Fuel and Water 151 



boiling point, white-hot firebricks were to 

 be placed as a kind of outer coat to the steam 

 chamber. 



Under trial the fireless engine just man- 

 aged to crawl into the termini. But it is 

 only fair to say that it suffered under most 

 grievous handicaps. Thus, although the 

 distance was less than five miles, there were 

 several station stops. And the gradients 

 were often very severe. It fell to Gooch, 

 of the Great Western, to supply the motive 

 force when the fireless engine was found 

 impracticable. These were ordinary tank 

 engines, hastily fitted with condensing 

 apparatus, by which the exhaust was turned 

 into the tanks instead of reaching the outer 

 air directly from the chimney. 



Those who remember the old days on 

 the Underground will not need to be told 

 that none of the engines employed therein 

 was ever free from the emission of smoke, 

 fumes, and smuts. Here if anywhere, elec- 

 tricity was indeed a great improvement, 

 and the Underground lines became freed 

 from their worst drawbacks. 



