, 1869-08-06
WIRE RAnwAYs-A NEW INVENTION.

A railway without cutting, emoankments,
tunnels, viaducts or bridges, no matter how
bilIy the cuntry 10 be traversed-such is
the de6=ition given by HeraPdths Journal
of an invention now 10 use in Leicestershire,
aud a working model Of which may be seen
in Gresham street, E. q. The wire tramWay
provides a simple and cheap substitute for q
line of rails, and is of great service where,
from the scarcity or intermittent character OF
the traffic, or the engineering difficulties OF
the ground to be got over, 1t is either not
expedieut or impossible to go through the
expensive process of forming local railway.
For the wire spans over and evades obstacles
in place Of burroWing under orlevelliDg them,
and will perform its task as easily along a
rugged track of country as on the smoothest
road. The experiment being now prosecuted
with complete success between some Leices-
tershire stone quarries and railway station
three miles distant, consists OF an endless
wire-rope, supported on a series of pullles
carried BY substantial posts, which are ordl-
narily about one hundred and fifty feet apart,
but the interval between which may be great
ly extended, as is shown in one case where
the span from post to post is six hundred
feet One of the ends of this rope passes
round a Fowler's clip-drum, worked BY a
portable steam engine, aud this drives the
rope at a speed of six miles az hour. Boxes
are hung on the rope ct the loading end near
the quarries by pendant which is ingenious
Iy arranged to preserve perfect equilibrium
aud at the same time to pass without hinder
anee over the supports. Each of these box
es carries one hundred weight of stone, and
the delivery is at the rate Of two hundred
boxes, or ten tons per hour for the three
mile distance.
Already wire tramways Of the Leicester
shire model are in course of erection in
France, Italy and Spain. Negotiations are
on foot, too, between the Turkish GOvernN
ment and the engineers here, and it is not
improbable that this generation may see goods
carried by wire as commonly as messages.
The tramway, is, indeed, not unlike an ex'
ceedingly stout electric telegraph; and there
is something almost droll in the sight of a
regiment of well laden trucks or boxes pass.
ing gravely along it at stated intervals, and
at regular pace, much as if they we're at
aerial drill. The most important point in
Mr.. Hodgson's invention is his method Of
passing the points of support, which consists
in so curving the frame of the truck or box
as to make the centre of gravity come under
the rope. So admirably is this managed
that some of our Leading engineers have been
discussing quite recently the possibility Of
constructing a stout wire iramway between
Dover and Calais, which should be supported
from line of pillars sunk in mid. ocean, and
along which passengers could be conveyed.
The cost would be'comparatively small, and
suspensory trains could, it is argued be dis
patched across the channel without difficulty
or danger.
1t should be stated that where heavy loads
must necessarily be carried, pair of station
ary supporting ropes, with an endless run
ming rope for.the motive power, are employ
ed, and that by these means as many as
thousand tons per day can be easily convey
ed. The cost of erecting these tramways in
England, and of supplying motive power and
rolling stock, is from 9250 a mile, for carry.
ing fifty tons day, 10 boxes holding half a
hundred weight each, to 81, 500 a mile for
one of the dOuble-rope lines, to carry !, 900
tons day, in boxes or trucks holding six
hundred weight each. For all districts where
there is traffic, but where it would not pay
to construct railway, the wire tramway is
particularly applicable, and, as will be read
lily understood, wherever there is standing
room for posts, there line can be erected.
A receLt application from traders in copper
for putting up one for them which should
run through an African forest, and over an
African jungle down to the coast, illustrates
the varied circumstances under which the
new system of transport may be applied.