Page:Report from the Select Committee on Steam Carriages.pdf/105



John Farey, Esq. 10 August, 1831. during that trial, and burned about 177 lbs. of cake per hour, which is at the rate of about five millions and a half pounds weight, raised one foot high by the consumption of 84 lbs. of coal? but they have greatly reduced the consumption of fuel in the succeeding Engines on that Railway, owing to inclosing the cylinders of the Engines within the lower part of the chimney, were they are kept very hot, and an increased effect has been given to the fire by: blowing the waste stream: upwards through the chimney, as stated before. In the Rocket they were just beginning to be aware of the value of that expedient for animating the fire, and it was done in a degree, but it has been since done more completely.

Do you know how near any part of the Railroad between Manchester and Liverpool runs to the common road?—I cannot say; in passing along the Rail-way, I do not recollect seeing the turnpike road, except crowing it.several times.

The noise made by the Engines used on the Rail-way is much greater than by the Steam Coaches, is it not?—Yes, Mr. Hancock's Coach makes less noise than any of Mr. Stephenson's Engines; but the power exerted by the latter_is much greater than by Mr. Hancock's Engines. The quick-travelling Carriages on the Manchester and Liverpool Railway, when drawn by the last improved Engines, are extremely easy in their motion.

Is it your opinion, that a road would suffer less injury, from the fore and hind wheels of a Steam Carriage following each other, in the same tracks on the road, than if they run on different tracks?—That depends upon what kind of action the wheels exert on the road; if they cut it up and disturb the materials, by pressing down some stones, so deep as to displace other stones sideways, and cause them to rise up at the sides of the track, then it is best not to allow such wheels to cut the road twice in the same places, but if the fore wheels roll the road smooth on the surface, and consolidate, without disturbing the materials; that is, if they only press down the stones over which they pass, as much as will produce a close contact,