lived near the city, but on its outskirts, with open country and sea
views around me, occupied a neat little detached house, with a bit of
garden wherein I could dig and cultivate a few roses, where the air was
pure and clear--a refreshing change from the confinement of a flat, four
stairs up, in the crowded environs of smoky Glasgow.




CHAPTER XVII.
BELFAST AND THE COUNTY DOWN--(continued)


During the first few years of my service on the County Down little
occurred to disturb the even tenor of my way. In a sense the duties of
my new position were simple. There were no such things as joint lines,
joint station working, running powers or joint committees, as in England
and Scotland, to distract attention or consume time which could more
usefully be devoted to the affairs of one's own railway. Gradually I
grew familiar with out-door matters, and duties that seemed strange at
first grew as easy as second nature. I learned a good deal about
signalling, became an adept in single line working, an expert in engine
running economies, and attained some success in the management of men.

One thing especially gave me pleasure--my monthly visit to the Managers'
Conference at the Irish Railway Clearing House in Dublin. There I met my
brother managers in the Irish railway world, and learned something of the
other lines. The leading men at the Conference were Ilbery, Great
Southern and Western; Cotton, Belfast and Northern Counties; Plews and
Shaw, Great Northern; Ward, Midland Great Western; and Skipworth, Manager