158 MR. PEASE VISITS KILLINGWORTH. CHAP. IX. 



his first estimate of the cost of forming the railway 

 according to the instructions of the directors, set down, 

 as part of the cost, 6200/. for stationary engines, not 

 mentioning locomotives at all. The directors as yet 

 confined their views to the employment only of horses 

 for the haulage of the coals, and of fixed engines and 

 ropes where horse-power was not applicable. The 

 whole question of steam locomotive power was, in the 

 estimation of the public, as well as of practical and 

 scientific men, as yet in doubt. The confident anticipa- 

 tions of George Stephenson, as to the eventual success of 

 locomotive engines, were regarded as mere speculations ; 

 and when he gave utterance to his views, as he fre- 

 quently took the opportunity of doing, it had the effect 

 of shaking the confidence of some of his friends in the 

 solidity of his judgment and his practical qualities as an 

 engineer. 



When Mr. Pease discussed the question with Stephen- 

 son, his remark was, " Come over and see my engines at 

 Killingworth, and satisfy yourself as to the efficiency of 

 the locomotive. I will show you the colliery books, that 

 you may ascertain for yourself the actual cost of work- 

 ing. And I must tell you that the economy of the 

 locomotive engine is no longer a matter of theory, but a 

 matter of fact." So confident was the tone in which 

 Stephenson spoke of the success of his engines, and so 

 important were the consequences involved in arriving at 

 a correct conclusion on the subject, that Mr. Pease at 

 length resolved upon paying a visit to Killingworth ; and 

 he proceeded thither accordingly, in the summer of 1822, 

 in company with his friend Mr. Thomas Richardson, 1 a 

 considerable subscriber to the Stockton and Darlington 

 project. 



When Mr. Pease arrived at Killingworth village, he 

 inquired for George Stephenson, and was told that he 



1 Mr. Richardson was the founder I Richardson, Overend, and Gurney, in 

 of the celebrated discount house of I Lombard Street. 



