Clarke courier. [volume] (Berryville, Va.) 1869-1997, 1905-10-18
EARLY TINE TABLES
THE FIRST RAILWAY GUIDE THAT WAS
ISSUED m ENGLAND.

Dimeufties the Manchester ouaL.r
hnd q" Overcome-TraveIinx I'm the
Old Time Pioneer rrafns
IL was an inspired moment when II
occurred TO George Bradshaw. the Man.
chester Quaker and map engraver. 10
publish his time table I'm 1899. and even
IL his intricate pages. as has been sug
gested. have helped TO drive many a
man out OF his wits, IL is quite certain
that John Bull could never do without
his Bradshaw.
In the early days OF this friend OF
those who travel by rail Punch pub
hshed an amusing. II not very truthful.
skit entitled "Bradshaw-A Mystery {"
In which two young lovers. severed by
leagues of railway. plan to meet by
the friendly assistance Of Bradshaw.
Biit. after consulting his pages until
they were on the verge OF lunacy. the
lady. i'm despair exclaims. Bradshaw
has nearly maddened me" And me {"
rejoins Orlando
lie talks of trains arriving that nevoy
start
or trains that seem TO start and peer ar
rive.
OF functions where no union Is effected.
or coaches meeting trains that never
come.
and so on. but the genial Quaker only
smiled and went on his way.
In these days when the United King
dom is covered with an intricate net.
work OF many thousands OF miles OF
railways ana when its time tables
spread over considerably more than a
thousand densely packed pages OF
type. it seems impossible 10 imagine a
time when you could count all the rail-
ways on the fingers of one hand and
when the only guide was medal car
ried In the pocket. on which were en-
graved the times Of starting of a dozen
trains OF the Grand Junction railway.
This was the condition OF things In
the year OF Queen Nictoria's accession.
and two years later on oct. 10. 1899.
bradshaw published his first Railway
Time Table. tiny pamphlet four and
half inches long and three inches
wide. bound i'm green cloth with gold
lettering. 1t was nothing more than Il
collection of the monthly time tables
issued 10y the seven railway companies
then i'm existence and was as modest a
volume as ever came from the press.
or this pioneer Bradshaw there ar,
only four copies now In existence. II
which two are i'm the BOdlcian library
at oxford. and II 10y chance one of
them were TO come into the market IL
would certainly fetch many times its
weight in gold.
The success OF his Time Table en-.
couraged Bradshaw 10 more amhl-
uous effort. AMI he maugurated the
year 1910 10y publishing his Railway
Companion. a twin volume OF hut thir-
ty-eight pages. including maps. and
sold at a shilling. This was quite indie.
pendent OF his Time Table ana publish.
ed concurrcntly for eight years. when
the two volumes were merged I'm the
Guide
These original Bradshaws were
published at Irregular intervals and
were kept up To date 10y the issue OF
monthly time sheets. which often fail
ell 20 make their appearance until the
9th or 9Th of the month. from the ditli-
Guilty in learning the changes i'm times
from the railway authorities.
The companies. indeed. strongly re
scented BradShaw'S innovation and nut
every possible obstacle I'm his way. But
their ohStinacy was not proof against
the Quaker'S ingenuity and persistence.
and az last they cap;tulated and actu-
ally agreed. at his request. TO adjust
their time tables FOR the beginning Of
each month. II was on Dee. I. 1871.
that Bradshaw began % publish his
Guide monthly under the direction
and with the assistance of the railway
companies" and from this date things
began 60 run smoothly for him.
The first monthly Guido was OF thir-
V-two pages and contained forty-two
or forty-thrce lines OF railway. 10 such
an extent had they multiplied in four
or i've years. Ii was published both in
volume form and displayed on Il single
large sheet. price threcpcnce. which
could be mounted on Stiff board and
hung up in offices and business houses.
In 1913 bradshaw had bloSSomed
into the Monthly General Railway
and Steam Navigation Guide. with
elaborate tables containing list OF
shares, exhibiting at one view the cost,
traffic length. dividend and market
value of the same"
These early railway guides are most
interesting reading. The trains are de
scribed as first class. second class,
mixed, fast and mail. Third class tray
elerS had the choice of travelling on the
roof or i'm open wagons resembling cat
tie trucks, while gentlemen riding In
their own carriages are charged second
class fares. Luggage was carried on
The rOOf.-New York Herald.