1846.] 



THE CIVIL ENGINEER AND ARCHITECT'S JOURNAL. 



ISI 



of the broad and narrow gauges in the same station would be great ; the 

 turntable, a most invaluable machine, must be abandoned. — Combin- 

 ing two gauges, by laying the rails of one centrally within the other, would 

 get rid of some of the difficulties, but not at stations. Turn-tablfs could 

 be used, but already in the wide-gauge system they are beyond the pale 

 of turn-tables, from the distance betvpeen the fore and aft axles of wagons. 

 In changing from a narrow lo a broad-gauge line, believes the least evil 

 is to transfer everything, changing the carriages and moving the goods by 

 hand; with reference to general merchandize, has heard Mr. Brunei ex- 

 press the same opinion. Thinks it would be belter to have two rails for 

 the nnrrow laid within those of the broad gauge, than to have only one, 

 and to use one of the broad gauge rails; as in the latter way, the two 

 trains could not accompany each other, the centre ofgravity not being on one 

 line. If Ihe engine were at the head of (he trains, it would be of less con- 

 sequence than if they were propelled from behind. A double system 

 would be required lo drive each carriage from Ihe centre, and this is a 

 matter of serious expense. Witness would lay down the narrow within 

 the broad gauge, on the transverse sleepers, and Ihe cost would be about 

 4000Z. a mile, or more, in addition ; Mr. Brunei estimates a single line ad- 

 ditional at 2r>00/., besides the extra cost of station. This is on Ihe sup- 

 position that the broad gauge is first laid down on transverse sleepers, but 

 the expense would not be materially different in either case. The rails 

 would not be packed well with longitudinal sleepers, on bolh systems. In 

 adding a pair of rails within the broad-gauge, witness would lay down Ihe 

 transverse sleepers independenlly ; for with other longitudinal sleepers, 

 there would not be room for another bulk like the present, and the ballast 

 of the weight would nol be in the centre. Could not mix the systems of 

 sleepers, on account of the length of the transverse, which would almost 

 cut the longitudinal in two. It would be impracticable to lay down Ihe 

 broad on Ihe narrow gauge, without sacrificing one line in tunnels, which 

 would, from danger, amount lo a prohibition. On Ihe narrow gauge 24 

 feet are required for tunnels, and on the Great Western 4 feet to 6 feet 

 more. Four feet is the minimum space between the two, just room for a 

 man to stand, and Ihe same spaces at each side of the tunnel, and any 

 diminution would be fatal. Recesses might be made at intervals, to meet 

 a diminution, bul a man might not be near a recess when the train came. 

 Recesses could be made after the tunnel is formed, but in many cases the 

 brick-work would thereby be much injured. Impossible lo' place the 

 broad gauge on the London and Birmingham, without enlarging the tun- 

 nels and closing the line for two or three years. Would rather make a 

 new one than enlarge the present Kilsby tunnel. A cutting could nol be 

 kept open there, and it would be a gigantic work. With reference to Ihe 

 present and future meeting of Ihe broad and narrow-gauge lines, does not 

 apprehend much interruption lo the express and other passenger trains at 

 the points of junction, if they are made at the proper places ; thinks Bris- 

 tol and Oxford two places where Ihe two gauges ought to meet, as at these 

 two points he believes there is the least quantity of cross traffic ; ihis ex- 

 plained by witness. 



The principal Midland Counties traffic, from Rugby to the Great West- 

 ern, supposing the double line were constructed from Oxford, would be 

 coals going towards Oxford, and corn coming back. Looking to 

 Southampton as the port, it would only require, supposing the narrow 

 gauge carried down to Oxford, a line from Oxford to the South Western 

 to complete Ihe narrow gauge system over the kingdom, as far as South- 

 ampton is concerned ; the Great Western Company have a line from Read- 

 ing to Basingstoke, and if that were laid on the narrow gauge, and the 

 double system from Reading to Oxford, there would be no break in the 

 country at all ; commercially, Southampton, London, Bristol, and Liver- 

 pool, would interchange with each other, and with Ihe manufacturing dis- 

 tricts, by the same carriages. No extension of the wide gauge towards 

 the London and Birmingham would relieve Lancashire or Yorkshire from 

 a change of gauge, but an extension of the narrow from Oxford to Bas- 

 ingstoke would relieve Ihe whole question of embarrassment. The Great 

 \V estern Company can be compelled to lay down the double gauge from 

 Rugby to Oxford, and on the greater portion from Wolverhampton to Ox- 

 ford, and to Worcester, as Ihey agreed to do that. The loss of lime in 

 transferring a passenger train at Rugby to go lo Oxford on the broad gau^'e 

 would depend on the amount of passenger traffic; it is a point of small 

 passenger traffic; it may be a large one of coals and corn; the extension 

 of the wide gauge into that district must multiply the points of junction of 

 the two gauges, and the chances of interruption : passenger trains could 

 Dot be changed in less than half an hour. Has experienced Ihe incou- 

 venience of changing carriages, and scrambling for Inggage on ihe Bel-ian 

 railways, at Malines. Was detained the last time about half an hour If 

 the change of gauge took place at Rugby, a new station would be're- 

 quired. 



With regard to agricultural traffic, at any point of change, the beasis 

 would require to be grazed before removing them from one carriage lo 

 another, and is afraid the loose bodies would be required for pi^s • thev 

 conld not be managed otherwise ; they must be lifted en masse. The" wagons 

 themselves upon Ihe narrow gauge vary from 2 tons 10 cwt to 3 tons'- 

 some recent large ones run as far as 3 Ions 10 cwt., and they will carry 5 

 and 6 tons of goods. I think the latter is as near two to one as possible ; 

 that is, that if the dead weight is one, the useful weight is two The 

 difference is here against the broad gauge ; the trucks for intermediate 

 traffic seldom average more than a ton each, so that all the intermediate 

 (rathe on the Great Western is carried on with trucks of five tuns, with 



one ton of goods in them. As railways extend into every comer of the 

 country, the advantages of the narrow gauge would be most apparent and 

 asthe wide is more expensive than the uarrow, the former would limit Ihe 

 ramifications of railways. The narrow gauge wagons are infinitely supe- 

 nor for mineral traffic, particularly coal ; if the mixed gauge system be 

 allowed to extend in this country, the charge on coal will amount in many 

 cases to a prohibition. Thinks the broad gauge has a disadvantage as to 

 horse-boxes ; Iheir m.otion is sometimes fearful ; they want length with re- 

 ference to their width, while on Ihe narrow gauge a carriage of the same 

 length might be very steady. Prefers the narrow gauge passenger car- 

 nages, carrying three in width, to those of Ihe wide, carrying four • the 

 latter are cold in winter, and want ventilation in summer. There has not 

 been so much attention paid to Ihe construction of the narrow gauge pas 

 sengers carriage as to the broad, but the narrow could be made 6 feet high 

 so that a person might stand up in them. The lowest longitudinal dis- 

 tance between the axles of 4 and 6-wheeled engines on the narrow gauo-e 

 IS 10 feet, and Ihe highest 12 feet 9 inches ; Ihe last are too long ; witness' 

 adopts a maximum of 12, and a minimum of 10 feet ; relatively the centre 

 ofgravity is the same height , in both gauges. Though there would be 

 great difference as to the cost of constructing the broad and narrow lines 

 cannot say there is any difference in the cost of working. Whether the 

 traffic be much or little, it is merely a question of expenditure of power 

 and though the most powerful engine is cheapest to work with a propor- 

 tionate load, each may have engines of the same power. 



The wide gauge engines are not more powerful, but are heavier in pro- 

 portion to their power; everything in Ihe width gives the engine no power 

 at all, but is an encumbrance. Neither commercially nor mechanically 

 has the wide gauge any advantage over the narrow, but rather the contrary. 

 The driving wheels of the broad gauge engines are not generally of greater 

 diameter than the narrow ; 6 and 7 feet engine wheels are used on the 

 Great Western. The greater diameter of the driving wheels has a ten- 

 dency to reduce the axle friction ; but comparing 6 and 7 feet, the amount 

 of this is not worth measuring, but if by increasing the gauge, the axle has 

 to be increased in size for strength, what is gained on the one hand is lost 

 ou the other. The friction of the flange of the wheels against the railway 

 has a retarding effect on curves, but not much on straight lines. Any- 

 lateral friction arises from the angle of the wheel against the line, and must 

 be greater on the wide than the uarrow gauge ; round curves the slidmo- 

 motion must be directly as the width of the gauge. " 



The evaporating power of a passenger engine, on the Northern and 

 Easiern, is about 130 cubic feet an hour; he has some evaporating 160 feet 

 The most powerful engines are constructed with either oulside'or inside 

 cylinders; the largest are inside. Certainly, some engines that have been 

 recently made with outside cylinders have too much of that motion than I 

 like. It is exceedingly difficult to say how the motion is produced • if yoii 

 consider the action of the cylinder, it is perfectly rigid metal— eng'ine and 

 cylinder altogether. Now, when the steam presses upon the piston it is at 

 the same time pressing against the lid of the cylinder ; the action and re- 

 action must be equal. Therefore, that it is not the steam that causes the 

 irregular action, but the mere weight of the pistons themselves, and there- 

 fore if we could contrive to balance the pistons by the weight upon the 

 wheel, we should get rid of that very much ; but in Ihe most recent de- 

 signs of engines of that kind, he has brought Ihe cylinder much nearer to 

 the driving wheel, and nearer to Ihe centre of the engine; at present 

 Ihey hang over the wheels a good deal ; now he has brought them wilhia 

 the wheels. 



It is now an indispensable part of the broad-gauge system to use the 

 longitudinal bearings ; it is a question of expense. As you increase the 

 widlh of the gauge, of course, ou the longitudinal system, it leaves the ex- 

 pense Ihe .same ; whereas, if you adhere to the transverse system you in- 

 crease the size, and, of course, you increase the expense more rapidly ■ 

 therefore Ihe transverse system with a very wide gauge would be very ob- 

 jectionable on account of its expense, but I think the principle of couslruc- 

 tion would be better. With reference to the maintenance of the way 

 imagines that the way is kept in better order upon the transverse system 

 than upon Ihe longitudinal at the same expense ; has never seen any por- 

 tion of longitudinal bearing railway in perfect order. It is more difficult 

 to pack, and there is always more friction in a longitudinal railway than 

 in a sleeper railway. The Hull and Selby is part of it longitudinal and 

 part of It transverse. The engines, where they were heavily laden, upon the 

 longitudinal bearings would just creep along ; the moment they got to the 

 transverse bearings they went 5 or 6 miles an hour more directly, from the 

 yielding in one system, which gives a little less noise and a little softer 

 motion which the Great Western has. Does not think that in that parti- 

 cular case it resulted from the longitudinal bearings being of insufficient 

 dimensions and slighter than the Great Western, thinks they were the 

 same size ;— Memel balks, 12 or 14 inches square, cut up; and the Great 

 Western are 14 inch balks. In the longitudinal system there is a little 

 less noise, and there is a little softer motion than upon the transverse sys- 

 tem, but there is a great deal more motion ; there is far more actual motioa 

 upon every longitudinal railway than upon the transverse sleeper system 



If Ihe London and Birmingham had originally been made on the broad 

 gauge, estimates that it would have cost about 3000^. a mile more without 

 including the additional cost of the central slalion at M'olverto'n which 

 must have been much larger. As lo altering Ihe existing gauge'ou the 

 London and Birmingham, thinks as it would slop the line for at least two 

 years, that it is practically impossible. It would cost about 15/ a yard 



