Chapter I: Front Matter

STOKERS AND POKERS:

OR, THE

LONDON AND NORTH-WESTERN RAILWAY,

THE ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH,

AND

THE RAILWAY CLEARING-HOUSE.

BY THE AUTHOR OF
‘BUBBLES FROM THE BRUNNEN OF NASSAU.’

LONDON:
JOHN MURRAY, ALBEMARLE STREET.
1849.

London: Printed by W. CLOWES and SONS, Stamford Street.

TO

RAILWAY TRAVELLERS,

AND

TO THE PROPRIETORS

OF THE

GREAT WESTERN,
MIDLAND,
LANCASHIRE AND YORKSHIRE,
YORK, NEWCASTLE, AND BERWICK,
EASTERN COUNTIES,
LONDON AND SOUTH-WESTERN,
YORK AND NORTH MIDLAND,
CALEDONIAN,
GREAT SOUTHERN AND WESTERN (IRISH),
LONDON AND NORTH-WESTERN,

AND

OTHER BRITISH RAILWAYS,

THESE ROUGH SKETCHES, DELINEATING THE DIFFICULTIES
ATTENDANT UPON THE CONSTRUCTION,
MAINTENANCE, AND WORKING OF A RAILWAY,
ARE INSCRIBED.

CONTENTS.

CHAP. PAGE

INTRODUCTION 7

I. ON THE CONSTRUCTION OF A RAILWAY 11

II. ON THE MAINTENANCE OF THE PERMANENT WAY 33

III. THE TRAINS, EUSTON 38

IV. THE RAILWAY CARRIAGES 48

V. LOST LUGGAGE OFFICE 53

VI. PARCEL DELIVERY OFFICE 56

VII. THE LOCOMOTIVE ENGINE--CAMDEN 61

VIII. GOODS DEPARTMENT 68

IX. WOLVERTON 81

X. LETTERS AND NEWSPAPERS 92

XI. CREWE 100

XII. A RAILWAY TOWN 109

XIII. THE ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH 113

XIV. THE RAILWAY CLEARING-HOUSE 134

XV. MORAL 144

APPENDIX 157

RULES AND REGULATIONS 159