92 GREENWICH RAILWAY. 



Watt's most ingenious contrivances was his condensing apparatus, by 

 which, previous to every stroke of the piston, he created a vacuum in the 

 part of the cylinder through which it had to be driven, and thereby 

 enabled it to be sent forward through that space with a much inferior 

 pressure of steam to what would otherwise have been required. But in 

 the steam engines affixed to coaches, it is found convenient to dispense 

 with this apparatus on account of its complexity, its weight, the room 

 which it would occupy, and, above all, the constant supply of cold water 

 which would be requisite to keep it in action. The consequence is, that 

 in these engines, and others similarly constructed, a much greater force of 

 steam is necessary to make the piston do. its work; and they are on that 

 account denominated high pressure engines. It is only within the last 

 thirty years that they have been introduced, and the most remarkable 

 proofs of their power have been afforded on the railways. The mail 

 trains now go the whole distance from Liverpool to London in nine 

 hours ! 



>,i 

 THE GREENWICH RAILWAY. 



THIS undertaking lays claim to early notice, in consequence of its 

 being the first of the bold attempts to bring locomotive power so near 

 to the populous parts of this great city, that has been completed. It 

 was designed and executed under the personal superintendence of 

 Lieutenant Colonel Landmann, R. E., ably assisted by the taste and 

 skill of Mr. Mac Intosh, the Architect. It was begun in 1834, and was 

 opened from the Spa Road to Deptford, 8th February, 1838 from 

 London to Deptford, 14th December, 1836, and from London to 

 Greenwich, 24th December, 1 838. It commences at Duke Street, London 

 Bridge, and terminates in London Street, Greenwich. This Railway is 

 supported entirely upon arches (of which there are about 1,000), under 

 these are shops, &c., from the letting of which the Company expect to 

 derive great emolument. These arches are erected in the most substan- 

 tial manner, and, for the purpose of additional security, cross walls are 

 built between the arches, over which the rails are laid for the trains, and 

 the intervals are filled with concrete. By this means the mass is 

 rendered one solid piece, and the weight of the carriages is spread over 

 a large space. The Railway is 25 feet wide, with 22 feet in the clear 

 that is to say, between the parapets which run from end to end, full 

 breast high, so as to prevent accidents. The actual length of the 

 Railway is three miles and a quarter, so that the absolute saving of 



