Fuel and Water 145 



solution. Thus, many designers prefer to 

 have their springs under-hung, beneath the 

 outside axle-boxes. This secures a neater 

 looking tender, but it has the disadvan- 

 tage that the springs are not readily 

 accessible. 



Another plan, and one much in favour with 

 present day engineers, is to place the springs 

 immediately above the axle-boxes but be- 

 low the platforms. In this arrangement the 

 springs are visible, and, of course, easy of 

 access; in addition, the arrangement allows 

 the tender itself to be brought right out 

 in line with the rest of the locomotive, 

 giving sufficient platform clearance, and 

 securing at once the maximum tank capa- 

 city. This type seems to have been intro- 

 duced as far back as 1851, by McConnell, 

 when he was in charge of the locomotive 

 building works of the Southern section 

 of the London and North- Western at 

 Wolverton. 



From that date the plan has been largely 

 adopted, and many improvements made, 

 until to-day there are few railways in 



