354 



THE CIVIL ENGINEER AND ARCHITECTS JOURNAL. 



[August, 



THE GAUGE COMMISSION. 



ADalyais of Evidence given before tbe Royal Commissioners appointed to investigate 

 lh« subject of tbe diversity of Railway Gauges. 



(Continued from page 214.) 



Mk. Edward Bcry: Is a manufacturer of locomotive engines, and has 

 been such for 17 years. The heaviest engine made by witness has not ex- 

 ceeded 13 tons. 14-inch cylinder the largest yet made by witness ; evapo- 

 rating surface in proportion to the cylinder. Length of boiler increased 

 from 8 feetC inches to 11 feel 6 inches. Space between fore and hind axle 

 very considerably increased; interval 7 feet G inches. Alilness considers 

 that the speed now attained on narrow gaage lines as great as consistent 

 with safety. The securities for the rails not sufficient to justify a higher 

 rate of speed. 



The transverse sleeper better than Ihe longitudinal. There is a better 

 chance of keeping the transverse sleeper right than the longitudinal sleeper ; 

 there is a great deal less packing with the transverse sleeper than the lon- 

 gitudinal sleeper; the und«t surface of the longitudinal sleeper is too 

 great to admit of its being thoroughly and uniformly packed, (irealer 

 speed can be obtained on broad gauge than on narrow, because the speed 

 depends upon tbe ratio of the stroke to the wheel, and on broad gauge a 

 longer stroke and larger wheel cau be had. The narrow gauge trains, 

 however, can travel faster than is necessary or safe. If the Midland 

 Counties were changed to broad gauge, the inconvenience to the London 

 and Birmingham Company would be so great that they would be compel- 

 led also to change to broad gauge. Does not consider the rigidity of the 

 rail essential to safety at high velocities ; it would be better with a mode- 

 rate elasticity in it. The best part of the Liverpool and Manchester Hail- 

 way, and the most easily maintained, is that which occurs at Chat Moss, 

 which is always elastic. The most difficult part to maintain on the Liver- 

 pool and Manchester line was that which went through Olive Mount, 

 which is on a slone foundation. They have been obliged to take the stone 

 out for a considerable depth under the rails and fill it up with ballast. 

 The engineer of the liolton and Manchester line was anxious to make 

 that line perfectly rigid. He built a continuous wall, and put it upon a T 

 rail ; but that did not stand at all ; it knocked everything to pieces ; it was 

 always out of order, and they have been obliged to change it. The rail 

 itself ought to be rigid, and the fonndatiou on which it is placed shuuld be 

 elastic. Does not think any of Ihe rails that have hitherto been laid are 

 heavy enough. Has no knowledge of the feeling of proprietors in the 

 mineral districts with respect to broad or narrow gauge, but considers that 

 the narrow gauge is more suitable to their traffic, because the curves can 

 be made sharper than on broad gauge, and bring them closer to the pit's 

 mouth. Prefers a wider gauge than 4 feet 8^ inches, which witness be- 

 lieves too narrow for the engines and carriages and machinery working on 

 the rails. C or 8 inches' additional width would be amply sufficient. 

 Does not at present use outside cylinders, but some are now being made. 

 Can get sufficient power on the narrow gauge, but a more convenient and 

 accessible machine, with greater range and capability, could be constructed 

 with a little additional width of rail. If witness had to determine on the 

 gauge for a country having no railway, should certainly not adopt the 

 4 feet 85 inch gauge. Mould not adopt the 7 feet gauge. Should adopt 

 an intermediate gauge, as preferable for engines, carriages, and wagons. 

 Strength of passenger carriages on London and Birmingham Railway 

 considerably increased, weighing 10 or 12 cwt. more than when the Hue 

 was first opened ; this increased strength essential to public safety as well 

 as to the durability of the carriage. Reserve fund appropriated to pur- 

 chase of new engines. Stock deteriorated within the last half-year in 

 consequence of being compelled to run the engines, &c., longer without 

 the usual repairs, on account of the heavy traffic on the line. 



Stock of Great Western Company valued at £534,000 ; of the London 

 and Birmingham at £275,000, the latter doing the most work; ditference 

 accounted for by inferior size and expense of engines on London and Bir- 

 mingham line. M'ith the additional stock the expenses will come nearer 

 the expenses of the Great Mestern Company. The 175 miles now worked 

 ■with the original stock of the line. They have 03 engines and one bor- 

 rowed from another Company. 



Accidents from breaking of axles of rare occurrence ; not one carriage 

 axle broken within the last five years, and very few engine axles. The 

 fracture of axle usually occurs in the journal; outside the wheel in the 

 carriages, and inside the wheel in the engines. Engines frequently run 

 some distance with a broken axle ; have never had one so crippled as to 

 be unable to get home ; some have even taken out trains with a broken 

 axle. The train taken off the line from broken axle in only one instance 

 when the front axle of the engine broke. Increased length of engine' 

 gives increased steadiness. Messrs. Sharp are manufacturing an engine 

 with 18-inch cylinder." ; the cylinders are not placed outside the wheels, 

 but inside, so that there is room for two 18-inch cylinders with the narrow 

 gauge to be constructed inside the wheel wilh the crank shaft. Impossible 

 to say what load an engine can be made to take on narrow gauge, but con- 

 siders that for the ordinary traffic of the country, au engine on narrow 

 gauge may be M)ade of sullicieut power to take at high speed both passen- 

 ger and luggage trains. Present luggage engine on London and Birming- 

 ham hne too small. Luggage trains often worked with several engines. 

 The heaviest luggage train on this line was a train of 112 or llti wifous 

 making upwards of COO tons ; for this train four engines were used. 



Long trains much impeded by high winds. Has seen the transverie 

 sleepers pushed out of their places, sometimes twisted like the letter S, bj 

 the expansion of the rail ; this has occurred when sufficient allowance was 

 not made between the rail for expansion. Average speed of express trains 

 on London and Birmingham line 43^ miles an hour, including stoppages. 

 They now use I3-ioch cylinders; some of their engines for the express 

 trains have been altered, by increasing the size of the boilers, an additional 

 inch to the cylinders and three inches to the wheel. Does not think it safe 

 to run a small train very fast ; should prefer more weight on the engine to 

 make it run steadier ; when any of the royal family are on the line, always 

 put more carriages on than are required for passengers, in order to steady 

 the train. Has frequently travelled by express train on London and Bir- 

 mingham ; there is very little oscillation ; thinks the express train steadier 

 than any other because it is better screwed up ; everything is in higher 

 order. Outside cylinders not yet tried on this line ; they were tried on 

 the Liverpool and Manchester and condemned ; the oscillatory motion ob- 

 jected to; the boilers, however, were shorter than they are at present; 

 there was a greater tendency to Ihe yawing motion. Decidedly objects to 

 the use of carriages with shifting wheels on account of the difficulty of 

 keeping the securities alwajs right. Experiments have beeu made in the 

 United States to allow wheels to adjust themselves on curves; they were 

 soon abandoned, it being impossible to keep them in order. A very small 

 increase on the narrow gauge would afl'ord great accommodation in the 

 construction of the engine. The difficulty of oiling and cleauing the nar- 

 row gauge engines a very great inconvenience, and can only be felt by 

 engine-makers. They require more space for the tube of boiler, anil a 

 larger fire-box. 



Mr. Benjamin Cibitt : Does not think an equal power can be ob- 

 tained on narrow as on broad gauge. The narrow gauge does not allow 

 width enough to get a firebox large enough, and is cramped for width in 

 getting strength for the working parts of the engine. Thinks it impossible 

 to make so etl'ective a boiler for narrow as can be made for broad gauge. 



Has not particularly considered the relative advantages and disadvan- 

 tages of outside or inside cylinders. There are about balf-a-dozen outside 

 cylinders upon the lines of which witness is superintendent. Total stock 

 of engines about 120 : all but 16 on 6 wheels. The Dover Company have 

 ordered a large number of outside cylinders. Has ridden a good deal 

 upon the outside cylinder engines. At first they travel as steadily as the 

 inside cylinders, till they have been at work eight or ten weeks, and then 

 they begin to get side play and oscillate a good deal. This motion in- 

 creases with the wear. The repairs upon outside cylinder engines are not 

 more costly than upon inside cylinder engines. 



The repairs required vn the outside cylinder engines. 



* April 14, 1845. — Taken into dock to have new tyres, axle-hearings, and general re- 

 pairs. 



t August, 1844. — Taken into dock for two new eccentric straps, and temporary re- 

 pairs. 



i April 21, 184.').— Taken into dock for new driving-wheels, new bearings in leading 

 wheels, and general repairs.— July 10, 1S45 ; Taken into dock for new bearings to trail- 

 ing wheels.— July 22, 1845 : Taken into dock for leading wheels keyed on to axles, and 

 new axle boxes and bearings to driving-wheels. 



In the narrow gauge inside cylinder engine there is scarcely sufficient 

 space for the necessary repairs and cleaning ; there is also a difficulty in 

 Ihe outside cylinder to get at the bearings, both to oil and to clean them, 

 without lifting the engine. As a locomotive engine-maker, is in favour of 

 a gauge of 5 feet 3 inches. There is at Ihe New Cross station a new en- 

 gine of great power, made by Bodmer ; he has taken out a patent not only 

 for locomotives, but for steam engines in general, for what he calls a com- 

 pensating engine, as it works with two pistons in one cylinder, so that 

 the connecting rods pull and thrust at the same time, which takes the 

 strain off all the other parts of the engine, except between Ihe cylinder 

 and the crank. The length of the boiler is 10 feet, the cylindrical part of 

 the boiler. The fire-box is as large as it can be got to suit the gauge: 

 This engine has been tested against other engines and found more powerful 

 than any other wilh one pair of driving wheels, because it is a larger en- 

 gine, with a larger boiler, and larger cylinder ; the cylinders are 16 inches 

 in diameter, and the stroke is equal to a 30-inch stroke, being four 7^-inch. 

 cranks. It has taken 38 carriages upon an incline of 16 feet a mile, about 



