On Wed, 27 Jul 2011 20:16:22 +0100, tony sayer wrote:

No wonder George Stephenson made it a core business practice to provide
a trained driver with each locomotive (or, I think, any engine) sold..
That probably did more for reliable working than anything else, and must
have greatly helped in his building up a reputation.


Yes don't suppose in those days they read the 'effing manual either then

Wouldn't be one (how could there be, with the first engines..). "Write it
if you get the chance". Stephenson does seem to be the first to think
about transferring expertise in how to work a locomotive (mind, wasn't he
copying what Boulton and Watt had done with stationary engines - supply
someone trained to worK the engine as part of the package?[1]).


Mind you they prolly had a decent excuse in they couldn't read it
anyway;!...

It's noticable how many of the early engine drivers became great men in the
developing railways - Daniel Gooch and Edward Fletcher were two of Stephenson's
drivers... Really, in terms of career progression (if you didn't meet an early
end) it must have been a bit like being a computer engineer in the early
1960s (or the Web 2.x lot a few years ago..).

--
From the Model M of Andy Breen, speaking only for himself