44 



THE CIVIL ENGINEER AND ARCHITECT'S JOURNAL. 



[July, 



Observations on the mecUanicul properties of the t/iree competing Lines. — 

 Coast Line. — ReferriRg now to the mechanical jiropcrtics of these lines, it 

 ppcars tliat the length of railroail to be executed on the coa.st line, between 

 the tci'niinus of the Preston and Lancaster railway at Lancaster, and the 

 Jlaiyport railway, amounts to 06 miles 12 chains, and that the h'ngth of the 

 Maryimrl and Carlisle Uailway, which is now in progress, is 2H miles 3 chains, 

 maliiiig tlic whole distance between Lancaster and Carlisle 94 miles -15 chains ; 

 the gradients being of a favourable description. 



Lnne Line. — By the iidand line of the valley of the Luue, Orton, and Pen- 

 rith, the wliole distance between Lancaster and Carlisle is OS miles 48 chains ; 

 but the gradients .ire less favourable than those of tlic coast line. 



Kendal line.— By the other inland line via Kendal, the distance between 

 the termini at Lancaster and Carlisle is only 04 miles 34 chains ; but as this 

 line enters Lancaster on a different level from the terminus of the Preston 

 and Lancaster railway, it does not form a junction with that line till it has 

 passed 2 miles .^) I chains farther on, towards Preston ; so that tlie whole 

 length'ofnew line to be executed on this route will amount to 07 miles 8 

 chains, the gradients being somewhat less favourable than on the line of the 

 Lune. 



In order to make a comparison of tlie mechanical advantages and disad- 

 vantages of these lines, we have reduced several gradients to eijuivaleut hori- 

 zontal distances. 



The principle of this reduction may be briefly stated as follows. 



Eaplonafion of the term er/tiiralmt horizontal ilisfance. — There is always 

 an increased trarlive power required to ascend a plaric beyond that which is 

 reipusite on a level, and therefoi'e (the engine being the same) a certain 

 amomit of additional time is required in the ascent. This additional time 

 would allow the eug-ine to pass over a certain extent of horizontal distance 

 with the same load, aud this increase of distance may Ije taken as a measure 

 of the retarding effect of the ascending plane. 



In desceniling the same plane, the tractive force and time requisite ai'eless 

 than on a horizontal plane, aud this eft'ect may therefore be indicated by a 

 iLorizoutal line shorter than the plane; but as there is always more time lost 

 in ascending than is gained iu descending any given plane, a loss is sustained 

 on the aggregate, and this whole effect may be expressed by an increased 

 length of line, greater or less according to the steepness of the plane and the 

 amount of the load, and this increased line is what has been denominated tlie 

 equivalent horizontal distance.* 



This mode of reduction has been carefully applied to the several gradients 

 on each of the three lines now under consideration. \Ve fmd that the loeo- 

 jnotive power requisite to work the coast line of 94 miles .'i I chains, with a 

 gross load of 50 tons, is cciuivaleut to that which would work a horizontal 

 line of 98 miles 3 ! chains ; while the mean eqlnvalent distance, for the inland 

 line of the valley of the Lune, is 78 miles 1 chain; aud for the Kendal line, 

 between Lancaster aud Carlisle, 75 miles 9 chains. As far, therefore, as re- 

 gards the expense of locomotive power, the advantage is ranch in favour of 

 either of the inland lines, as compared with the coast line, while all the other 

 expenses are still more in their favoin-, these latter expenses being generally 

 proportional to the actual distance, such as police, stations, water stations, 

 road repairs, govermuent taxes, &p. 



In order to ascertain the effect that this increased locomotive expense 

 woidd have on the general working expenses of the several lines, we have 

 examined with great care and attention the official returns of the principal 

 working railways, separating, as far as possible, the charges fur locomotive 

 power from the other charges ; and although we have found considerable 

 differences in the proportions, according to the prices of fuel aud other cir- 

 cumstances ; yet, upon the whole, it .ippears to be a fair average to assume 

 the locomotive expenses as amounting to one-third (or about 33 per cent.) 

 of the total working expenses of a line of railway of moderate traflic ; aud 

 since the equivalent distance on the inland lines is about one-sixth greater 

 than the actual distance, the additional locomotive charge due to the gradients 

 will amount to about l-18th, or six per cent, on the general expenses of the 

 line ; or estimating, as is usually done, the total exjienses at half tlie income, 

 to about three per cent, on the latter; which, if borne by the traveller, would 

 liave the effect of increasing his fare 4d., on either the Kendal or Lune line, 

 assuming the fare under ordinary circumsiances at 2il. per mile. At this rate 

 of charge, and making the addition of 4r/.oii the inland lines, the fare for the 

 journey between Lancaster and Carlisle would lie- 

 By the Coast line IS"- 9(/. 



By the Lune line 11 7 



By the Kendal line 10 11 



In respect of time ; estimating the speed, including stoppages, at 22\ miles 

 per hour on the equivalent distances on the three lines, we find it to amount — 



By the Coast line to 4h. 22m. 



By the Lune line 3 28 



By the Kendal line 3 20 



It appears therefore, notwithstanding the mccliauieal disadvantages of the 

 gradients on the inland lines, as compared with those on the coast line, that 

 the expense to the traveller, as well as the time of performing his journey, 

 would he considerably greater on the latter line than on either of the former. 



We have next examined the claims of the three lines as regards the amount 

 (If population, and present coach and mail traffic. 



* See appendix to Barlow's treatise on the sirenglli of Inm, Ste.. and also 

 fart 3, vol. iii. of the Transactions of the Institute of Ci.vil Engineei-s. 



The amount of popul.ition per mile has been found by diviihng the total 

 population within 10 miles on each side of the respective lines by tlic number 

 of miles, employing in each case the ceubusof 1831, aud the amount of coacli 

 traffic has been determined in the usual way, from returns supplied to us from 

 the stamp office. 



We thus find — Population Passengers 



per mile. per annum. 



By the Coast line 1,923 8,040 



By the Lune line 2,240 21,528 



By the Kendal line 2,460 21,528 



To bring these several results more immediately into one point of view, we 

 have collected and arranged them as in the following table : — 



7'ni/p showimj l/ie Relative Properties of I tie projected Lines between 

 Lancaster and Carlisle. 



It will he clear from an inspection of this table, that it would cost each 

 passenger between Lancaster and Carlisle about 4.s-. more on every journey 

 by the coast route than by either of the inland lines, besides the loss of nearly 

 one hoiu in time. 



For these reasons, as far as regards the corainnnication between England 

 and Scotland, which is the great object of our impiiry, we consider it to he 

 our duty to give the preference to one of the inland lines. 



As regards the communication between London aud Manchester, viii Car- 

 lisle, with Glasgow, there can be no question, from what has been stated, that 

 the preference ought to be given to one of the inland lines ; but it must also 

 be admitftd. that the coast line would offer greater facilities for comnmni- 

 cating with Belfast and the north of Ireland. 



We have, however, to observe, that the harbour now forming at Fleet- 

 wood, which, by the Preston aud Wyre Uailway, will be put in comnnnii- 

 cation with Loudon, and Ihe manufacturing districts of Lancashire, appears 

 to us likely to form a good jioint of departure for the north of Ireland and 

 west of Scotland. 



But the great (piestlon for consideration is, whether every passenger be- 

 tween Lancaster and Glasgow shall be compelled to spend 4x. or 5.s. and lose 

 one hour each journey by being taken round by Maryport, or whether the 

 Irish passenger shall incur the same increased exiieuse, aud .about the same 

 loss of time, by being taken rounil by Cailisle to Marj'port, to embark in the 

 Belfast steamer, siqiposing him to select this route in preference to that by 

 the Preston and M'yre Uailway to the Harbour of Fleetwood. Now, as such 

 steamer can only be supposed to make one or two passages per week, while 

 the trains between Lancaster and Csrlisle would probably ruii several times 

 |ier day, it would be exceedingly iirejudicial to the general public interest 

 that the whole of the Scotch traffic should be compelled to pass .iloug the 

 coast line. With regard to the statistical claims of the coast hue, it appears 

 from returns with which we have been furnished, of the assessed taxes along 

 this line, as well as of the exports and imports of the several harbours, the 

 steam-boat traffic, aud popidation, that these, .although considerable between 

 Carlisle and Whitehaven, are not so for the remaining 54 miles, viz., between 

 Whitehaven aud Laucaster, so that when divided upon the whole distance, 

 they are generally less per mile than on the inland lines. 



Opinion as to the preference rrliich should be given. — From a full and care- 

 ful consideration of all the bearings of tlie case, we therefore feel it our duly 

 to reject the coast line, so far as regards its being made a hnk in the chain 

 of connexion between England and Scotland. 



The next question is, the jneference which ought to be given to one of the 

 two projected inland lines. 



Referring again to oiir table, it appears that the mechanical superiority, 

 although inconsiderable, is with the Kendal line, its equivalent distance 

 being 75 miles 9 chains, while that of tlic Lune line is 78 miles 1 chain. 



' The Kendal line passes th( ' Lane;ister station to a junction with Ihe 

 Preston and Lincaster. 2 miles 54 chains nearer In Preston than Lancaster, 

 making the distance from Carlisle to i_,ancaster only ti4 miles 34 chains. 



1 Kach of these numbers include the whole present mail and stage traffic 

 Ijetweeu Carlisle and Lancaster, via Pcniith. 



