The Sun.
London, England, 1848-12-20 00:00:00

- it 9 DECEMBER 20, 1848.

STEAM-CARRIAGES ON COMMON

ROADS.
(From the Mining Journal.)
REPORT.

Th'e importance of this subject will be seen, when we
consider that the turnpike and other ro As in the
United Kingdom amount to 180,000 miles—are the best
carriage roads in the world—that thousands of families
gain their livelihood directly or indirectly from them—
and that multitudes of towns, villages, inns, mills, fac-
tories, &c., are more or less deeply interested in the
continuation of the traffic along them.
It has la( en proved beyond all doubt, that steam car-
riages un common roads are perfectly practic able, so
long as the machinery is in a proper working condi•
Lion; this will be seen by referring to the evidence of
the Select Committee of the House of Commons in
1831. The report stated:---" That steam-carriages could
ascend hills of considerable inclination with y and
safety—that they were perfectly safe for passengers—
and that they would become a more speedy and cheap
mode of conveyance than carriages drawn by horses—
that, with the slightest exertion, they might be
stopped and turned under circumstances where horses
were totally unmanageable—that they would not act
so injuriously on common roads as the feet of horses—
that the substitution of inanimate for animal power on
common roads is one of the most important improve-
ments in the means of internal communication ever yet
introduced—and that its practicability had been fully
established." In Nov., 1833, a committee of civil engi-
neers was appointed to examine into the practicability of
running steam-carriages long distances. The committee
consisted of the following members:—Thomas Telford,
president of the Society of Civil Engineers; John Rick-
man, secretary and commissioner of the Highland Roads
and Bridges; C. W. Pasley, Lieutenant-Colonel com-
manding Royal Engineers, Chatham; Bryan Donkin,
civil engineer; Timothy Bramab, ditto; John Thomas,
ditto; Joshua Field, ditto; John M'Neil, ditto; Alex.
ander Gordon, ditto; J. Simpson, engineer to the Chelsea
Water-works. '
Their report stated—" There can be no doubt that,
with a well-constructed engine of greaterpower, a steam-
carriage conveyance, between London and Birmingham,
at a velocity unattainable by horses, and limited only by
safety, might be maintained; and it is our conviction
that such a project might be undertaken with great ad-
vantage to the public, more particularly if, as might ob-
viously be the case, without interfering with the general
use of the road, a portion of it were to be prepared and
kept in a state most suitable for travelling in locomotive
steam- carriages."
Thus, it will be seen, from the Parliamentary evi-
dence, ani from the report of the civil engineers, that
there is ao doubt of surmounting every difficulty, as to
its practicability for every description of traffic. The
only point left to be decided was the wear and tear and
expense of keeping them in a good working condition;
and this point alone has hitherto caused their failure.
Sir C. James Anderson, Bart., in his numerous experi-
ments, clearly saw the evil; and after more than thirty
years' study and indomitable perseverance, and at an
outlay of more than 60,000/., has succeeded in perfecting
a steam-carriage to run on common roads, which will, I
believe, remove every difficulty that has hitherto been
met with.

The following are the leading features of his im-
provements:-
1. Condensing the steam, and using distilled water
for the boiler.

2. Working the steam expansively to its utmost ex-
tent, that the greatest amount of power may be obtained
from a given quantity of steam.
3. Preventing all loss of heat from radiation, by cloth-
ing the cylinders, steam-pipes, and boilers, with non-
conducting substances.

4. In suspending the carriages and machinery on
springs, that any shocks received by the periphery of
the wheels shall not be communicated to the superin-
cumbent weight.

5. Ia applying elastic wheels to prevent shocks, &c.
6. In a mode of working the engines at their maximum
speed, and reducing, or increasing the speed of the car-
riage, according to the resistance on the road.

7. For preventing the slipping of the driving band, and
all lateral friction from the Journal of the wheels.

8. Using common coal as fuel, and consuming the
smoke.

9. Reducing the expense of working, by not requiring
any water stations along the road.
Ist. Condensing the steam and using distilled water in
the boiler.—llere we have an effectual preventative of
that deposit, which acts so injuriously in all boilers, and
more particularly in the small water spaces of locomotive
boilers. They will be exceedingly clean. In conse-
quence of such cleanliness, the metallic plates of which
they are made will be kept comparatively cool, for the
heat is as instantly abstracted from them by the water,
as it is imparted to them by the fire. The boilers are
never liable to be burned or injured by the water becom-
ing, by accident or carelessness, too low in them, for
every cubic foot of water, which is converted into steam,
is, by condensation, reconverted into precisely the same
quantity of water, and returned to the boiler, and as
there is no danger of the valves of the feed-pumps be-
coming choked by extraneous matter, the water in the
boiler must always be kept at exactly the same height.
Tho steam is condensed by currents of cold air : this
is no longer problematical—it has been fully proved by
Mr. Craddock, of Birmingham, in his universal con-
densing steam-engine ; he has had condensers at work
for several years on this principle, and which have given
entire satistaction. They are light in weight, and dur-
able, anti every objection to their use had been overcome.
The weight of the ;condenser will not be more than the
weight of water required to be taken hitherto for feed-
ing the boiler. The power of the steam will be increased
fully one third by condensation, as a vacuum of 91bs. per
inch may be easily obtained ; but, apart from this, the
grand object will be accomplished by means of the sys-
tem of keeping the boiler supplied with pure distilled
water, compared to which anything here set down on
the increase of power is- as nothing a revolution both
in form and construction will be superinduced, not here-
tofore practicable, on account of the impurity of the
water. Hence all the advantages derivable from work-
ing expansively to the full extent are placed within our
reach, and this combined with a large heating surface
contained in a boiler of less weight, and occupying less
space, together with a slow rate of combustion, and a
proper application of the expansive principle, in a suitably
adapted engine, the consumption of fuel would not ex-
ceed 41bs. of coal per horse-power per hour.
By doing away with the necessity of having water stations
for supplying the boiler, the following will be saved in
100 miles of road :-10 pumps and reservoirs for water
stations, at 401. each, equal to 400/4 rent of ten water
stations, at 101. each, equal to 1001. per annum, or 41.
per mile in first cost, and 11. per mile yearly expense.
This will enable the carriage to travel in any direction,
and over any roads, without making any. previous ar-
rangements for supplies of water (which have hitherto
been required), and give the same facility of travelling,
in any direction, with a steam locomotive, as with a
common horse coach.

2d. Working the steam expansively.—lt has been
proved, by repeated experiments, that a given quantity
of steam will give 75 per cent. more power worked ex-
pansively—consequently, one-fourth the quantity of
steam will be required for the same amount of
work ; and as fuel is required in proportion to
the quantity of steam, the fuel will be reduced
in the same proportion. But the saving in
fuel is not the only advantage which will
result from an extended application of the expansive
principle, as the condenser and boiler need not bemore
than one-fourth of the size and weight of a non-expansive
engine ; and if the weight of the present boiler is not
objectionable, then a slower rate of combustion may be
used, which will still further economise the fuel. The
engine best adapted for working out this principle ap-
pears to me to be Mr. Sims's (of Redruth, in Cornwall)
combined cylinders—it being the most simple and effec-
tual mode of working the steam, as long as it can be
made available, and ter carrying the expansive principle
to its fullest extent. This engine makes a double-power
engine, with single-power steam, works with greatest
regularity of motion, and, by means of the bottom piston
having an available area of three or more times that of
the top piston, gives a power below, equal to the power
above, and with steam, which is now thrown away. Mr.
Sims has more than sixty of them at work, and, in every
case, the quantity of fuel averages from 3lbs. to 41bs. of
coal per horse-power per mile.
3d. Preventing loss of beat from radiation.—Very
little regard has been hitherto paid to prevent radiation
of heat. This is a most important matter, because heat
lost is, in fact, power lost. The importance of this will
be seen, when, by covering up the cylinders, steam pipes,
and boilers, in the Cornish pumping engine, and pre-
venting the least possible loss from this cause, their duty
has been accurately found to have increased full 50
per cent.
In all the steam-carriages hitherto brought into prac-
tical working, the cylinders and steam-pipes have been
expved to currents of cold air, carrying on more heat
than would have been required, under proper arrange-
ments, to generate the steam. In some of the steam-
carriages, the pressure of steam in the boiler has been
1251b5. per inch; when in the cylinders, the pressure has
i
not been greater than 451bs. on the inch—the.pressure
being reduced two-thirds by loss of heat and wire-draw-
ing the steam.
4th. In suspending the carriage and machinery on
springs, that any shocks received by the periphery of the
wheels are not communicated to the superincumbent
weight.—ln all former steam-carriages for common
roads, one great cause of failure has been imperfect sus.
pension ; for, however rude and extravagant the plans
might have been, there is no doubt the machinery would
have worked, if stationary, cheaper than horses; and as
competing with horses is the standard of success or fai-
lure, so any steam-carriage thatis cheaper than horse-
power in first cost, wear and tear, and maintenance,
mast bo successful; so, on the contrary, if
mere expensive, it will bo a failure. It has
been fully proved by all those who have had
steam-carriages running, that their first cost and working
expenses are less, by one-halt, than that of horses, but
.
that the wear and tear so great, as to make them
much more costly; for, in every case where the road
°
has been covered with a thick coating of gravel
have been driven off in consequence of breakages, they
&c •
to
e s
raonadd alwayss, the repairs after
ah
have been wee
weeks'
wgoreraki,
as even on a
u thee thbeem
to be discontinued.s.i

The question of suspension has not yet heen suffi-
ciently considered or understood. The springs hitherto
adopted act only in a vertical direction, in which direc-
ti )n the greatest amount of the momentum of concussion
does not pais, but in a direction more inclining towards
the lines of progress as the wheel revolves.
The wheels of carriages are also subject to consider-
' able concussion in a lateral dire ction, lengthways of the
axis. A wheel, under such concussion, transmits the
concussion almost unbroken to the carriage and ma-
chinery.
The springs should be arranged in such a manner,
that while they should possess sufficient strength, fitly
disposed in their several parts, to resist breakage, un-
steadiness, or any permanent alteration from the ordi-
nary shocks. or violence, to which they might be sub-
jected, should yet possess the property of elasticity to
such a degree,, as to intercept and materially diminish
the concussion caused by the wheels rolling over ob-
stacles during their revolution—and thus either pre-
vent the concussion from extsndinc its effects to the
carriage and machinery, or lessen it so much, that the
effects might be comparatively innocuous. The diffi-
culty of suspending the machinery in any way that will
accomplish this object, is, and has always been, the
master difficulty of the case; and unl, ss, in future steam-
carriages, the springs effectually and fully detach the
periphery of the wheels from the carriage and its load,
that the jolts received by them shall nut be communi-
cated to the superincumbent weight, future experiments
must share the fate of the past. But there can be no
reason that this difficulty should not be removed. Ve-
hicles are made to carry glass, china, furniture, &c.,
over the roughest road at a high speed, without any
danger of breakage; and surely steam machinery is not
more delicate than china or glass. The cause is, that
proper arrangements have not been applied. The
power has been applied in such a manner to the driving-
wheels, that the springs could not act to any beneficial
extent to prevent concussions. The springs have been
very strong and heavy, and not sufficiently elastic for
• the puFPose. Sir James, in-his arrangements, has fully
met this difficulty, which will enable the carriage to pass
over the roughest road, with very little more wear and
tear than if it had been stationary.
sth. The wheels hitherto have been made rigid and
unyielding, conveying all the shocks ;direct from the
periphery of the wheels unbroken to the axles. —Sir
James constructs his wheels in such manner, that when
travelling over a smooth surface, they are unyielding ;
but when passing over obstacles, on meeting with any
concussion, they become elastic and yielding, thus pre-
venting the full effect of the concussion from being
communicated beyond the periphery of the wheel.
The load upon a carriage, in passing over an obstacle,
resists the power which draws it—not only by its
weight, but by its vis inertia. After a carriage has
been once set in motion upon a smooth road, with
given velocity, its motion, so long as that velocity is
continued, is neither retarded nor promoted by its vis
inertia, but whenever it passes over any height, not
only the weight of the carriage must be lifted up, but
the vis inertia of that weight must be overcome in a new
direction ; and so much velocity must be communicated
to it in that new direction as will enable it to rise to the
height of the obstacle, whilst it passes over its base.
Whatever permits the weight to rise gradually over an
obstacle, without obstructing the velocity of the
carriage, will tend to facilitate its draught; and the ap-
plication of springs has this effect to a considerable de-
gree, and in experiments which have been made, it took
3i times more power to draw a carriage without springs
over obstacles than it did with springs. This remark.
able difference points out the great advantage of springs
on rough roads—an advantage which might be obtained
for steam-carriages, as well as for other carriages, by a
judicious application of the means, and which Sir James
has accomplished.
6th. Working the engines at their maximum speed,
and reducing or increasing the speed of the carriage,
according to the resistances on the road.
The power has hitherto been applied by cranked
axles, and connected direct to horizontal cylinders by
connecting rods, as adopted by Mr. Gurney, or by spur-
wheels or pitch chains, by Mr. Russell and Mr. Han-
cock. All of these plans prevented the action of the
springs to any useful extent, left the machinery liable to
injury, and the crank axles had to be very heavy, in
consequence of the double strain throw on them.
Sir James applies the power direct to the periphery of
the driving-wheels (by which means all strain is taken
off the axles). A belt of gutta percha, leather, or wire-
rope passes round a drum worked by the engines, and
around a drum inside the wheel, along a radius-bar keep-
ing the centre of the drums equidistant. In order to
obviate the necessity of using the steam at different pres-
sures, or working it at different rates of expansion, as
it hitherto has ben the custom in steam-carriages, ar-
rangements are made that the engines shall work with a
given pressure of steam and expansion, and thus the
maximum power be secured ; any alteration from this
required from the state of the road, and other causes of
resistance, to be obtained by reducing or augmenting the
speed of the carriage. While the engines are always
kept at their maximum effective speed, a beautiful con-
trivance is introduced for preventing the possibility of'
the band from slipping, and preventing all lateral friction
on the axles of the drums from the strain of the strap.
Thus the springs may have full play, without in any man-
ner preventing the equable performance of the engine.
Bth. Plan for burning common coal, and consuming
the smoke.—The coals are thrown on the fire by a self-
acting apparatus, without requiring any attention from
the stoker; this will prevent the boiler being cooled each
time fuel is thrown on the fire, when the door is opened.
One bushel of coal is calculated to generate as much
steam as two bushels of coke, and as coal may be obtained
in any part of the country, no provision whatever will
have to be made for travelling in any direction.
After maturely considering the plans of Sir James, I
can say confidently that every objection is overcome and
every difficulty met; and that steam will now success-
fully compete with horses on the common roads, in any
situation, or under any circumstances, and will effect
a saving above fifty per cent. in working with double
the average speed ; and if the simple and ingenious
plan of constructing timber tracks, as suggested by
Mr. Thomas Motley, were adopted, it would still far-
ther reduce the expenses one-half. And I have no
doubt that in consequence of the great original cost of
locomotive railways, the public could be conveyed at less
than one-fourth of the charges at present made on the
latter. A person could be conveyed a given distance for
2s. 6d., affording a larger profit than can be effected for
10s. on an iron locomotive railway, which, I feel confi-
dent, may be demonstrated beyond a doubt.
For high speed, the atmospheric tube with iron rails
must supersede every other system; but, at low speeds,
steam on common roads, with wooden tracks, will be the
cheapest. Thus, if both systems are adopted, the public
will be fully accommodated; those to whom the economy
of time is an object, might avail themselves of the iron
road, whilst these who may travel for pleasure, or to
whom the economy of money is an object, may avail
themselves of the common road system. I, therefore,
cannot but think that parties residing on the public
roads, such as farmers, innkeepers, gentlemen, and rail-
way proprietors (as feeders to their lines), will be
anxious to promote the success of Sir James Anderson's
steam. carriage, by incurring a small risk in taking
shares in the projected company now in the course of
formation.

T. CLARKE, C.E.

STEAM-CARRIAGES ON TURNPIKE ROADS.

Sir—ln answer to your correspondent, "A. Z.," of
the 9th inst., I beg to state that Sir James Anderson,
Bart., has made great improvements in the steering ap-
paratus, and which will remove every objection on that
head. The objection to the plans hitherto adopted has
been, that in locking the fore-wheels of carriages, in'
sharp turns, the fore-wheels are brought so nearly in a
line with the centre, that the carriage has little better
than three points of support, and is, therefore, very lia-
ble to be overturned. Another inconvenience arising
from this method is, that it requires the fore-wheels to
be made smaller than the hind ones. But the great ob-
jection is, that when one wheel meets with much greater
resistance than the other, the steersman has not power
to keep the wheels in their proper position, and several
accidents have occurred from this cause. Sir James, in
steering one of his carriages some years since, met with
a severe accident; the carriage was travelling at a high
speed, when one of tho fore-wheels came against an obsta-
cle; the steering-cross was driven from his hands, and
struck his side. He at once saw that this plan of steer-
ing was wrong, and altered it to the following:—The
fore-axle is divided vertically in the centre, forming two
separate axles; the pin on which they turn horizontally
is placed close to the nave of each wheel—thus each of
the fore-wheels revolve on the short end of a separate
axle, the other extremity of which is attached to levers
acted upon by a cross, worked by the steersman. By
this means the two wheels will always stand parallel to
each other, and the steersman will have perfect command
of the wheels and carriage, in consequence of the great
leverage this arrangement of axles gives him. It also
affords a much larger base for the carriages than any of
the former plans. This plan Sir James has tried some
years since, and he found he could steer the carriage
with the greatest possible precision, in the most crowded
thoroughfares. The real difficulty with steam carriages
has been want of economy in applying
preventing the shocks arising from injuring
the power and
concussions
the machinery. Every
otherpart is a matter of detail,
and may be altered in a variety of ways to suit circum-
stances.

It has been stated by some the boiler has been the
greatest difficulty (the want of a sufficient repository
for applicable steam, without too much encumbering
with weight the carriage it is to drive). I bad one of
Mr. Gurney's boilers in use for above two years, to drive
a stationary engine. It answered very well, Ind, I have
no doubt, Mr. Hancock's, Col. Macirone's, and Mr.
Ogle's boilers would answer equally well, although, in a
steam-carriage, they did not work many days vtithout
repair. Sir James has a very beautiful plan of boiler,
which will combine, in a very eminent degree, the
greatest possible heating surface in the least space, when
combined with the strongest mechanical form and faci-
lity of repair, and which, in combination with his system
of changing the relative speed between the engine and
carriage, will do away with the necessity of urging the
fires going up hill, or over bad ground, or working
the steam at different pressures; and which, with his
system for preventing shocks to the machinery, will
allow the boiler to work as long in a steam-carriage as
when used for stationary purposes. The economy of