Locomotive Railway & Carriage Review 53 (1947)
Issue No. 657 (15 May)
Base-Exchange Water Softeners. 63-4.
A.J.R. Walter read a pa;per to
the Institution of Locomotive Engineers in London entitled "A Brief History
af the. Application af Base Exchange Water Softeners to Railways." (Paper
463). The Author began by pointing out that water is probably the most
impartant raw material used an a railway, bath in essentiality and quantity,
and befare proceeding to the actual histary of base-exchange softeners gave
a condensed description af other forms af treatment. Perhaps the earliest
form of water treatment was the use af boiler compounds, which meant the
treatment af feed water inside the boiler.
L.N.E.R. Locomotive Designs. 64-65. 2 diagrs. (s.
els)
Precis of Bert Spencer's classic
Paper No. 465 to the Institution of
Locomotive Engineers in London. The diagrams were of the proposed 4-8-2
and 2-8-2T designs. The text mentions the proposed super A4 with boiler pressure
raised to 275 psi and the six-cylinder D49 where difficulties in designing
a bevel gear impeded progress.
Locomotive Power at Speed. 66-7.
At a meeting of the Institutian
af Mechanical Engineers on 21 February 1947, E.L. Diamond, read a paper on
the horsepower output af steam locomotives at high speeds. The rapid
fall in the power developed with increasing speed, characteristic of locomotive
performance, has during recent years been a matter that has received considerable
attention, due to the desire an the part of designers to praduce more powerful
engines to meet the demands arising for fast travel with heavier trains.
Ultimately, the power that any engine can develop must depend on the steaming
capacity of the boiler; nevertheless, given a steam supply at constant pressure
the mean effective pressure in the cylinders at any cut off constantly diminishes
as the speed increases. The problem confronting designers is, therefore,
how to reduce this fall in the pressure exerted on the pistons and thus increase
the cylinder power available through the higher ranges af speed. In his paper
entitled The Development of Locomotive Power at Speed the Author divided
his subject into two parts. The first section was devoted to a suggested
method for computing mean effective pressures for different boiler pressures
at various rates of cut off, taking also into consideration the effect of
clearance volumes varying hom 5 to 15%, while at the same time the effect
of compression at different cut offs was also taken into account.
Based on the construction of theoretical diagrams, graphs setting out the
mean pressures to be expected were presented, constructed for a constant
least back pressure and admission steam superheated and having a constant
temperature of 600°F. These computations forrmed the basic data, not
only for mean effective pressure, but also the determmation of specific steam
consumption and cylinder efficiencies. The efficiency was calculated using
a Rankin cycle assuming an adiabatic heat drop between a defined boiler pressure
and the given constant exhaust pressure taken as 18psi absolute, divided
by the heat available above the liquid temperature corresponding to the exhaust
pressure. The second part of the paper presented plots showing the mean pressure
actually indicated, based on a number of tests performed with different
locomotives. Then, through the actual plotted points, the Author drew appropriate
curves of mean pressure, obtained by a formula founded on the theoretical
pressure obtained, as already mentioned, corrected by a factor characteristic
of the particular engine and on the assumption that mean pressures would
be proportional to the square root of the speed in revolutions per minute.
The equation evolved is held to give the mean effective pressure "and hence
the power at any speed of a particular out off." The Author goes on to say
that the reason why other proposed formulae have been related to the boiler
is to eliminate this condition (power for a given speed and cut off) and
to give the maximum power for any locomotive as a whole for any given rate
of evaporation. It is contended that this is fundamentally wrong in principle,
it being pointed out that the first part of the paper showed how greatlv
the economy of the engine is affected by the relationship between cut off
and clearance, provided, of course, that the steam distribution is good.
It will be apparent that the Author presented a most painstaking and excellent
analysis of his subject. That this was appreciated was shown by the ensuing
discussion, which, we may say at once, was not only of considerable interest,
but reached a high standard.
In commenting on the paper, Mr. R.C. Bond in the course of his remarks touched
upon the importance the Author had given to the effect of clearance and,
in doing so, drew attentian to the relationship between clearance volume
and the amount af compression. This is, we think, all important, especially
from the point of view of power developed, for, if clearance space can be
completely filled ar nearly so by the steam compressed, it will materially
assist in keeping up the admission line of the indicator diagram. It is probable
that modern long lap valve gears and improved steam port proportions have
together augmented high speed performance by admitting more steam per stroke.
There is, as a rule, little difficulty in exhausting the steam; the real
trouble is to persuade it to enter the cylinders; further, cylinder back
pressures are very largely governed — if not entire1y — by the
size of the exhaust nozzle. Mr. Bond was also on good ground when he drew
attention to the fact that the locomotive consisted essentially of three
power-producing elements — the boiler, the engine and the link between
the two, the smokebox, the chimney and the blast pipe. It is, in fact, the
relationship bciween the action of these elemecr1ts that so largely determines
what the locomotive as a whole can do, which, after all, is what we want
to know. Locomotive power is a function of what Lawford H. Fry has so aptly
termed the triplex relation between Coal Fired and Steam Produced, between
Steam Exhausted and Air Supplied and between Air Supplied and Coal Consumed,
consideration of which recalls the couplet:
"Upon the faur elements I feed
Which life and power supply,
To run my race of boundless speed:
Take one away—I die."
Others taking part in this discussion, including Mr. E.S. Cox, stressed the
desirability of taking the boiler into consideration when attempting to forecast
locomotive performance. With this we fully agree, and feel that the Author
would have been in a happier position had he been content only to estimate
mean pressures for any known initial pressure rather than assert that his
proposals were "a more accurate guide in estimating the power at speed of
a projected design than either Cole's constants or the Kiesel formula, with
its illogical basis in the boiler." There is a trite saying that "an engine
is as good as its boiler." With this we fully agree. However good cylinder
design may be and however perfect the valve gear, an adequate steam supply
is the first essential. Under all conditians of working, the boiler has been,
and will remain, the controlling factor in locomotive performance.
Issue No. 659 (15 July)
International Congress. 97.
Editorial on International Railway Congress held at Lucerne in Switzerland
from 27 to 28 June 1947. This approximately coincided with the centenary
of railways in Switzerland. Swiss locomotives, whether steam, electric, or
gas-turbine were noted for their excellence. The agenda was broken into five
sections:
• way and works
• locomotives and rolling stock
• working (including electric traction and railcars)
• general (including housing for railway staff)
• light and colonial railways (including weight saving)
Southern Railway [closure of New Cross Gate engine shed]. 97.
New Cross Gate engine shed closed 14 June 1947 with locomotives allocated
to Bricklayers Arms (mainly) and to Norwood. The shed was badly damaged during
WW2. One shed dated back to 1844.
International Railway Congress: lightening railway passenger stock.
98-100.
Passenger Rolling Stock: Reports from M.M. Guignard, Swiss Federal
Railways, E.A. Turbett, Assistant CME Southern Railway and W. Vrielynck,
Belgian National (Vicinaux) Railway.
(1) There is a general tendency towards reducing the weight of all steel
passenger stock without adversely affecting strength or comfort.
(2) Whatever the quality of the steel used it has been possihle to reduce,
by a large proportion, the weight af passenger stock by careful design af
all parts and by the use of sections made of thin sheets welded together.
Usually the underframe-body structure is of the tubular girder type which
has a high moment of inertia and the ends of which are specially braced and
reinforced to resist shock.
Static and dynamic tests of the underframe-body structure are considered
desimble. The use of strain gauges for such tests is most suitable.
(3) Ordinary carbon steel is still most generally used for building passenger
stock. However, the use for that purpose of weldable low alloy steel with
a high elastic limit, as well as the use af rustless steel, is becoming more
common.
(4) Light alloys can be widely used for many detail sections and for interior
fittings. They are also used in the building of structure assemblies on passenger
stock of some light railways, but on main line railways their use far that
purpose does not seem likely to be developed.
(5) The lightening of bogies can be obtained to some extent by using welded
or rivetted thin plates for underframe construction and by replacing laminated
springs by helical springs or the use of torsion bars controlled by shock
absorbers.
It is also interesting to mention the combined use of rubber and steel for
main suspensions and the use of robber suspended wheels. Designs at present
in use allow for increase in comfort and it would be possible to further
reduce the weight of the vehicle by replacing the heayy bogies in present
day use.
(6) Lightweight rolling stock has been in service too short a time and in
too small numbers to give any definite results as to its advantages both
from the point af view of economy and savings. in wear on the permanent way
but certain advantages do appear to be apparent.
Goods Wagons.
(1) Railway Companies are endeavouring to reduce the weight of their goods
wagons as much as possihle.
(2) The lightening is achieved in general by the use of welded construction
of the underframe members and bodies and also by the partial use of pressings
which permits of reduction in thickness whilst maintaining sufficient rigidity.
(3) Ordinary steels are normally employed for goods wagons. Light alloys
are sometimes used for certain details. Experiments are being carried out
with light alloys for the principal framing.
(4) The possible saving in weight for gaods wagons is low in comparison with
that for passenger stock. The reduction in weight should not be developed
beyond a point where it is not a "commercial proposition".
Indian requirements. 100.
The Indian Standing Railway Finance Committee has approved a rolling
stock programme for 1947-48 at an expenditure of Rs. 982 lakhs, which includes
provision for 40 metre-gauge passenger locomotives to be built in India.
Totals of 1,953 units of broad-gauge and metre-gauge coaching stock (in terms
of four-wheelers) and 3,300 broad-gauge wagon units (in terms of four-wheelers)
have been budgeted. The Committee also approved an order to purchase 100
broad-gauge express locomotives in the United Kingdom, and agreed to the
Railway Board's proposal to restore capacity for a further 300 passenger
locomotives for delivery by 1950.
Mozambique delivery. 100
Eight large 4-8-2 locomotives have been delivered from the U.S.A.
to the Mozambique Railways, in Portuguese East Africa. They weigh 186 tons
including tender, and are required to haul 2,000 ton trains over generally
level routes. Maximum permissible speed' is 56 m:p.h.
American diesel locomotives. 100.
At the beginning of 1947 there were 4.579 diesel locomotive units
in Class I railroads in the USA, and about 530 on the. Class II and III railroads
and the switching and terminal railroads. Industrial works lines also had
hundreds of diesel locomotives.
Polish electric stock. 100.
For the rehabilitation of the electrified lines round Warsaw, the
Polish State Railwavs has ordered eight electric locomotives and 44 three-car
electric trains from Sweden; delivery is to be spread over some years.
Locomotives for West Africa. 100.
The Loanda Railway, in the Portuguese colony of Angala. has budgeted
the equivalent of £26,620 for the acquisition of steam locomotives during
the current financial year.
Locomotives for Finland. 100.
The first of the 20 main line steam locomatives being built by Baldwin
Locom.otive Works and the American Locomotive Company far the Finnish State
Railways was delivered earlv in the year. Anather 20 locomotives are being
built by Fricks in Denmark.
2-8-2 Indian loaocomotives: "XD" Class. 101. illus., diagr. (s.
el.).
North British Ltd. 5ft 6in gauge with two 22½ x 28 cylinders,
12 in piston valves, 5ft 1½ in coupled wheels, a total heating surface
of 2685 ft2 and a greate area of 45 ft2. Built under
supervision of Rendel, Palmer & Tritton.
0-6-0 tank heavy shunting engine, G.W.R. 102.
illus.
No. 9409 illustrated: notes features standard with other classes,
especially 8750 class and 2251 class (the No. 10 taper boiler with drum head
smokebox)
Oil fired locomotives, Great Northern Railway (Ireland). 103-5. 2
illus., diagr.
During 1936 and 1937 the Great Narthern Railway af Ireland successfully
experimented in the substitution af fuel oil for coal. The locomotive on
which trials were performed was of the 4-4-0 two-cylinder type and in the
converted state warked main line express trains between Dublin and Belfast.
As at that time adequate supplies of coal were available and the cost af
fuel oil was relatively high, the locomotive was subsequently re-converted
to. coal burning. The recent serious situation of coal shortages made it
imperative to. minimize coal cansumption and the Company decided on a programme
of conversion to. oil firing. Oil burning equipment has been fitted to. tank
engines af the T2 class of which type there are 25. Tlhe first locamotive
was converted in September af last year and up to March four of these were
in service with further conversians in hand. With the exceptian of a decrease
in the length af the brick arch and the covering of the base and about 15
in. af the firebax sides with firebrick, . the conversian was carried out
withaut any structural alteratian to the boiler, firebox or smokebox. A vertical
burner is used and the system adopted is that perfected by Messrs. Laidlaw,
Drew and Co of Edinburgh, the objects of the layout are as fallows:
1 To. improve upon the coal and oil comparative ratios which have so far
been obtained in locomotive oil firing. .
2 (a) To. eliminate local heating of firebax and tubeplate.
(b) To. reduce firebax brickwork to a minimum
(c) To. avoid deposit of unburnt oil in boiler tubes.
3 To. give controlled steam raising, so as to reduce boiler stresses, by
slow heating and even flame distribution.
4 To obtain a slow enough rate of combustian (without smell) to enable steam
pressure to be lost when standing and to enable the burner to accomplish
this without use af blower and consequent loss of steam.
5 To give a range of flame control covering all normal train workings without
having to vary atomising pressure.
6 To eliminate all damper or secondary air control by providing such a smokebox
and combustion chamber base design that, covering the working range of the
locomotive, any quantity of steam leaving the blast pipe is sufficient to.
produce a draught which will induce a quantity of combustion air sufficient
to make steam only slightly in excess of engine demand.
7 An arrangement which will provide far a rapid change to. solid fuel firing
and vice. versa.
The system allows the firedoor to be opened when the flame is lit and the
normal blower can be worked without extinguishing the flame. 1947 Laidlaw-Drew
oil firing equipment was fitted to some T2 class locomotives..
Covered fish van, L.M.S.R. 105. illus.
Fifty six-wheel fish vans built at Wolverton Works and finished in
LMS passenger train colour as designed for working on passenger trains. Shock
absorbing buffers with rubber springs were fitted, and the auxiliary suspension
also used rubber. It was noted that as "soon as conditions permit" two hundred
ventilated fruit and vegetable vans would be produced for the Worcestershire
fruit growing industry.
Railway power plant in Great Britain. 106-7.
A paper with the above title was read to the Institution of Mechanical
Engineers during their Centenary celebrations by
O.V.S. Bulleid,. M.I.M.E. (Past
president), in the unavoidable absence of Sir Wm. Stanier, M.I.M.E. (Past
President). The paper was divided into sections covering the four groups,
the sections being contributed by
O.V.S. Bulleid,
F.W. Hawksworth, M.l.M.E.
(Member of Council), H.G. Ivatt, M.I.M.E.
and A.H. Peppercorn, O.B.E.,
M.I.M.E., the Chief Mechanical Engineers of the S.R., G.W.R., L.M.S., and
L.N.E.R. respectively. These contributions are covered under the individual
authors.
L.M.S.R. 107.
St. Pancras station is being closed either wholly or partially at
weekends during reconstructian operations, involving one of the most complicated
sections of line in the London area. Over 40 sets of points and 50 crossings
are being replaced. Extensive signal modernisation and other improvements
are also being carried out.
London Transport. 107
A new luxury fitted Underground car, in service between Aldgate and
Rickmansworth, has three compartments. They are separated from each other
by vestibules with partitions and sliding doors. The compartments are decorated
with special ripple-finished plastic panels in a blue and Orange colour scheme.
There are special bucket-type seats with recessed arm rests.
G.W.R. 107.
Two further 4-6-0 express engines, No. 1027 County of Stafford
and No. 1028 County of Warwick, are in service. A propelling appliance
resembling a small hand plough is being used experimentally by uhe GWR for
shunting in small goods yards where difficulty may be experienced in providing
locomotive power. It moves on a single wheel driven by a petrol-electric
motor. The wheel is fitted with a rubber tyre with concave tread to enable
it to run on a rail or the ground. The machine will propel up to 150 tons
or approximately eight wagon loads. K.J. Cook, Loco Works Manager, Swindon,
has been appointed assistant to the Chief Mechanical Engineer. H. Randle
becomes Loco Works Manager. C.T. Roberts has been appointed Carriage and
Wagon Works Manager, Swindon.
A general survey of the German locomotive industry during the war years,
1939-1945. 107.
Paper read before the Institution of Locomative Engineers on May 14,
1947. The Authars being Messrs. T. Greenwood, R. H. Felt, G. W. Hancock a.nd
D. E, Gudgin: See Paper No.
467.
Industrial Design. 107.
A full report of the conference on Industrial Design held in connection
with the recent "Britain Can Make It" exhibition in London is now available.
The discussion stressed the importance of design rather from the appearance
and selling point of view, which is not so important from the engineering
aspect for, although it must be admitted that a neat and symmetrical machine
is more likely to have pride taken in it and be kept clean by its operator,
output will suffer if a streamlined exterior involves inaccessibility to
the working parts.
Stephenson Locomotive Society. 107.
Members at London Headquarters, also at Birmingham, were entertained
by an interesting account of wartime experiences in Germany given by D.S..
Barrie, M.B.E., an Officer in the Royal Engineers. The scale of destruction
necessitating an enormous plan of rehabilitation and the diversified nature
of the rolling stock employed were emphasised.
2-6-0 industrial tank locomotive. 108. illus.
Robert Stephenson & Hawthorns 2-6-0ST constructed for the Kailan
Mining Administration in China. 4 ft. 8½ in. gauge and had two cylinders
of 17 ½ in. diameter by 24 in. stroke, controlled by Walschaerts gear.
Coupled wheels 3 ft. 6 in. diameter.Boiler had a firebox of the Belpaire
type, with a total heating surface of 986.86 ft2. Grate area 17.19
sq. ft2; working pressure 180 psi. Equipment included Westinghouse
brake, turbo-generator for the headlamp and all usual fittings.
Eaton Hall light railway. 108.
Eaton Hall light railway, comprising engine, nine coaches and trucks,
sleepers and rails, has been purchased by the Romney, Hythe & Dymchurch
Railway. It was transported by the GWR and SR from Balderton to New Romney.
The Eaton Hall railway and its rolling stock were described in. the Locomotive
for March, 1942, 48.
South African orders. 108
South African Railways invited tenders for large numbers of steam
locomotives and rolling stock. As many as 8,000 wagons and 150 locomotives
in the 1947-48 programme, and 12,000 wagons and 150 locomotives in the 1948-49
programme.
Portuguese oil burners. 108.
One hundred steam locomotives converted from coal to oil burning are
now in service on the Portuguese Railways, and another 80 were to be
converted.
Poole, John. Locomotives of the Central Buenos Aires Railway. 108-10.
6 illus. (drawings: s. el.).
4 ft. 8½ in. gauge and 378 km in length, began as a horse worked
tramway between Buenos Aires and Zarate. By 1914 it had extended another
line 4 de Febrero, while the Zarate line had become part af the International
route to, Paraguay by means of a connection to a train ferry Oowned by the
Entre Rios Railway between Zarate and Ibicuy. Up to the formation af the
Buenos Aires Transport Corporation in 1938, it formed part af the Lacroze
property including an extensive surface electric tramway system in the
city.
Locomotives for dock work. 111-113. illus.
Six 0-6-2T locomotives for Calcutta Port Trust supplied by Hunslet
to specification of Rendel, Palmer & Tritton.
Railway models at Paddington. 113.
Working models of two famous engines were on view at Paddington Station.
A personal gift from the maker, Mr. B.R. Hunt, of Johannesburg, to the Directors
of the Great Western Railway, they are of a GWR. Cornish Riviera Express
coach drawn by the 4-6-0 express engine King George V and George
Stephenson's Locomotion No. I, together with the first closed carriage
Experiment. In another case is a display of miniature engine
tools.
Reviews. 113.
Locomotive Running Shed Practice: the maintenance
. and servicing of locomotives, by Harry Webster, Oxford University
Press.
Welcome addition to the Oxford Series oi Technical Publications and
is intended to give a general knowledge of shop and running shed processes
as well as of locomotives and their ailments. The book is designed to represent
practice throughout Britain with occasional reference to special equipments
abroad. Boiler washing, breakdowns, coal storage and consumption, engine
cleaning and engine repairs, working diagrams, shed layouts, shop equipments,
turntables, water treatment, etc., are a few of the subjects dealt with.
Illustrations are extremely good and numerous.
The development of road motors, 1898-1946, R.W. Kidner.
Oakwood Press.
Part 2 of the Author's Short History of Mechanical Traction.
Part 1, previously reviewed, took the story up to 1897: the present part
covers the following period. The strides made during this era were, as is
well known, very vast, and the book—which is illustrated by photographs
and sketches in the Author's particular style—contains much of interest.
The development of the railway locomotive,
1880-1946, R.W. Kidner. Oakwood Press.
Fourth part of the Author's Short History of Mechanical Traction
and Travel and is on similar lines to the parts previously reviewed in
this column. Unfortunately it is not devoid of mistakes, as an example the
4-2-2 locomotives built for the G.N.R. (I) were not the first inside cylinder
engines with this wheel arrangement; G.W.R. broad gauge singles were of this
notation. The illustrations are not all beyond reproach, again to take an
example the Jones Highland 4-6-0 is depicted as having louvres extending
all round the chimney whereas they were only at the front. It is a pity that
more care was not taken in the compilation of these booklets—the underlying
idea of which is very good.
Also received
Titans of the Track, L.N.E.R. No.2, Illustrated. Ian Allan
Ltd.
Locovariety, Illustrated. Ian Allan Ltd.
Trains Illustrated No.6. Ian Allan Ltd.
The Port of Goole: Gateway to the Continent, London: London
Midland & Scottish Railway, Euston.
This was the last folder of a series of six, the others being announced
on page 194 of Vol. LII.
London Transport Carried On: an account of London at War,
I939-1945, by Charles Graves. London Passenger Transport Board,
The co-ordination of road, rail and air services, Hyderabad State,
India.
Paper relating experiences in the. field of British Transport vehicles
and control of State-owned services under one Administration, by E. W. Slaughter,
C.B.S., M.I.Mech.E.,. M.Inst.T., General Manager Nizam's Railway Board 1931-41,
Managing Director Nizam's Railway Board 1941-46. Read at the Institute of
Transport in London on May 8, 1947.
L.N.E.R. Hull-Liverpool train passing through flood water at Rotherham
Road, March, 1947. 114.
Photo: The Yorkshire Post
Locomotives for India. 114.
Hunslet Engine Co. Ltd. delivering a batch of narrow-gauge 0-6-2T
locomotives to India for mixed traffic service. These engines have 10½
in. by 16 in. cylinders and weigh about 24½tons in full working
order.
Correspondence. 114.
Locomotives of the Caledonian Railway. W. B. Thompson.
Referes back to ?: puzzled by statement that at the Edinburgh Exhibition
in 1886 the Caledonian engine 124 was painted a North British brown. He visited
the exhibition and saw engine there, and his recollection is that each of
them was correctly painted to represent its own line. Caledonian blue was
the most attractive colour that has ever been used for locomotives in any
country, and he regretted that LMS company, in obsession for all things Midland,
did not see fit to perpetuate it. He also saw the engine Carbrook
at the Edinburgh Exhibition in 1890; both this engine and 124 carried names
while on exhibition.
The 0-8-0T locomotive. J. Scott
See Editorial, in June issue: noting LNER, Q1 (rebuilds). In August,
1945, one of these locomotives was used for banking, complete with slip-coupling,
on the Cowlairs Incline out of Queen Street Station, Glasgow. Caution seemed
to be the keynote in the use of this locomotive on these duties, as it was
particularly noticed that the driver did not open the regulator until the
train engine had hauled the train (with the banking engine attached). for
some fifty yards or so, whereas the regular 0-6-2Ts start up immediately,
sometimes before the train enginemen had time to respond to the guard's "right
away." About six weeks later he saw this Q1 tank hump shunting at Cadder
Marshalling Yards.
No. 660 (15 August)
"Mechanicals" Centenary. 126.
The Institution of Mechanical Engineers celebrated during June the
centenary of its foundation, and to the large number of congratulations it
has received we have much pleasure in adding our own. The founding af the
Institution was one af the many great things with which George Stephenson
was associated and railway and locomotive interests have through the intervening
years played a g.reat part in the activities of what long since become one
af the world's premier institutions. . Many leading locomotive engineers
af the period contributed to its foundation and many have since added lustre
to its activities; we cite Robert Stephenson, J.F. McConnell, Charles Beyer;
Richard Peacock, John Ramsbottom and S.W. Johnson as earlier examples while
coming ta the present century such names as Sir J.A.F. Aspinall, Sir Vincent
Raven, Sir Henry Fowler, Lt.-Col. E. Kitson Clark, Sir Nigel Gresley, Sir
W.A. Stanier and Mr. O.V.S. Bulleid are to be found in the list of illustrious
Presidents. Throughout the century, locomotives have figured prominently
in the many admirable papers read before the Institution and it is of interest
to recall that as early as November, 1847, Charles Beyer presented one an
the" Atlas" Luggage Locomotive Engine. Amongst the many locomotive engineers
who have added papers to the proceedings may be mentioned J. Ramsbottom,
A. Allen, D.K. Cla;rk, F.W. Webb, W. Dean, D. Joy, W.F. Pettigrew, G.J.
Churchward, H.A. Ivatt and G. Hughes. The contributions of other eminent
and more recent locomotive men will be sufficiently fresh in our readers
minds to render reference unnecessary. With such an important and distinguished
locomotive background it was only natural that steam locomotion should. find
a fitting place in the excellent arrangements mack to celebrate this occasion.
An exhibition of Stephenson relics was held at Storey's Gate and the items
gathered together from numerous sources were as interesting as they were
comprehensive, in fact one could not help speculating as to whether such
a display will ever again be gathered together in one place. A series of
papers was given, to a gathering packed to capacity, an the present position
of motive power and constituted a brilliant survey of British, Continental
and American practice. This review dealt with the present situation af all
forms. af railway locomotion and referred to their future prospects. All
papers contained much valuable information, extracts from the British review
appeared in our last issue and the Continental position is briefly referred
to elsewhere in this number. The contribution on American practice, by P.W.
Kiefer, chief engineer motive power and rolling stock, New York Central System,
was admirably presented by R.C. Bond in the author's absence and contained
much of interest, unfortunately — from our pomt of view — much
of its information and value were derived from graphs and tabulated particulars
which render it impossible to do the paper justice by quoting excerpts. We
must content ourselves by saying that the author stressed the difference.
between availability and utilisation, "availability" being defined as the
percentage of total time a locomotive is available for service, whereas
"utilisation" represents the percentage of tatal time it is actually in
operation; it was shown that the steam locomotive compared unfavourably with
other forms of motive power in this respect and indeed in almost all the
respects which were tabulated. It seems to us, however, that the steam locomotive
has certail} features which cannot be evaluated and amongst these we would
place highly the ability to continue working when long overdue for shopping.
Theoretically, we know, all equipment should be maintained in first-class
conditoan and the point does not arise, but in practice it will occur as
indeed it did during the last war and even, to a less extent, exists to-day.
Had this country been equipped with other forms of motive power some units
must have discontinued operation far want af maintenance. Our remarks, should
not be interpreted as adverse criticism of a carefully considered survey
of experience in America, which, is after all the only country where really
extensive operating camparisons of steam,. diesel and electric locomotives
are available.
A visit to the Southern Railway works at Brighton was included in the programme
of celebration arrangements and was much enjoyed by those who participated.
The celebrations were of. a far-reaching nature, beginning with a service
in Westminster Abbey and concluding with a banquet at the Guildhall.
Brighton Works. 67.
In. June 1947 the thousandth locomotive to be built at. these works
was completed: No. 2IC 164 of the West. Country class. It was exhibited alongside
Stroudley Terrier No. 82 Boxhill, built in 1880 and repainted in the
original colours.. The first engine constructed at Brighton was a single
driver tank No. 14 completed in L852 soon after J.S. Craven joined the Company.
L.N.E.R. 67
The first Woodhead tunnel which accommodated a single line only, was
started in 1838 and opened in 1845. The second tunnel was started in 1847
and completed in 1852. During WW2 these tunnels carried a tremendous volume
of traffic, and the amount of maintenance work had to be reduced in order
to avoid interruption to the trains. As soon as possible after the end of
the war urgent repair work had to be undertaken, and various sections of
the tunnels have been re-lined in recent months. This has necessitated the
closing first of one tunnel and then of the other, all traffic being worked
through the remaining tunnel, which has seriously reduced the carrying capacity
of the line, and many trains have had to be diverted. Although these emergency
measures will restore the tunnels to a satisfactory condition for the time
being, the company has been advised that a great deal of work will have to
be done to put the tunnels into perfect condition, and this will not only
be very costly but will necessitate the complete closing of each tunnel in
turn for long period, In the circumstances the Directors of the LNER have
reached the conclusion that the only satisfactory course is to drive an entirely
new double-line tunnel, parallel with the existing tunnels, and Parliamentary
powers to enable this to be done are being sought in the Company's Bill this
year.
Iraqi State Railways. 67.
An order has just been placed by the Iraqi State Railways with The
English Electric Company of Queens House, Kingsway, London, for nine two-coach
Diesel-electric units. Three of these units are for the standard gauge lines
from Baghdad to Mosul, and the remaining six, which are of metre gauge, will
be employed augmenting the rail services out of Baghdad. Each two-coach unit
will he fitted with an English Electric 275 h.p. diesel-electric power unit,
and will be capable of running at speeds up to 50 m.p.h. Units can be joined
together, if necessary, to form a train. The order placed by the Iraqi State
Railways also includes one 350 h.p. diesel-electric shunting locomotive which
will be capable of starting and hauling trailing loads up to 1,000 tons on
standard gauge lines.
Henry Ford. 67.
Ford, whose death had been reported, had many interests apart
from the giant industrial concern with which he will ever be associated.
Among these interests locomotives ranked highly and at Dearborn he established
a museum containing several old time engines. It will be recollected that
he added to these a replica of The Rocket which he had constructed
by Robert Stephenson and Co. Ltd, some fifteen years ago.
Baldwin Locomotive Works. 67.
4-8-4 oil gas turbine driven locomotive to be built for the Atcheson,
Topeka and Santa Fe R.R. Designed to develop 3,000 h.p.
L.N.E.R. appointments. 67
J. Blair has been appointed Acting Mechanical Engineer, Scotland,
in succession to J F. Harrison. R.S. Hart-Davies has been appointed Acting
Mechanical Engineer (outdoor) vice Mr. Blair.
0-4-0 industrial loccmotive built Black Hawthorn of
Gateshead preserved. 67
An early example of the 0-4-0 type industrial loccmotive built Black
Hawthorn of Gateshead, being preserved by George Cohen, Sons and Co. Ltd.
The engine was built in 1874. Black, Hawthorn succeeded J. Coulthard and
Son, and built about 1,100 engines between 1864 and 1896. The business was
sold to Chapman and Furneaux in 1896 who built about 70 engines before the
partnership was dissolved in 1901.
Derens, L. The Dutch State Railways Co. 67-70. 5 diagrs., table
Concluded from Volume 52 page 193. Tramway locomotives used on The
Hague to Scheveningen and Ede to Scheveningen (the former was electrified
in 1924)
London Transport. 70.
To ensure detection on signalling track circuits a thin layer of stainless
was welded onto top of rails in rarely sued refuge sidings.
Loco modernisation on the Great Indian Peninsula
Railway. 70-3. 2 illus., 2 diagrs. (s. els.).
XP class of locomotives Nos. 3100 and 3101 constructed by Vulcan Foundry
in 1937 incorporated experimental features: Mestre drawgear between engine
and tender: this did not improve ride and was later replaced by a traditional
drawbar. Steel fireboxes with Nicholson thermic syphons and ACFI feedwater
heaters were fitted. The VM class of 2-6-4T consisting of five locomotives
was supplied by Vulcan in 1940.