570 Trials of Traction-Engines at JJ'olverhampton. 
weight drawn was 12 tons, composed of one waggon with its load and one lony 
with its load. The engine reached Stafford in 7 hours 11 minutes ; but this 
requires explanation, as so far from this engine being tlic slowest of the lot, it 
was, when travelling, one of the very quickest; as is shown by the fact that at 
about the fifth mile it came up to Aveling and Porter's 10-horse-power engine, 
which had started 21 minutes before it, although in these 5 miles there was a 
stopiiage to replace some of the pigs which had i'allen off the lorry, and also to 
secure the ash-pan, which had become loose. At the first stopping-place there 
was a delay of 9 minutes to allow for Aveling's watering ; then water was taken 
in by this Burrell engine, which consumed 13 minutes. There was then a 
stoppage of 17 minutes to allow the men to breakfast. Shortly after this a bad 
place in the road was passed, and the engine took its load over it without any 
difficulty, and without having to resort to the use of a chain. Between the 
eighth and seventh mile from Stafford the distance was done in 8 minutes, being 
at the rate of 7 5 miles an hour ; but the result of this speed was that a bearing 
got hot, and it became necessary to stoji tlie engine to oil ; 5 minutes were 
consumed in this. The engine then stopped at Penkridge to take in a second 
quantity of water. In this operation, owing to the engine being uncoupled from 
its load and going away to a watering-place different from that made use of by 
some of the other engines, 45 minutes were consumed. At llh. 30m., when 
within one mile of Stafford, a linch-pin came out of the common-road lorry 
which formed part of the load of tliis engine. The wheel came off, and 13 
minutes were occupied in endeavouring to rectify the matter. The result, how- 
ever, was that the lorry had to be left behind. This took 4 tons from the load 
of the engine, leaving 8 for it to draw into Stafford. At llh. 50m. a waggon 
was passed, which the waggoner had backed into a ditch in his desire to get out 
of the way of the preceding engine. A stoppage took place to assist in getting 
him out of the ditch ; 33 minutes were occupied in this. A little water was 
taken in. The stoppages together amounted to 2 hours 15 minutes, making the 
actual running-time 4 hours 57 minutes. The coals consumed were 8 cwts. 
1 qr. 22 lbs. ; the ashes were shaken out upon the road, so that there were none 
taken back. This is a very large consumption of coal. No doubt a great deal 
of it was due to what was being burned while the engine was not running. 
It is impossible to make an accurate allowance for this, and therefore the 
economic duty of this engine upon the trial at Stafford cannot be ascertained. 
The water consumed was 579 gallons, being 6'12 lbs. of water evaporated for 
1 lb. of coal. The ordinary working pressure during-the run was from 120 lbs. 
to 160 lbs., but on two or three occafiions the steam fell, and the engine was 
stopped for a minute or two until the pressure of 130 lbs. was obtained. 
In addition to the five engines, the property of exhibitors, which made this 
journey to Stafford there was another Thomson engine, manufactured by 
Messrs. Ransomes, Sims, and Head, which performed the journey. This was 
the " Chenab," an engine very similar to the " Sutherland " as a whole, but 
differing in certain respects. The engines, not having to drive a band-wheel 
for farm purposes, are placed athwart the machine, thus dispensing with the 
bevel gear. The leading wheel was provided with a pair of elliptic steel springs, 
and the driving-wheels were fi feet 11 inches in diameter. This engine towed 
behind it an omnibus of a very unusual appearance ; it was carried on a single 
pair of indiarubber-tyred wheels lolaced in the centre. Its horizontal position 
was preserved by means of a long neck, containing at its outer end a nut, 
through which passed the vertical draft-pin of " Chenab." This pin was a 
screw, and by turning it the nut could be raised or lowered, so as to level the 
omnibus. The neck or draw bar of the omnibus was elastic. Not only 
was there accommodation within the omnibus for passengers, but on its roof, 
and protscted by a canopy, there were four rows of seats, also for passengers. 
The sensation afforded by riding in the omnibus, although very peculiar, was 
