426 e THIRD REPORT 1833. 



in which they are hung to be propelled the whole length of the 

 space between the riggers, with a speed seven times greater 

 than the motion of the cords. 



In applying this admirable invention of Mr. Saxton to the 

 propelling of carriages to great distances, Mr. Hawkins pro- 

 poses to place a number of endless ropes in a line, each rope 

 stretched between two riggers, from a quarter of a mile to four 

 miles apart, the rope lying upon several rollers to keep it off 

 the ground, and passing around a pair of differential pulleys, 

 supported on alight four-wheeled truck, running upon a pair of 

 slight rails about 30 inches apart ; the diameter of one pulley 

 to be about 22 inches, and of the other about 26 inches, giving 

 a velocity of 12 to 1 : the diameter of the wheels on which 

 the truck runs to be about 30 inches. Each rope to be set in 

 motion from one of the two riggers being placed on a shaft 

 passing under the rails and extending a few feet outside the 

 railway, where the shaft may be turned either by a horse or 

 horses, by an ox or oxen, or by a stationary steam-engine, ac- 

 cording to the quantity of travelling or traffic on the road, or 

 to other circumstances. The coach for passengers, or wagon 

 for goods, to be placed upon four wheels, of about four feet 

 diameter, running upon a pair of rails, placed five feet apart, 

 parallel with and lying on each side the pair of truck rails, and 

 also a little above their level ; so that the axletrees of the coach 

 and wagon wheels shall pass over the rims of the truck 

 wheels ; or the same effect may be produced by placing the 

 four rails on a level, and cranking the axletrees to raise them 

 over the truck wheels. A pawl in the frame of the carriage 

 or wagon being let fall upon a post arising from the frame of 

 the truck, will enable the truck to draw or drive the carriage 

 the length of its rope ; but on the truck being stopped near 

 the end of its rope, the momentum of the carriage will continue 

 its motion until it pass over and beyond the truck of the next 

 rope, which truck being set in motion, its post catches against 

 the pawl of the carriage, and drives or draws it on until 

 it reach the third truck, which again operates in the same 

 manner. 



In this way 388 horses, each acting, at their most effective 

 or walking pace of two miles and a half per houi', on a mile of 

 rope, might easily drive a coach containing eight persons from 

 London to Edinburgh in 13 hours, at the rate of 30 miles an 

 hour, the coach passing from truck to truck without stopping, 

 and the truck returning to take another coach every five 

 minutes : 500 passengers a day for the whole distance would 

 be very moderate labour for that number of horses. 



