Clarke courier. [volume] (Berryville, Va.) 1869-1997, 1906-10-03

the structure then becoming fairly ef-
fcient. When fanges. either ON the
wheels or the rails. were frst Invented
or by whom is not known. but Il was
apparently toward the end OF the
seventeenth century.
Those wooden railroads seem TO have
survived throughout the greater part
OF the following century. and even into
the nineteenth I'm some cases. The Md
dlcton cOlliery railroad at Leeds. for
Instance. was Of wood until Il was
relaid for the use OF BlenkinsOp's rack
ran engine These were started in
1872 and were unQuestionably the first
commercially successful locomotives.
Many other wooden railroads had OK
isted in the same ncighbOrhOOd for
hfty or sixty years previously, and no
doubt In other colliery districts as
well. One was laid down near Shelf
field. for instance. so early as about
1I12 from the Duke Of NOrfolk's col
liery nj The Manor into the town. near
~ one and One-hatf miles down hill II
lasted till 17IJ. when IL was DESTROYED
In a riot Next year il was reconstruct
ed with the first cast iron fanged rails
by James Outram. their inventor. 4
wooden railroad long existed at Bath.
1t was laid down in 1871 By Ralph
Allen, who. having gained a fortune by
pOstoiiice contracts. acquired and de-
Veloped extensive Quarries OF the cele-
brated Bath oolite stone on Combe
down. These being at 4 great height
and away from any regular mode Of
transit. ii became necessary to devise
a means Of bringing down such heavy
material. The wooden railroad occu-
pied the site OF what is now called
Prior Park road and was laid partly
upon low walls and partly on the
ground, like the wagon ways belong
ing To the coiiieries in the north OF
England"
The colliery lines about Newcastle
used In the eighteenth century rails
Of beech wood. carefully planned on the
top and pegged down TO crossplecos.
which were even then termed .slcep-
ers. Longitudinal timberS i'm addition
were sometimes used. the extra height
being OF use in enabling the cross
slcepers 10 be well covered up and
protected from the action Of the horses
feet There We're usually two lines
OF rails. the descending one being called
the main way. the other the byway.
The cars held q Newcastle chaldrop.
or dfty-three hundrcdweiCht. 5.92G
pounds. They were built OF fir planks.
strengthened with iron straps. and had
oak or ash so,eS. They sloped forward.
having slightly larger wheels AT that
end. which was found 10 ease the
draft. These wheels were OF cast
iron. the rear pair being made solid OF
pieces Of beech wood dovetaued and
clamped together. II was supposed
that brakes held better on wood than
on iron. Some OF these wooden line,
ended in a short timber viaduct. where
the land sloped much 20 the rive.
leading To shipping quay. from which
the coal could either be discharged ut
once down chute into the keel
or barge which carried it 20 the ships
or stored II no kcels were 1T hand
The wagons opened below 70 effect
this
In going down hill with loaded
wagon the horse followed behind. SO
that he might not be knocked down n
IL got beyond control. which is said to
have happened rather frequently. Tho
drivers generally owned the horses.
often Of a miserable description. and
were paid by the trip or "gait."-Rail-
road Gazette