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Views of the Opening of the Glasgow & Garnkirk Railway; View of the Germiston Embankment, Looking West [plate 2]

Publisher: Hill, Alexander · 1800-1866Printer: Day, WilliamPrimary artist: Hill, David Octavius, RSA · 1802-1870

Views of the Opening of the Glasgow & Garnkirk Railway; View of the Germiston Embankment, Looking West [plate 2]

This is the second of four full page plates, with later hand-colouring, which were bound alongside a lithographic plan of the Railway, seven smaller…

This is the second of four full page plates, with later hand-colouring, which were bound alongside a lithographic plan of the Railway, seven smaller lithographic illustrations of locomotives and carriages, and letterpress by John Miller CE the engineer responsible for designing the Railway which appeared as a bound volume.

Each of the four large prints is inscribed in the title margin beneath the printed image as being 'From Nature and on Stone' by D O Hill SA [Scottish Academy]. The drawing onto the lithographic stones must have been carried out back in the studio from original sketches executed on the spot.

At the age of just 18 years old Hill had produced his first group of 6 monochromatic chalk lithographs, which by the time the final part appeared in 1823 had stretched to thirty plates collectively known as 'Sketches of Scenery in Perthshire' and the earliest set of topographical views of Scotland printed by lithography.

He was reputedly on a sketching holiday in the West of Scotland when the civil engineer, John Miller engaged him to record the scenes on the day of the official opening of the Glasgow and Garnkirk Railway the first of its kind to carry passengers although it was primarily established as a means of transporting coal and other industrial cargo.

The Railway had been opened for several months already before the Lord Provost of Glasgow and other dignitaries joined the Railway Company's Directors at the official opening on 1831-09-27.

The event saw significant numbers of people turn out to line the five mile route or to buy tickets to travel on the trains which made several trips in the course of the day.

The Railway Company had acquired two steam locomotive engines purchased from Robert Stephenson & Co, in Newcastle. These were named 'St Rollox' (reflecting the Chemical Works close to where the railway terminated at Townhead and whose requirement for coal had been a prime mover in the railway being originally conceived) and 'George Stephenson' after the pioneering English Railway engineer who had first built the famous 'Rocket.'

'St Rollox' had made her maiden run on the line on 1831-07-02 and just over two weeks whilat pulling five or six carriages later had overturned causing one fatality and several injuries amongst its one hundred or so passengers.

On the official opening day, 'St Rollox' set out from the Depot at Townhead and travelled east. She comprised the engine followed by an open carriage containing the Airdrie Instrumental band and decorated with banners and flags, followed by a further three open carriages. Then came two elegant covered carriages called the 'Royal William' and 'Royal Adelaide, with an elegant velocipede titled 'the Novelty' bringing up the rear.' Around 200 passengers in total were estimated to have travelled on this train.

At the same time, the 'George Stephenson' set off in the opposite direction pulling 29 waggons loaded with coal, freestone, lime, pig-iron, brick, etc plus three carriages filled with an other instrumental band and passengers.

As the day progressed and the respective locomotives reached their destinations so the number of carriages was changed before they set off again on a return leg.

The 'George Stephenson,' after taking on water and more coal, this time took on 18 carriages of workmen who had been involved in the railway's construction. Mid-way along a further sixteen waggons were coupled to the front of the locomotive.

The 'St Rollox' meanwhile had eight carriages of around two hundred passengers.

At 6pm the 'George Stephenson' returned to the Depot pulling 31 waggons of coal and three carriages containing one hundred and fifty passengers. These details are evident across the four prints.

Founded about 1824, W Day, enjoyed royal patronage and became established as the leading chromolithographic printer in the country.

Each of the four prints in the publication is inscribed in the title margin beneath the printed image as being published by Alexander Hill at 50 Princes Street, Edinburgh, on 1832-01-02.

This was the first collaboration to involve Alexander, his younger brother D O Hill and John Miller who was to become a personal friend to them both and a great patron of D O Hill.

Even at this early stage in his entrepreneurial print publishing career Alexander put the printing out to W Day in London then regarded as the leading chromolithographer in the country, rather than to a Scottish printer.

The prints were originally published in bound form alongside a map of the Railway and descriptive letterpress by Miller.