NEW OR IMPROVED SYSTEM OF AERIAL RAILWAY
Year: 1882

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Edwin Powley Alexander at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 27th November 1882. Commu-
nicated to him from abroad by Paul Marie Théodore Imbaud of Paris in the
Republic of France
EDWIN POWLEY ALEXANDER of 36 Southampton Buildings in the County of
Middlesex, Consulting Engineer and British and Foreign Patent Agent
A. NEW
OR IMPROVED SYSTEM OF AERIAL RAILWAY a communication to me from abroad
by Paul Marie Théodore Imbaud of Paris in the Republic of France
"
It is unnecessary to point out the great advantage to large towns and cities in
possessing a means of internal transport for passengers and goods not only more
rapid but less uncertain and more convenient than omnibusses cabs and drays.
The establishment however of a means of aerial or subterranean communication
by the ordinary system of trains drawn by locomotives presents almost insuperable
objections.
Now the present invention consists of a novel system of aerial railway based on
the following principle.
It being granted that a body left to itself on a descending gradient remounts an
opposite gradient provided it be in the same line, an equal distance.
This being granted a new motive power costing nothing is indicated for
establishing transport communication between the different parts of a large city
and for connecting the stations and termini of the railway lines intersecting them
also for forming intermediate stations. This motive power is utilised in the
improved system of aerial railway hereinafter described.
The said improved system consists in mounting upon light metal columns or
other upright supports railways of such a gradient that a train started from the
descending point of a principal station for example shall arrive at a gradually
reduced speed at another principal station.
It will suffice that the points of departure be say about sixty feet above the
ground, the light and solid constructions of metal columns or vertical supports
carrying the said railways being easily carried up to that elevation.
On the departure from large stations the platform of the improved aerial railway
can be joined by a railway (as at the Croix Rousse at Lyons) with the platform of
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page_text: the steam railway so as to ensure a quick transport of passengers and baggage on
the secondary points a lift will answer the purpose.
At the points where there is considerable traffic between the large stations
several lines would be required and those for passengers should be placed in the
centre.
One of the advantages of this system is that lighter erections can be used
than for ordinary railways the rolling stock should therefore be light and the line
should be worked by the frequent despatch of small trains rather than by the use
of long and heavy trains of goods and passengers as on terra firma.
The lines could be easily constructed by using small and convenient columns
placed in the courts of houses at corners of streets and other convenient places and
no inconvenience will result to persons dwelling on the line of route or in the
neighbourhood. The advantage over a worked railway line would be that a
more frequent service of trains could be made whilst facility is afforded for joining
points situate at short distances apart but badly placed owing to the direction
of the streets, without the necessity for incurring the enormous labour and expense
of making an ordinary railway for perhaps only a few hundred yards.
To avoid all risk of derailment the rolling stock of my improved aerial railway
would be provided with extra flanged wheels situate inside the rails in the well
known manner as applied to those railway lines which are made with very sharp
curves.