The western sentinel. [volume] (Winston-Salem, N.C.) 1887-1926, 1897-07-29
THE TRAIN RACE.

| We wers ON the platform at Kings Cross
The evening train fora berdeen was drawn
| up ready for its Journey.
"a fine train, sir, - said to a guard OF
| another later train whom knew slightly
AYE, aye, sir, it is a fine train this
! one. But-though say it as shouldn't
it'snot the train it was year ago, when
| we used to run against the London and
Northwestern every night
"Oh,'' said /, interested at once, $50
/ you were one of the guards in that great
race. were You? 1t must have been ire
/ mendously exciting"
Exciting, siri Why, could tell you q
| regular story about it, that night as we
! ran from Kings Cross here to Newcastle
/ without stop. That was something liks
run, WASH it?''
| cit was, indeed, and if it is not trou-
| bling you too much. I'd like to hear You
story just while we are waiting to see the
train off. -
81 was the guard OF this train on that
/ particular night. sir Our usual course
/ was to run to York without stop, then
on to Berwick, Edinburgh Dundee ard
Aberdeen. Three nights before, though
| we had gone a large part of the distance at
| so miles hour, the other company had
beaten US by just about five minutes.
.tBut this night all our officials not only
hoped, but had made all preparations
both for beating the London and North
western and also breaking the record.
II was sitting at home the day before
! the eventful run was to take place, smok-
ing my pipe and thinking deeply, when
| was aroused by sharp knock at the door.
| On opening it / found a tall, fair haired
| gentleman of about 80, who asked smiling
1y if Mr.. James-that's my name-was at
home, and if he could see him.
irafsys hi
vited him in.
| Well, / have learned-by what means
I need not say-what probably most OF
you on the line think is quite a secret, that
! there is to be very determined attempt
/ by your train tomorrow night to beat the
record, as well the other company 9
train. l thought it as well TO call and ask
your private opinion OF the chances of sue.
cess, if you would not be averse to giving
| me it on the @ L. You have doubtless
heard of B. & Coz
II nodded, and he smiled again
Exactly. Well, we have the offer of 8
bet of 50, 500 to 81 500 that your train does
not beat the London and Northwestern to.
morrow night. I am, of course, inclined
to accept the bet, but thought it wise jus,
to drop in and ask your opinion first ION
the strict @. T. J, as to the chances of you
success. 1 reckon a pony would be very
welcome, wouldn't it, for yourself, and q
"tenner'' for each of the others?'
You can depend on us tomorrow
night, sir, said I. we have all in readi
ness, and shall certainly do the trick. Why
bless you-though it's strictly private
we're going to run to Newcastle without 9
STOP
''He had drink of whisky with me
and then he rose to go. ooh, by the by,
said he before leaving, there's no risk Of
| your having to stop on the way, I suppose
/ mean for foolish passengers who might
get nervous at the speed and pull the com
munication cord, or anything of that sort,
And there is no part of the rail likely to bt
blocked, as there was few nights ago III
Darlington, 1 supposes''
No, I think both contingencies are
very unlikely, the latter especially. The
only awkward piece of line is that between
| Arbroath and Montrose, where we have
only single line to work on. That nee
essarily is tickiish, but it II be all right to
morrow night
| ''AEiid Il storm of cheers from the many
| spectators on the platform we set out from
Kings Cross here for Aberdeen. Our train
consisted of the engine and tender-oul
very best, 1 need scarcely say-with five
| coaches and the guard van.
For the first time there was no stop
| page at York, and we rushed along to
ward Newcastle, through Darlington ant
| Durham. AS you know, we always felt
uncertain about this piece of road between
York and Newcastle, the traffic is SO heavy
| But ON this occasion there was not The
| slightest need for any diminution of speed
and as we drew up at Newcastle platform
for a ten minutes stay we were actually
| five minutes before any record time fol-
! this Journey
! 'tAn went well to Edinburgh, over the
| Forth bridge, over the Tay bridge ant
through Dundee, until we began to gel
within measurable distance OF Aberdeen
/ found on referring to my watch thai
now, just before entering on this piece d
| single line, we were about l 3 minutes be
| fore our expected time.
We had gone about couple of miles
when / fancied ] felt slight slackening o.
our speed. Before another mile had beer
covered this was more plainly evident, anG
when heard those portentous whistles OF
the engine 1 knew that the signals were
against US.
"The train gradually slackened sree6
/ until it came to dead stop at that wretcht c
signal. AS no notice was taken of our re
| peated whistling, l was about to go for
ward myself to the signal box to see what
was the matter when l saw the signalmaI
waving white light. He protested, il
reply to my angry query, that he had sig
nailed the line being clear for the last
half hour; but j assured him that the sig
| nal was against us.
"But though we dashed into Aberdeen
with much putting of the engine at least
four minutes before our appointed time
we were too late. That miserable stoppagt
on the single line had killed US, and WE
| found that the London and Northwestern
train had beaten us by three minutes.
"There was, of course, an immediate
inquiry into the cause of the delay, and il
was found on examination that the signal
man was not to blame, the signal wires
had been. tempered with. Hence the 81 g
nal would not work when the lever was
pulled.
'tThe signalman recollected having seer
a gentlelnanly fellow walking near the line
the day before and taking a stroll that
way later in the evening, but he was not
at all sure he could recognize him again.
sit was about fortnight or SO later
that I received letter from New York
| I opened it, and read as follows:
"sDEAR MIR. JAMEs--Thanks to you
information as to which was the most
tick1ish portion of your line to Aberdeen
we We're enabled to carry out our plan sue
| cessfully. You see, we had bet that the
| London and Northwestern would win, not
| the Great Northern, and SO took steps to
win our wager. l am sorry you lost your
promised re1Sard-ah, ah but there are
three S25 notes inclosed as consolation
| one for each of you--with my best thanks
You will pardon my last piece of advice
Mr. James. Don't another time give toe
| much informal ion to strangers.
| itAh, there is the whistle, and off she
l goes on her long journey to the north
The next train is mine Coed night, sir -
| London Tit Bits.
The Place to Pad.