TALBOT7211

London

Friday 18^th Jan^ry

My Dear Constance

I have just seen Charles off to Harrow –

Yesterday was a rather thick fog all day – Between Newcastle and Durham we found the railway blocked up – A collision had taken place between a coal train and a luggage train – one of the coal waggons was smashed and all the coals lying on the ground – the engine of the luggage train was thrown off the rails and left standing on the ground, impeding our progress – Navvies arrived with jacks and other implements and after a delay of one hour the Engine was shoved aside and we proceeded – We arrived at Peterboro an hour behind time in consequence of this accident. We slept at the Railway hotel close to the station. This morning was very fine, like a day of Spring, quite mild – We went to the Cathedral and stayed there an hour, we also explored the environs which retain many traces of old monastic buildings. The workmen were repairing the roof and scraping the walls making them white and tidy, the natural colour of the stone. We saw much curious architecture.

Afterwards the day turned into a very wet afternoon which did not signify for our railway journey –

Yours aff^ly

Henry