The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1838-01-16 00:00:00

GREAT. WESTERN RAILWAY.

We have much gratification in informing our readers that.
during the past week, the first trial of the locomotive engines
has been made upon a portion of this railway at the London
end, and with a most satisfactory result. We need not inform
those who have paid any attention to the construction of rail-
ways, that, in the formation' of the Great Western line, Mr.
Brunel has boldly deviated from the practice hitherto followed
in the north in sane of its most essential features. Not only
has he introduced a perfection of levels hitherto unequalled in
any railway, but, by adopting a greater width (or gauge) of
track for the locomotives, by increasing the diameter of the
working-wheels of his engines, and more especially by his mode
of laying the rails upon continuous bearings of timber, Kyauized,
Mr. -Brunel has decisively shown that, whilst willing to take ad-
vantage of all improvements introduced by his predecessors. he
has exercised his own vigorousand original mind upon the priii-
ciples of railway construction, and has nobly vindicated his cha-
racter as a disciple of, what Macauley eloquently calls, " the
philosophy of fruit and progress." It was, of course, a matter
or grave consideration to the directors of the Great Western
• Railway, how far they would be justified in sanctioning such ex-
tensive changes upon the established mode of construction, but,
after mature examination of Mr. Brunel's plans, they felt so
strongly convinced of the soundness and sagacity of his views,
that they did not hesitate to adopt them in the formation of the
Napo' tant line entrusted to their charge. There are so many
persons, however, who form theirjudgment on these points only
by the results, that the directors have hitherto had to contend
with a very general and natural prejudice in favour of the old
system. The time is now come for determining the merits of
Mr. Brunei's innovations, and we have little doubt that in a
short time -the principles involved in his system of construction
will be universally adopted, even by those who are most pre-
judiced against it. The portion of the line upon which the per-
manent rails have been yet laid is not sufficient to allow of a
trial that will be considered as absolutely decisive of the advan-
tages of Mr. Brunel's system, but so far as the experiment bas
been made, nothing, we understand, can be more satisfactory.
Two locomotive engines, if great power and weights, have been
running for several hours during the past week upon a portion
of the line, about two miles in length, and close attention proveS
that much greater ease and smoothness of motion is the result
of the new mode of construction. A speed (4'45 to 48 miles per
hour, was several times 'attained, notwithstanding the precau-
tion necessary to stop the engines in a short distance; and had
the tails been laid further upon the line, there is no doubt that
a much higher speed would easily have bzen accomplished. On
the whole we congratulate the directors and engineer on the
satisfactory prospect this trial affords, and we look lomat d to
future experiments, upon an increased length of way, with great
interest.

We have received the following additional particulars from
a correspondent
It is with the greatest satisfaction we are able to announce
that a full trial was made, during the whole of Wednesddy, in.
running the engines on two or three' miles OF this line, near
West Drayton, between London and Maidenhead.
The object of the trial was to prove the rails, and moll sails-
factory u•as the result, both as to the Increased width of gauge,
and the use of continuous bearers of K)inized wood confined
by piles, on which plan the line is consti octet!.
An engine ysith 8 Feet drawing nheels, made by Messrs.
Tayleur and Co., of Warrington—weight, '23 tons, with the
tender, water•, coke, &c., and another engine made by Messrs.
Mather and Dixon, of Liverpool weiuht, about 19 tons, with
tender, &e., ran the vt hide day without producing the slightest
vibration, either• on the rails or the vitriol under them. The
rails are, in fact, so beautifully firm, smooth, and true, that the
engine glided over them more like a shuttle through a loom,
Or an arrow out of a bow, than like the effect on any previous
railway; there is literally no noise—no apparent effort; nor
can there ever tie discovered any difference between the centre
and the joints in the rails.
A maximum speed was not attempted, as, on so short a piece,
the momentum would be no sooner attained than it would
require to be lowered, in pep:nation for •topping the engine
A speed of 45 to 50 mites per hour was attained; and when the
engines are run, as they will lie either next or the following
week on an 8 01 10 mile length, there is no doubt they will as
easily run at a very much higher speed.
We congratulate Mr. Brunel tin the high practical science
evinced in his every step in this great undertaking; and we
feel convinced that the Directors and Engineers will now have
the high gratification of seeing the eyes ot• all Europe fixed on
a successful opening of this great undertaking to Maidenhead
in March next.—Brishil Mercury.

NEW CARRIAGES FOR THE GREAT WESTERN RAILWAY.—
We have been favoured with a view of the new bodies builitil.,7
for the carriages of this railway by Mr. Davis, of Wigniore.
street, and were highly gratified with their excellent build anti
accommodation. They are 12 in number, Bof them being 18
feet long, and 8 feet wick, and the remainder 21 feet long, and
8 feet wide. They are fitted up in an elegant style, and have
the appearance and almost the accommodation of the saloon of
a steam.packet. The 18-feet carriages have 9 separate seats,
resembling sofas; 5 on one side awl 4 on the other, for two
passengers each, separated by scroll-cut standards; the seats
and backs are stuffed with hot se-hair, and covered with hand-
some mohair velvet, and underneath is ample room for passen-
gers' luggage. The windows are over the hack of the seats, and
occupy the whole width in one sheet of plate•glass, anti fur-
n►stred with spring silk blinds; the floor is covered with Brus-
sels carpeting. The center part of the roof or ceiling is raised
to give headway, anti is sufficiently high for a tall perso❑ to
walk upright; on each side of the raised ceiling are copper
t,auze wire pannels for ventilation, regulated by wood slides or
Shutters; at each end of the carriage is a small tattle for the
accomodation of the passengers; this tattle is ingeniously con-
trived to turn upon its edge, when not in use. by means of a
.hinge-joint and double brackets, turning upon two iron standards
fitted to the floor. A-lamp is provided at each end. No exiieuse
has been spared to render them worthy the name of first-class
carriages, and much credit is due to Mr. Davis for their excel-
lent w.orkmansh►p. It is estimated that they will cost'£4oo
each, for the bodies only, exclusive,of the carriages, which are
being made by the engineers. The Niger or 21-feet carriages,
are divided into three compartments, and fitted up similar to
the others, except that the centre compartment will contain
accommodation for 10 passengers, and those at either end for
4 more each., forming small cabins, particularly suitable for
families wishing to go by themselves.—Civil Engineer, and
Architect's Journal, Jan., 1838.