Page:Inland Transit - Cundy - 1834.djvu/97

 {| ! undefined !! tons. !! cwt.
 * The weight of the carriage, with the water, coke, and three persons upon it, was about || | 3 ||  | 5
 * The weight of the omnibus coach attached to it || | 1 ||  | 0
 * The weight of the passengers, their luggage,and some additional sacks of coke, about || | 1 ||  | 15
 * Making the gross weight moved || | 6 ||  | 0
 * }
 * The weight of the passengers, their luggage,and some additional sacks of coke, about || | 1 ||  | 15
 * Making the gross weight moved || | 6 ||  | 0
 * }
 * }

The motive power was an engine with two cylinders, seven inches in diameter and sixteen inches stroke. The pressure of steam on the tubes constituting the boiler, or generator, was adjusted to 100lbs. per square inch.

Before the carriage had proceeded six miles, one of the tubes of which Sir Charles Dance's boiler is composed, was found to leak so fast as to render repair absolutely necessary: it was also apparent, that the size of the engine was not sufficient to carry so great a weight along a heavy road at any high velocity.

The weather was by no means favourable, there having been much rain in the course of the night and morning, so as to make the road heavy, added to which the winter coating of new materials had in many places been laid upon the road. Notwithstanding these obstacles, upon our arrival at Stony Stratford, 52½ from town, it was found by Messrs. Macneill and Carpmael, who had taken accurate minutes of the loss of time occasioned by stoppages, that the average rate of travelling had been seven miles per hour.

Thus there can be no doubt, that, with a well constructed engine of greater power, a steam carriage conveyance between London and Birmingham, at a velocity unattainable by horses, and limited only by safety, might be maintained; and it is our conviction that such a project might be undertaken with great advantage to the public, more particularly if, as might obviously be the case, without interfering with dhr