“Brougham,” Stockton and Darlington Railway—L. & N.W.R. engines
at the 1862 Exhibition—Sinclair’s “Single” engines for the
G.E.R.—French locomotives on the G.E.R.—L. & S.W.R. tank
engines, afterward converted to tender engines—Conner’s
8ft. 2in. “Single” engine on the Caledonian Railway—The
lilliputian “Tiny,” the Crewe Works locomotive—“Dignity
and Impudence”—Bridges Adams’ radial axle tank engines—His
springtyres— Account of the St. Helens Railway locomotive
with these innovations—Broad-gauge engines for the
Metropolitan Railway—Rupture between the Great Western and
Metropolitan —Sturrock to the rescue—G.N. tender engines
on the Metropolitan—Delivery of the Underground Company’s
own engines—Great Northern “condensing” locomotives—The
Bissell bogie truck well advertised—End of the
“hot-brick” engine—Sturrock’s steam-tender engines on the
G.N.R.—Sinclair’s tank engine with Bissell trucks—Fell’s
system of locomotive traction—Tried on the Cromford and
High Peak line—Adopted on the Mount Cenis Railway—Spooner’s
locomotives for the Festiniog Railway—Fairlie’s
double-bogie engines—The “Welsh Pony” and “Little
Wonder”—Fairlie’s combined trains and engines—Cudworth’s
trailing bogie North London engines, a model for tank
locomotive constructors—Pryce’s designs for the North
London Railway.
Fig. 82 illustrates the “Brougham,” No. 160, of the Stockton and
Darlington Railway. This engine was designed for hauling passenger
trains. She was a bogie engine, as will be noticed by reference to
the illustration, and had four-coupled wheels 6ft. in diameter. The
cylinders, placed outside, were 16in. in diameter, with a stroke
of 24in. The tender was on six wheels, and the tank was capable of
carrying 1,400 gallons. No. 160 was constructed in 1860, not a very
long time prior to the amalgamation with the North Eastern Railway
Company, by R. Stephenson and Co., of Newcastle, at a cost of £2,500.
The London and North Western Railway exhibited at the London
International Exhibition of 1862 a locomotive constructed at Wolverton
from the designs of Mr. McConnell; the engine was built the previous
year, was numbered 373, and named “Caithness.” The cylinders were 18in.
by 24in.; driving wheels, 7ft. 7⅛in. diameter; L. and T., 4ft. 7½in.;
steam pressure, 150lb.; wheel base, 18ft.; heating surface (14 tubes
1⅞in. diameter, 9ft. 4in. long), 980.319 sq. ft.; fire-box, 242.339
sq. ft.; weight in working order (engine and tender) 59 tons 14 cwt.
A combustion chamber 2ft. 8in. long was provided. Two other engines
of this design were built, No. 372 “Delamere” and No. 272 “Maberley.”
Apparently these engines were not very successful, as we do not find
accounts of their later performances.
In 1862 Fairbairn and Co. constructed for the Great Eastern Railway
a class of “single” engines designed by Mr. R. Sinclair. These
locomotives had outside cylinders, 16 ft. by 24 in.; driving wheels,
7 ft. 3 in., and leading and trailing wheels, 3 ft. 9 in. diameter;
heating surface, tubes (203, 1¾ in. diameter), 957.6 sq. ft.; fire-box,
94.9 sq. ft.; grate area, 15.27 sq. ft.; weight, 32 tons, of which 13
tons 13 cwt. 1 qr. was on the driving axle. Gooch’s link motion was
employed.
[Illustration: FIG. 82.—“BROUGHAM,” No. 160, STOCKTON AND DARLINGTON
RAILWAY]
The design in question was of rather attractive appearance, the open
splasher being an attractive feature, as was also the cab—somewhat of
an innovation 35 years ago. Mr. S. W. Johnson succeeded Mr. Sinclair
at the end of 1865 as Great Eastern Railway locomotive superintendent,
and under the _régime_ of the former some of these engines were rebuilt
with a leading bogie, and the diameter of the cylinders was increased
to 18 in. Another form of cab was introduced, the Salter safety valve
on the dome was removed, and one of Ramsbottom design placed on
the flush top fire-box, which had superseded the raised pattern as
employed in this class of engine by Mr. Sinclair. One of the engines
of this class (No. 0295) was in active service as recently as July,
1894. In connection with this class of engine a special circumstance
needs mention—viz., that 16 of these locomotives were made—not “in
Germany,” but in the country of her foe; the French engineering firm
with the German name of Schneider, in 1865, contracting to supply the
16 locomotives at a less price than any English maker. This event was
certainly a curiosity in the economic history of this country’s trade.
We import many articles; let us hope, however, that foreign locomotives
will not again be seen on English railways. There is some consolation
to be found in the statement that all the British locomotive builders
were so full of orders at the time that they practically refused to
accept orders for the engines in question by tendering for them at
outside prices, so that consequently the order had to be given to a
foreign firm.
In 1863 Beyer, Peacock and Co. commenced to construct a class of tank
engines for the London and South Western Railway from the designs of
Mr. J. Beattie. The locomotives in question had outside cylinders
16½in. by 20in. stroke; four coupled wheels, 5ft. 7in. diameter; and a
pair of leading wheels, 3ft. 7¾in. diameter. The boiler contained 186
tubes, 1⅝in. diameter. The heating surface was made up of tubes 715.17
sq. ft., and fire-box 80 sq. ft. The grate area was 14.2 sq. ft.
A lock-up safety valve was placed on the front ring of the boiler
barrel, and two of Salter’s pattern on the immense dome which
surmounted the raised fire-box. The steam pressure was 130lb. The
engine weighed in working order 29 tons 17 cwt., of which 10½ tons
was on the driving axle. We have already stated that the engines were
built as tanks, but Mr. W. Adams, who had succeeded Mr. J. Beattie as
locomotive superintendent of the London and South Western Railway,
added tenders to some of their engines in 1883. It is a common practice
to rebuild tender engines as “tanks,” but the opposite practice is
somewhat of a novelty. The tenders were supported on six wheels, 3ft.
9¾in. diameter, and weighed 20¾ tons in working order, the water
capacity being 1,950 gallons.
An engine that attracted considerable attention at the 1862 Exhibition
was one built by Neilson and Co. from the designs of Mr. B. Conner,
locomotive superintendent of the Caledonian Railway (Fig. 83). The
engine in question had outside cylinders, 17¼in. diameter, with a
stroke of 24in.; driving 8ft. 2in. in diameter, with inside bearings
and underhung springs. The trailing and leading wheels had outside
bearings. The engine had 1,172 sq. ft. of heating surface; the grate
area was 13.9 sq. ft.; wheel base, 15ft. 8in.; weight, empty, 27¼ tons;
in working order, 30 tons 13 cwt., of which 14 tons 11 cwt. was on the
driving axle.
[Illustration: FIG. 83.—CONNER’S 8FT. 2IN. “SINGLE” ENGINE, CALEDONIAN
RAILWAY (REBUILT)]
Colburn describes the locomotive as a “fine, well-constructed engine,
standing gracefully on its wheels, large, yet compact, and qualified to
run at any speed with ease and steadiness.” Nor can this description
be in any measure contradicted. For, until Stirling built his famous
8ft. 1in. “singles” for the Great Northern Railway, Conner’s 8ft. 2in.
Caledonian engines were far and away the most graceful locomotives ever
placed on the 4ft. 8½in. gauge. In general design, the engine was a
modification of the old Crewe pattern engine. The dome was, however,
of rather a peculiar shape: it was placed on the top of the raised
fire-box. The driving axle was of cast steel, and the tyres of Krupp
steel. The large number of spokes in the driving wheels was noticeable,
being at only 10in. centres at the rim of the wheels. The slide-valves
were provided with 1½in. lap. A great improvement was the provision of
a cab, and that of not disproportionate dimensions, considering the
“year of grace” in which the engine was constructed. Trains of nine
carriages were hauled at an average speed of 40 miles an hour, with a
coal consumption of 2½lb. per mile; 14 loaded carriages were frequently
taken up the terrible Beattock bank, 10 miles in length, at 30 miles an
hour.
The late Khedive of Egypt was so taken with the appearance of this
engine when it was at the Exhibition that he immediately ordered one
for his own railway. He was searching for a locomotive to convey him
at 70 miles an hour, and Conner’s 8ft. 2in. single appeared to be the
one most likely to fulfil his requirements. Nor do we hear that he was
in any way disappointed with his purchase.
It is interesting to know that the Caledonian Railway has still a
specimen of this notable design unscrapped—may it ever remain so. To
prevent our appetite becoming vitiated with a galaxy of Brobdingnagian
locomotives, we will descend to the other end of the scale, and detail
the Lilliputian “Tiny,” as used in the Crewe locomotive works. The
railway is of 18in. gauge, and was opened in May, 1862, for a length
of three-eighths of a mile. In its course the engine traverses curves
of 15ft. radius each, no difficulty being found in going round these
curves with loads of 12 to 15 tons, or in taking 7ft. 6in. wheel
forgings or tyres on edge by means of trucks specially adapted for the
purpose. This engine has four-wheels-coupled; inside cylinders, 4¼in.
diameter, and 6in. stroke; the wheels are 15in. in diameter, on a base
of 3ft. The total heating surface is about 42 sq. ft. A No. 2 Giffard’s
injector supplied the boiler with water; this precious liquid is stored
in a saddle tank, with a capacity of 28 gallons. “Tiny,” when “right
and tight and ready for action,” weighs only 2½ tons.
The duties of the Lilliputian engines consist in hauling materials to
and from different parts of the works, and as the 18in. rails are in
most places laid parallel with the standard gauge lines, “Tiny” is also
called upon to fly shunt the trucks, etc., when necessary.
An engine of this type, the “Nipper,” forms with the giant “Cornwall”
that well-known photographic picture—the railway “Dignity and
Impudence.”
Fig. 84 represents Sharp, Stewart, and Co.’s standard design of
passenger engine of this period. The “Albion” was delivered to the
Cambrian Railway in May, 1863. She was an inside cylinder engine,
with a pair of leading wheels, and an enclosed Salter safety valve.
Altogether, the “Albion” is a fair example of locomotive practice 36
years ago.
We have on previous occasions referred to the improvements in
locomotive construction introduced by Mr. W. Bridges Adams, and we now
have again to record a successful employment of his design. In the
first week of November, 1863, Mr. James Cross, locomotive engineer of
the St. Helens Railway, completed a tank locomotive, supported on eight
wheels, the leading and trailing pairs of which were fitted with the
radial axle-boxes patented by Mr. W. B. Adams; whilst the four coupled
wheels were fitted with spring tyres, which were another invention of
the same engineer.
[Illustration: FIG. 84.—“ALBION,” CAMBRIAN RAILWAYS, 1863]
The St. Helens Railway was famous—or, from an engineer’s point of
view, we should say, perhaps, infamous—for the severe gradients, sharp
curves, and numerous points, crossings, and junctions. The inclines
were as steep as 1 in 35, 1 in 70, and 1 in 85, whilst the curves were
constructed with radii of 300ft. and 500ft., and reverse or S curves
were also more frequent than pleasant. The St. Helens Railway was
only 30 miles long, but within two miles of the St. Helens Station no
less than 12 miles of sidings were located. We do not mean to suggest
that the whole line of railway was so thickly covered with siding
connections, but such were distributed over the remaining mileage of
the railway in too plentiful profusion. Here, then, was a length of
railway containing the three great hindrances to smooth and quick
running, but the locomotive about to be described was so constructed as
to successfully overcome these impediments.
This engine had inside cylinders, 15in. diameter and 20in. stroke.
The coupled wheels were 5ft. 1in. in diameter, the rigid wheel base
being 8ft., but as these wheels had spring tyres, each pair of wheels
was practically as free to traverse the curves as uncoupled wheels.
Other dimensions were:—Heating surface, 687 sq. ft.; grate area, 16.25
sq. ft.; total wheel base, 22ft.; weight in working order, on leading
wheels, 7 tons 15 cwt.; on driving, 11¾ tons; on rear coupled, 11¼
tons; on trailing, 10 tons, including 4¼ tons water and 1¼ tons coal.
Total weight, 40¾ tons.
The boiler contained 121 tubes, 10ft. 11in. long, and 1⅞in. diameter;
steam pressure, 140lb.; water capacity of tank, 950 gallons. The
fire-grate was 5ft. long, and sloped from the door to the tube-plate.
The springs of the coupled wheels were connected by means of a
compensation lever. The dome was placed on the raised fire-box, and
fitted with a screw-down safety valve; a second valve of the same
pattern was fixed on the boiler barrel. A roomy and well-enclosed cab,
fitted with side windows, thoroughly protected the enginemen.
Adams’ radial axle-boxes are, of course, still in use on the Great
Northern Railway, London, Chatham, and Dover Railway, and other lines,
so that a detailed account here is not necessary, the salient feature
being that they are made with a radius, having its centre in the centre
of the adjoining axle, the axle-box guide-boxes being curved to fit. In
the engine we are now describing the radius of the boxes was 7ft., and
the lateral play of the boxes was 4½in. on each side. The spring-pins
were not fixed on the top of the boxes, but were each fitted with a
small roller to allow the boxes to freely traverse. The axle-boxes
weighed 3½ cwt. each.
It will be understood that when an engine fitted with these boxes
enters a right-hand curve the flanges of the leading wheels draw the
boxes to the right, so that the engine itself remains a tangent to
the curve, whilst, since the axle-boxes are themselves curved, the
effect is that the right-hand side axles are brought nearer the rigid
wheels, and consequently the radial wheels on the opposite side of the
engine further from the fixed wheels, the whole effect of the radial
axle-boxes being that the trailing and leading axles actually become
radii of the curves being traversed, although the flanges continue
parallel to the rails.
Adams’ spring tyres require a more precise description, and before we
describe them, readers may perhaps be reminded that Adams had strong
views on the subject of railway rolling stock wheels. He enters rather
fully into the matter in his book, “Roads and Rails,” especially in
the chapter dealing with “the mechanical causes of accidents.” In
this, Adams maintains that the usual forms of wheels are in reality
rollers, and not wheels.
The spring tyres had been tried on the North London Railway, Eastern
Counties, and on another locomotive on the St. Helens Railway, before
the engine now under review was constructed. Upon the coupled wheels
of the new locomotive for the latter railway, double spring hoops were
employed, the single form having been used in the three previously
mentioned engines. The plan adopted was as follows:—
“The tyres chosen were constructed with a deep rib in front; this was
bored out, internally, to a depth of ¾in., and to a conical section,
and, of course, parallel to the tread. A flat edge, ⅜in. wide, was thus
left on either side.
“The springs, formed of tempered hoop steel, were placed on the inner
surface of the tyres. Corresponding curves were turned across the outer
circumference of the wheels. The wheels were forced into the cones
containing the springs, and retained by three 1in. bolts, and a flat
ring in the groove at the back of the tyre, the effort of the spring
tyres being to allow of a slight lateral motion in running round curves
and also to give a better grip of the rails, as the tyres, by reason
of the weight upon them being transmitted through the tyre springs,
slightly flattened upon the rails, and so presented a larger surface
for adhesion between the tyres and rails.”
The following interesting account of the working of the radial axle
and spring tyre locomotive on the St. Helens Railway is extracted from
a paper by Mr. J. Cross, the designer of the locomotive, and read
before the Institution of Civil Engineers. Mr. Cross stated that “the
engine was completed in the first week of November, 1863, and has since
been running very regularly, taking its turn of duty with passenger
trains or coal trains, or as a shunting engine; and about the numerous
works connected by sharp curves with the St. Helens line. The motion
round curves is free from all jerking, and on straight lines the
speed is more than 60 miles an hour; either end of the engine being
first, without any train behind to give steadiness; and the motion is
so smooth that it has only been by taking the actual time that the
engineers have convinced themselves of the fact of the speed exceeding
40 miles an hour. It was built to traverse curves of 200ft. radius.
This it does with the greatest facility, and it has regularly worked
the passenger trains round a curve of 1,000ft. radius, going directly
off the straight line by a pair of facing points at a speed of more
than 30 miles an hour, and it has gone round curves of 132ft. radius.
It has also run a train of 12 passenger carriages, weighted up to 100
tons, exclusive of its own weight, at 60 miles an hour on the level.
From the advantages it possesses over the ordinary mixed engines for
weighting the trailing coupled wheel, it, without difficulty, on a wet,
slippery day, started, and took this load up a gradient of 1 in 70,
drawing seven of the carriages with a load weighing 72 tons 5 cwt.,
up a gradient of 1 in 36, round a curve of 440ft. radius; and coal
trains of 250 tons are worked over long gradients of 1 in 200 with the
greatest ease.
“It is evident, then, that engines on this principle, affording
facilities for the use of high power in hilly countries, are peculiarly
adapted for Metropolitan lines, where sharp curves are a necessity
(being equally safe whichever end is foremost), and are also well
suited for light lines in India and the Colonies. It may likewise
be remarked that carriages and wagons on this principle would carry
heavier freights, with a saving in the proportion of dead weight, while
their friction round curves would be less than at present.”
The improvements adopted in the construction of this locomotive for the
St. Helens Railway were so successful that, as usual, other claimants,
who appropriated the radial axle-boxes as their invention, were soon
contending with Adams and Cross as to who was entitled to the honour of
introducing the improvement.
The first portion of the Metropolitan Railway was opened on January
18th, 1863, and the line was then worked on the broad-gauge by the
Great Western Railway for a percentage of the receipts. The Great
Western Railway provided the stations, staff, locomotives, and rolling
stock.
Mr. D. Gooch, in 1862, designed a special class of tank engines for
working the Metropolitan Railway. They were six-wheel engines, the
driving and trailing wheels being 6ft. diameter and coupled. The
cylinders were outside. A special form of fire-box and baffle-plate was
employed, and tanks were provided beneath the boiler barrel, into which
the exhaust steam was discharged by means of a reversing valve fitted
to the bottom of the blast pipe. When in the open air, the waste steam
escaped up the chimney in the usual manner.
The first of these engines were named: Bee, Hornet, Locust, Gnat, Wasp,
Mosquito, Bug, Khan, Kaiser, Mogul, Shah, and Czar. Later ones were
named after flowers and Great Western Railway officers.
A dispute arose between the two companies at the beginning of August,
1865, and immediately developed into a complete rupture. The smaller
_quasi vassal_ railway, through the energy displayed by its chief
officers, successfully overcame the apparently insurmountable obstacles
that beset it, and consequently the Metropolitan Railway asserted its
complete independence of the Great Western Railway, and has since
maintained it.
It was indeed a nine days’ wonder that the Metropolitan Railway was
called upon to perform, for it had to obtain from somewhere locomotives
and carriages to work the underground line, commencing on the morning
of August 10th, 1863.
Mr. Sturrock, the locomotive superintendent of the Great Northern
Railway, had at this time under construction a class of condensing-tank
engines that he had designed to work the Great Northern Railway traffic
over the Metropolitan Railway. The directors of the Metropolitan
Railway in this emergency applied to Mr. Sturrock for assistance, and
by working day and night he managed to fit up some Great Northern
tender engines with a temporary condensing apparatus.
The difficulty was to provide some kind of condensing apparatus on
the Great Northern tender engines, it being necessary to use flexible
connecting pipes between the engine and tender strong enough to
withstand the steam pressure, but Mr. Sturrock was successful enough to
contrive the necessary flexible pipes by which the exhaust steam was
conveyed from the engine to the water-tank of the tender, but these
pipes very frequently burst, and all concerned were far from sorry when
the proper engines were delivered.
An order for eighteen had already been placed with a well-known
Manchester firm of locomotive builders by the Metropolitan Railway,
Beyer, Peacock, and Co. building them from the designs of the late Mr.
(afterwards Sir) John Fowler.
The type is well known to London readers, the engines having side
tanks, a leading bogie, the wheels of which were 3ft. diameter, with a
base of 4ft. The driving and trailing wheels (coupled) were 5ft 9in.
diameter, their base being 8ft. 10in.; the total wheel base being
20ft. 9in., or to centre of bogie, 18ft. 9in. The cylinders were
outside, slightly inclined from the horizontal, 17in. diameter, and
24in. stroke. The grate area was 19 sq. ft. The fire-boxes had sloping
grates, which were 6in. deeper at the front than the back. The boiler
barrel was 4ft. in diameter, and 10ft. 3in. long; it contained 166
tubes, 2in. diameter, the total heating surface being 1,014 sq. ft. The
working pressure was nominally 130lb. per sq. in., but when working
through the tunnels, condensing the steam, and with the dampers closed,
a very much lower pressure resulted. The frames were inside, the dome
(fitted with a Salter valve) was on the boiler barrel, close to the
smoke-box, a sand-box being also fixed on the boiler barrel at the back
of the dome.
The bogie truck was built of plate frames, and was on the Bissell
system, turning on a centre-pin fixed to the engine frame, at a radial
distance of 6ft. 8in. from the centre of the truck. “Locomotive
Engineering” says that “this radial length ensures a nearly correct
radiality of the bogie to curves of all radii, the proper length of
the radius to ensure exact radiality of the centre of the bogie for
all curves being 7ft. 2in., or 6in. more than the actual length—a
difference which is, perhaps, of no great importance in practice.”
For the purpose of effectually condensing the exhaust steam the side
tanks were only filled with water to within 6in. of the top, and the
steam was discharged upon the surface of the water, from a 7in. pipe on
each side—one to each tank. Into the mouth of these 7in. pipes a 4in.
pipe was projected a short distance, and the other end of the 4in. pipe
was below the surface of the water, so that a portion of the steam was
discharged right into the water in the tanks, and agitated the water
sufficiently to prevent the surface of the water from becoming too hot,
as would have been the case if the same portion of the water had always
been presented to the waste steam. The tanks held 1,000 gallons, and at
the end of a journey the water had become too warm to properly condense
the exhaust, and it therefore became necessary to quickly empty the
tanks and to take in a fresh supply of cold water.
To expeditiously perform the former operation, each tank was provided
with a pipe 7in. in diameter; this led to a cast-iron valve-box being
placed below the foot-plate. By means of a screw, worked from the
foot-plate, a 10in. valve was operated, and the water in the tanks
could be discharged into the pits below the engine in the course of
some 60 seconds.
The following list gives the names and builders’ numbers of the first
locomotives constructed for the Metropolitan Railway:
Engine Name. Builder’s || Engine Name. Builder’s
No. No. || No. No.
1 Jupiter. 412 || 10 Cerberus. 421
2 Mars. 413 || 11 Lutona. 422
3 Juno. 414 || 12 Cyclops. 423
4 Mercury. 415 || 13 Daphne. 424
5 Apollo. 416 || 14 Dido. 425
6 Medusa. 417 || 15 Aurora. 426
7 Orion. 418 || 16 Achilles. 427
8 Pluto. 419 || 17 Ixion. 428
9 Minerva. 420 || 18 Hercules. 429
These engines were fitted with a very small coal bunker, only 18in.
wide. Weight of engine in working order: on bogie, 11 tons 3½ cwt.;
driving, 15 tons 9½ cwt.; and trailing, 15 tons 10 cwt. Total weight,
42 tons 3 cwt.
Mr. Sturrock’s engines for working the Great Northern trains over the
Metropolitan Railway were numbered 241 to 250, their leading dimensions
being:—Cylinders (inside), 16½in. diameter, 22in. stroke; leading and
driving wheels (coupled), 5ft. 6in.; trailing wheels, 4ft. diameter;
wheel base, L. to D., 7ft. 6in.; D. to T., 11ft. 9in.; total, 19ft.
3in. Weight, empty, 32 tons 4 cwt. 1 qr.; in working order, 39 tons 12
cwt. 2 qrs.
These Great Northern Railway locomotives were fitted with Adams’ radial
axle-boxes to the trailing wheels, and commenced working at the end of
October, 1865.
The patentee of the Bissell bogie truck did not intend to hide
the light of his invention under a bushel, for he advertised the
improvement in a truly American style. The following advertisement was
to be found in the columns of the sober railway newspapers soon after
the Metropolitan locomotives were at work:—
“Important to Railway Directors, Engineers, and the Travelling
public.
“No more accidents from engines running off the line (see
Queen’s letter to Railway Directors copied in the railway
papers January 28th, 1866).
“The Bissell bogie, or safety truck, for locomotive engines, so
much prized on American and foreign railroads for the great
safety and economy it affords on curved roadways, after
years of probationary trial in England, has at length been
adopted by John Fowler, Esq., C.E., F.G.S., upon all
the new engines, eighteen in number, now working on the
Metropolitan Railway, and by Robert Sinclair, Esq., C.E.,
upon twenty new eight-wheeled engines on the Great Eastern
Railway, which may be seen daily. The royalty for the use
of the Bissell Patents has been reduced to £10 per engine,
so that every engine requiring a bogie underframe should be
provided with the Bissell safety truck. Apply to——.”
Whilst on the subject of railway advertisements we take the opportunity
to record the obituary announcement of the tentative “hot-brick”
engine, previously referred to, designed to work on the Metropolitan
Railway. It appeared in the railway newspapers during the early months
of 1865, and was to the following effect: “Metropolitan Railway. One
locomotive engine for sale, either entire or in parts. For particulars
apply to the Locomotive Superintendent, Bishop’s Road, Paddington.”
Reference must here be made to Mr. Sturrock’s system of steam tenders,
as adopted by him to work the heavy coal and goods trains on the Great
Northern Railway. In addition to the usual engine, the pistons of a
pair of cylinders, 12in. diameter, with a stroke of 17in. actuated
the centre axle of the tender, and the six tender wheels were coupled
by outside rods. The tender wheels were 4ft. 6in. diameter. The
steam tenders weighed about 35 tons, with water and coal, and of
this weight over 13 tons was on the driving wheels. After use in the
tender cylinders, the exhaust steam was condensed in the tender tank.
Forty-six of these steam tenders were constructed, and some are still
running, but as simple tenders, the propelling apparatus having been
done away with many years ago. Fig. 85A represents a Great Northern
engine fitted with one of Sturrock’s patent steam tenders.
Mr. Robert Sinclair, whilst locomotive superintendent of the Great
Eastern Railway, only designed one type of tank engine, and Neilson and
Co. constructed the first of this class in 1864. Twenty of the class
were built, being originally intended to work the Enfield Town Branch,
but in later years these engines were used on the North Woolwich line.
The engines (Fig. 86A) were supported by eight wheels, the leading and
trailing being 3ft. 7in. diameter, and the driving and back coupled
5ft. 6in. diameter. The cylinders were outside, 15in. diameter, and
22in. stroke. The leading and trailing wheels were fitted with the
Bissell truck, referred to in the advertisement just quoted. So that
although the whole wheel base was 17ft. 4in., the rigid base—that of
the coupled wheels—was only 6ft. The boiler was 13ft. 6in. long, and
the water was carried in the tanks beneath the boiler and between
the frames. An enclosed cab with front and rear spectacle plates was
provided.
[Illustration: FIG. 85A.—A GREAT NORTHERN RAILWAY ENGINE, FITTED WITH
ONE OF STURROCK’S PATENT STEAM TENDERS.]
This improvement so delighted the Great Eastern Railway drivers that
they presented a testimonial to Mr. R. Sinclair in May, 1864, in which
they described him as the “inventor” of the weather-board or “cab,” as
fitted to locomotives. The tank engines in question weighed 38 tons 6
cwt. 3 qrs., of which weight 20 tons 5 cwt. 2 qrs. was on the coupled
wheels.
[Illustration: FIG. 86A.—SINCLAIR’S DESIGN OF TANK ENGINE FOR THE
EASTERN COUNTIES RAILWAY]
In January, 1863, Mr. J. B. Fell patented a locomotive designed for
working over extremely steep gradients. At that time there was a
break 47 miles long in the continuity of the iron road communication
between France and Italy by the Mount Cenis route. This break has
in later years been abolished by the construction and working of
the famous Mount Cenis tunnel. Brassey and Co. in 1863 proposed
that during the construction of the tunnel a temporary mountain
railway worked on Fell’s system should be built over the mountain.
An experimental locomotive was, therefore, constructed at the Canada
Works, Birkenhead. This engine weighed 14½ tons loaded. The boiler
was 2ft. 9in. diameter, and 7ft. 9½in. long, and contained 100 tubes
of 1½in. external diameter. The heating surface was 420 sq. ft., and
the grate area 6½ sq. ft. The engine had two sets of machinery—one
for working the vertical wheels, acting on the ordinary carrying
rails, and the other actuated the special horizontal clutch wheels,
which were pressed against the centre rail. The outside cylinders
which worked the four-coupled vertical wheels, of 2ft. 3in. diameter,
were 11¾in. diameter, the stroke being 18in. The horizontal coupled
wheels were 16in. diameter, with a base of 19in.; these were driven
by inside cylinders 11in. diameter and 10in. stroke. A pressure of 12
tons, actuated by means of a screw apparatus, could be applied to the
horizontal wheels.
By permission of the London and North Western Railway, an experimental
railway, 800 yards long, was laid down upon the Whalley Bridge Incline
of the Cromford and High Peak Railway.
The gauge was 3ft. 7⅝in., and there were 180 yards of straight line on
a gradient of 1 in 13.5, and 150 yards of curves, with radii of 2½ and
3½ chains, on a gradient of 1 in 12. The third rail upon this line, to
be clipped between the horizontal driving wheels of the engine, was
laid on its side, 7½in. above the other rails.
In the course of a series of experiments carried on from September,
1863, to February, 1864, the engine, working up to a pressure of 120lb.
to the square inch, never failed, with a maximum load of 30 tons, to
take a load of 24 tons up the above inclines and round the curves. The
outer cylinders working on the four vertical wheels could only draw
up, besides the weight of the engine, a loaded wagon weighing seven
tons; while the inside cylinders, acting upon the horizontal wheels,
which pressed with 12 tons against the middle rail, enabled the engine
to take up 24 tons on the same day and under the same conditions. The
inside cylinders alone were able to carry up the engine itself, round
the curves, and exhibited the power of taking up altogether 17 tons.
The results of the experiments on the High Peak Railway were considered
so satisfactory that the line up Mount Cenis was commenced without
delay. The engine was not properly adapted for working the mountain
traffic, in consequence of the crowded and complicated nature of the
machinery, and also because the feed-oil dropped on to the horizontal
wheels and lessened the bite on the centre rail. The weight on the
horizontal wheels was increased to 16 tons, and an additional pair of
guide wheels acting on the centre rail was provided at the trailing end
of the engine, after the High Peak experiments.
The Board of Trade was at that time so far interested in railway
matters as to send out Captain Tyler, one of its inspectors, to report
on the Mount Cenis Railway. We extract from his report the following
account of the working of this engine on the mountain railway:—
“In the course of two days I took six trips with this engine up and
down the experimental line, carrying each time a load of 16 tons, in
three wagons, including the weight of the wagons, and it performed in
the ascent 1,800 metres in 8⅛min., with a loss of 14lb. of steam and of
5⅓in. of water in the gauge-glass, at steam pressure, varying between
92 and 125lb. to the square inch in the boiler, as the average of all
those experiments.
“The speed attained was in every case greater than that which it is
proposed to run with the same load with the express trains; and the
average speed, as above given, was at the rate of 13⅓ kilometres (or 8⅓
English miles) per hour, instead of 12 kilometres (or 7½ English miles)
per hour, which is the highest running speed allowed in the programme
given to the French Government for this part of the line.
“The weather was fine and calm, and the bearing rails were in
first-rate order; but the middle rail, as well as the horizontal
wheels, were oily, and, therefore, in a condition very unfavourable for
good adhesion.”
A second engine was built on Fell’s system specially for working
over the steep Mount Cenis Railway, and in its construction several
improvements, suggested by the shortcomings of the first engine, were
introduced.
The second engine was built partly of steel, and weighed 13 tons empty,
and 16 tons 17 cwt. fully loaded, afterwards increased to 17 tons 2
cwt. The boiler was 8ft. 4½in. long, and 3ft. 2in. in diameter, and
contained 158 tubes of 1½in. external diameter. Fire-box and tubes
contained altogether 600 superficial feet of heating surface, and
there were 10ft. of fire-grate area. There were only two cylinders,
with a diameter of 15in. and stroke of 16in., which worked both the
four-coupled horizontal and four-coupled vertical wheels, which were
all 27in. in diameter. The wheel base of the vertical wheels was
6ft 10in., and that of the horizontal wheels, 2ft. 4in. The maximum
pressure in the boiler was 120lb., and the effective pressure on the
piston was 75lb. to the square inch.
Besides possessing a greater amount of boiler power, this engine
travelled more steadily than No. 1, its machinery was more easily
attended to, and the pressure upon its horizontal wheels could be
regulated by the engine-driver at pleasure from the foot-plate. This
pressure was applied through an iron rod connected by means of right
and left-handed screws, with a beam on each side of the middle rail,
and these beams acted upon volute springs which pressed the horizontal
wheels against that rail.
The pressure employed during the experiments was 2½ tons on each
horizontal wheel, or 10 tons altogether; but the pressure actually
provided for, and which when necessary was employed, was 6 tons upon
each, or 24 tons upon the four horizontal wheels.
The vertical wheels were worked indirectly by piston-rods from the
front, and the horizontal wheels directly by piston-rods from the back
of the cylinders.
Having already given Captain Tyler’s account of his experiments with
the first engine, we cannot do better than reproduce his statement
concerning the second of the Fell engines, built for the Mount Cenis
Railway.
Captain Tyler stated that with the new engine he “was able to take up
1,800 metres of the experimental line with the same load as before, of
16 tons in three wagons, in 6¼ minutes, or at a speed of 17¾ kilometres
per hour, as against 12 kilometres per hour which it is proposed to run
with the express trains. The steam pressure in the boiler fell from
112lb. to 102½lb., and 3in. of water were lost in the gauge-glass,
the feed having been turned on during the latter period only of this
experiment.
“The engine exerted in this instance, omitting the extra resistance
from curves, about 177 horse-power; or, adding 10 per cent. for the
resistance from curves, 195 horse-power, or more than 12 horse-power to
each ton of its own weight, and nearly 60 horse-power in excess of what
was required to take the same load up the same gradient and curves at
12 kilometres per hour, as proposed in the programme. I observed on the
following day that 40lb. of steam-pressure in the boiler, or one-third
of the maximum pressure employed, was sufficient to move the engine
alone up a gradient of 1 in 12½; and the friction of carriages or
wagons being proportionately much less than that of an engine, the same
engine ought, _à fortiori_, to be able to move a gross load of three
times its own weight, or 48 tons, at its greatest working pressure, up
the same gradient.”
Having now given some details of locomotives constructed for working on
a foreign steep grade railway, it will not be out of place to describe
the special forms of engines designed for the Welsh narrow-gauge line,
usually called the Festiniog Railway. The line has been open for a
great number of years, but up to June, 1863, had only been used for
conveying slates from the quarries to the shipping port. Horses were
employed to haul the empty trucks up to the quarries, the loaded wagons
running down to Portmadoc by gravity.
The average gradient for 12½ miles was 1 in 92, the steepest 1 in 60.
The radii of the curves ranged between two and four chains. Unlike the
Mount Cenis line just reviewed, the Festiniog Railway was worked with
locomotives depending solely on the adhesion of the carrying wheels, no
central rail being provided. The gauge was 1ft. 11½in.
The engines were designed by Mr. C. E. Spooner, the engineer of the
railway. At first two were constructed, England and Co. being the
builders. These miniature iron horses (one was more correctly called
the “Welsh _Pony_”) had two pairs of coupled wheels, with a wheel base
of 5ft. The cylinders, which were outside the framing, were 8½in. in
diameter, with a length of stroke of 12in., and they were only 6in.
above the rails.
The maximum working pressure of the steam was 200lb. to the square
inch. Water was carried in tanks surrounding the boilers, and coal in
small four-wheel tenders.
The heaviest of these engines weighed 7½ tons in working order, and
they cost £900 each. They could take up, at 10 miles an hour, about 50
tons, including the weight of the carriages and trucks, but exclusive
of that of the engine and tender. They actually conveyed daily on
the up journey an average of 50 tons of goods and 100 passengers,
besides parcels. Two hundred and sixty tons of slates were taken down
to Portmadoc daily. The engines were well adapted for convenience in
starting and in working at slow speeds, but their short wheel base and
the weight overhanging the trailing wheels gave them more or less of a
jumping motion when running.
Safety guards, similar in form to snow ploughs, were afterwards added
in front of the engines, behind the tenders, and under the platforms of
the brake-vans, in consequence of their being so near to the rails.
After a few years’ experience of these four-wheel locomotives, the
directors of the Festiniog Railway determined to experiment with an
engine constructed on Fairlie’s double-bogie system, and the “Little
Wonder” was constructed. In February, 1870, several trials were made
with this engine, when a train of 72 wagons, of a total length of
648ft., and of a gross weight, including the engine, of 206 tons 2
qrs., was drawn up an incline of 1 in 85 at a speed of five miles an
hour, the steam pressure being 200lb. per square inch. The “Welsh
Pony’s” best performance in these trials upon the same gradient, but
with a pressure of 150lb., consisted in drawing 26 wagons, the gross
load of which, with engine, amounted to 73 tons 16 cwt. Tabulated, the
result of these trials were as follows:—
Total Gravity. Frictional
resistance. lbs. resistance.
lbs. per ton per lbs.
gross. ton. per ton.
“Little Wonder” 40 26.3 13.7
“Welsh Pony” with 150lbs steam 51.4 26.3 25.1
” ” 130lbs steam 44.5 26.3 18.2
The general arrangements of the “Little Wonder” may be described as
follows. The boiler was double, having two fire-boxes united back to
back with two distinct barrels and sets of flue-tubes, and consequently
a chimney at each end. A bogie was placed under each barrel, and each
bogie had two pairs of wheels coupled together, worked independently
by a pair of steam-cylinders to each bogie. Thus a total wheel base
of 19ft. 1in. in length was covered by the bogies; each bogie had a
5ft. wheel base, and the distance between the centres of the bogies
was 14ft. 1in. The four cylinders were 8³/₁₆in. in diameter, and
had a stroke of 13in.; the wheels were 2ft. 4in. in diameter. The
combined grate area was 11 sq. ft., and the heating surface 730 sq. ft.
Fairlie’s system of double engines soon came into repute for working
steep gradients, and many very powerful engines were and are still
constructed on his system for use on foreign railways. Fairlie, in
conjunction with Samuels, adapted his system to a species of combined
locomotive and carriage, and, in 1869, one was constructed for working
on the London, Chatham, and Dover Railway between Swanley Junction and
Sevenoaks. Seven passenger compartments were provided in this vehicle,
accommodation comprising seats for 16 first-class and 50 second-class
passengers; its total length was 43ft., and weight, empty, 13½ tons.
The leading end was supported by the engine bogie, and the trailing end
by an ordinary bogie truck. Curves of only 50ft. radius were easily
passed over by the combination vehicle.
Leaving Fairlie and his combinations, both of locomotives and
carriages, and also of double locomotives, we now glance at a class
of tank engines designed by Cudworth for working the trains between
Cannon Street and Charing Cross upon the opening of the former terminus
in 1866. These engines were seven in number, and were constructed at
the Canada Works. They were of the “coupled in front” pattern, with a
trailing bogie. The cylinders were inside, 15in. diameter and 20in.
stroke. The coupled wheels were 5ft. 6in. diameter. Outside frames were
employed, and also compensation beams both to the coupled and bogie
wheels. The coal bunker, with water-tank under, was of exceptional
length. It was always a puzzle to the writer as to how a stout driver
could manage to squeeze through the narrow entrances to the foot-plate,
especially as these apertures were situate at the side of the fire-box;
but evidently the “trick was done” by following the axiom, “Where
there’s a will there’s a way,” and doubtless the drivers, if asked,
would have replied, “It’s very easy if you only know the way.” These
South Eastern Railway locomotives were numbered 235 to 241.
Mr. Wm. Gowan, locomotive superintendent of the Great North of
Scotland Railway, designed a class of engine, which Neilson and Co.
constructed. The design was stated to be that of a “goods” locomotive,
but upon examination we find the engines in question to be no other
than the popular four-coupled behind, with a leading bogie and
outside cylinders. The latter were arranged in a horizontal position
immediately below the frames. The coupled wheels were 5ft. 6½in.
diameter, with underhung springs connected by means of an equalising
lever-beam. The bogie wheels were 3ft. in diameter, with a base of 6ft.
Inside bearings were supplied to the bogie axles. The boiler barrel
measured 10ft. 10⅛in. between the tube-plates, its external diameter
was 4ft. 1in., and it contained 206 tubes of 1¾in. diameter. The engine
was fitted with D. K. Clarke’s system of smoke-consuming apparatus,
previously described. The fire-box was of the raised pattern, and the
steam dome was placed on it. The engine weighed 39 tons 13 cwt., and
the tender 27 tons, in working order.
In general appearance this “goods” engine resembled in a remarkable
degree the London and South Western Railway express passenger engines
as built by Mr. Adams. The tender was carried on six wheels.
Fig. 85B represents Beattie’s standard design of goods engine for the L.
and S.W.R. in 1866, the wheels were 5ft. 1in. diameter, the cylinders
being inside, and having a diameter of 17in., the stroke 24in. Beyer,
Peacock and Co. were the builders. Fig. 86B represents an engine of this
class as rebuilt some years later at Nine Elms Works.
In 1868 Mr. W. Adams placed upon the North London Railway the
first locomotive constructed from a design which has, in its broad
features and general outline, ever since been a model of simplicity,
attractiveness, and utility, showing, as the design does, what engines
constructed to work important local traffic should be like.
[Illustration: FIG. 85B.—BEATTIE’S STANDARD GOODS ENGINE, L. & S.W.R.,
1866]
In its original form there were some points that need alteration, as
they certainly spoilt the general symmetrical effect of an otherwise
artistic appearance. We may as well allude to these defects at once,
and then proceed to detail the locomotive.
The first of such blots on the design was the placing of a cylindrical
sand-box on the top of the boiler barrel, between the chimney and
the dome. To show that such a position for this useful appendage was
not necessary, we mention that only the driving wheels were supplied
with sand from this unsightly excrescence, the supply of sand for the
trailing wheels (for use when running bunker in front) being placed
in an unobtrusive position. If the latter sand-boxes could thus be
located, why was it necessary to place that for the leading wheels
in so conspicuous a position? This example of awkward location of so
useful an adjunct is further emphasised when we remember that these
engines run just as frequently bunker first as chimney first. Further,
in consequence of the position of this sand-box, the rod for working
the sand valves was carried along the top of the boiler barrel, several
inches above its surface, thus still more detracting from the symmetry
of the design. The other feature we wish to allude to, is the shape of
the dome cover, the whole of which was of a needlessly ugly contour.
Then, again, in later years an enclosed cab was added, the back and
front of which, being of sheet-iron, extending to the extreme of the
coal bunker, and with no return sides, has given a rather toy-like
appearance to these otherwise fine locomotives. We are glad to be able
to mention that when these engines were rebuilt, the objectionable
sand-box was removed, and a more pleasing form of steam dome provided,
but this improvement was in a great measure negatived by the black
enamelled iron which is now used for the cover in place of the bright
brass formerly employed for the purpose.
[Illustration: FIG. 86B.—BEATTIE’S GOODS ENGINE, L. & S.W.R., REBUILT]
Having thus mentioned the defects in appearance, rather than utility,
of the North London Railway passenger tanks (Fig. 87), we can proceed
to do justice to this really fine class of engines designed by Mr.
Adams.
The outside cylinders were 17in. diameter, and the stroke was 24in.
The driving and trailing wheels (coupled) were 5ft. 3in. diameter, the
bogie wheels being 2ft. 9in. diameter. The heating surface was 1,015
sq. feet. The boiler was 4ft. 1in. diameter, and contained 200 tubes
of 1¾in. diameter. A good feature in the design was the high steam
pressure employed—viz., 160lb. per sq. in.—and there can be no doubt
that much of the success of this class of engine can be traced to the
use of so high a pressure of steam at a time—29 years ago—when other
lines were using a much lower pressure. Indeed, to-day it is only
necessary to watch a North London and any of several other railway
companies’ trains starting side by side, and it will be observed that
the North London generally gets away first; these engines are, in fact,
capital at starting, and soon attain a high rate of speed.
[Illustration: FIG. 87.—ADAMS’S PASSENGER TANK ENGINE, N.L.R., AS
REBUILT BY MR. PRYCE]
The weight was as follows:—
Empty. Loaded.
tons cwt. tons cwt.
On bogie wheels 15 14 14 14½
On driving wheels 11 11 14 5
On trailing wheels 11 7 14 12½
------ ----------
Total 38 12 43 12
[Illustration: FIG. 88.—PRYCE’S 6-COUPLED TANK GOODS ENGINE, NORTH
LONDON RAILWAY]
It will be observed that, when empty, the bogie axles supported 19½
cwt. more of the gross weight than when the engine was in working
order.
The wheel base of the bogie was 5ft. 8in. The coupled wheels have
underhung springs connected by a compensation beam. India-rubber
springs are used in connection with the hanging of the springs, and
also to guide the bogie, etc., and it was found that such springs
answered the use to which they were put in a most admirable manner.
In all the new engines that have lately been built, and when rebuilding
old engines of this type, the cylinders have been increased to 17½in.
diameter, and other things considerably modified in detail.
[Illustration: FIG. 89.—LOCOMOTIVE AND TRAVELLING CRANE, N.L.R.]
Mr. Pryce has also built 24 powerful six-wheel tank engines (Fig. 88)
for dealing with the N.L.R. goods traffic. These engines are very
efficient. They have outside cylinders 17in. diameter, 24in. stroke,
and 4ft. 4in. coupled wheels. Boiler pressure, 160lb. per sq. in.
Weight in working order, 45 tons 9 cwt., all available for adhesion.
The total wheel base is 11ft. 4in.; consequently, they take curves
easily.
The coal consumption of these engines was very satisfactory. The trains
of the North London Railway consist of twelve vehicles, weighing,
empty, 90 tons 14 cwt., and loaded 112 tons 6 cwt., but the coal
consumption, with very frequent stoppages, only averaged 30.28lb. per
mile.
Fig. 89 represents the combined saddle-tank locomotive and crane
belonging to the North London Railway, as recently rebuilt by Mr.
Pryce.