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THE CIVIL ENGINEER AND ARCHITECTS JOURNAL. 



[Jolt, 



•with biRh velocitj, the greater it ihe tendency to rnn off the rails, hot 

 thinks when the luftgage-van is luaded, the weight is suflicient ; and the 

 empty carriage is about as heavy as ihe loaded van ; should not place an 

 empty van there; would place two loaded vans if he had thera. The re- 

 lative speed of heavy goods trains on ihe two lines averages on tlie broad 

 8| milefl and 13 on the narrow. The broad gauge wagons do not load 

 more heavily Ihan the narrow ; that is Ihe result of ibe regular work 

 ing of the traffic. 135 wagons upon the narrow gauge carried 13h tons 

 net; and that on the broad gauge, 135 wacons carried 131 tons net. 

 On one occasion, the gross load upon the broad gauge conveved by 

 Mr. Slaughter's engine was 235 tons 2 cwt. ; the lare was 137 Ions 

 12 cwt. ; the net was 97 tons 10 cwt. On the narrow gauge Ihe gross 

 load was 254 tons cwt., the tare 101 tons 17 cwt , and the net 

 152 tons 12 cwt. The wagons were taken and loaded expressly, that 

 there should be as liitle dead weight as there possibly couhl ; and 

 this is a further proof of the comparative net and tare upon ihe two 

 gauges. There were 30 wagons upcm the narrow gauge, and 25 wagons 

 upon the broad gauge. On the latter the gross load was 235 ; on the for- 

 mer 254. With 35 tons 15 cwt. less tare, there was on the narrow gauge 

 65 tons 2 cwt. more net. Went up iwo iodines of 1 in 100 at a speed of 8 

 miles an hour. On other portions of the line, that is, on level portions of 

 the line, and slight inclinations, our maxinunn speed was 25 miles an hour. 

 Size of the engine on the broad gauge : rj Under 16 inches diameter, stroke 

 21 inches, wheel 64 inches, gross weight of engine and tender 23 tons. 

 Size of engine on the narrow gauge: (jlinder 15 inches diameter, stmke 

 84 inches, wheel 54 inches, weight of engine and tender 27 tons. All six 

 wheels were coupled in both cases, so as to t-et the uttnost adhesion 'o the 

 engine. The Birmingham and Gloucester is laid with longitudinal hearings, 

 thinks the Bristol and Gloucester is also laid with them. An increase of 

 the boilers would increase the weight of the machine, and thinks that, at a 

 high velocity, a very heavy engine would act very injuriously on the rails; 

 so far as it is safe for the rails, the increase of the weight and power of 

 the engines to produce speed, can be gut on the narrow as well as on Ihe 

 broad gauge. The consumption of coke, consequent upon the generation 

 of more steam, would be greater, butlhiiiks it ii> cheaper to work with one 

 large powerful engine, than with two small : has an engine on the narrow 

 gauge capable of taking 600 to 700 tons, and his engine wdl take 1000 

 loos on lines of easy gradients, at 10 or 12 miles an hour. Thinks the injury 

 to the rails and permanent way would be very much increased by increased 

 weight and speed. Believes the injury to the permanent way on both 

 gauges is more cau.t^ed by high veUicily than increase of weight. Has 

 observed that the shocks received from the fast trains appear to affict the 

 rails more than the slow, and the contractors for the repairs do nut like fast 

 trains so well as heavy ones at slow speed. 



Has not seen the fractures of axles on Ihe broad gauge ; has seen them 

 on the narrow. A very extraordinary change takes place in axles from 

 the constant blows the wheels receive ; it amounts to what is called cold 

 swedging on the anvil, and renders them more brittle, which must exist to 

 Ihe same extent on the broad gauge ; on Ihe narrow, axles have broken 

 that had worked three or four years, and though at first they might be 

 fibrous in their texture, yet on fracture they appeared as if broken up inio 

 amall crystals ; considers the breakage of axles roust arise generally from 

 this, and the greatest care is required to get them of the best manufacture, 

 and of the toughest and strongest iron. Prefers those of the patent axle 

 company, near Wednesbury, with radial bars all weldi-d together, and finds 

 them, from experience, superior to the Low Moor. The elasticily of the 

 IoOr bearing of the axle would affect Ihe wheel, throw it out of the per- 

 pendicalar, tend to injure the railway, and force it out of gauge; on 

 curves, an objection arises again to the broad gauge, as one wheel has to 

 travel over greater surface than the other, there is either a straining of the 

 wheel, or a twisting of the axle ; the axle will be strained and deteriorated 

 in this manner more on the broad gauge than on the narrow. 



100 miles is a fair day's work for an engine, but he sees no objection to 

 doing more ; thinks that by seeing that the engines are in good order, and 

 changing them once a fortnight, there is economy in working as much as 

 150 miles; the steam being raised in fewer engines would save fuel. Is 

 aware that the London and Birmingham Company change their engines at 

 Wolverton ; they make a trip each way, being 120 milfs aday, without 

 putting out the fire. If the gauge were uniform at Gloucester, one-third 

 of the present staff of porters could do the goods trade ; at present they 

 are kept for lifting goods from one wagon, and repacking them in another, 

 which requires five to six hours from their arrival. The guards' returns 

 show, during the month of August, an average detention of 16 minutes for 

 passenger trains. The detention to goods trains by transhipment from one 

 gauge to another cannot be estimated at less than from 4^ to 5 hours. 

 Thinks the alteration of gauge matter of necessity, and that the cost would 

 form a very small practical part of the ultimate profit. Supposing the cost 

 to be £6,000 a mile, has no doubt the increased profit would mure than 

 cover the interest of the outlay, but thinks £5,000 is very much too high a 

 sum for the alteration, for this reason — with respect to the wagon-slock, it 

 would take for instance for 60 miles of railway a certain number of 

 wagons, but for iOO miles of railway it does not take a double number of 

 wagons, because if the wagons work through, a small addition, compara- 

 tively speaking, would work the 100 miles beyond what is required for the 

 60. And so with respect to all the carrying stock. Having the carrying 

 ilock for the Birmingham and Gloucester portion, it would require a very 

 ■mall addition for working the other portion of the line, comparatively 

 •4ieakiug. To lay down the broad gauge to Birmingham would amount 



to a complete demolition of the present works; the bridges and tunnels 

 are loo narrow, and the stations must be removed. Imagines Ihe expense 

 would be very great, almost a re-making of the line. The largest good* 

 train he ever knew to arrive Irom the north at Gloucester «a» 320 or 330 

 Ions gross weight, but thinks only a small quantity was transhipped to the 

 broad gauge, as it consisted chiefly of salt shipped at Gloucester. In 

 many ca..es, a day is occupied in traushipping Recollects 40 or 50 loaded 

 goods wagons waiting at Gloucester a fortnight for bmad gauge wagons to 

 come up, and that may occur either way. No met haiiical arrangenient at 

 (Gloucester for transferring goods, but manual labour and cranes At first, 

 shifting on low trucks was proposed, but on inquiry, they did not go to 

 tliis expense. Goods wagons placed on additional trucks would not pass 

 under the narrow gauge bridges, but they could on the broad. The weight 

 of the additional i rucks on the broad gauge would be about 3 Ions 5 cwt. 

 Although merhanical arrangements may work well experimeiilally, be- 

 lieves they will lie found in practise totally unfit for every day tralhc. The 

 strength of the railway carriage and body is increased liy their being 

 united, and being exposed to rough usage, a separation -Houid be a con. 

 slant cause of damage to the carriage and the goods in it. Thinks that 

 detaching the bodies of passenger carriages from the vvheels and framea 

 would be highly oljectionable. High velocities would not increase the 

 expense on the narrow as much as on the broad, Ihe lighter machine oa 

 the narrow having less tendency to damage Ihe rails. The permanent way 

 on both lines is kept up by contract, and the expense on Ihe Birmingham 

 and Gloucester is about £100 per mile. The rails on the latter were 

 originally too light, and the timbers and cross sleepers of the embankments 

 not sutlii ieiitly seasoned, nor put into the Kyauizing process, so that the 

 expense of repair has thus been increased. A line well made would be 

 kept up at a very low expense. Believes that 75 lb. rails are now adopted 

 on all lines, and they are to be substituted for those on the Birmingham 

 and Gloucester. 



Descri/itiott of the improrements on the narroiD gavge engines vith lix 

 uhe<ls. — Ihe general features ot both are as follows: iVlr. Itolieri Stephen- 

 son has aPwajs advocated the six-wheel engine, and has made it; he has 

 improved it very much ; he has simplified the arrangement and construc- 

 tion of the engine; he has adopted the outside cylinder to his passenger 

 engines, witn a framing nvetted to the boiler plates; and he works hi* 

 slide valves in a vertical direction. He has very much increased the length 

 of Ihe boiler. The average length, before it was varied by .Mr. Stephen- 

 son, was from 8 to 10 feet, and now Mr Stephenson has adopted the 12 

 feet tube and upwards, thereby safely calculating that a very great eco- 

 nomy is effected in the consumption of fuel, thai is, that a less proportion 

 of beat is allowed to escape unprufitably up ihe chimney. This engine is 

 found to answer in practice exceedingly well, inasmuch as it gives a 

 greater length of engine on the rails, and increases very much ils steadi- 

 ness at a high speed. He has also a patent for placing the whole six 

 wheels between the fire-box and the smoke-box, whereby he is enabled to 

 distribute the weight more equally on the wheels. In woikiug the engine 

 he also uses what is termed the expansive motion, the link motion. It en- 

 ables Ihe driver of the engine to regulate the supply of steam lo the cylin- 

 der in proportion to the load. There are various plans of doing so. There 

 is a plan proposed and patented by a Mr. Bodmer of Manchester and Mr. 

 Myers of Mulhauseo on the Continent for doing the same thing, all tend- 

 ing lo the saving of steam, and providing the quantity of sleam requisite 

 to overcome the load. The size of the engine is increased. At one time 

 it was considered that from 12 to 13 inch cylinders was a good average 

 size for working railways. Now we find from experience that economy 

 of working is very much assisted by taking the train by one heavy engioft 

 instead of two light ones: that is to say, you save the wages of two men ; 

 and the expense of repairs is very much reduced, and materials, for in- 

 stance, oil and tallow, &c., and the consumption of coke in the one engine 

 is not at all equal to the consumption of the two, which would only do the 

 same amount of work. The practice has become general on narrow gaugs 

 railways to adopt 15 inch cylinders instead of 12 inch, and even higher 

 than that. There are at present engines being made at Messrs. Sharp's 

 manufactory at Manchester with 18 inch cylinders of nearly the same size 

 as the one at work at Bromsgrove, but with 24 inch stroke, 4 feet 6 inches 

 driving wheels. They are intended for the Sheffield and Manchester 

 Railway and the Manchester and Birmingham, and it is calculated they 

 will be of very great service with heavy goods trains, and enable them to 

 carry at a very low cost indeed. Those engines will be equal to take 800 

 tons, and travel with ease when they are at work ; proving that, so far as 

 the power of an engine is concerned, the power of getting machinery on 

 the narrow gauge is sufficient to take any load ; it will be quite equal to 

 produce it, at least as far as it can be properly adopted without increasins 

 the weight of the machine to the injury of Ihe permanent way. Our 

 power is increased more than it would be warrantable lo increase th« 

 weight of the machine, of which the engine at work at Bromsgr&ve is an 

 instance; for although it is 30 tons in weight, the whole six wheels can be 

 made to spin round and slip wiih the six wheels coupled. That settles the 

 point completely that we can get sufficient power on the narrow gauge, 

 without at all injuring the construction of the engine, or rendering it ob- 

 jectionable. With respect to those engines that aie in cooslruciion by 

 Messrs. Sharp at present with the 18 inch cylinder, it is a most remark- 

 able thing that the cylinders are nut placed outside the wheels, but inside, 

 so that there is room fur two 18 inch cylinders in the narrow gauge to be 

 constructed inside the wheels, working with the crank shaft. That dues 

 cot much affect Ibe centre of grarity ; the cylinder is kept low ; the valves 



