Proceedings Institution of Mechanical Engineers: 1930-1939
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Volume 119 (1930)

Pendred, Loughnan St. L.
Random reflections: Address by the President. 943-54.
"What I have been endeavouring to do is to stir up a spirit of courage and adventure amongst our members. All around us we see new methods springing up and the infallibility of old laws and old beliefs being challenged. Something should come out of it all, and I hope our own young British engineers and scientists will give rein to their thoughk, and the spur to their activities." Quotations from Kipling and Robert Louis Stevenson!

Volume 120 (January to June 1931)

Unveiling of Replica of Tablet affixed to George Stephenson's Cottage at Wylam-on-Tyne on 20 February 1931. 249-51.
Unveiled in the Institution's Headquarters by Richard W. Allen. The original bronze tablet had been affixed to the exterior of Stephenson's cottage in June 1929. The commission for the plaque had been given to Professor Maryon, of Durham University, which Sir Archibald Ross undertook to cast in his own foundry.

Gresley, H.N.
High-pressure locomotives. 101-35. Disc.:135-206 + 3 folding plates. 8 illus., 14 diagrs., 2 tables, 2 plans.
Locomotives described include the Delaware & Hudson two-cylinder compound locomotive of 1924; the Schmidt-Henschel three-cylinder compound locomotive of 1926; the Swiss Winterthur high-pressure locomotive (2-6-2T) of 1927; and the Berlin Machine Works Schwartzkopff-Löffler three-cylinder locomotive of 1930. He then described No. 10000, with its Yarrow boiler. Discussion: N.H. Scarth (Yarrow) (Pp 135-6); F. Wempe (Schmidt)(136-7); G. Haffner (Chief Engineer, French State Railways p. 137); A.C. Roger (French State Railways p. 137-8); Sir Henry Fowler (138-9) who commented on other high pressure locomotives, on the oil separator on the Löffler boiler, and on the chimney and smoke deflectors fitted to No. 10000; R.E.L. Maunsell (p. 140) commented on smoke deflection; W.A. Stanier (pp 1401-1) queried the amount of heat reaching the outer tubes. E. Kitson Clark (141): commented on the ratio betwen the hp and lp cylinders and cited E.W. Selby J. Instn Loco Engrs Paper 257. H.A. Stenning (p. 142-4) gave some details of the stress effects experienced in the boiler, due to excessive temperatures.  Gysel (145) adhesion charcteristics of 4-6-4; W.W. Marriner (Yarrow, pp 145-7) mentioned the low loading g. was due to hard water; Charles King (147-9) queried the efficiency of 18% claimed for the  Löffler boiler; P.J. Cowan (149-52) mentioned improvements in boiler feed; that Horatio Allen suffered from leaky seams and stated that wheel arrangement of 10000 was really 4-6-2-2; W. Gregson (153-5) discussed problems of hard water with the Brotan firebox and queried "how did No. 10,000 compare with the 250 lb per sq in in four-cylinder simple engines of the G.W.R. which had always been noted for their economical running" (Gresley did not respond!); R.J. Glinn (156-8) spoke about mobile power stations equipped with water tube boilers used during WW1 (illus. page 159). The paper was discussed in Manchester on 5 February and the following contributed: H.L. Guy (165-7); J.N. Gresham (167); R.C. Bond (167); S. Jackson (170-2); D.W. Sanford (LMS p. 172); C.H. Browne (on scale p. 172); E.F. Lang (on the relatively low boiler pressure p. 173) and Gresley responded (pp. 173-6). The paper was discussed in Leeds on 12 February: speakers included F.C. Lea (177-8); E. Kitson Clark (178); W.T. Athey (178-9) stated that he had entered Gateshead as an apprentice in 1887, commented on compounding and boiler scale; R. Aalan Thwaites (179); A.W. Chapman (179 on scale); J.J. Sheridan (179-80); John Blundell (180-1); G.A. Musgrave (181) noted his own involvement in the design of the boiler between 1924 and 1930 when the locomotive entered service. Gresley replied on pages 181-3. The paper was discussed at a meeting in Glasgow on 18 March: speakers included: Harold E. Yarrow (183-4); A.L. Mellanby (184-5); David C. Urie (185); Lindsay Foster (186-7); Robert Fox (187); J,M. Harper (188); Leonard Hyde (188-9); George Ness (189) and T.E.H. Heywood (190)

Lomonossoff, G.V.
Problems of railway mechanics. 648-59.
Theoretical paper: from the point of view of analytical mechanics a railway train is a system of rigid bodies connected partly by rigid and partly by elastic bonds. As a rule, motion of this system is not uniform: the forces of inertia of all the parts of a train need to be take into consideration. These can be divided into two sections: those having progressive motion only along the track and those having rotary motion as well. For the latter, namely the wheels, the permanent way is a non-preventative obstacle. If this obstacle and all bonds between the separate parts of a train were rigid the solution of the problems of railway mechanics would be rather easy.

Volume 121 (1931)

Gresley, H.N.
Locomotive experimental stations. 23-39 Disc.: 40-53. illus., 6 diagrs.
Contributors to the discussion included G.V. Lomonossoff (40-2); Stanier (42-3) who commented on the Churchward plant and improvements made to reproduce actual running conditions on the plant and to power absorption; C.H. [presumably O.H.] Bulleid (p. 43) spoke on the advantages; C.H. Kuhne (pp 43-5) spoke about the Froude water dynamometer used to test road vehicles; T.R. Cave-Browne-Cave (page 45) spoke about wind tunnels; F.C. Lea (46).

Kitson Clark, E.
Humanity under the hammer [Presidential Address]. 107-41.
History of the hammer and hammering.

Carpmael, Raymond.
The manufacture and use of steel railway sleepers, 315-77.
Included Round-hole loose-jaw type (Indian State Railways); Webb's Pattern: Rafarel's Patent Sleeper (1887)

Dymond, A.W.J.
Some factors affecting the riding of coaching stock. 465-504. Disc.: 505-21. 25 illus & diagrs.
D. Raymond Carpmeal (505-6) spoke about the GWR use of the Hallade recorder; R.F. McKay on latex foam seating; A.N. Moon (508-14) spoke about the riding qualities of six-wheel bogies, tyre wear, overhang and portable accelerometers supplied by the Cambridge Instrument Co.; S.R.M. Porter (514) on the transverse velocity of the bogie frame relative to the bolster; A.S. Quartermaine (GWR, 514-15) on newly laid rail. G.H. Sheffield (515-18): the Pullman bogie was introduced to England by Sir James Allport of the MR.

Volume 122 (1932)

Twinberrow, J.D.
The mechanism of electric locomotives. 51-106. Disc.: 106-54. 36 figs.
Nose-and-axle suspended motors. the expected improvement in the rate of wear of track and of tyres was not realized by the substitution of locomotives of this description for normal steam-locomotives. It was found that the wear of flanges and of the rails on curves was reduced when the bogie trucks were connected by a hinged joint, capable of transmitting shearing forces, the wheel-base then being conveniently described as Bo + Bo. The tendency of each truck to nose outwardly produces a reaction on the hinge pin and slews the wheel treads across the rails, without heavy pressure on the flanges. Axle-mounted armatures: the gearless motor, having the armature mounted directly on the axle, was adopted by the New York Central Railroad for working main-line trains over the electrified lines connected with the Grand Central Terminus in New York. The first group of engines had the 1.Do.1 wheel arrangement, but the single-axle pony trucks as originally fitted were replaced by four-wheel bogie trucks, after the occurrence of a disastrous derailment. Later and more powerful locomotives had eight driving axles, assembled in two identical trucks, each main truck being prolonged and supported at its outer end on a pivoted motor guiding truck. This type of wheel-base may be defined as Bo.Bo+Bo,Bo Auxiliary control of the angular deviations of the guiding trucks was necessitated in order to suppress hunting motion at high speed.

Bulleid, C.H.
The importance of metallurgy to the engineer. 767-72.
Very general paper which advocated a greater understanding by engineers of iron, steel and other metals as materials. "The principles underlying the heat-treatment of steel are not really difficult to understand, and a knowledge of this subject is essential to-day... Engineers are generally mystified by the phenomenon known as fatigue. There has recently been a revival in the use of wrought iron in places where it had been replaced by steel. It is said to be less subject to fatigue, to resist shock better, and to corrode less rapidly than steel. If these claims are true, its use may well be justified in spite of the fact that its tensile strength is less. Steel castings are widely used, and when properly made they are very reliable... Engineers are meeting great difficulty from the phenomenon known as creep". Ends with corrosion and pitting.

Volume 124 (1933)

Fell, L.F.R.   
The compression-ignition engine and its applicability to British railway traction. 3-61.
Advantages of the oil-electric system
Fuel cost approximately halved.
In most cases one engineman only required
no standby losses.
Fuel transportation charges greatly reduced.
large saving of water is effected.
Man-hours are saved in the running shed by the elimination of fire lighting, boiler washing, and locomotive requirements (i.e. fire cleaning, turning, and taking water).
Continuous 24-hour day service can be obtained when necessary, and the engine is at all times available for immediate use. Refuelling points can be placed as conveniently as are water cranes.
Smoke and waste steam are eliminated, together with their deteriorating effects on buildings, rolling stock and passengers’ clothing. Dead fires, smokebox ash and boiler scale in shed pits and on the rail side are absent, thus saving labour in their removal.
General cleanliness of the railway is improved.

Watson, F.R.B.
The production of a vacuum in an air tank by means of a steam jet. 231-

Schuster, L.W.
The investigation of the mechanical breakdown of prime movers and boiler plant. 337-479.

Volume 125 (July to December 1933)

Lomonossoff, G.V.
Diesel traction. 537-613. Bibliography (95 citations). 36 diagrs.
Read before the North Western branch in Manchester on 5 October 1933, and before the North Eastern branch in Newcastle upon Tyne on 28 March 1934. Intriguingly this Russian-authored paper began with a brief historical sketch of locomotive development in England. .

Locomotives with a reciprocating non-condensing steam engine have three serious disadvantages:

On suburban lines electric traction has had a more definite success, nevertheless only 1.6 per cent of the worlds railway system has so far been electrified. The reasons being:

Fuel:.Precise experiments made in Germany, Italy, and the Soviet Union, both on "testing blocks" (test rigs) and on the track, have established that the average efficiency of diesel locomotives is over three times as high as that of the best reciprocating steam locomotives. On the other hand, the same experiments show that the efficiency of any diesel locomotive depends not only on that of the Diesel engine itself, but also on the transmission and method of control.
In the U.S.A., 600 h.p. Diesel-electric shunting locomotives showed over a period of two years a maintenance cost of £93 per thousand hours, whereas this cost for corresponding steam locomotives 22 was £556. The former figure is, however, doubtful because for certain 300 h.p. Diesel locomotives the cost of maintenance 22 reaches £194.

Volume 126 (1934)

Porter, S.R.M.
The mechanics of a locomotive on curved track. 457-61.
LMS Research Department

Volume 129 (1935)

Haslegrave. H.L. 
Relation between theory, experiment, and practice in journal bearing design. 435-475  

Volume 130 (April to October 1935)

Sinclair, Harold  
Recent developments in hydraulic couplings. 75-157. Disc.: 158-90.
The first hydraulic coupling to be applied to a diesel locomotive was on a 300 h.p. locomotive, (illustrated Fig 39) constructed by Hudswell Clarke and Company, Ltd., early in 1930 for the Junin Railway in Chile. Discussion: T. Horbuckle (LMS, 166-7); J.F. Alcock (Hunslet, 167-9) spoke about the locomotives supplied to the LMS;

Volume 133 (1936)

Gresley, H.N.
[Presidential address]. 251-65. 3 tables.
An account of the development of the A4, plus a testing plant appeal.

Thomson, A.S.T.
Investigations in film lubrication. 413-72.
...fluid friction conditions. The second short section deals with experiments on a Deeley friction machine and shows the effect on the boundary friction of the...

Volume 134 (1936)

Johansen, F.C.
The air resistance of passenger trains. 91-208.

Volume 136 (1937)

Proceedings, General Discussion on Lubrication and Lubricants, 13th-15th October. 119 et seq
Other reports covered intrnal combustion engines by Ricardo, turbines (Auld and Evans) and properties and testing (Gough).

Stanier, W.A.
General discussion on lubrication. Group II. Engine lubrication (reciprocating steam engines). 139-43.
French and German State Railways consider that various grades of superheater cylinder oil are desirable according to the degree of superheat obtaining in the cylinder, whereas the Canadian National and English railways employed only one grade. Of the opinions expressed about superheater cylinder oils, the majority favoured compounded oils, since it was considered that at the temperature of superheated steam the oil becomes much less viscous and the fatty oil is partly decomposed, the decomposition products helping in the formation of stable and resistant boundary films. Of special interest was the use of emulsified oil, prepared by the German State Railways from superheated steam cylinder oil and lime water, for use in locomotives working under medium loads.
German State Railways used winter and summer grades oils for journals, motion, etc, as did some English railways, whilst Canadian National and many English railways prefered the same grade throughout the year; one English railways considered that the inconvenience of changing the grade of oil twice a year outweighed any possible advantage and in its experience no advantage was obtained when the thicker summer oil was used. It was the practice of the English railways to use a mineral oil containing a percentage of refined raw rape oil, the percentage depending on the different classes of work and the experience of the companies concerned, whereas the German State and Canadian National Railways used mineral oil only. German State Railways used a higher viscosity oil for lubricating the journals and gear of streamline locomotives, this also being the practice of some English railways.
German State Railways used wick trimmings to supply oil to the valve gear, and to connecting and coupling rod bushes: English railways used worsted trimmings for the valve gear and either worsted trimmings, needle trimmings, or felt pads for the rods.

Fairless, Thompson
The application of the locomotive to traffic working. 333-52. 8 diagrs.
Methods for analysing of steam locomotive power during traffic working on railways lacking special testing facilities. The determination of cylinder and boiler output, the treatment of locomotive and train resistances, and the application of these factors to train loading, speed, and running time. The calculation of fuel and water consumptions on a horse-power-hour basis is given, also the method of application to train working. Then describes the procedure for the practical application of locomotive power to trafiic working, and the measurement of train capacity in terms of ton-kilometres per train hour. The engine evaluated was one of a batch of 2-8-0 goods engines on the Central Uruguay Railway.

Parsonage, W.R.
Short biography of George Stephenson. 373-91.
Selected for publication in connexion with the centenary in 1938 of Holy Trinity Church, Chesterfield, in which George Stephenson is buried, and the proposed building of a George Stephenson Chancel in the church. Pp. 386-91 are extracted from the J. Scott Russell presentation made in 1848. Records the meeting of Stephenson with the great American writer, Emerson, in Chesterfield early in 1848 at Whittington House, the home of Frederick Swanwick. Emerson remarked later that “it was worth while crossing the Atlantic were it only to have seen Stephenson-he had such force of character and vigour of intellect.” “He seems to have the life of many men in him.” But he was a stricken man and the end came only a few months later. Includes photographs of Stephenson's tomb and memorial tablet, his birthplace and a portrait of him.

Volume 137 (1937)

Ambady, G.K.
Diesel traction on railways. 135-43. Disc.: 143-64.
An analysis of various locomotive operating costs and the degree to which each is influenced by the type of tractive unit selected, namely, steam or diesel. The effect of possible higher availability or serviceability factors with diesel locomotives was not likely to be as high as may be supposed. Specification and design details of the various components of a diesel tractive unit are discussed and in the particular case of a locomotive designed to haul a load of 600 trailing tons at a maximum speed of 60 mile/h., the main design data and performance curves are worked out with and without supercharging. The general conclusion was that diesel operating costs compared with steam became increasingly favourable as the power output required from the tractive unit decreases, when the advantage of a self-propelled vehicle, such as three unit railcar, over a train hauled by a locomotive became more pronounced.
The adoption of large diesel locomotives was likely to be restricted to fast heavy goods traffic, and long-distance through passenger services. In India opportunities for their application would be particularly limited. The climatic and operating conditions will tend to accentuate the disadvantage of great weight and high first cost, and the reduction in fuel and lubricating oil expenditure as compared with steam traction is not likely to be such as to compensate for this fully, at the then prices of coal and fuel oil.
Discussion: L.F.R. Fell (151-4) cited his own paper presented in 1933 noting that As indicated by the author's general conclusion, the operating costs of Diesel locomotives, as compared with steam, became favourable only when the weight of the unit to be propelled was comparatively low. G.V. Lomonossoff (156-9) claimed that in the USSR steam locomotive mileages had reached 9000 miles per month and that this had increased the competition against employing diesel traction.

Mowat, Magnus
British engineering societies and their aims. 333-44.
The activities and objects of the Institution of Civil Engineers and the Institution of Mechanical Engineers are described, with notes on other national and local associations in Great Britain. Forms an excellent survey of the general history and state of British institutions and learned societies in the late 1930s. Paper presented at the Semicentennial Meeting of the Engineering Institute of Canada, in Montreal, June 1937 ; reprinted by arrangement with the Institute.

Volume 139

de Soyres, Bernard . The birth and growth of engineering in the West Country. 539-45.
Includes Richard Trevithick and engines and pumps built in Cornwall by Fox, Williams and Company, of Perran Foundry, and by Harvey and Company, of Hayle Foundry. Brunel is mentioned, but mainly for his marine activities.

Volume 142 (July-December 1939)

Stanier, W.A.
Lightweight passenger rolling stock. 13-32 + 16 plates.
This paper makes no attempt to compare British and American practice because of the wide difference in operating conditions prevailing in the two countries. Developments which have taken place in the last seven years on the LMS are described, showing the improvements in the conventional British passenger coach. This originally consisted of a separate riveted steel underframe and timber-framed body, but to reduce weight without sacrifice of strength, welding and high-tensile steel have been employed and timber gradually eliminated. This has resulted in an increasing identification of the underframe and body which has produced an all-steel coach giving a weight of about 500 lb. per passenger seat. Means adopted include the body side and underframe combined into the form of a Vierendeel truss, the design of which is briefly described, together with the method of calculating the stresses in the different members. On the constructional side, the layout of the shops and the special presses and tools are dealt with. A method of unit assembly has been adopted and both spot and arc welding are largely used. Details are given of the erection into a complete coach, and of the overload tests made on the finished structure. Particulars are given of the savings in weight attained, and the paper concludes with suggestions as to the direction in which further progress may be sought in the future.
Introduction. In this paper no attempt is made to compare British with American practice. The requirements are so different. Variations in climatic conditions alone necessitate an entirely different practice and the restrictions imposed by the smaller loading gauge in Great Britain call for an entirely different treatment.
In Great Britain, largely owing to high platforms at the stations, the maximum width over the cylinders of a locomotive is 9 feet and the maximum height 13 ft. 6 in., but generally only 13 ft. 1 in. The maximum weight on an axle is 22 tons 10 cwt. (50,000 lb.), and this limits the tractive effort of a six-coupled engine to about 40,000 lb. The maximum weight of a train is therefore not more than 600 tons,-/- so that to enable a reasonable number of people to be carried with the comfort necessary for comparatively short runs, it has been the practice to build coaches 60 feet in length and weighing 30 tons.
In the past this was achieved by having a steel underframe and a body frame of wood with wooden panelling and roof, but for many years now the general practice has been to have a heavy steel underframe on which is mounted a wooden-frame coach body sheathed in steel and with a steel roof. An attempt will be made to show the trend of British design and the various stages through which it has passed in the effort still to build 60-foot coaches not heavier than 30 tons each.

Ripley, C.T.
High-speed lightweight trains. 97-111.
Author was Chairman ASME Railroad Division. The purpose of this paper is to outline the changes which have occurred during the last five years in high-speed passenger train cars and in motive power for hauling them and the economic factors which have brought about these changes. The new designs for passenger cars and the materials used in their construction are discussed. A detailed comparison of steam locomotive and Diesel-electric locomotive characteristics as they affect the operation of these new high-speed trains is presented, Test data are included to indicate the importance of comparative stress in track produced by the two types of power. Reference is made to the steady improvement which has been made in steam locomotive design, but it is shown that there is a need for some rather extensive experimentation to make this type of power more suitable for this particular class of service. In conclusion, the author presents his views on the general results which have been secured from the operation of these new trains and the probable trend in their future development.

Newberry, C.W.
An investigation into the occurrence and causes of locomotive tyre failures. 289-303 + 4 plates.
A detailed investigation was made by the LMS Research Department into the causes of locomotive tyre faihres from two standpoints: first to determine the cause of any particular failure, and second to find general relationships between effect and cause in the matter of tyre defects. Examples are given of the examination of individual failures, and of experimental work directed to the improvement of wheel and tyre. In a statistical review, it is shown that fatigue is the major cause of tyre failure, and many of the factors which might influence the development of fatigue failure have been critically examined and their responsibility assessed. In conclusion it is noted how, by a change in tyre boring methods to increase the effective fatigue strength of the tyre, and by modifications in design to ensure more uniform stress distribution in the tyre, the occurrence of fatigue failures has steadily declined.