ABSTRACT
At a time of rapid European railway development in the 1840s, Robert Stephenson's reputation for achievement as an engineer, strategist and tactician brought him to the attention of monarchs and governments, as well as capitalists. Robert Stephenson approved of the relatively ordered system of European countries that built their railway networks according to national and regional requirements in the 1840s. Concessions for each route were offered to capitalists for competitive tender, which he clearly regarded as a less wasteful form of free-market opportunity. Robert Stephenson acted alone as consulting engineer during the building of the West Flanders line, but from 1848 the railway became undercapitalized, and only the main route between Bruges and Courtrai was built. The best engineer is the man who most appropriately applies the materials which are available in every country to his purposes; and his ability and talents ought to be measured in accordance with those applications.
