214 



THE CIVIL ENGINEER AND ARCHITECT'S JOURNAL. 



[JuiT, 



the rails upon the widened portion of the Greenwich Railway. Witness's 

 design was to have transverse sleepers, with the loiigiucllnal sleepers 

 upon them; it now entirely rests bfdded upon earth; if it had had fixed 

 points to rest upon, it would have been much more secure. Should rely 

 entirely upon the bearinj; upon ihe transverse sleepers. It is not found 

 too elastic upon the Great Western; the longituduial sleeper is oidy 7 

 inches thick ; they have no transverse sleepers. The engines on the 

 Greenwich line wei^h about 14 tons with die waler. Some arc six arid 

 some are four-wheeled engines ; four-wheel engines are going out of use 

 as fast as they become destroyed ; upon a portion of the line (the Urighlon 

 and .South Eastern line) they run with much heavier engines, weighing 16 

 or 17 tons. 



Charles Vignoles. Esq. : Laid out the Eastern Counties with Mr. 

 Rraithwaite, but that geiitleniaii executed it ; a question as to Ihe gauge 

 arose; was then very desirous of making the gauge wide; Mr. Biailh- 

 waite's view of having a .^-feet gauge was adopter! ; shoulil have prefer- 

 red a 6-feet gauge. Intended ilip, Dulilin and Kingstown IfaiKvay lo have 

 been a 6-feet gauge ; but the Direciors overruled his opinnm, on th- plea 

 that so short a line miphi, if necessary, have its gauge altered wiihoul in- 

 convenience ; they harl lo obtain all their first carriages ami engim^s from 

 England, where 4 feet 8J was the prevailing gauge, and tliey were very 

 unwilling to depart from it ; he has been coiijulierl in laying out many 

 principal lines, and also on the gauges of many ; the Edinburgh and 

 Glasgow was laid out, though not executed by him ; as it was Irkely to 

 connect ultimately with lines coming from Ihe soulh, on the 4 feet h^ prin- 

 ciple, that gauge was adopted ; some Scotch lines already execiiled are on 

 rather a narrow gauge ; thinks one coal line, Ihe Forfar, was 5 feel 

 inches; but the general feeling was slmng that coimection with soulh 

 lines should be kept in view ; most of the lines mentioned were previously 

 to the introduction of ihe broad gauge hj Mr. Brunei. On Ihe C..ntine»l, 

 as the engines and carriages were obtained from Englanil, they were un 

 willing lo deviate from Ihe fixed rule ; Ihe lirsl railway in Brunswick was 

 about 30 miles lo the foot of tlie Hartz mountains, and tlie English gauge 

 was adopled ; Ihe latest large operation ot his on Ihe Conlinent was laying 

 out Ihe Wiirteiuberg railways ; there the question of gauge was greatly 

 discussed, and is not yet sellleil ; they are intended to uiiile the railways 

 in Baden, which run parallel to the Idiine, aiitl those in Bavaria, which 

 run from the Danube ; the gauge of the Barleii railways is 5 feet, or 5 

 feet G, and that of the Bavarian 4 feet SJ ; under all Ihe circumstances, 

 he recommended that 4 feet 8^ slioulrl be arlop'ed ; as all the railways in 

 connecliou with Bavaria, and all Ihe Saxon and Austrian, are 4 feel 8|, 

 and as a great transit trade was coming from those countries, he considered 

 that the larger amount of trallic woulrl be from Ihose of 4 feet 8^, and 

 that the length of rail on the Baden siile, next the Rhine, would be short 

 in comparison ; he thought Baden would ultimalely be obliged lo change, 

 and bring it lo Ihe gauge of the others on Ihe Conlinent ; hriwever. Baden 

 and Bavaria persist in not changing, and it is a que-lion at what point the 

 transit shall take place, whether on Ihe eastern or western frontiers of 

 Wiirlemburg ; thinks the probability is, that they will ultimalely adopt the 

 4 feet 8J gauge throughout Wiirlemburg. 



As to the co=t of the carriage-frame, thinks it woulrl increase as the 

 squares of the gauges, but with a certain additional amuuiil of accommo- 

 dation ; one great advantage of a large carriage is, that \.m get less gross 

 weight in proportion lo the nel; does not know whether lluit has been 

 realized in practice, but tliinks it ought to be so As reganis increase of 

 speed, does not Ihiiik on that alone the (ireat Western haie an ad\antage; 

 the trains ti-avel \ery fast on it, but much more is due to the (;radients, 

 which are very flat, Ihan lo Ihe gauge; with respect to economy of vvnrk- 

 ing, tlie expense on the Great Western and the London aifi Birmingham 

 is as near as possible the same. Wiih respect to safely, as far as it is con- 

 nected with steadiness, is quite satisfied that at very high velocities the 

 trains travel more sleidily on the Great Western than on Ihe Lnmlon and 

 Birmiiigliam, taking ihe gradients as they occur. In the abstract, is quite 

 satisfied there is greater sieadiness of motion on the broad garige at high 

 velocities. It the road happens to be out of order, or the springs of a 

 carriage stifi', or if it is not loaded or overloaded, or a little slack in the 

 coupling up, or too tight— all those will all'ect it, particularly at high velo- 

 cities ; has not made a series of experiments, but is quite satisfied that it 

 is steadier with the broarl than with the narrow gauge at a high velocity. 

 It is impossible to wrile on Ihe London and Birmiiigliain at a high speed ; 

 he could read in their express trains very well where Ihe road was in good 

 order, but when bad could not. 



Useil to be, and is still, very partial to the longitudinal sleeper; but 

 Bome facts have come to his knowledge to shake his views , in particular, 

 on a foggy morning on the North Union, when an engine comes to the 

 longitudinal sleepers she invariably slips, which does nut lake place on the 

 cross-sleepers; cannot account fur it. it may be ov\ing to a ilampness 

 that remains on the longiludinal sleepers which may impart to the rail a 

 moisture which converts dust to mud, and proiluces greasiness. The soil 

 is chiefly sand, with probably a little clay in that porlion of it; but still, 

 wherever the longitudinal sleepers are, the engine has a great tendency to 

 slip. Has often calculated the relative cost of laying rails on the longitu- 

 dinal and cross-sleepers; it was very much in favour of Ihe longitudiual 

 in the first instance, where a slighter baulk was used ; but as it is now 

 necessary to have the whole, or at all events a tlireei|uarter baulk, the 

 balance is against the longitudinal as the more expensive ; a very heavy 

 rail, with a cross-sleeper without the chair, answers very well, and is the 



most economical mode. The first Liverpool and Manchester rails were 

 33 lb., and the 42 lb. rail on die Dublin and Kingtown is still in use. Oo 

 Ihe lower pari of tlie North Union the 42 lb. rails have been taken up and 

 replaced by 03 lb. Oh that line the passenger trains are light, but the 

 merchandize and coal excessively he-ivy. The lengths of bearings are 

 3 feet 9 inches and 4 feet ; four to a rail. 



Should the Graml Junction (.'ompany alter to the broad gauge, it would 

 be pradicable lo alierthe North Union loo. as the bridges and tunnels are 

 sullicient fur the purpose; none of the bridges are less than 30 feet span, 

 and those of the (ireat Western are not more. His practice is lo make 

 bridges about 30 feel. The tunnels are about 27 feet. On the Midland 

 Ciiuiities the bridges are all 30 feet ; the viaduct at Rugby is 27, which 

 wiiiild arlinit of the broarl gauge by corbelling out the parapet ; the Great 

 Ribble Bridge on the North Union is 27 or 28 feet wide, and the tuonel 

 inio I'restoii, the .)iily luie, is nearly 30 feet. M'ith less than 30 feet there 

 would not be room fur a man with safely ; it would be heller to have re- 

 coses built in Ihe tunnels. Thinks, by a Judicious system of transferor 

 biidie>, the paikiiiL; and unpacking at Gloucester might be avoided. The 

 passenger carriage-borlies may be transferred, as at Rouen, to the frame of 

 the railway carriage, wilhoiit any risk or difiiculty. Has ridden in one of 

 those carriages, and been lifted up with it, without any practical inconve- 

 nience. It is bolteil down, and is as perfect as if it were the railway car- 

 riage itself. A carriage put together in ihat way is as strong as a usual 

 one, in case of collision ; it is strong enough to be lifted, and, being re- 

 quired for the road, is strunger than the railway carriage. Considers the 

 7-feet gauge w'di'r Ihan is necessary ; the wider the gauge, the more the 

 effect of curves is felt ; does not think the gradient at all enters into the 

 question. The dlri'at Western have large driving-wheels, not with regard 

 to garige, bu' velor ity ; there is no necessary connexion between the dia- 

 meter of the wheel and the gauge. Would not adopt the 7-feet wheel on 

 the narrow ^.'auge ; but Ihat is a proof that it must be steadier on the 

 broad. A great number of things were proposed in adopting the broad 

 gauge, which have not jet been carried out with efl'ect. Were he the en- 

 gineer of a broad gauge line, should avail himself of the increased space 

 to make engines more powerful. The necessity of increasing the engine 

 is every tlay apparent, and lo have engines so far above the work that 

 there can be no question about tlieir power. The driving-wheel of the 

 engine will regulate Ihe velocity ; one of the Great Western engines, with 

 the large ilriving-wheel, would give Ihe same amount of speed, whether OD 

 the brrtari or Ihe narrow gauge. The diameter of the driving-wheel is 

 quite a dili'erent question from that of gauge, except as regards the ia- 

 creased steadiness arising from the wider gauge. 



(To be continued, i 



VENTILATION OF THE HOUSES OF PARLIAMENT. 



The second Rejiort from the Lords' Select Committee to inquire into the 



Prof^ress oj the Building of ike Houses of Furliument, 



That the Committee have again met. and having examined Jlr. Golds- 

 worthy Gurney as lo the best system of ventilation for the new Houses of 

 ParliamenI, are of opinion that further inquiries and experiments should 

 be marie, under Ihe direction of her I\Iajesty's Commissioners of Woods 

 and Forests, before the final adoption of any plan hitherto proposed for that 

 purpose. And the Comiuiliee have directed the evidence of the said Mr. 

 Goltlsworthy Gurney, taken before them, to be laid before your lordships. 



[We select frnm the appeudix the following extracts from the evidence 

 of Mr. GuLiisvvoBTnY Gi r.vev ] 



Are \ou aware of all the plans proposed by Dr. Reid, for ventilating the 

 new Houses of Harliameut ? — No. 



Tlieiefore ynu do not know what his scheme is, and how he proposes to 

 force a due drllusiou of air over all parts of the building? — Except from 

 hearsay. I have no accurate information. 



In what niaunerdo you understand that he intends to do it? — By a large 

 upcast shaft, the base of which is to communicate by air passages to Ihe 

 varirius aparlments in the building. 



Do you suppose that that is to be assisted by any power either of fur- 

 naces or steam power.' — I suppose it must be assisted by a blowing cylin- 

 der, or a centrit'iigal fan. Those adjuvants would be unnecessary if the 

 nprast shaft had suflieieut power. They are always objectionable, in con- 

 sequence of involving machinery, and being liable to get deranged. Vet 

 some mechanical assistance must be had ; for if this extensive building is 

 to be ventilated by the upcast shaft it must fail. The size of a shaft would 

 be inadmissible, for it will be evident to your lordships that the whole of 

 the air drawn from the whole extent of the building ventilated must pass 

 through it. This is not all ; the whole of the air drawn out of ihe diflerent 

 ap-irtmeuls, and passing through the shaft, must be raised to the tempera- 

 ture of 500° of Fahrfuheit, otherwise it will have no power. That is a 

 very important point ; one to which I wish to fix your attention, and ex- 

 plain as clearly as possible. Suppose the buildings of the new houses ex- 

 tend over ten acres of ground; suppose five acres — one half only — occu- 

 pied by rooms, Ihe sectional area of the five acres of rooms will be, in round 

 numbers, 200,000 feet, accurately 217,000 feet square, which is about the 

 square surface of live acres of ground. Suppose the moremeat of air to be 



