1 1 2 HER OES OF INVENTION AND DISCO VER Y. 



of it as a hopeless task, and at length they became seriously 

 alarmed ; so much so, indeed, that a board meeting was held 

 on Chat Moss to decide whether I should proceed any further. 

 They had previously taken the opinion of other engineers, who 

 reported unfavourably. There was no help for it, however, but 

 to go on. An immense outlay had been incurred ; and great 

 loss would have been occasioned had the scheme been then 

 abandoned and the line taken by another route. So the 

 directors were compelled to allow me to go on with my plans, of 

 the ultimate success of which I myself never for one moment 

 doubted. Determined, therefore, to persevere as before, I 

 ordered the work to be carried on vigorously ; and to the 

 surprise of every one connected with the undertaking, in six 

 months from the day on which the board had held its special 

 meeting on the moss, a locomotive engine and carriage passed 

 over the very spot with a party of the directors' friends on their 

 way to dine at Manchester.' " 



The works were so far advanced that the line was expected 

 to be ready for opening on ist January, 1830. A desire to 

 secure greater prominence to the event postponed the opening 

 to a later date, and it was not till the 15th of September that 

 the inauguration took place.- 



After the opening of the Liverpool and Manchester line, 

 Stephenson took up his residence near Ashby-de-la-Zouch, in 

 Leicestershire, where he resided for some years. In company 

 with two Liverpool friends, he purchased an estate in the neigh- 

 bourhood ot Ashby, called Snibston, where he sank several 

 shafts ; and after overcoming no common difficulties, by means 

 of the Leicester and Swannington Railway, the people of 

 Leicester were enabled to purchase coals at 8s. a-ton. This 



