This eBook was prepared by Les Bowler, St. Ives, Dorset. RIDES ON RAILWAYS by Samuel Sidney. PREFACE. The following pages are an attempt to supply something amusing, instructive, and suggestive to travellers who, not caring particularly where they go, or how long they stay at any particular place, may wish to know something of the towns and districts through which they pass, on their way to Wales, the Lakes of Cumberland, or the Highlands of Scotland; or to those who, having a brief vacation, may wish to employ it among pleasant rural scenes, and in investigating the manufactures, the mines, and other sources of the commerce and influence of this small island and great country. In performing this task, I have relied partly on personal observation, partly on notes and the memory of former journeys; and where needful have used the historical information to be found in cyclopaedias, and local guide-books. This must account for, if it does not excuse, the unequal space devoted to districts with equal claims to attention. But it would take years, if not a lifetime, to render the manuscript of so discursive a work complete and correct. I feel that I have been guilty of many faults of commission and omission; but if the friends of those localities to which I have not done justice will take the trouble to forward to me any facts or figures of public general interest, they shall be carefully embodied in any future edition, should the book, as I hope it will, arrive at such an honour and profit. S. S. LONDON, AUGUST, 1851. CONTENTS. LONDON AND NORTH WESTERN RAILWAY EUSTON STATION THE MIXED TRAIN CAMDEN STATION AYLESBURY WOBURN AND BEDFORD THE BUCKS RAILWAY BANBURY OXFORD WOLVERTON STATION BLISWORTH, NORTHAMPTON WEEDON RUGBY AND ITS RAILWAYS ARNOLD AND HIS SCHOOL COVENTRY TO BIRMINGHAM BIRMINGHAM WARWICK, LEAMINGTON, KENILWORTH, STRATFORD-ON-AVON SOHO THE BLACK COUNTRY (WALSALL, DUDLEY, WEDNESBURY, DARLASTON) STAFFORD LIVERPOOL MANCHESTER THE ROAD TO YORKSHIRE YORKSHIRE LEEDS THROUGH LINCOLNSHIRE TO SHEFFIELD SHEFFIELD DERBYSHIRE FROM CHESTER TO NORTH STAFFORDSHIRE THE LAKES HOME LIST OF ENGRAVINGS. EUSTON SQUARE, LONDON HARROW-ON-THE-HILL VIADUCT OVER THE RIVER COLNE, NEAR WATFORD LOOKING FROM THE HILL ABOVE BOXMOOR STATION TOWARDS BERKHAMSTED BERKHAMSTED STATION LEIGHTON BUZZARD DENBIGH HALL BRIDGE THE WOLVERTON VIADUCT BRIDGE IN THE BLISWORTH EMBANKMENT VIEW FROM TOP OF KILSBY TUNNEL, LOOKING TOWARDS RUGBY COVENTRY THE SHERBORNE VIADUCT, NEAR COVENTRY THE AVON VIADUCT THE ASTON VIADUCT ASTON HALL NEWTON ROAD STATION, NEAR BIRMINGHAM THE RAILWAY NEAR PENKRIDGE STAFFORD VIEW NEAR WHITMORE VALE-ROYAL VIADUCT EXCAVATION AT HARTFORD VIADUCT OVER THE MERSEY AND MERSEY AND IRWELL CANAL, KINGSTON THE DUTTON VIADUCT THE WARRINGTON VIADUCT LONDON AND NORTH WESTERN RAILWAY.