s, open from
end to end. Our forefathers evidently believed, when constructing
rolling stock, in fresh air in abundance instead of the closed up
compartment of late years. The thirds were lighted at dusk with two
glass globe oil lamps fixed in the roof, one at each end of the coach.
Firsts and seconds were provided with a lamp for each compartment. The
only other difference between the seconds and thirds was that the seats
of the seconds were partly covered with black oilcloth. The latter
carriage proved unremunerative, the public hardly ever patronising
seconds. Therefore they were abolished. In addition to the ordinary
screw coupling, coaches in those days were provided with side chains as
security in case of breaking loose on the journey. Side chains, however,
were abolished on the advent of the continuous brake. The buffers were
provided with wooden block facings with a view of silencing and to
prevent friction when travelling round curves--not at all a bad idea
either. Wheels in those days were constructed entirely of iron with
straight axles and spokes, not wooden blocked as at present to deaden
noise. Owing to the lightness of the stock, when travelling at a fair
rate of speed, oscillation occurred and passengers had to sit firm and
fast, which everyone in those days seemed to enjoy."

Anyhow, there was plenty of fun to be got out of the experience. "The
doors of the old coaches were narrow, and many a tussle to get inside
occurred. One lady in particular who was very stout and a regular
passenger on a certain train, always had to be assisted both in and
out--the stationmaster pulling and the guard pushing, while the fireman
was enjoying the joke. One morning, when the train was a few minutes
late, the guard came running up to the front with his 'Hurry up, Missis,'
when the old dame, with her two baskets, an umbrella, similar in size to
a modern camping tent, and a crinoline fashionable in mid-Victorian days,
got firmly wedged in the door way, whereupon some wag suggested that, to
expedite departure, a break-down gang and crane should be sent for and
the lady hoisted into an open cattle waggon."

II.

But even with all the care which the management enjoined from the first,
accidents were, perhaps, not altogether unavoidable. Sometimes the
errant "human factor" showed itself in tragic fashion even in those
distant days. By a melancholy coincidence, the first serious mishap
occurred close to