50 



THE CIVIL ENGINEER AND ARCHITECT'S JOURNAL. 



[Februart 



upon the broad gauge were (exclusive o( engine and tender) fixed at 80 

 tons, 70 tons and fiO tons, but the actual tonnages were 81 tons 13 

 cwt., 71 tons 12J cwt., and CI tons c«t. 2 qrs. It will be seen, there- 

 fore, that the experiment upon the narrow-gauge line, the particulars of 

 ■which we are about to detail, has no parallel working upon the broad- 

 gauge railway ; aud that whatever the value of the result, it can he recog- 

 nized only when the broad-gauge engine shall have taken the same re- 

 duced tonnage for the same distance. 



Starting. — At 9h. 7m. 1.5s. the train started from the station in order 

 to proceed to the first mile-post, from which it had been understood the 

 experiment was to commence. Upon the (ireat Western line the expe- 

 rimental trains left the I'addinglon terminus, and %vere brought to a 

 stand-still at the first mile-post. This, however, was not the case this 

 morning. 



The train passed the — 



The train stopped at the Darlington station at 10b. 27m. 20s. It will 

 be seen that the 43 miles were performed in 1 hour. 13 minutes and 53 

 seconds, or at the rate of nearly 35 miles per hour. The maximum speed 

 (between the 5th and 0th mile-posts) was nearly 53 miles per hour, and 

 the minimum rale rather more than 25 miles per hour. The average speed 

 of the 80-tons train (exclusive of the engine and tender) upon the broad- 

 gauge line was 47*5 miles per hour, and the maximum speed 55 miles 

 per hour. There was, however, one thing greatly against the narrow- 

 gauge experiment of this morning, viz. — the wind. When the train left 

 the York station the weather was not at all unfavourable ; the horizon 

 promised rain, but very litUe wind was stirring. Up to the lOlh mile- 

 post the result promised to be pretty good ; the last three miles had been 

 done at about 52 miles per hour, and the narrow-gauge party calculated 

 that the 43 miles would be got over in about 52 or 54 minutes. On reach- 

 ing the loth mile-post a heavy westerly wind came suddenly down upon 

 the carriages, taking them obliquely in the direction the train was going. 

 The effect was felt in less than a minute — the wind reduced the speed 

 from 50 to nearly 30 miles per hour. There could be no doubt about the 

 cause of retardation, because from the 10th mile post the progress of the 

 train was slow or fast in proportion to the length of embankment, open 

 country or cutting. Immediately the engine entered a cutting, the in- 

 crease of velocity was most sensibly apparent. If she entered a cutting 

 of a couple of furlongs in length or 30 miles an hour, she dashed out of it 

 at 38 or 40, and before another couple of furlongs had been run upon an 

 embankment exposed to the gale the speed became reduced to 30 miles 

 per hour. 



The return trip commenced at 12h. 8m. 15s., and the train reached the 

 first mile-post from the York station at Ih. 32m. Ss., performing the 43 

 miles in 1 hour, 24 minutes and 53 seconds, or at a speed of about 30 

 miles per hour. A stoppage took place in this trip for water, by which 

 two or three minutes were lost. 



The experiments were resumed on the following day. 



The experiments yesterday with the 50 tons trains were considered so in- 

 conclusive, in consequence of the high wind which prevailed, ihat it was 

 determined to repeat them to-day. The hour appoiuted for leaving the 

 station was 9 o'clock. The train left at 9h. 2m. lOs., accompanied by 

 Professor Barlow, Professor Airy, Mr. Watson, Mr. Brunei, ^Mr. Saun- 

 ders, Mr. Gooch, Mr. Bidder, Mr. ^^'yudham Harding, Mr. Berkeley, 

 Mr. Cabry, and about a dozen other gentlemen. The day was a favour- 

 able one. There was a slight breeze to the north, aud the rails were in a 

 fair condition. Contrary to the practice observed in the experimental 

 trips on the Great Western Railway, the train did not stop at the first 

 mile-post, and commence its experimental trip from a state of rest. In- 

 stead of doing this, it passed the post at the rate of about 8 miles per 

 hour. The following is the working of the train for the 43 miles, — that 

 is, measuring from the first mile-post out of the York station to the mile- 

 post on the York side of the Darlington station : — 



The time occupied in performing the distance yesterday was 1 hour, 13 

 minutes, 53 seconds, or at the rale of something less than 35 miles per 

 hour. It will be seen that today the same distance was accomplished ia 

 53 minutes, 28 seconds, or at rather less than 48 miles per hour, the max- 

 imum speed, between the 5lh and Gth mile-posts, being nearly 55 miles 

 per hour. The wind of yesterday may therefore be considered to have 

 offered a resistance equal to above 13 miles per hour. 



The return train with the 50 tons left Darlington station at llh. 21ra. 

 Os., and passed the first mile-post at llh. 22m. 18s. The following is the 

 working of the engine : — 



The next experimental trip was with an SO-tons train ; and at a few 

 minutes after 2 o'clock the train proceeded towards the first mile-post. 



Krom this table it is seen that with good weather to-day, the same en- 

 gine upon the same line, and going over the same gradient (for curves 

 there are none), took 80 tons 43 miles in 58 minutes, 30 seconds, or in 15 

 minutes, 23 seconds, less than she took 50 tons yesterday with a side wind 

 against her. 



