to the
view. Under Rainhill Bridge, which, like all the others, was crowded
with spectators, the Duke’s car stopped until we passed, and on this, as
on similar occasions, we had excellent opportunities of seeing the whole
of the noble party, distinguishing the Marquis and Marchioness of
Salisbury, the Earl and Countess of Wilton, Lord Stanley, and others, in
the fore part of the car; alongside of the latter part was Mr. Huskisson,
standing with his face always toward us; and further behind was Lord
Hill, and others, among whom the Mayor of Liverpool took his station. At
this place Mr. Bretherton had a large party of friends in a field,
overlooking the road. As we approached the Sutton inclined plane the
Duke’s car passed us again at a most rapid rate—it appeared rapid even to
us who were travelling then at, probably, fifteen miles an hour. We had
a fine view of Billings Hill from this neighbourhood, and of a thousand
various coloured fields. A grand stand was here erected, beautifully
decorated, and crowded with ladies and gentlemen from St. Helen’s and the
neighbourhood. Entering upon Parr Moss we had a good view of Newton Race
Course and the stands, and at this time the Duke was far ahead of us; the
grand cars appeared actually of diminutive dimensions, and in a short
time we saw them gliding beautifully over the Sankey Viaduct, from which
a scene truly magnificent lay before us.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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