Page:The Building News and Engineering Journal, Volume 22, 1872.djvu/283

 fe i Me wy rd ‘ ‘ ! cf oer j Marcu 29, 1872. THE BUILDING NEWS. 265 Mr. Witucocks said that on some of the iron bridges of the Midland Railway at S. Pancras a method of preventing the dripping of water through successful. On each edge of all the girders a kind of shoot was cast, into and along which all the rain falling on to the plates was conducted, and thence away by gutters. When some of the arches of the Greenwich Railway were pulled down, a year or two ago, in connection with the works of the East Lon- don Railway, it was found that all sorts of ‘‘ seamp- ing” had been carried out in the brickwork, which, whether as to material or execution, was far from being of the quality specified. Mr. B. Havenron said it appeared to him that cast-iron girders of the span referred to by Mr. Law- ford and used in the work under discussion were not to be depended upon. Although they might last very well for a time (say ten or twenty years), they would, in course of time, become crystallised by the vibration. He had known very large castings in iron to fail after being subjected to ordinary duty for twenty or thirty years, and he believed it was becoming more and more unusual to use cast-iron girders (at any rate of so great span) for railway work, The dripping of water through the railway bridges was no doubt a very serious nuisance, and it seemed to him that there was no means of counter- acting it except by the expedient of roofing over the bridge, as suggested by Mr. Lawford in his paper. Mr. Pain’s objection to the use of corrugated iron plating under the bridges, on account of difficulty in getting at the ironwork of the bridge for cleaning and painting, could be obviated by so fastening the iron ceiling that it could be easily removed when re- quired. Undoubtedly the making of this City branch of the North London line was a great boon to the inhabitants of the northern suburbs, but he thought it avery great pity that the London and North-Western Railway Company did not, in the first instance, con- nect their line with the Metropolitan Railway, the same as the Midland and Great Northern Railway Companies had done. He was not at all surprised at the retaining wall having given away, as described, because its construction seemed to be very light, con- sidering the enormous weight of the locomotives on the line. Turned arches, he imagined, would be found equal to the work. Mr. Lawford had mentioned that the Charing Cross line had cost one million pounds sterling per mile: was that inclusive of land ? Mr. Lawrorp: Yes. Mr. Haventon thought that in giving the cost of such railways, the cost exclusive of land should he stated, as then some idea would be afforded of the engineering difficulties of the work. He thought Mr. Pain’s remarks with regard to the liability to the driving out of the line round sharp curves well worthy of attention. Where a railway ran upon a viaduct round a curye, the rails ought to be sup- ported on a framework of iron, or ona series of iron columns and girders. As far as his experience went, he should certainly prefer wrought to cast iron for almost every purpose of railway engineer- ing. Mr. Waumistey thanked Mr. Lawford for his paper, which had been brought forward in a very able manner, remarking that although they might admire the engineering skill displayed in such a bridge as that over the Kingsland-road, he wished such structures were a little more ornamental. Mr. Lawford had given the dimensions of the Broad-street Station roof as 600ft. by 200ft., and its cost as £30 per square foot. The §. Pancras Station roof, which was 690ft. by 240ft., cost £31 11s., and that was only in one span, whereas the Broad-street roof was in two spans, so that the cost was very nearly the same, and much greater convenience attended the single span roofs, as lines and platforms could be shifted about to any position without columns getting in the way. He believed that the Butterley Iron Company manufactured the ironwork of the S. Pancras roof, the cost being £128,000. Mr. Winicocks asked whether Mr. Lawford con- sidered solid retaining walls the best, or those with arches and abutments, as used by Mr. Fowler on the Metropolitan Railway. Mr. Haveuron having endorsed the views of Mr. Walmisley with respect to single span roofs, Mr. Hunr asked for further information respect- ing the giving way of the retaining wall, for, differ- ing from Mr. Haughton, he considered it to be amply strong enough as regarded its thickness. With regard to the immunity enjoyed by cast-iron girder bridges from the percolation of rain, of course that was only the case when brickwork was used in conjunction therewith. Where the Charing Cross railway bridge crossed the Thames Embankment, they were at present taking means to prevent water from dripping through the bridge, and were drilling holes in the bottom table of the girder, for the pur- pose of fixing balks of timbers, to which, he sup- posed, they would attach plates of corrugated iron. The drilling of those holes seemed to him to be a very dangerous expedient. Mr. Perrerr and Mr. HAvauron having made a few remarks, Mr. LAwrorp rose to reply to the questions raised during the discussion, He said that on the whole, he considered over-head railways very much better in every respect than underground lines. As to the ugliness of the Kingsland-road bridge, well, at any rate, it was not so bad as some structures of the kind which had-been inflicted on the public, and some pains had been taken to make it look as well as possible. As to Mr. Pain’s suggestion of carrying a line on a viaduct where sharp curves existed on a framework of girders, there were no curves upon the City branch of the North London Railway of less than twenty chains’ radius, except in the cuttings at Dalston Junction, where there was one of 15 chains and one of 10 chains. As to the depthof “made ground” it was found to increase the nearer they got to the heart of the city. From Dalston Junction to the Regent’s Canal, the depth of the foundations averaged from 4ft. to 8ft.; from the Regent’s Canal to Worship-street the depth increased to 13ft.; and from Worship-street to Broad-street the depth rose to about 20ft., and in one case 26ft. With regard to the goods station at Broad-street, he was not pre- pared to give all the information required. The whole of the passenger station was about 26ft. above the level of the roadway, and the whole of the goods trains ran upon the same level. All the goods lines were built on iron columns, and the goods trucks were let down by drops. The line had been carried out on the principles of what was known as London and North Western engineering. As to retaining walls, he did not like those used by Mr. Fowler on the Metropolitan Railway; he would rather have solid walls. As to the question of one span or two span roofs for large stations, the Broad-street Station was a joint concern, half belonging to the North London Railway and half to the London and North Western. As to the comparative strength of wrought and cast-iron girders for railway bridges, he thought that up to 32ft. span cast iron was equal to all requirements; girders of that span would be absolutely strengthened by turning semi-circular brick arches between them, especially if the girders were continued a yard or so over the abutment. As to the giving way of the retaining wall, it was not to be wondered at, considering that 45-ton locomo- tives were constantly travelling to and fro upon gradients of Lin 60, at aspeed of from 25 to 30 milesan hour. If he had to build such a wall again, however, he should certainly put another brick, or perhaps only half a brick, in the thickness. On the motion of Mr. Wimucocks, seconded by Mr. Whitaker, the thanks of the Society were unanimously given to Mr. Lawford for his paper, and that gentleman having acknowledged the com- pliment, the proceedings terminated. pee ee STATUES, MEMORIALS, &c. Bust oF THE LaTE Mr. Grotr.—On Monday afternoon a bust of the late Mr. George Grote was unveiled in Westminster Abbey. The bust, which is of white marble, and is placed at the junction of Poet's Corner with the southern transept, is the work of Mr. Charles Bacon. STATUE TO THE QUEEN AT BomBAy.—A statue to the Queen is to be unveiled at Bombay this month. The cost has been £15,500. It is a co- lossal sitting statue of Her Majesty, in the best Carrara marble, with an elaborate canopy, nearly 50ft. high, also executed in the best marble of various colours. The Royal coat-of-arms is placed on the front of the pedestal, and the Star of India in the centre of the canopy, while onthe enriched part, immediately above the statue of Her Majesty, the rose of England and the lotus of India, accompanied by the mottoes “God and my Right,” and “ The Light of Heaven our Guide,” are introduced. Be- sides these accessories, others also are introduced in the design, such as the symbols of strength and friendship, namely, the oak and ivy leaves respec- tively adorning the plinth and capitals ot the columns, with the oak, ivy, and lotus leaves en- riching the mouldings surrounding the entire work. Four panels between the columns have been pro- vided as spaces for the inscriptions in four languages. ——_@__<_ It is proposed to build a new Congregational Church at Sutton, near Croydon. The memorial window to be placed in S. Thomas’s Church, Dudley, to the late Vicar is now com- pleted, and will shortly be fixed in its position. It is in the style of the fifteenth century, and consists of three lights. ‘lhe design represents the Resur- rection of Our Lord. Messrs. Hardman of, Bir- mingham, are the artists. Huilding Sutelligence, CHURCHES AND CHAPELS, Beppineton.—A temporary church at Bandon Hill was opened on Monday week by the Bishop of Winchester. The church, which is built from a design by Mr. Richard Martin, of Caterham, is 100ft. long by 24ft. broad; the nave is 60ft. in length; the north and south transepts, 10ft. by 20ft.; and the vestry and organ chamber each 10ft. by 10ft.; the roofs are 32ft. high, surmounted by a spire 60ft. high from the ground line; the chancel is apsidal, and contains a large five-light window by Clayton & Bell; the floors are laid with Maw’s tesselated pavement, and it is calculated that the building will accommodate 559 persons. The material is wood. Messrs. Taylor & Son, of Bromley, were the contractors. Penistone.—A new Wesleyan Methodist Chapel, with school-room, class-room, &c., underneath, is to be erected at Penistone, Sheffield. The building will be in the Gothic style, from a design by Mr. Moxon, architect, Barnsley. Accommodation will be pro- vided in the chapel for 400 persons, and in the school-room for 200 scholars. The cost will be £1,000. Sroxe Fremimve.—tThe parish church of Stoke Fleming, after restoration from the designs of Mr. J. P. St. Aubyn, was reopened on Tuesday week. Two cumbrous galleries have been removed, the old fashioned square pews demolished, and the old plastering removed. The new roof, replacing an old cradle roof, has open arched principals which, with the rafters, are of red pine. Open benches of the same material take the place of the pews. The floors are paved with red, black, and buff tiles, sup- plied by the Poole Architectural Pottery Company. The aisles are separated from the nave by five arches on each side, which, excepting the transept arches, are of red sandstone, supported by large moulded pillars formed of large blocks of gray slate, of the same kind as those in Townstal and Blackawton Churches. The transept arches, probably built at a later period than the original church, are of Beer stone, and were supported by four pillars of the same material, but one of these on the southern side was so much decayed that it has been replaced by another of Bath stone, which is of the same colour, although perhaps not so durable. Between the north transept and the vestry, a new organ chamber has been built; a new oak pulpit is also erected. The church is now capable of seating 515 persons. The outside of the church has been newly rough- cast. The works have been executed in a most satisfactory manner by Messrs. Stevenson & Son, of Newton Ferrers, at a cost of about £1,400. BUILDINGS. NortHampton.—The new post office at North- ampton is completed and will shortly be opened. The style is Italian. The length of frontage is 42ft., and the building has three storeys. The ground- floor front is completely of stone, the remainder being of brick, with handsome Bath stone dressings. The architect is Mr. Jas. Williams, Post Office Surveyor, Whitehall, London, and the contractor is Mr. Dunkley, of Blisworth. The erection has been under the supervision of Mr. Hatch, clerk of the works. Sanpwicu.—Mr. Frederick Mares Godden, archi- tect, Westminster, is about to restore the only re- maining gateway of the ancient fortifications. The subject of restoration is a portcullis in the old town wall facing the Quay. The superstructure was erected on the ancient walls (which still surround the town) during the mayoralty of Richard Porridge in the year 1581, and is known as “ Fisher’s Gate,” formerly Gregory Ive’s Gate. S. Luke’s.—At the last meeting of the Holborn Board of Guardians, it was resolved to add a new wing to the S. Luke’s Workhouse, City-road, at a cost of £10,000, from plans by Mr. H. Saxon Snell, architect to the Holborn Union. The plan will com- plete the administrative offices required for 1,500 inmates, which it is proposed that building shall eventually be made to accommodate; and, in ad- dition, it will provide 125 additional beds. The basement provides the following administrative offices: —Dining-room, store clerks’ offices, bed and wine cellars; and connected with these offices will be the general store rooms of the buildings on either side. The basement will complete the corridor communica- tion between the kitchen, laundry, and staircase of the new infirm wards. The ground floor will contain on the right-hand side the master’s offices, clerks’ offices, committee rooms, and waiting-room, and on the leit side a waiting or receiving room, doctor’s examining
 * $3
 * bridges was adopted which he believed had proved