6 January 1864
trial of an alpine locomotive at whaley bridge
An interesting trial of a locomotive engine, built on novel principles at the Canada Works, Birkenhead, took place yesterday, at Whaley Bridge, on the Cromford and High Peak Railway, and upon a short line made especially for the experiment. The engine is constructed to ascend and descend steep gradients, to pass sharp curves, and to perform work which locomotives as yet have never been accomplished. The inventor and patentee, Mr J.B. Fell, has gone upon the principle of obtaining increased adhesion without increase of weight. In the centre of the carriage way a raised rail, considerably larger than the ordinary lines, is laid down; and the engine and carriages are fitted with well lubricated horizontal wheels, which, by pressing on either side of the centre rail, produces the adhesion, necessary for working up steep inclines.
The practical object of this invention cannot but be greatly interesting, inasmuch as it proposes to run a line of railway for passengers, mails and merchandise, over the very heart of the Alps, and along a road hitherto considered impassable for locomotives.
It is the well-known military road hewn out of such giant difficulties by the first Napoleon, that it is contemplated to traverse. At present there is a tract of mountain pass 48 miles in length between the two great railway systems of France and North Italy, the terminus of the former being San Michel, in Savoy, and the latter Susa, in Piedmont.
The Mont Cenis, by which this district is known, has been considered so important for purposes of traffic, that the French and Italian governments five years ago commenced the excavation of a tunnel, to remove the difficulties so often felt.
At the lowest computation this great undertaking will take twelve years to complete. The proposed railway over the surface of the pass will only be two years in making, and the projectors would therefore have ten years of working before the tunnel was available for traffic.
The district has been thoroughly surveyed by Mr Fell in connection with a company of well-known English capitalists and contractors, and the scheme has met with the approbation of the Italian government.
The present road is sufficiently wide to accommodate the railway, and leave room for local traffic, and the usual engineering labours of tunnelling,, &c. will not be required. The chief difficulty, however, is that which the new locomotive is especially designed to overcome, namely, the excessive steepness.
Starting from San Michel, the road gradually rises as far as the village of Lanslebourg, whence it takes a rapid ascent, with gradients of 1 in 12 to the summit of the pass, which is 7,000 feet above the level of the sea. From this point there is an equally rapid descent to Suse.
In addition to this rising and falling there are frequent sharp curves.
It is proposed to cover in those portions of the line where it is known avalanches and snow-drifts fall.
The locomotive to be employed here is, in fact, a double engine, a horizontal and vertical engine combined --- and so arranged that it may be worked either together or separate, according to the steepness of the incline. Not the least feature of this invention is the safety which it ensures.
The horizontal wheel referred to above, facilitates the passage of curves, and enables the driver to stop the engine in the middle of the steepest gradient, give a propulsive pressure of several tons, and, by means of the flanges which underlap the central rail, renders it nearly impossible that the carriages can be overturned. The brakes are extremely powerful, and, as they are attached to each carriage, no danger can arise from a coupling chain giving way. The extreme narrowness of the gauge renders the curves less difficult to pass, gives more room for the public road, and greatly assists in erecting the covered ways for the more dangerous parts.
The trials yesterday were in every way successful and for once the High Peak proved an aid rather than an obstacle to the engineer. There were two inclines; the first being 200 yards long, at a gradient of one in 13, and the other 150 yards long, at a gradient of one in 12, with curves of about two chains radius. This represents the most difficult part of the Mont Cenis road. The shortness of the line upon which the experiment was made prevented the full getting up of steam, and the trial may therefore be taken as a fair test. The locomotive itself, weighing 16 tons, but with a tractive force of 32 tons --- first ascended and descended the lines, stopping in the middle, and going backwards and forwards as required with perfect ease. Four wagons, laden with 26 tons of ballast, were then attached, and the experiment was repeated with equally satisfactory results. It is proposed to work the Mont Cenis line at an average speed of 12 miles per hour, thus performing the journey in from four to five hours. The number of passengers will not exceed 190 - equivalent to twenty-four tons.
Within the past week many of the principal engineers of the country have witnessed these experiments under the personal direction of Mr Fell; and the novelty of an engine and wagons running easily and safely up and down a hill, which would make the most courageous “whip” look twice before he risked himself and horses by venturing down, is beheld by crowds of gaping and awestruck rustics, who seem to doubt whether it is prudent or not to believe the evidence of their own eyes. The London & North Western Railway have liberally given to Mr Fell the use of their line, and afforded other facilities for the trial of the new locomotive. The trials will be continued today and tomorrow.
