END OF THE COACHING AGE 267 



until November 1832 that his " Infant " actually 

 made the attempt. It had already, at the 

 beginning of 1831, plied for public service as an 

 omnibus between Stratford and London, and now 

 was to essay those 52 miles between London and 

 the sea. 



It performed the double journey, but, owing 

 to lack of fuel on the Avay, not in anything like 

 record time, although it is said in places to have 

 attained a speed of 13 miles an hour. 



In 1833 Hancock started a steam omnibus 

 between Paddington and the City, and by 1836 

 had three. Between them, they conveyed no 

 fewer than 12,761 passengers. They were named 

 the "Era," "Autopsy," and "Automaton." Why 

 the middle one should have been named in a 

 manner so suggestive of accidents and 2)0st- 

 mortem examinations is not clear. But indeed, 

 the names of old-time and modern motor-cars 

 and their inventors, strange to say, generally 

 have been, and are now, sometimes singularly 

 unfortunate. Thus, in 1821, a Scotch inventor 

 of Leitli produced a steam-carriage. His name 

 was Barstall ! Among recent motor-cars are the 

 "Mors" and the "Hurtu." 



In October 1833 Hancock ran the " Autopsy " 

 to Brighton in 8^ hours (including three hours 

 in stops on the way), and later had successful 

 trips to ^Larll)orough and back and Birmingham 

 and back. These performances were considered 

 so promising that a " London and Birming- 

 ham Steam-Coach Company " Avas formed, and 



