86 CHAPMAN AND BRUNTON. CHAP. VI. 



many years to be one of the principal curiosities of the 

 place, and were visited by strangers from all parts. In 

 the year 1816, the Grand Duke Nicholas (afterwards 

 Emperor) of Eussia observed the working of Blenkin- 

 sop's locomotive with curious interest and expressions of 

 no slight admiration. An engine dragged behind it as 

 many as thirty coal-waggons at a speed of about three 

 miles and a quarter per hour. These engines continued 

 for many years to be thus employed in the haulage of 

 coal, and furnished the first instance of the regular em- 

 ployment of locomotive power for commercial purposes. 

 I The Messrs. Chapman, of Newcastle, in 1812, endea- 

 voured to overcome the same fictitious difficulty of the 

 want of adhesion between the wheel and the rail, by 

 patenting a locomotive to work along the road by 

 means of a chain stretched from one end of it to the 

 other. This chain was passed once round a grooved 

 barrel- wheel under the centre of the engine : so that, 

 when the wheel turned, the locomotive, as it were, 

 dragged itself along the railway. An engine, con- 

 structed after this plan, was tried on the Heaton Kail- 

 way, near Newcastle ; but it was so clumsy in its 

 action, there was so great a loss of power by friction, 

 and it was found to be so expensive and difficult to keep 

 \ in repair, that it was very soon abandoned. Another 

 remarkable expedient was adopted by Mr. Brunton, of 

 A the Butterley Works, Derbyshire, who, in 1813, patented 

 f his Mechanical Traveller, to go upon legs, working 

 alternately like those of a horse. 1 But this engine never 

 got beyond the experimental state, for, at its very first 

 trial, the driver, to make sure of a good start, over- 

 loaded the safety-valve, when the boiler burst, and 



1 The specification of patent (No. j specification it is provided that the 



3700) is dated the 22nd May, 1813. | power of the engine is to be assisted 



Other machines, with legs, were pa- j by a horizontal ivindmitt; and the 



tented in the following year by Lewis I four pushers, or legs, are to be caused 

 Gompertz and by Thomas Tindall to come successively in contact with 



(Nos. 3804 and 3817). In Tindall's ! the ground, and impel the carriage! 



