566 
Trials of Traction- Engines at Wolverhampton. 
run louud the farm as far as on to the road. At 3h. 46m., and at the 108th 
chain, water brought by one of Fowler's water-carts was taken in. At this 
time the water in the tank was about 1 inch below its glass, and it was filled 
up to 2i inches above the glass. Ee-started at 3h. 59m., in slow gear ; got 
into the field, but on going down hill into Easton's Hollow the water lay upon 
the ground, and the wheels slipped round on the ground, but the wheel did 
not on this occasion appear to slip within the rubber. Ashes were then put 
under the wheels, but the engine could not start, and screw-jacks had to be 
iised ; one wheel only was jacked up ; the ground was dug out in front of 
the other, and wood was put under. These operations occupied 11 minutes, 
although there was plenty of assistance ; for in addition to Mr. Head and the 
fireman, there were three labourers and one or two amateurs. A distinguished 
member of the House of Peers, noted for the interest he takes in mechanical 
matters, worked as hard as any man upon the ground, although suffering from 
a dislocated collar bone, which confined one arm in a sling. 
At 4h. 21ni. the engine started to climb, but without its load, the sides of 
Easton's Hollow ; it got part of the way up when the wheels " whizzed '" round 
upon the mire ; more planks were put under, and then the engine moved a 
short distance until the whole slipped off the plank sideways. On this 
occasion particular note was taken, and it was found that the steel shoes were 
revolving upon the earth, and that the indiarubber was revolving within the 
steel shoes ; but it could not be ascertained whether the wheel was revolving 
inside the indiarubber. A violent thunderstorm was going on at the time, and 
the wheel was working in a soft clay wash that, unhappily for the engine, made 
a lubricant with which the wheel was completely deluged. By dint of hard 
work the engine came out of the hole, leaving the waggon behind it. To add 
to the trouble, as soon as the engine had got upon comparatively dry ground, 
the cover of the delivery valve of the feed-pump started its joint, so as to blow 
very badly. The engine had to be thrown out of gear with tlie wheels, and 
at 4h. 30m. it was started to pump up ,the boiler. At 4h. 38m., the water 
being pumped up, a re-start was about to be made, but was delayed for a short 
time to allow Burrell's locomotive to pass. At 4h. 54m., this having been 
effected, the engine again went to work. At 5h. 3m. an attempt was made to 
pull the waggon out of the hole ; this was done by means of a wire rope ; but 
although the engine was on a level it could not pull the waggon, as the wheels 
slipped upon the ground, and the indiarubber slipped within the steel, and 
the frame of the wheel slipped slowly within the indiarubber. At 5h. 10m. 
(Mr. Head having determined to leave the waggon behind), the engine went 
on to the gap in the hedge between the 117th and 118th chains, which, as 
before stated, was a difiScult piece of ground ; and the engine found it so, for 
it could not surmount it, and screw-jacks had again to be resorted to. At 
5h. 12m. it became necessary to send for more coals; I5 cwt. was received at 
5h, 26m. At 5h. 32m. the screw-jacking was completed, planks and ashes 
were put under, and the engine was got through the gap, and was put into fast 
gear. At the 125th chain it stopped again, the wheel slipping very much, 
and the slow gear was put on. At 5h. 42m. the screw-jacks were again sent 
for ; and the judge who was in charge, having other matters, to attend left 
the engine. While attending to other duties, he saw that at 6h. 40m. the 
engine had re-started ; but at 6h. 42m., at about the 139th chain, the engine 
was stuck again. This was the last that the writer saw of it ; but one of the 
assistant engineers reported that at 7h. 40m. it had again started, and, avoid- 
ing the bad piece of ground between the 140th chain and the lane, cut off a 
corner, got into the lane at 7h. 17m., and steamed down the lane. 
It was felt that the trial was so entirely a failure that no useful result could 
have been arrived at from registering the consumption of coals and water, and 
they were not therefore recorded. AVe have given our report of the perform- 
ance of this engine at Barnhurst in such detail that comment is almost 
