96 STEPHENSON'S FIKST LOCOMOTIVE. CHAP. VI. 



accomplish this object Mr. Stephenson now applied 

 himself. Profiting by what his predecessors had done, 

 warned by their failures and encouraged by their 

 partial successes, he commenced his labours. There 

 was still wanting the man who should accomplish for 

 the locomotive what James Watt had done for the 

 steam-engine, and combine in a complete form the 

 separate plans of others, embodying with them such 

 original inventions and adaptations of his own as to 

 entitle him to the merit of inventing the working 

 locomotive, in the same manner as James Watt is to be 

 regarded as the inventor of the working condensing 

 engine. This was the great work upon which George 

 Stephenson now entered, though probably without any 

 adequate idea of the ultimate importance of his labours 

 to society and civilization. 



He proceeded to bring the subject of constructing a 

 " Travelling Engine," as he then denominated the loco- 

 motive, under the notice of the lessees of the Killing- 

 worth Colliery, in the year 1813. Lord Eavensworth, 

 the principal partner, had already formed a very 

 favourable opinion of the new colliery engine-wright, 

 from the improvements which he had effected in the 

 colliery engines, both above and below ground ; and, 

 after considering the matter, and hearing Stephenson' s 

 explanations, he authorised him to proceed with the con- 

 struction of a locomotive, though his lordship was, by 

 some, called a fool for advancing money for such a 

 purpose. " The first locomotive that I made," said 

 Mr. Stephenson, many years after, 1 when speaking of 

 his early career at a public meeting in Newcastle, " was 

 at Killingworth Colliery, and with Lord Eavensworth's 

 money. Yes ; Lord Eavensworth and partners were the 

 first to entrust me, thirty-two years since, with money 



1 Speech at the opening of the Newcastle and Darlington Railway, June 18, 



